
Video goes viral amid H-1B controversy: Bill Gates reveals how hiring 15 Indians in 1980s helped Microsoft conquer the tech world
Published on: Sept. 26, 2025, 2:30 p.m. | Source: The Economic Times
Amid the US H-1B visa fee increase, a video of Bill Gates has resurfaced, highlighting Microsofts early reliance on Indian engineers. Gates recalled hiring graduates from the IITs in the 1980s, a move initially criticised as a ‘brain drain. He emphasised that these engineers played a key role in strengthening Microsofts technical foundation and contributed to its early innovations, helping to shape the digital world.