'Dad spent year's salary on my US ticket': Google CEO Sundar Pichai inspires Class of 2020

Google and Alphabet Inc. CEO Sundar Pichai inspired class of 2020 with his remarkable commencement speech through YouTube's star-studded virtual gruation ceremony. ever-so-humble Google exec shared his success story with young gruates who could t be a part of a tritional convocation ceremony due to ongoing pandemic. Pichai spoke about hope and raised ir spirits by giving table examples of such instances from history as he dressed to class of 2020 and said, "You will prevail".

" reason I kw you will prevail is because so many ors have done it before you. 100 years ago-- class of 1920 gruated int dely pandemic. 50 years ago- class of 1970 gruated in midst of Vietnam War.  and nearly 20 years ago -class of 2001 gruated just months before 9/11. re are table examples like this. y h to overcome new challenges and in all cases y prevailed. long arc of history tells us we have every reason to be hopeful." 

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Sundar Pichai dressed gruates and emphasized on need to be open-minded in world where possibilities of an outcome may seem frustrating. He gave example of his generation with respect to kind of techlogy that he h access to when he started out and brought out stark difference in what current generation enjoys.

"It's very conventional for every generation to underestimate potential of following one. It's because y don't realize that progress of one generation becomes foundational premise for next. And it takes a new set of people to come along and realize all  possibilities."

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He also took a trip down memory lane to share his experience as a young student and world of challenges that he h to face in a new country. Pichai shared anecdotes about his "deep passion for techlogy"-- driving force that led to his breakthrough in field. He also shared a mont of pictures from his youth.

"My far spent equivalent of a year's salary on my plane ticket to US so I could attend Stanford. It was my first time ever on a plane but when I eventually landed in California things weren't as I h imagined. America was expensive. A phone call back home was more than $2 a minute and a backpack cost same as my D's monthly salary in India. On top of all that I missed my family, my friends and my girlfriend--w, my wife-- back in India. bright spot for me during this time was computing. For first time in my life, I could use a computer whenever I wanted to."

Pichai is a gruate of Indian Institute of Techlogy (IIT) in Kharagpur, and studied in Vana Vani school in IIT Mras campus.

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Sundar Pichai ended his commencement speech by reiterating importance of being hopeful even if world is battling a pandemic and also focusing on things that one feels deeply passionate about.

He said, "Take time to find that thing that excites you more than anything else in world. t thing your parents want you to do. Or thing all your friends are doing.. or that society expects of you."

Have a look:

Dear Class of 2020

On Sunday, YouTube hosted live streaming of a 'virtual gruation ceremony' for class of 2020 who were deprived of a convocation ceremony due to coronavirus pandemic which has restricted large garings around  world. event was helined by former US president Barrack Obama and wife, Michelle Obama. It was a stellar affair with power-packed performances by more than a dozen artists including BTS, Camila Cabello, Ly Gaga, Taylor Swift, Lizzo, Jennifer Lopez, Alicia Keys and many ors popular among youth of generation.

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