In a heartfelt homecoming, Google CEO Sundar Pichai was awarded an honorary Doctor of Science degree by his alma mater, IIT Kharagpur. The special ceremony also honored Pichai’s wife, Anjali Pichai, with the Distinguished Alumnus Award. The event, which took place in San Francisco, was a moment of pride and emotion for the couple, both of whom graduated from IIT Kharagpur in 1993.
Reflecting on the honor, Sundar Pichai shared his gratitude on Instagram: “Last week I was grateful to receive an honorary doctorate from my alma mater IIT Kharagpur. My parents always hoped I would get my doctorate, I think an honorary one still counts:)”
Pichai also emphasized the significant role IIT Kharagpur played in his journey: “The access to education and technology at IIT put me on a path to Google and helping more people access technology. IIT’s role in technology will only grow in importance with the AI revolution, and I will always be thankful for my time there.”
The ceremony saw the presence of several prominent figures, including VK Tewari, Director of IIT Kharagpur, along with Pichai’s parents and daughter. Although the award was initially conferred in absentia during IIT Kharagpur’s 69th Convocation last December, the institute organized this special event to present the award to Pichai in person.
Visibly moved during the ceremony, Pichai expressed his deep appreciation: “This is indeed a great honour that IIT-Kharagpur has bestowed on me. I am truly blessed and humbled to receive this award… Standing with this award in my hands reminds me of the young boy that I was who dreamed to be in the world that I am trying to create with my inventions. IIT-Kharagpur holds a special place in my heart as this was the place where I first met my beloved wife, Anjali, and had beautiful memories of my second home that I grew up in.”
A 1993 graduate of IIT Kharagpur with a BTech in Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, Pichai expressed his desire for continued collaboration with his alma mater: “I look forward to connect with IIT-Kharagpur manifesting greater technological solutions in partnership with Google. KGP ka tempo high hai!”
Anjali Pichai, who also graduated from IIT Kharagpur in 1993 with a BTech in Chemical Engineering, was recognized for her professional achievements.
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