As the novel coronvarius outbreak has grappled the world as most are working from home in such crucial times, Google CEO Sundar Pichai had a special message for the graduating class of 2020: Be open, be impatient, be hopeful.
Pichai in a virtual graduation ceremony urged those graduating to be open, hopeful and "impatient", and exuded confidence that they have a "chance to change everything"
Google's video platform YouTube organised a virtual event to give a farewell to these students.
The ceremony saw participation from former US President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama, Korean pop group BTS, singers Beyoncé and Lady Gaga, former Defense Secretary Robert M Gates, former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and activist Malala Yousafzai.
"Be open, be impatient, be hopeful. If you can do that, history will remember the Class of 2020 not for what you lost, but for what you changed. You have the chance to change everything. I am optimistic you will," Pichai said.
Further, the Google CEO recounted his humble past, stressing on the importance of staying positive during tough times one faces in life. One such challenge that Pichai faced was when his father spent one year's salary on a plane ticket to US in order for him to pursue a course at Stanford University.
"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," Pichai said adding that a bright spot for him during that time was computing.
He also added, "The only thing that got me from here to there—other than luck—was a deep passion for technology, and an open mind."
Pichai, whose full name is Pichai Sundararajan, first became interested in computers while he was studying metallurgical engineering at the Indian Institute of Technology at Kharagpur. He later won a scholarship to Stanford, in hopes of joining the Silicon Valley.
Pichai joined Google in 2004, where he led the product management and innovation efforts for a suite of Google's client software products, including Google Chrome and Chrome OS, as well as being largely responsible for Google Drive.
Later, Pichai was selected to become the next CEO of Google on August 10, 2015.
With inputs from PTI
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