Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, often credited with transforming Hyderabad into a major IT hub, has opened up about his decades-long association with Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates.
Tracing his journey to the mid-1990s, he told NDTV's Vishnu Som on Thursday that it was "the beginning of information technology" in India. "After the internet revolution by Bill Gates, the world had become a global village. I visualised the potential of IT for India. I desperately wanted to make Bill Gates understand our vision," he said.
Naidu initially struggled to secure a meeting with Gates, who was hesitant to engage with politicians. "He refused to meet me, saying, 'You are a politician. I don't have any political work; I am only a businessman or technology man'," Naidu explained.
After weeks of effort, Gates finally granted him a meeting. "He gave me 10 minutes, and we ended up talking for 45. I made a presentation and said, 'India, Indians, you cannot ignore. Information technology basically depends on mathematics and English. The two are core strengths for Indians."
Naidu convinced Gates to consider Hyderabad for Microsoft's first development centre outside Seattle. "I told him, 'If you plan to set up a development centre, it should be here.' He was surprised, never having thought of it, but agreed to examine it," he said.
Eventually, Microsoft's centre was established in 1998, and that became a game-changer for India, Naidu added.
The area, now called HITEC City (Cyberabad region), in Hyderabad began to be developed as an IT corridor under Naidu's government, with Microsoft and other global tech firms as anchor tenants.
Over the years, Microsoft has continued to work with the region, and, in March, the Andhra Pradesh government signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the company to train youth in artificial intelligence and advanced technologies.
The partnership focuses on skill development, especially in rural areas, and plans to train government staff, ITI students, and college students. While most earlier Microsoft infrastructure investments were in Hyderabad (now in Telangana), the new initiatives are aimed directly at Andhra Pradesh, helping the state grow in IT, AI, and technology education.
Naidu told NDTV, "I'm telling you, this project is a game-changer. It started as a company in 1998, when I had a memorandum of understanding with Microsoft. Today, it is very innovative. Indians, especially people from Andhra, are doing very well. Back then, I faced many challenges."
Last month, Google announced it will invest $15 billion in India over five years, building its largest AI hub outside the US in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh. The project includes a 1-gigawatt data centre campus with AI infrastructure, large-scale energy sources, and an expanded fibre-optic network. Google has partnered with the Adani Group for the development.
Naidu said, "You cannot stop development now. Take advantage of it. We are working hard and also working smart. There are many job opportunities in different sectors, including tourism, so people should take time to refresh and recharge. Challenges and opportunities always come together."
"Creating wealth is important. Indians are now global citizens, and I want to promote them as global leaders... Distance is no longer a barrier. You can run a company and operate globally, either physically or virtually," he added.
