With PM Modi and Andhra CM playing a crucial role, India is leading the digital revolution: Bill Gates

Bill Gates on Monday said India is ahead in the digital revolution and credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi and N Chandrababu Naidu with playing a key role in driving it forward.

Gates, who met Naidu and interacted with ministers and officials, appreciated the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister’s vision, saying he is ahead in thinking among global leaders, according to a press release issued by the Andhra Pradesh government.

“India is ahead in the digital revolution and both the Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) and Chief Minister (Naidu) are playing a key role in the digital revolution,” the release quoted Gates as saying.

He further noted that even in many developed countries, technology is not being widely used in the agricultural sector, whereas Andhra Pradesh is ahead in adopting modern tools in farming. Gates highlighted that the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has been prioritising the health sector and has undertaken a majority of its projects in health, stressing the need to ensure access to healthcare services for all.

He appreciated the Sanjeevani health project being implemented with the Gates Foundation in Kuppam, Andhra Pradesh, and also praised the use of technology-driven disaster management services to minimise loss of life and property during natural calamities.

Responding to a question from ministers, Gates said that as Chandrababu Naidu promoted information technology in the past, many IT professionals emerged from Hyderabad, and that Microsoft has a significant number of experts from the Telugu states, the release added.