Satya Nadella Became Microsoft CEO Because of Me: Chandrababu Naidu

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu is widely known for claiming credit for Hyderabad’s IT boom.

In the run-up to the 2024 elections, his campaign message was clear: “I built Hyderabad. Give me a chance, and I will build Amaravati,”—positioning himself as the architect of Hyderabad’s tech transformation and promising a similar revival for Andhra Pradesh’s capital project.

On Friday (August 1), Naidu went a step further while addressing a public meeting, claiming credit for the global rise of Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella.

“We brought Microsoft here. Nadella worked there and became CEO—that too because of our initiative,” Naidu said, suggesting a link between his government’s efforts in Hyderabad’s IT growth and Nadella’s personal success.

A video clip of Naidu’s statement has now gone viral on social media platforms.

Satya Nadella was born in Hyderabad in 1967, during the era of undivided Andhra Pradesh. He moved to the United States in 1988, seven years before Naidu became Chief Minister in 1995.

Nadella completed his Master’s in Computer Science from the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee, followed by an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.

He worked at Sun Microsystems before joining Microsoft in 1992, where he steadily rose through the ranks to become CEO in 2014.

Meanwhile, Microsoft’s India Development Center (IDC) in Hyderabad was established in 1998, during Naidu’s tenure as CM.

Naidu did play a facilitative role in promoting Hyderabad as a tech hub and in engaging with global tech companies like Microsoft and its co-founder Bill Gates.

However, Satya Nadella was not involved in the decision to open Microsoft’s Hyderabad campus, nor did his rise within the company stem from any intervention by Naidu or his government.

Naidu’s attempt to link Nadella’s success to his political legacy has drawn criticism from netizens and political observers, who argue that individual merit, education, and corporate achievements cannot be attributed to a politician's regional development efforts.

While Naidu is credited with building early IT infrastructure in Hyderabad, claiming a hand in Nadella’s rise to Microsoft CEO is widely seen as an overstatement.

CM Chandrababu Naidu claims credit for Satya Nadella became Microsoft CEO.#ChandrababuNaidu #SatyaNadella #Microsoft #AndhraPradesh pic.twitter.com/fyJz1va2YW

— 🇮🇳Tirish Reddy (@tirishreddy) August 1, 2025