World

Mark Zuckerberg changes profile picture to support 'Digital India'

Facebook CEO says his picture is in support of Indian government's effort to connect rural communities to internet

Web Desk September 28, 2015

PHOTO: FACEBOOK

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg changed his profile picture on Sunday to support Digital India, ahead of his meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

"I changed my profile picture to support Digital India, the Indian government's effort to connect rural communities to the internet and give people access to more services online. Looking forward to discussing this with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Facebook today," Zuckerberg wrote regarding his new profile picture merged with the Indian flag.

Read: Modi emotional at Facebook as recalls childhood

PHOTO: FACEBOOK

Following this, Modi also changed his Facebook profile picture to one similar to Zuckerberg's. "Thanks Mark Zuckerberg for the support. I changed my DP in support of the efforts towards a Digital India," Modi wrote in a post on Facebook.

PHOTO: FACEBOOK

Modi received a warm welcome at Facebook headquarters on Sunday for a town hall hosted by Zuckerberg that focused as much on the two men’s backgrounds as the business potential of the world’s second most-populous country.

Modi’s voice broke as he described his humble beginnings. “I came from a very poor family. … We went to our neighbours’ houses nearby (to) clean dishes, fill water, do hard chores. So you can imagine what a mother had to do to raise her children.”

Read: Zuckerberg, Gates make bid for universal Internet access

Zuckerberg opened the event by telling Modi about a little-known incident several years ago when Facebook “wasn’t doing so well.” His then-mentor, the late former Apple Inc Chief Executive Steve Jobs, urged him to take a spiritual trip to India and visit a specific temple there. That journey, Zuckerberg said, cleared his head and helped reaffirm Facebook’s mission to connect billions of people around the world.

Modi later visited Google headquarters and met with Indian-born CEO Sundar Pichai. On Saturday, he attended a dinner with 350 business leaders where Indian-born CEOs Satya Nadella of Microsoft Corp, Shantanu Narayen of Adobe Systems Inc and Pichai of Google moderated a panel. Modi visited Tesla Motors headquarters on Saturday and met Chief Executive Elon Musk, where the two discussed renewable energy. He also met Apple Inc Chief Executive Tim Cook.

COMMENTS (30)

Ram Dargad | 9 years ago | Reply ET did not publish my reply to Haider. It is about 'Freedom on the net'. Trying again. @Haider: Are you concerned about freedom of expression in India! Here is a report - ranking countries, including India 42 & Pakistan 69. https://freedomhouse.org/report/freedom-net-2014/freedom-net-2014-graphics#.VONZduZok_4

mahesh p | 9 years ago | Reply Hi l am living in Hyderabad city....i hop in this term of Indian Gov't. Having a beautiful and grateful future ahead.....thank you....

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jack | 9 years ago | Reply Don't worry.. soon Mark's gonna post "Thank You Raheel" on his wall.

Vivek | 9 years ago | Reply @N Sadiq: Go to stone age my Bro,don't see telvision,talk in mobiles,cut of internet,etc these are created by jews, sorry throw away your Pentium PC because invented by Hindu called vinod Dham,or apple,android all created by jews and hindus, can you do it ?

Vivek | 9 years ago | Reply @Haider: So end of the day more jobs for Indians and day dreaming of getting Kashmir for pakistan

JSM | 9 years ago | Reply @Hafiz: This is giving us 8% growth rate. You are right- when progress is on the ground, the growth rate will be doubles at least.

Girish | 9 years ago | Reply @alijimmy: Dude what you have to be ashamed of is Pakistan's policies. Nawaz Sharif's lack of popularity is a symptom. Its not the disease. The disease is in FATA and Punjab. To Mr. Sharif's bad luck the one responsible for disease are getting military awards and he is being made to look like the face of disease.

Girish | 9 years ago | Reply To all Pakistanis: U become what you are obsessed with. Right now India and modi are obsessed with development. And Pakistanis are obsessed with terrorists and toilets.

