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‘So what if he’s Bill Gates?’: How an Indian executive won an argument against Microsoft billionaire
The former chairman of Microsoft India has recalled an incident where he defeated Bill Gates in an argument
The former chairman of Microsoft India has recalled an incident where he defeated Bill Gates in an argument and got a priceless memoir in the bargain. Ravi Venkatesan served as the chairman of Microsoft India between 2004 and 2011 – quitting at the peak of his corporate career and shifting gears to social entrepreneurship.
In a podcast with Shrishti Sahu, Venkatesan revealed how he once won an argument against Microsoft founder Bill Gates, and how Gates gave him a signed $1 bill to remember the moment.
Arguing with Bill Gates
The incident took place in 2006 or 2007, when Bill Gates and his then-wife Melinda were on a trip to India. “Bill had landed in Delhi quite early and by the time we boarded his plane to go to Chennai, he was already quite exhausted. I was even more exhausted,” Ravi Venkatesan recalled.
It was 11.30 in the night and Bill Gates, Melinda, and Venkatesan were all inside the aircraft, waiting for ATC clearance to take off. An argument ensued between the two men over a trivial issue.
“Bill was not in a good mood and we got into some argument. The argument in hindsight was really silly, but Bill doesn’t like losing an argument,” said the ex-Microsoft executive, an IIT Bombay graduate, told Sahu.
Bill Gates admits defeat
While many would back down in an argument with the founder of the company where they work, Venkatesan was clearly in a belligerent mood back then – and he admitted as much on the podcast.
“This time I said, ‘So what if he’s Bill Gates?’ and I also didn’t let go because I was also tired,” he said.
The two men kept arguing until eventually, Gates was forced to acknowledge that he was in the wrong.
“At some point he said, ‘Well, I guess you're right.’ And he became quiet,” Venkatesan recalled.
A memoir to mark the moment
Melinda Gates then handed Gates a $1 bill and said: “Bill, what do you do?”
The Microsoft founder did something unexpected. He wrote “I was wrong, Bill Gates” and handed the banknote to Venkatesan.
Venkatesan today has the banknote framed and kept safe. He jokingly calls it his retirement plan.
