Meet man, who grew up in two-room apartment, struggled for basic needs, now one of richest CEO in US, his name is..., salary is...
Meet man, who grew up in two-room apartment, struggled for basic needs, now one of richest CEO in US, his name is..., salary is...
Sundar Pichai turned 53 on June 10. He is the CEO of Google and its parent company, Alphabet. But before he became one of the most powerful tech leaders in the world, Sundar lived a very different life, one with many struggles and simple beginnings.
In a recent podcast with Lex Fridman, Sundar Pichai recalled how during his childhood even getting basic things was a luxury. He noted how his childhood in in Madras (now called Chennai) stood in sharp contrast to the abundance of Silicon Valley. His family of four lived in a modest two-room apartment where he and his brother shared the living room as their bedroom.
Life was tough for him and his family. There was a time when the city faced a big water shortage. There were no taps at home. Every family had to wait for a water truck to come. Each house was allowed just eight buckets of water. Sundar, his brother, and their mother would stand in line for a long time to get their share. Sometimes they waited for hours, hoping the water didn't run out before their turn.
He also remembered the day their family got a telephone. What added to the value was that it did not happen quickly. They were on a waiting list for years to purchase one. When the phone finally came, it had a round dial. It felt like magic. Neighbours came over to use it. People they did not know would also stop by to make calls. One phone became a connection for many.
Getting something as simple as a blood test report also was not easy during the time. It took a whole day. First, two hours to travel to the hospital. Then, hours of waiting. And the return journey home. Many times, they would be told to come back the next day because the papers were not ready. There were no emails or online results. Only long waits and patience.
Sharing these memories with Lex Fridman, Sundar didn't talk about profits or Google products. He said these hard times helped him understand the true value of technology. They taught him to appreciate things we take for granted today, like running water or quick access to information.
Now, Sundar leads one of the world's biggest tech companies. He joined Google in 2004. But he hasn't forgotten where he came from. From standing in line for water to leading Google, his life shows that the best ideas often come from people who know what it's like to live without them. Sundar Pichai's salary
Sundar Pichai's total compensation in 2024 was approximately Rs. 91.42 crores (USD 10.73 million), according to various media reports. This included his base salary of Rs. 17.05 crores (USD 2 million) and additional compensation like stock awards and other executive perks.
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