Tucked away in the pristine forests and picturesque landscapes of Seattle, Microsoft's headquarters serve as a monument to a company that grew from humble beginnings to become one of, if not the most popular and influential software companies in the world. Founded in 1979 in New Mexico and moved to Washington state in 1979, the company began as the brainchild of Bill Gates, today one of the richest men alive thanks to Microsoft's IPO in the American stock market, which experienced incredible rises in price over the later decades of the twentieth century. By providing initial breakthroughs in computer operating systems and seizing on later developments in business software, including the creation of distinct proprietary systems, Microsoft ensured its brand was synonymous with home computers, and today remains a major household name recognizable all over the world.


With the expansion of the company and its many side projects, Microsoft began opening its doors to global talent in engineering, computer science, and several other fields, harnessing the power of the world's leading employees. Today, some twenty percent of individuals working for Microsoft and its offshoot companies are of Indian descent. If you're curious about the Indian workforce in these exciting and challenging fields, or you're interested in Microsoft's human resource itself, review the highlights of Indian employees at the software giant in FunduSearch's brief overview.


Microsoft's first Indian employee is certainly a stand-out fellow. Born in Andhra Pradesh in a small village by the sea, Rao Remala exhibited fierce determination throughout his life, including his six-mile journeys to school each way as a small child in India. Remala joined the company in Washington in 1981, when it was just beginning its road to success. As a key programmer for Microsoft Windows 1.0, 2.0, MS Office 95 and MS Office 97, Remala was integral in the formation of the company's pivotal and most important projects. His commitment to his work at Microsoft was an essential ingredient of his current success. Remala stayed at his office many nights and weekends, and took only half a day off of work when his daughter was born. Despite relatively low pay for the initial position, and more attractive offers of work from companies that experienced a quick boom and bust in the 1980's, Remala stuck with his work and gave it everything he had. It eventually gave back; his modest collection of Microsoft shares made him a millionaire as the company's value skyrocketed many years later. Today Remala is retired, and spends his time alternately traveling the globe and serving the Indian community through several non-profit projects, including the construction of an eye hospital in his hometown. Through his vision and dedication, Remala remains one of Microsoft's most prominent Indians, and stands out among the Seattle Desi community as a whole.

Many other employees of Indian descent are distinctive at Microsoft's Seattle base. Aravind Corera was recently named MVP for independent software development, and Sandra Gopikrishna is widely recognized for her work involving Infosys technologies. While their resumes and backgrounds seem a whirlwind of spectacular achievement, these prominent Indian Microsoft employees exhibit at least one basic common thread: they all belong to India, where some of the world's brightest minds and talents continue to be cultivated.