Anant Ambani wedding: Bill gates shares India visit in photos

Bill Gates, the co-founder of Microsoft, recently wrapped up his visit to India. Accompanied by his girlfriend Paula Hurd, Gates attended the glamorous pre-wedding celebrations of Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant in Jamnagar. Additionally, he met with Prime Minister Modi and engaged in various other activities throughout his visit.

“My goal was to get an update on some of the world-changing ideas and inventions that are coming out of India, and that’s exactly what I got. I spent four days there, meeting with political leaders, government officials, scientists, philanthropists, women who are lifting their communities out of poverty, and many others,” said Bill Gates. Here are all the pictures Gates shared from his India visit.

Accompanied by his girlfriend Paula Hurd, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates participated in the lavish pre-wedding celebrations of Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant in Jamnagar. The tech billionaire, joined by his partner, was photographed alongside Mukesh Ambani and his son Anant Ambani during the event.

Bill Gates spent an hour with PM Narendra Modi and some of his cabinet ministers. “We had a great conversation about how the Gates Foundation can continue to support India’s goals on digital technology, women-led development, and innovation in agriculture, health, and climate change,” said Gates.

“My trip got off to a great start on Tuesday in Hyderabad, where social media star Dolly Chaiwala made me a delicious cup of chai,” said Bill Gates. A video featuring Bill Gates enjoying Dolly's tea was shared by the billionaire himself. In the brief clip, Gates is seen ordering "one chai please" from Dolly Chaiwalla.

Bill Gates met Infosys co-founder Nandan Nilekani in Hyderabad. During the meeting Gates discussed digital public infrastructure. This system is making it possible to use digital technology to provide all kinds of services, including digital payments, advice for farmers, education, and much more. India’s progress on DPI is a model that other countries are learning from.

Bill Gates, then visited Bhubaneswar, where he learnt about a government program that’s providing things like electricity, paved roads, and playgrounds in Odisha state’s low-income communities.

“I toured an agricultural monitoring center in Bhubaneswar,” said Gates. At this facility, government agriculture experts send advice and real-time updates to 6.5 million farmers via phone. Since this center opened, local farmers are losing 90 percent less of their crops to pests than they used to.

“I heard from Karthikeya Pandian (pictured walking with me) about the two government initiatives he runs in Odisha,” said Gates. One is designed to improve governance and public services, and the other provides villages with internet facilities, sports fields, training for self-help groups, banking services, and digital connectivity.

Bill Gates discussed Odisha’s accomplishments in agriculture, sanitation, and other areas with CM Naveen Patnaik.

Bill Gates attended a learning session in New Delhi with experts on livestock and crops. Gates learned about the latest innovations in artificial insemination, buffalo breeding, climate-smart seeds, and much more.

“I joined India’s Minister of Women and Child Development, Smriti Irani, at an event to highlight the problem of malnutrition. We also had a great discussion about how the Gates Foundation can support her office’s efforts to improve life for women and children throughout the country,” said Gates.

During this visit, Gates also visited the IIT Delhi campus. “The students and faculty were brimming with ideas and optimism about the innovations that will help solve some of the world’s biggest challenges,” said Bill Gates.

Bill Gates visited the Statue of Unity in Gujarat on PM Modi’s suggestion. It’s a tribute to Sardar Patel, one of the key figures in India’s independence movement. It’s an impressive site—at more than 597 feet, it’s the tallest statue in the world. In the peak season, more than 60,000 tourists visit the statue every day.