Mani | 9 years ago | Reply @True: Those missing persons are in the custody of safe hands, why don't you ask your raw they must be crying on their missing agents

Alien1 | 9 years ago | Reply @Usman: 60% of the people in the land of pure(pakistan) openly defecate, once CPEC becomes reality, let the 60% to defecate in that CPEC route.

N Sadiq | 9 years ago | Reply We should boycott and ban the use of Facebook. It is a Jewish tool which has joined the hands of Hindu India ... time to dump it!

Minerva | 9 years ago | Reply @Usman Online Phd on Indian toilets? It is heartening to see the interest of so many Pakistanis on Indian toilets. You guys should come over and help us with "Swachh Bharat".

Akhthar | 9 years ago | Reply @Usman: With due respect to your opinion, you are forgetting the basic essence of importance of education for the people / Nation. Education & Information promotes Sanitation, health & safety and improve the overall standard of living. India is able to get out of Polio because it better education and information system. Pakistan lags behind in this. I think Pakistan should also make use of Bill Gates funds to promote education, science, Technology and compete with India in these fields.

Aamir - Toronto | 9 years ago | Reply @Usman....LOL, very well said bro !!!!

devindersingh | 9 years ago | Reply @Usman: I think you are one year behind.mr modi completed 80% work.follow related ministry.i also read UN report about Pakistan where 40% has no toilet so do some work rather then childish comments

strange | 9 years ago | Reply so what? Its India centric news...what to us..?

Sumit | 9 years ago | Reply @Hafiz: and our neighbor to the west is progressing on neither :-) Take it easy dude, there are days which don't go your way but that should not make one sound so stupid. Long way to go

Azi | 9 years ago | Reply Enjoy the peak while you can. On the other hand, our PM is so full of himself that he cant even celebrate Eid in his own country, with his own people. Keep voting such people in power, your lack of progress is your own fault.

prophet | 9 years ago | Reply @Haider: terrorism in the name of human right wont be allowed in India. dont know how its in pakistan

True | 9 years ago | Reply @Haider: The basic human rights are flouted for those who become brain dead & act as a stooge for someone else without thinking having an impact on them. It's OK to act as a stooge but what if the master is also fossilized. There is not option left then. By the way may I ask the champion of human rights about those missing persons in Karachi. Someone told me about the unclaimed corpses found. Can you please throw some light.

Usman | 9 years ago | Reply Meanwhile a villager in UP suggested Modi and Mark to do something for millions of indians who don't have access to toilet. Mark, then suggested modi to make wifi connected toilets in indian villages. However the idea was scrapped upon mark learning that there are 50 million indians who don't have access to toilet.

Hafiz | 9 years ago | Reply India is progressing rapidly on Facebook than on ground.

Juggernaut | 9 years ago | Reply Thank you Mark for supporting Digital India.

Haider | 9 years ago | Reply @indian In a democracy the only choice is freedom of expression.. whole world witnessed the tenor of this basic human rights being flouted... don;t justify!

Haider | 9 years ago | Reply It has nothing to do with digital India.. It is all about finding new horizons of businessfor a young entrepreneur when China has blocked Facebook in its territory..

Atheist_Pakisani | 9 years ago | Reply Looking forward to Digitalizing Indian Occupited Kashmir.

alijimmy | 9 years ago | Reply Our PM can't be bothered he is on a holiday in US. I have not seen a single report where he is making any headlines. Shame on you Nawaz.

Kushal | 9 years ago | Reply @Point: What to do? Some people prefer living in the dark ages. It's their choice.

Point | 9 years ago | Reply Meanwhile I read on NDTV that Kashmir was VERY Digital on EID DAY When Modi gi blocked access to all forms of internet to Kashmiris.

Indian | 9 years ago | Reply Wow!! Amazing!! Thank you Mark! And most of all T=thank you Mr.Modi for taking efforts to progress our nation to a better future of science and technology!

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