Microsoft India facility inaugurated

Microsoft India facility inaugurated

The Hindu

We are privileged to receive the support of the Karnataka Government: Bill Gates



GROWING TIES: Bill Gates, Chairman of Microsoft Corporation, with former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda and Chief Minister N. Dharam Singh at the inauguration of the new Microsoft India facility in Bangalore on Friday. — Photo: K. Murali Kumar

Bangalore: Further showcasing Microsoft's growing commitment to India, Bill Gates, Chairman and Chief Software Architect, Microsoft Corporation, on Friday inaugurated the new Microsoft India facility, located at the Embassy Golf Links Business Park, in the presence of Chief Minister N. Dharam Singh and the former Prime Minister H. D. Deve Gowda.

The new seven-storeyed building will house teams from Microsoft's global Customer Service and Support organisation as well as the product and services marketing team of Microsoft India.

Speaking at the inauguration, Mr. Gates said: "Over the years, we have been privileged to receive the support of the Karnataka Government, and our business has grown in India as a result of the strong technical and skilled resources available in the State. This new building signals our confidence in the future of this relationship, and our intent to provide our employees with the best possible environment and resources."

The Chief Minister said: "We are honoured to have Mr. Gates visit us again. Our Government is committed to ensuring that we pave a mutually beneficial path towards greater IT usage across sectors in the State. We applaud Microsoft for the initiatives they have promoted in this regard and look forward to even greater co-operation in the years to come."

Mr. Deve Gowda and Mr. Dharam Singh called upon Mr. Gates to help the country in general and Karnataka in particular in extending information technology to the rural areas.

They urged Mr. Gates to help Karnataka become a "model State" by extending information technology to the rural areas. "Let us bridge the digital rural-urban divide."

This could be the greatest contribution to the youth and equip them with the latest tools.

The coalition Government in Karnataka would extend all assistance to Microsoft to expand its activities here, they said.