Latest news with #Indian‑origin
News18
3 days ago
- Business
- News18
Who Is Uday Ruddarraju? Indian-Origin Engineer Who Quit Elon Musk's xAI To Join OpenAI
Last Updated: Ruddarraju, head of infrastructure engineering at Elon Musk's xAI, resigned after a year. He built Colossus, a supercomputer with 250,000 GPUs, and trained Grok 3 Uday Ruddarraju, the Indian‑origin head of infrastructure engineering at Elon Musk's AI startup xAI, has announced his resignation, marking the end of a landmark year in which he helped build one of the world's most powerful AI systems. At xAI, Ruddarraju spearheaded the creation of Colossus, a supercomputer housing over 250,000 GPUs—one of the largest such systems ever built. He also led the training of Grok 3, the company's latest AI model, overseeing the largest pre‑training run known to date across 100,000 GPUs. Who Is Uday Ruddarraju? Uday Ruddarraju completed a master's degree in computer science at the University of Minnesota before taking up engineering roles at eBay and Robinhood. In June 2024, he joined xAI and X (formerly Twitter) as Head of Infrastructure Engineering. His remit was vast—covering compute, networking, storage, data platforms, production systems, research tools, and data‑centre back‑office operations. Architect Of Colossus And Grok 3 At xAI, his role included building and operating large-scale AI systems, modernising core infrastructure for both xAI and X to boost reliability and developer productivity, streamlining CI/CD pipelines for faster deployment, and debugging performance issues to ensure stable, long-duration training cycles. On 8 July, Ruddarraju announced his departure from xAI through posts on X and LinkedIn. Reflecting on his time at the company, he described the experience as 'unforgettable" and confirmed that his last day had already passed. 'When I first joined, I thought everyone was absolutely nuts for thinking we could deploy 100K GPUs in 4 months, especially without a fully functioning site. Watching us go and double that and most importantly successfully train Grok 3 made me incredibly proud… and very happy to be wrong," he wrote. Ruddarraju also noted that building Colossus and training Grok 3 were among the highlights of his career and moments he would always remember. 'Special thanks to everyone on the infrastructure team who met impossible expectations and the entire research team for your partnership throughout. You're the best! I am certain building Colossus and training Grok 3 are definitely highlights of my career I will remember forever." In his message, Ruddarraju also referenced Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, saying he was right in his praise of Elon Musk and his teams. He described them as 'singular in what they can achieve" and expressed gratitude for having played a small part in shaping the future of AI infrastructure from the inside. He ended his note by hinting at future plans, saying he was 'excited for what's next." view comments First Published: Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Time of India
04-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Indian-origin individuals who hold leadership positions in different countries
In an increasingly interconnected world, Indian-origin individuals are making waves far beyond their ancestral homeland. Whether rising to prime ministerial posts in Europe, steering global corporations in Silicon Valley, or shaping foreign policy in North America, their impact resonates deeply. These trailblazers blend cultural heritage with cutting-edge innovation, bridging East and West. From politics to tech, their stories inspire millions – highlighting resilience, diversity, and global citizenship. Let's explore the journeys of select Indian-origin leaders – in various fields – delving into their backgrounds, achievements, and why their ascension matters in the 21st century. Global political trailblazers Kamala Devi Harris (USA – Former Vice President) Born in Oakland (1964) to a Tamil mother and Jamaican father, Kamala Harris became the first woman, the first Black, and the first Asian‑American to serve as US Vice President. Her tenure represents a landmark shift in American diversity at the summit of power. Rishi Sunak (UK – Former Prime Minister) Elected PM in October 2022, Sunak became the UK's first Prime Minister of Indian descent. His ascent from Chancellor of the Exchequer highlights both his political acumen and the growing representation of Indian-origin citizens in British governance. Leo Varadkar (Ireland – Former Taoiseach) Half‑Indian through his father from Mumbai, Varadkar served as Ireland's Taoiseach from 2017 to 2020 and again in 2022 (till 2024). by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Providers are