IIT-Madras Alumnus Prabhakar Raghavan Secures Rs.300 Crore Offer from Google, Takes on Role as Chief Technologist

IIT-Madras Alumnus Prabhakar Raghavan Secures ₹300 Crore Offer from Google, Takes on Role as Chief Technologist

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Prabhakar Raghavan, an IIT Madras alumnus with a remarkable two-decade career in technology, recently received an impressive ₹300 crore offer from Google. This milestone appointment as Google’s Chief Technologist highlights his influential presence in the tech world, as he transitions from his role as Senior Vice President overseeing Google Search, Assistant, Geo, Ads, Commerce, and Payments. The journey of this pioneering Indian professional, which began in Bhopal and led him to Silicon Valley, is truly inspiring.

A Career Dedicated to Innovation

Raghavan’s promotion comes as a strategic move for Google, as competition intensifies with companies like Microsoft, OpenAI, and numerous emerging startups. As Chief Technologist, he will focus on AI development and innovation, emphasizing AI’s potential to address major issues like traffic congestion, forest fires, and government transparency.

Sundar Pichai, Google’s CEO, praised Raghavan’s dedication in a recent announcement, highlighting his contributions over the past 12 years and noting his decision to “return to his computer science roots.” Pichai added that Raghavan’s appointment aligns with Google’s ongoing restructuring of the Knowledge and Information team, aiming to streamline new AI model deployments in the Gemini app and enhance Google’s search products.

Who is Prabhakar Raghavan?

At 64, Raghavan is a respected figure in technology and a significant contributor to Google’s AI initiatives. He joined Google in 2012 after leading search and ads ranking at Yahoo and shaping ad marketplace design. He is also the author of a well-known book on randomized algorithms and has over 20 patents to his name.

Notably, Raghavan’s contributions include spearheading early AI developments such as Smart Reply and Smart Compose. In 2018, he became a Senior Vice President, managing core areas within Google and succeeding Sridhar Ramaswamy.

Education and Early Career

Raghavan’s educational path began at Campion School in Bhopal, followed by a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from IIT Madras. He then earned a master’s in electrical and computer engineering from the University of California, Santa Barbara, in 1982 and a Ph.D. in computer science from the University of California, Berkeley, in 1986.

Following his Ph.D., Raghavan worked in research roles at IBM, advancing to Senior Manager at the Almaden Research Center in Silicon Valley from 1995 to 2000. During this time, he also served as a consulting professor at Stanford University, a period marked by collaborations with future Google co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin. In 2005, he joined Yahoo as the head of Yahoo Research in Sunnyvale, California, before his move to Google in 2012.

A Vision for AI in Transforming Society

Raghavan’s commitment to AI as a transformative tool aligns with his vision of AI’s potential to improve transparency and facilitate reforms in government operations. As he steps into his new role as Google’s Chief Technologist, Raghavan is set to drive forward the company’s AI initiatives and navigate Google’s path in a competitive tech landscape. His expertise and dedication position him as a key leader in shaping the future of AI and technology at Google.

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