How Chandrababu Naidu Persuaded Bill Gates In A 40-Minute Meeting To Establish Microsoft's Hyderabad Office

TDP chief N. Chandrababu Naidu is set to be sworn in today as the chief minister of Andhra Pradesh for a fourth term.

The swearing-in ceremony will be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP chief J.P. Nadda, and other leaders.

Chandrababu Naidu - Bill Gates Meeting

It was announced by Amit Shah on X (formerly Twitter) that he had met the Chief Minister-designate of Andhra Pradesh, Shri @ncbn Garu, in Vijayawada and had congratulated him on the NDA's massive victory, expressing anticipation for attending the oath-taking ceremony the following day.

Chandrababu Naidu was first appointed as the CM of the undivided Andhra Pradesh in 1995. He has been credited with transforming Hyderabad into a technology hub, notably by persuading Bill Gates to establish a Microsoft office in the city. During the AP AgTech Summit in 2017, Chandrababu Naidu recalled how he secured an appointment with Bill Gates in the late 1990s.

It was mentioned that Gates was in New Delhi for work, and officials of the United States were contacted by Chandrababu Naidu to arrange an appointment. It was indicated to him that Gates was very busy, but he could attend a cocktail party in the evening if he was keen.

A presentation was made by Chandrababu Naidu using a laptop, which he claimed made him the first Indian politician to do so. The appointment with Bill Gates, which was initially set to last for 10 minutes, ended up lasting for 40 minutes.

Details of this meeting were also shared by Bill Gates, who recounted that he had been told about someone who believed in digital technology even more than he did. It was hard to believe until they met, and Gates found that Naidu had brought his digital equipment-a computer-and had a vision to enhance government operations using advanced tools.

Microsoft's India Development Centre was then established in Hyderabad in 1998, fulfilling the commitment made by Gates during the meeting. Chandrababu Naidu noted that not only did Microsoft open its development centre in Hyderabad, but Satya Nadella, who hails from the same region, later became the CEO of Microsoft.