The felicitation was done in the presence of VK Tewari, Director, IIT-Kharagpur, and Sundar Pichai’s parents and their daughter Kavya Pichai.

“In recognition of his remarkable contribution towards digital transformation, affordable technology and pathbreaking innovations; President Droupadi Murmu, Visitor of the institute, bestowed the degree of Doctor of Science (Honoris Causa) to Pichai in absentia at the 69th Convocation of IIT-Kharagpur in December last year. However, as Pichai was not present at the annual convocation, the institute therefore had decided to reach out to him at a later date for the same. On July 23, the institute officials held the felicitation programme in San Francisco,” the institute said.

At the event, Pichai said, “This is indeed a great honour that IIT-Kharagpur has bestowed on me. I am truly blessed and humbled to receive this award… Standing with this award in my hands reminds me of the young boy that I was who dreamed to be in the world that I am trying to create with my inventions. IIT-Kharagpur holds a special place in my heart as this was the place where I first met my beloved wife, Anjali, and had beautiful memories of my second home that I grew up in.”

He added: “I look forward to connect with IIT-Kharagpur manifesting greater technological solutions in partnership with Google. KGP ka tempo high hai!”

A BTech (Hons) in Metallurgical and Materials Engineering from IIT-Kharagpur, Sundararajan Pichai is the CEO of Alphabet Inc. and Google.

Anjali Pichai, who has a background in Chemical Engineering,  did BTech honours from IIT-Kharagpur in 1993.