Google to train two million Android developers: Pichai

Global internet search engine giant Google will train two million new Android developers in the next three years, its chief executive Sundar Pichai said here on Thursday.

"As per the new plan (by Google), we will train two million Android developers in partnership with 30 universities. This will be done over the time period of next three years.

"For me, getting many developers in the workforce are going to solve many new things," the Indian-origin CEO, who is on a three-day visit to India - his first after becoming the CEO of the restructured Google, said at the Shri Ram College of Commerce (SRCC).

He later called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who said he had "a very good meeting" with Pichai.

"Had a very good meeting with Google CEO," Modi tweeted.

In the evening, Pichai attended a roundtable discussion on "Technology, Innovation and Education" hosted at the Rashtrapati Bhavan by President Pranab Mukherjee.

At his SRCC interaction, Pichaio, asked how Google evolves to stay relevant, said: "In the technology world, everything changes in such a fast pace. In 1980s the personal computers were just getting underway and then in 1990s the internet came into existence in US and 10 years after that the smart phones started getting popular.A

"This shows you how things change. So lot of what we do is to figure out what the next phase is. You have to reinvent yourself."

Speaking his mind, the 43-year old CEO said: "If I wouldn't have become the CEO of Google, I would still be building software products."

Talking about the recent startup wave in the country, an upbeat Pichai said: "I have always been waiting for this change in India. Last year when I visited India, I really felt that startup culture had really taken hold here.

"Its incredible to see for the scale of India overtime, you do need enterprenuers to tackle and build things for India and globally and I think its a unique opportunity that India has. All the elements you need (for startups) are already here (in India)."

On Wednesday, Pichai met Communications Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, who said the global search engine company has reached in-principle agreement with the Indian government for its research and development project, Loon, which is aimed at providing internet connectivity in rural India.

"I have proposed Google to partner with the state-owned telecommunications company Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited for the pilot project," Prasad said.

Talking about the public Wi-Fi project which he announced on Wednesday, Pichai said he was very excited about it as it is the largest such project in the world wherein 400 railway stations will get Wi-Fi internet.

"The reason we are doing it is that in India when you bring access to internet it changes lives of people," he said.

On a lighter note, he also told the students at SRCC that he dreamt of becoming a cricketer! He said he is a big fan of Barcelona and Argentine footballer Lionel Messi.

He also mentioned that he is a fan of legendary cricketer Sunil Gavaskar. "I did dream of being a cricketer. I used to be a fan of Gavaskar and later on Sachin (Tendulkar). I always loved technology. So I used to read about Silicon Valley."