furious: Internet access without a subscription! Techno Mag Learn More Undo A charismatic and openly gay leader, he reflects modern, pluralist Ireland. António Costa (Portugal – Former Prime Minister) Serving as Prime Minister from 2015 to 2024, Costa has Goan heritage. His governance underlined multicultural values within Portuguese politics. Pravind and Prithvirajsing Jugnauth (Mauritius – Former Prime Minister and President) Mauritius, with a majority Indo-Mauritian population, has been led by Indian-origin dynastic leaders. Pravind Jugnauth has been the PM since 2017, while Prithvirajsing Roopun has served as President since 2019. Chan Santokhi (Suriname – President) A former police chief with Indo-Surinamese roots, Santokhi became President in 2020. His rise highlights the legacy of indentured Indians in Caribbean politics. Anita Anand (Canada – Minister of Foreign Affairs) Born in Nova Scotia to Indian‑origin parents, Anand was appointed Foreign Affairs Minister in May 2025. Her political portfolio has also included defence and treasury roles, marking her as a versatile and historic leader – the first Hindu woman in Canada's Parliament. Malaysia and Singapore – Cabinet and presidential roles Malaysia's Gobind Singh Deo (Minister of Digital) and M. Kulasegaran (Human Resources Minister) are Sikh‑Indians in cabinet roles. In Singapore, long‑standing Indian‑origin cabinet ministers (e.g., Vivian Balakrishnan , K. Shanmugam ) plus former President Halimah Yacob showcase deep political integration. Zohran Mamdani's (New York – Mayoral Hopeful) meteoric rise, too, is a testament to the rich Indian roots. Born in Uganda to Indian parents, Mamdani surged in NYC politics in 2025 as the top candidate in the Democratic mayoral primary, representing diversity and progressive values. Additionally, Guyana's first Muslim president, Mohamed Irfaan Ali (since 2020), comes from an Indo-Guyanese background, showcasing the enduring legacy of indentured Indian migrants. Wavel Ramkalawan , President of Seychelles, elected in 2020, traces his heritage to India – highlighting the global reach of Indian-origin figures. Business titans with Indian roots Satya Nadella (CEO, Microsoft) Born in Hyderabad, Nadella earned an engineering degree in India before moving to the US. He became Microsoft CEO in 2014, guiding cloud adoption and AI transformation. Sundar Pichai (CEO, Alphabet/Google) Hailing from Tamil Nadu and educated at IIT Kharagpur, Pichai climbed the ranks to lead Google in 2015 and Alphabet in 2019 – his leadership marked by innovation and global scaling. Arvind Krishna (Chairman & CEO, IBM) Leading IBM since 2020, Krishna has been pivotal in the company's shift toward cloud and AI. His strategic role in the Red Hat acquisition underscores his influence in enterprise tech. Vasant Narasimhan (CEO, Novartis) Medical trained and leading since 2018, Narasimhan has reinvigorated Novartis's global focus on innovation and patient‑centricity. Leena Nair (CEO, Chanel) From joining Hindustan Unilever in 1992 to becoming CHRO of Unilever in 2016, Nair took the helm at Chanel in 2021. She's renowned for championing diversity and human‑centered culture. Ajay Banga (President, World Bank; ex‑CEO, Mastercard) Born in Pune, Banga grew Mastercard into a fintech leader. Appointed World Bank President in 2023, he emphasizes financial inclusion. Nikesh Arora (CEO, Palo Alto Networks) With leadership roles at Google, T‑Mobile, and Airtel, Arora has steered Palo Alto Networks since 2018 through strategic growth in cybersecurity. Francisco D'Souza (co-founder and ex‑CEO, Cognizant) Kenya‑born to Goan‑Indian parents, D'Souza led Cognizant's rise as a top IT services giant (2007–2018). Amit Walia (CEO, Informatica) From IIT Lucknow to leading global cloud provider Informatica, Walia emphasizes ethical AI and empathy in leadership. Devika Bulchandani (Global CEO, Ogilvy) Born in Amritsar and educated in India and the U.S., she became the first Indian-origin leader of this top global advertising firm in 2022. Thought leaders and academics Anjali Sud and Sanjay Seth (Harvard Oversight) Anjali Sud, former Vimeo CEO now leading Tubi, joins Harvard's Board of Overseers. Climate policy expert Sanjay Seth joins the Harvard Alumni Association – both this year. Fareed Zakaria and Salman Rushdie (Media and Literature) Prominent commentators and authors – Zakaria in global affairs; Rushdie in literary fiction – shape global discourse, bolstered by their Indian roots. Arundhati Bhattacharya (Banking Pioneer) India's first woman Chairperson of SBI (2013–17), later joined Salesforce India. Named among the world's most powerful women, and awarded Padma Shri in January 2025. Who Is Tharman Shanmugaratnam? All about Singapore's new Indian-origin president
