The world is abuzz with talk of Artificial Intelligence (AI), which is rapidly changing the tech landscape. One person who is at the forefront of this change is Sam Altman, the CEO of ChatGPT, who recently met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in India. Modi acknowledged the important role that AI has to play in India’s tech ecosystem, particularly among young people.
During his visit, Altman also spoke at the Indraprastha Institute of Information Technology Delhi (IIIT-Delhi) and met with Rohan Verma, who is seen as a rival to Google in India. Verma holds the position of Executive Director at MapmyIndia, a company that competes with Google Maps in India. Altman and Verma are old friends, having shared a dormitory during their time at Stanford University. Verma posted a photo of himself and Altman on Twitter, referring to Altman as his friend.
Verma’s passion for mapping technology comes from his parents, who have been working on digital map data for India since the 1990s. Verma himself has an impressive academic background, having earned a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from Stanford University, where he received the President’s Award for Academic Excellence. He later obtained an MBA from the London Business School.
Verma’s company, MapmyIndia, achieved significant market success, with a market capitalization of Rs 6257 crore. In 2021, the company launched an Initial Public Offering (IPO), resulting in a substantial increase in their net worth. Verma is happily married to Namrata, and together they have a son. They reside in New Delhi, where Verma enjoys a variety of hobbies, including travel, dance, and sports.
In conclusion, Verma is making a name for himself in India’s tech industry, and his company, MapmyIndia, is becoming a significant player. His friendship with Sam Altman is an indication of the camaraderie and cooperation that exists in the tech world. As AI continues to change the way we live and work, it will be interesting to see how Verma and MapmyIndia continue to innovate and adapt.
