3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Who is Anupama Nadella? All about Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella's philanthropist wife
Little is known about Anupama Nadella, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella's wife. But she has been the 57-year-old tech leader's support system throughout his life. Away from fame, she has faced multiple challenges in both her personal and professional life. Following her marriage, she fought gruelling visa battles and the tragic loss of a child.
Anupama met Satya at the Manipal Institute of Technology, where she pursued an architecture degree. The power couple became acquainted due to their fathers' professional connections, as they both were Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officers. This mutual civil service family background allowed them to form a connection, ultimately leading to their marriage in 1992.
Shortly after their marriage, they went through a difficult phase in life due to the complicated immigration rules in the United States. At the time, Satya had a Green Card, but Anupama awaited her visa while still in India. As spouses of Green Card holders often faced delays before being allowed entry into the US, the Microsoft CEO gave up his permanent residency.
Satya decided to let go of his Green Card and revert to an H-1B visa to reunite with his college sweetheart. Although the move shocked many, he did not regret his decision. In his 2017 memoir, Hit Refresh, the techie said that his wife 'was my priority. And that made my decision a simple one.' Although Anupama joined him in the US shortly after, her life did not get easier.
Over the years, the couple welcomed three children together, including their late son Zain, who was born with cerebral palsy. Anupama dedicated her life to caring for Zain, who tragically died in 2022. He was 26 at the time. Despite the grief, she took on the role of a philanthropist and a public advocate for children born with severe disabilities. She donated $15 million to Seattle Children's Hospital to support precision medicine neuroscience and youth mental health care.
