Everyone will talk in many ways that it is the beginning of the path, the beginning of a new life — all this. But to me it is an occasion to celebrate. Because you deserved it and your family members share in that achievement. Even two years ago I didn't know anything about your University of Southern California. I never came here. I came here two years ago on my child's graduation day. Let me tell you a story. A few days ago, when I was coming here, the son of a friend of mine showed me that USC (University of Southern California) is fake, and his own UCLA (University of California, Los Angeles) is the best. I then took my Windows Mobile phone out of my pocket and showed him that USC was 23rd and UCLA was 25th in the rankings. Hahahahaha!
We are now 60 years after the invention of the world's first computer. It is amazing to think that I have come a long way without technology today. Education, medicine, engineering, communication — everything has technology today. I will ask the parents sitting in front of me, have you ever submitted any term paper or assignment with the help of word processor, computer etc. in your student life?
I did not finish my studies when I joined Microsoft. I was studying MBA then. Then a friend of mine, Bill Gates, said to me, ‘Why don't you join me after dropping out of school?’ I knew that dropping out would not be easy for my parents. In any case, the parents were frightened when they went home and raised this issue. The interrogation of the parents started, ‘Who are you joining after dropping out of school? What do they do? ’I say,‘ Software makes. ’Mom says,‘ What is the software thing? ’I break down. The mother smiled contemptuously and said, ‘What will people do with computers? What’s the point of this again! ’It was the eighties. And now look at the situation. We are still moving forward.