'Had the honour to...': Indian origin CEO of billion-dollar company shares insights from his meeting with PM Modi

Aravind Srinivas, the co-founder and CEO of Perplexity AI, a billion-dollar artificial intelligence company, recently had the opportunity to meet India’s Prime Minister, Narendra Modi. Sharing his experience on X (formerly Twitter), Aravind expressed his excitement and admiration for the PM’s vision and engagement with technology.

“Had the honour to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji,” Aravind wrote. He revealed that their discussion focused on the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) and its adoption, not just in India but globally. He further expressed his admiration for Modi’s forward-thinking approach, stating, “Modi Ji’s dedication to staying updated on the topic and his remarkable vision for the future” was deeply inspiring. Aravind concluded his post with a photo of himself shaking hands with PM Modi, both smiling at the camera.

Social Media Reactions
The post quickly went viral, drawing attention from users on social media. Many joked and congratulated him, appreciating the recognition he received. One user humorously remarked, “Indian parents are finally happy now, I think.” Another added, “Congratulations! Hard work pays off.” A third commenter enthusiastically wrote, “CONGRATS!!! I can’t wait to see all of India use Perplexity.”

Who Is Aravind Srinivas?
Aravind Srinivas has had an impressive career trajectory in the AI field. He began as an intern at OpenAI and later worked as a research intern at DeepMind and Google. Eventually, he returned to OpenAI as a research scientist.

In 2022, Aravind co-founded Perplexity AI alongside Andy Konwinski, Denis Yarats, and Johnny Ho. As CEO, he has successfully led the company to become a major player in the AI space. Besides running his company, he is also an angel investor, focusing on AI-driven projects.

Aravind’s academic background includes a dual degree (B.Tech and M.Tech) in Electrical Engineering from IIT Madras. He later pursued a PhD in Computer Science at the University of California, Berkeley. Currently residing in San Francisco, Aravind continues to make strides in AI innovation.

This meeting with PM Modi underscores the growing importance of AI in shaping India’s future and highlights the contributions of tech leaders like Aravind Srinivas in advancing this transformative field.