Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates credits 15 Indian engineers for Microsoft’s rise in viral video amid ongoing H-1B visa fee debate

The tech industry is still reviving from the shock of increased H-1B visa fee. Last week US President Donald Trump announced an increase in the H-1B visa application fee. After the revised regulation the H-1B visa fee for fresh application stands at $1,00,000. As the discussion about the future of the H-1B visa program is intensifying, an old video clip of Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates has resurfaced online. The video clip going viral is a snippet taken from Bill Gates speech delivered at IIT Delhi in February 2024. In the video Gates can be seen talking about Microsoft’s early years. He revealed that he hired a group of Indian engineers who helped him transform the company.

Bill Gates bold hiring decision

Gates remembered that in the 1980s, when Microsoft was still a young company with only few hundred employees and was struggling to recruit some top-tier engineering professionals. Then one of his senior colleagues advised him to travel to India and recruit some fresh graduates from Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs). About 15 engineers were eventually hired, a move Gates described as “a phenomenal thing.”



It was a crucial decision at that time as the media criticised the move as a ‘brain drain’. Meanwhile, in the United States, concerns were raised that foreign workers were “taking” American jobs — a debate that continues to echo in today’s immigration discussions.

A long‑term success story

Looking back after more than 25 years, Gates said that the decision proved to be both fruitful and transformative. The engineers hired from India helped in strengthening Microsoft’s technical foundation and also went on to become leaders in global technology industry. Many of those engineers also contributed to innovations that shaped modern digital world.

Lessons for today’s immigration debate

The now viral video clip of Bill Gates came at a time when the popular H-1B visa program is facing renewed scrutiny. Critics argue that the H-1B visa program displaced American workers, whereas the supporters believe that the visa program helps in filling the skill gaps and also fuels innovation. The remarks made by Bill Gates in the old video act as a reminder that the skilled talent across countries is mutually beneficial for all.