Google and Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai has sent a message to IIT Kharagpur as the institute marks its 75th anniversary, reflecting on his student years there and highlighting the growing role artificial intelligence could play in the next stage of technological development.
In a video message shared by IIT Kharagpur, Pichai looked back on his time at the institute, recalling how he learned programming and had some of his earliest opportunities to use a computer. He also remembered carrying floppy disks around the campus and the friendships he formed during his years as a student.
Pichai said IIT Kharagpur was where he met his wife, Angeli, learned to programme and first gained access to computers. He recalled the experience of carrying floppy disks around the campus during those early days of his education.
The institute described the message as a proud moment as it celebrates 75 years of excellence, innovation and nation-building, noting that the special message came from its distinguished alumnus and the CEO of Google and Alphabet.
Pichai said his education at IIT Kharagpur played an important role in setting him on a journey that eventually took him to Google and shaped his efforts to make technology available to a wider audience. He also credited his alma mater with influencing his approach to creating meaningful impact through technology.
Pichai’s AI vision for the next five years
Looking towards the future, Pichai said IIT Kharagpur could have an even greater role to play as India develops technologies capable of creating an impact around the world. He identified AI as a major part of this next phase.
Pichai believes AI will become increasingly integrated into everyday professional life over the next five years, moving beyond laboratories and early adopters and reaching people across a wide range of professions.
He said AI would increasingly find its way into the hands of people doing practical work, including healthcare professionals, government officials, farmers, developers and entrepreneurs.
According to Pichai, the aim should be to develop AI systems that enable people to do their jobs more effectively while also making their work more meaningful and fulfilling.
He also highlighted the role students can play in shaping this future, recalling his interaction with Gemini student ambassadors from different parts of India during the AI Impact Summit in Delhi. The enthusiasm he saw among students about using technology to improve people's lives, he said, made him hopeful about what lies ahead.
Pichai also praised IIT Kharagpur under director Suman Chakraborty, particularly for its efforts to move technology and research beyond laboratories and apply them to real-world challenges, including healthcare and the needs of underserved communities.
He described the institute's approach as an example of how universities can turn research and knowledge into broader social benefits across areas such as healthcare, sustainability, entrepreneurship and education.
