'No Running Water, Got VCR In 12th Grade': Sundar Pichai Opens Up About Childhood In India

Last Updated:June 06, 2025, 19:59 IST

"It was a five-year waiting list, and we got a rotary telephone. But it changed our lives. People would come to our house to make calls to their loved ones," Sundar Pichai said.

Google CEO Sundar Pichai.

Alphabet CEO and tech giant Sundar Pichai opened up about his childhood and earlier days in India revealing how the daily struggles and simple joys he experienced ignited a profound fascination with technology.

While appearing in the podcast with American Lex Fridman, Pichai shared memories from his early years growing up in Chennai, then known as Madras. He also reflected on the time when even basic amenities were hard to come by, and the very concept of instant access to information was unimaginable.

“It was a five-year waiting list, and we got a rotary telephone. But it dramatically changed our lives. People would come to our house to make calls to their loved ones," he said.

Pichai recalled that how even the simpler tasks used to be exhaustive and time-consuming before his family had a telephone.

“I would have to go all the way to the hospital to get blood test records and it would take two hours to go and they would say, “Sorry, it’s not ready. Come back the next day.", two hours to come back. And that became a five-minute thing. So as a kid, this light bulb went in my head, this power of technology to change people’s lives," he said.

The tech giant further highlighted how even basic necessities were a daily challenge for them in Chennai.

“We had no running water. It was a massive drought, so they would get water in these trucks, maybe eight buckets per household. So me and my brother, sometimes my mom, we would wait in line, get that and bring it back home. Many years later, we had running water and we had a water heater, and you could get hot water to take a shower. For me, everything was discreet like that," he said.

Pichai On Pre Computer Era vs Post Computer Era

Pichai said that at the age of twelve, he had started reading about computers but hadn’t seen one.

He said that in childhood, he used to play cricket with neighbourhood kids on streets till the sky turn dark.

“I grew up in Chennai. It’s a beautiful, bustling city, lots of people, lots of energy, simple life. Definitely fond memories of playing cricket outside the home. We just used to play on the streets. All the neighborhood kids would come out and we would play until it got dark and we couldn’t play anymore, barefoot. Traffic would come. We would just stop the game. Everything would drive through and you would just continue playing, just to get the visual in your head," he described.

He said that before the computer generation, people used to have a lot of free time, but now one has to go and seek that quiet solitude or something.

Pichai said that he used to get worldwide information through books and newspapers.

“Lots of books, trashy books, good books, everything from Ayn Rand to books on philosophy to stupid crime novels. Books was a big part of my life, but the soul, it’s not surprising I ended up at Google, because Google’s mission always resonated deeply with me. This access to knowledge, I was hungry for it," he said.

Pichai’s Advise To Young People

When Fridman asked what advice he would give to young people aspiring to make a global impact, the Google chief emphasised the significance of both intellect and intuition.

“You have a lot of luck along the way, but you obviously have to make smart choices," Pichai said. “Your brain is telling you something. But when you do things, I think it’s important to listen to your heart and see whether you actually enjoy doing it," he continued.

Pichai advised young people to seek opportunities that challenge and inspire them. “Putting yourself in uncomfortable situations, working with people who stretch your abilities – that’s what helps you grow. Often, you’ll surprise yourself," he said.

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