'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 the class of 2020 with his remarkable commencement speech through YouTube's star-studded virtual graduation ceremony. The ever-so-humble Google exec shared his success story with the young graduates who could not be a part of a traditional convocation ceremony due to the ongoing pandemic. Pichai spoke about hope and raised their spirits by giving notable examples of such instances from history as he addressed to the class of 2020 and said, "You will prevail".

"The reason I know you will prevail is because so many others have done it before you. 100 years ago-- class of 1920 graduated int the deadly pandemic. 50 years ago- class of 1970 graduated in the midst of Vietnam War.  and nearly 20 years ago -class of 2001 graduated just months before 9/11. there are notable examples like this. they had to overcome new challenges and in all cases they prevailed. The long arc of history tells us we have every reason to be hopeful." 

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

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

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

"My father spent the equivalent of a year's salary on my plane ticket to the 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 had imagined. America was expensive. A phone call back home was more than $2 a minute and a backpack cost the same as my Dad's monthly salary in India. On top of all that I missed my family, my friends and my girlfriend--now, my wife-- back in India. The bright spot for me during this time was computing. For the first time in my life, I could use a computer whenever I wanted to."

Pichai is a graduate of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) in Kharagpur, and studied in Vana Vani school in the IIT Madras campus.

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

He said, "Take the time to find that thing that excites you more than anything else in the world. Not the thing your parents want you to do. Or the thing all your friends are doing.. or that society expects of you."

Have a look:

Dear Class of 2020

On Sunday, YouTube hosted the live streaming of a 'virtual graduation ceremony' for the class of 2020 who were deprived of a convocation ceremony due to the coronavirus pandemic which has restricted large gatherings around the world. The event was headlined 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, Lady Gaga, Taylor Swift, Lizzo, Jennifer Lopez, Alicia Keys and many others popular among the youth of the generation.

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