NE FEATURES BUREAU
Amazing Indians, including political leaders, bureaucrats, philanthropists, and scientists, taught me how they are using the power of innovation, science, and collaboration to find solutions to the world’s health, climate, and development challenges, said Bill Gates, co-founder of Microsoft.
Like every other country on the planet, India has limited resources. But it has shown us how the world can still make progress in spite of that constraint. pic.twitter.com/9vcQsBw5Ou
— Bill Gates (@BillGates) February 27, 2023
These numbers prove why India plays such a crucial role in the world’s fight to improve health, reduce poverty, prevent climate change, and more. pic.twitter.com/xMpmcoYQhi
— Bill Gates (@BillGates) March 5, 2023
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I love visiting India because every trip is an incredible opportunity to learn: Microsoft Founder.
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It was an honor to meet with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and talk about how India is championing progress in areas like health, financial inclusion, women’s economic empowerment, and digitization: Bill gates
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During a meeting with Smriti Irani, Minister of Women and Child Development for India, we prepared and fed millet khichdi to pregnant mothers: Gates
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It’s always exciting to see new innovations like this, Mahindra Treo, helping to fight climate change: Bill Gates.
Bill Gates was in India last week and met people from various walks of life from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Minister for Information and Electronic Technology and Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw, Minister for Women and Child Development Smriti Irani, YouTuber, sportsperson and Ayyo Shradda, a leader blogger etc.
Immediately after returning home, he wrote his travel experience and the people whom he met and also the organizations in his personal blog www.gatesnotes.com under the title ‘My trip to India in pictures’.
He explained in detail on why his travel in India made him optimistic about the future.
Interesting excerpts of his blog with pix are:
Time with India’s PM
It was an honor to meet with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and talk about how India is championing progress in areas like health, financial inclusion, women’s economic empowerment, and digitization. I am excited to see how India can play a key role in making progress on today’s biggest challenges.
Talking digital transformation
India is a global pioneer in building and scaling digital public infrastructure. @AshwiniVaishnaw and I talked about the progress of @_DigitalIndia. This is India’s moment to lead the adoption of digital services across the development sector globally. https://t.co/dCkVy8kmsY
— Bill Gates (@BillGates) March 1, 2023
As part of the G20 Summit in New Delhi, I delivered a speech and participated in a discussion at an event focused on the role digital tools and applications—things like ID systems, data-exchange platforms, and payment systems—can play in transforming the lives of low-income people and women.
Seeing digital transformation
In Bangalore, I visited the urban community of Halasuru to learn about how digital banking can help reach poor communities and underserved communities. The India Postal Service launched the India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) over four years ago. Postal workers, who are very trusted in the community, provide banking services at the doorstep of their customers. I was able to see one woman open a bank account with IPBB easily using India’s national digital ID system, also known as Aadhaar.
Better nutrition
India is making strong progress toward a healthier future for women and children through POSHAN 2.0 with a focus on data & monitoring. Today I met with two amazing administrators, Amy Joseph and Lakshmi Priya, who are helping to improve nutrition outcomes. @MinistryWCD https://t.co/zFoQUChHPk
— Bill Gates (@BillGates) March 2, 2023
During a meeting with Smriti Irani, Minister of Women and Child Development for India, we prepared and fed millet khichdi to pregnant mothers. I then participated in the Annaparashan ritual, a Hindu rite of passage that marks an infant’s first intake of food other than milk. I fed a young child kheer, a sweet pudding made from rice millet. I congratulated the minister on the significant progress her team is making to promote nutrition in India.
Raisina Dialogues
Thank you @amitabhk87 & @g20org for the welcome. It was an honor to share the stage with @AshwiniVaishnaw, @UpasanaTaku, @ChapmanLizzie, & @MabelChacko. We had an incredible discussion about how India's prowess in digital public infrastructure can be an inspiration for the world. https://t.co/hw7yz015Eu
— Bill Gates (@BillGates) March 2, 2023
I was invited to participate in the Raisina Dialogues, an annual high-level conference on geopolitics and geoeconomics. This year’s Raisina Dialogues were part of the G20. I was part of a fascinating panel discussion focused on exploring lessons from the past few years and opportunities that can be leveraged to advance global goals for health, food security, and climate change.
A great conversation
Shraddha Jain (popularly known as Aiyyo Shraddha), a very funny comedian, joined me for the tour of the urban health center. She and I had a wonderful talk afterwards about India’s goals towards reducing TB and how Mumbai has been a leader in trying new approaches.
Meeting a champion
When I go to a bridge tournament, I’m always one of the youngest players. It’s not a card game kids play. That’s why I was thrilled to meet Anshul Bhatt in Mumbai. Last year at the age of just 13, Anshul won three gold medals and became the youngest winner at the World Youth Bridge Championship. I’m amazed by his ability to win at bridge on the world stage. And I hope other young people learn to play bridge, one of my favorite pastimes.
Climate smarts
It was great to visit the Indian Agricultural Research Institute and learn about the advanced technologies being used to develop climate-smart crops in India. I am thrilled to see India make progress on innovations that can help farmers globally. pic.twitter.com/bHji4HzLzW
— Bill Gates (@BillGates) March 1, 2023
My first morning in Delhi I traveled to the Indian Agricultural Research Institute to learn about the advanced technologies being used to develop crops that are resistant to drought, flooding, and other extreme weather. What’s exciting is how this institute is sharing its innovations to help farmers around the world adapt to climate change.
MostlySane
YouTuber, blogger, and actor, Prajakta Koli, also known as MostlySane, joined me at the Indian Agricultural Research Institute to learn about the climate resilient crops under development. Prajakta is a member of our foundation’s Goalkeepers Advisory Group, supporting the global effort to fight poverty, disease, and inequity around the world.
Ramnath Goenka Memorial Lecture
It was an honor to deliver the Ramnath Goenka Memorial Lecture hosted by The Indian Express, an Indian English-language daily newspaper. The lecture is named after the newspaper’s founder. I shared my perspective about the biggest problems facing the world, my belief in the power of scientific innovation and how it can help in addressing current and emerging global challenges across energy, adaptation, and health. Anant Goenka, the Executive Director at The Indian Express, and I sat down for an interview after the lecture.
On the road to a zero-carbon world
What has three wheels, zero emissions, and makes no noise? This electric rickshaw I drove in Delhi. It’s called the Mahindra Treo and I had a lot of fun taking it for a drive. It’s always exciting to see new innovations like this helping to fight climate change.
