Sundar Pichai is now in charge of Google. Not only that, but he is also the CEO of Google’s parent company, Alphabet. He is the brains behind every query we ask Google or every Google search we conduct. Sundar Pichai is an Indian-born American citizen, who is in charge of a massive corporation with over 53,000 employees all over the world. When he was named the head of such a significant institution, Mr. Pichai made every individual proud, and he has won huge respect from every Indian across the country. Sundar Pichai’s current net worth is $1.31 billion, which is nearly Rs 9745 crore.
EARLY LIFE
Sundar Pichai was born in July 1972, in Madurai, Tamil Nadu. He comes from a humble Hindu family where is father was an electrical engineer and owned a business which made electrical components. He recalls the first phone being brought into his home when he was 12 years old, as the family did not have a vehicle or television. Pichai received his first degree in metallurgical engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kharagpur, after which he came to the United States to study at Stanford. His father spent an entire year’s salary to buy the plane tickets to the U.S. which brought Pichai to Stanford.
When he initially came in the United States, he told The Guardian that he “did not understand the internet.” “The change was too much for me,” Pichai continued. He felt a little lost, but found Silicon Valley to be a special place. People took him seriously for his ideas, not because of who he was or where he came from. He is also a keen cricket and football fan, with Sachin Tendulkar and Sunil Gavaskar being his favorite sportsmen. He is married to Anjali Pichai, who he met while he was at IIT Kharagpur. After obtaining his M.S. from Stanford University and his MBA from the city of Pennsylvania is Wharton school, he began his career.
CAREER
He worked at Applied Materials in product management and engineering, as well as at McKinsey & Company in management consulting.
Pichai joined Google in 2004 and worked on Google Chrome, Chrome OS, Google Drive, Gmail, and Google Maps, among other projects. He began climbing the corporate ladder soon after joining Google co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin. By 2013, he was in charge of Android software development, and in August 2015, he was named CEO of Google as the firm continued to grow and expand. He began his new post in October, when Page and Brin formed Alphabet Inc., Google’s new holding company. When Steve Ballmer stepped down as CEO of Microsoft in 2014, Pichai was rumoured to be a contender for the position. He was named CEO of Alphabet Inc. in December 2019.
SALARY AND NET WORTH
Sundar has received more than $1 billion in total remuneration and potential earnings, pre-tax, between 2015 and 2020. Sundar Pichai’s base salary is $2 million, but when incentives and stock awards are included in, he has made well over $100 million in an average year. In 2015, he made $100 million, and in 2016, he made $199 million. The majority of his huge salaries are made up of share grants. He “only” made $1.3 million in 2017 since he did not receive a major grant. In 2018, he received $470 million in total remuneration.
Sundar was given 353,939 Alphabet restricted shares with a 5-year vesting period in 2013. Those shares had a paper value of $380 million when they fully vested in 2018. When the stock was selling at around $1300 per share, they were worth as much as $450 million. The shares were valued $184 million at the time he received the grant.
Sundar was awarded a further grant of $240 million in stock options over the course of three years in 2019. In addition, his base compensation was increased from $650,000 to $2 million. His personal investments are worth $572.5 million in various places around the globe. He has five luxury cars with a total worth of $1.3 million. Pichai also owns a luxurious home, the value of which is estimated to be around $2.9 million along with several real estate properties in India.
LESSONS
- Dream big – Bill Gates once stated, “It is not your fault if you are born poor; it is your fault if you die poor.” Pichai’s journey exemplifies this: he didn’t let his past define his future. He continually inspires individuals to dream big, smash barriers, and pursue their dreams.
- Work towards your dreams – There’s no point in dreaming if you’re not willing to put in the effort to make your goals a reality. Sundar has repeatedly stated that success does not come to those who wait for it, but to those who work hard to make it happen.
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Don’t be afraid to be different – You become a part of the herd if you have a herd mindset. Don’t let the world put you in a box; be unique, think differently, and don’t allow the world put you in one. Pichai has built a whole new universe and is currently at the top of his career achievement.
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Take risks and be bold – Under Pichai’s leadership, Google has soared to new heights, explored new horizons, and produced more revenue than ever before. The only way to do so is to be fearless and confident in your ability to take chances. He didn’t follow the current way; instead, he created his own path.
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Diplomacy – Office politics exist everywhere, but whether you participate or not is entirely up to you. Pichai is recognised for his diplomacy and humility. He has never been involved in office politics or drama throughout his lengthy tenure. His trustworthiness and approachability stem from his honesty and integrity.
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Make the most of your insecurities – Working alongside individuals smarter, more skilled, or more experienced than you might be intimidating, but channelling your fears into personal growth and development will lead you far in life. Make the most of these situations by stepping outside of your comfort zone.
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Think long-term – While enjoying today’s accomplishment is crucial, Pichai’s approach to his profession is to look ahead and find the next great thing. Every day, a purposeful decision to work toward a bigger, better future should be made.
- Practise – Pichai is a live illustration of how learning should never cease. He continues to study and practise his talents while guiding thousands of people. You’ll find newer solutions if you stick with it, which will help you to reinvent yourself.
CONCLUSION
Sundar Pichai matched Google’s $1 million donation to GiveDirectly, a nonprofit that delivers cash to SNAP recipients. He also contributed to coronavirus relief efforts in India. Mr. Pichai’s story gives us inspiration and hope because if a small-town boy from India’s Tamil Nadu can become such a wealthy CEO of a company like Google, surely we can follow in his footsteps and make something of ourselves too!
