Bengaluru: A Bengaluru-based AI engineer and entrepreneur, Rohan Paul, woke up to a remarkable surprise on Sunday morning when he discovered that Google CEO Sundar Pichai had followed him on X (formerly Twitter). The moment, which Paul described as “beautiful” in his social media post, has since gone viral, drawing wide attention and congratulatory messages from netizens.

Rohan Paul’s viral post

“Just got up on Sunday morning, and saw one of those beautiful moments on my X journey. THE Google CEO just followed me. Honored and excited,” Paul wrote on X.

He also shared a screenshot of the notification, which read: “Sundar Pichai and 2 others followed you.”

Notably, Paul is already followed by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos on the platform. The addition of Sundar Pichai to that list elevated his online recognition even further.

Why it matters

Sundar Pichai, who has been at the helm of Google since 2015 and later became CEO of Alphabet, has more than 5.6 million followers on X. However, he rarely follows back individuals, which made Paul’s inclusion a talking point across tech and social circles.

The acknowledgment has already boosted Paul’s online visibility, with his post attracting thousands of likes and comments.

Social media reactions

Netizens flooded Paul’s post with congratulatory messages.

  • “Big congrats! That’s an exciting moment, keep sharing that quality content,” one user wrote.
  • “Getting a follow from the Google CEO is huge,” another commented.
  • “Congrats! You have earned some serious credibility (to many!) with all these great posts on relevant research!” a user remarked.
  • Another said, “Huge congrats, Rohan! This is a big win, keep shining.”

Many described it as a rare moment of recognition that could open new opportunities for Paul in the global tech community.

A humble leader with global influence

Sundar Pichai, originally from Tamil Nadu, has become one of the most respected global tech leaders for his calm and humble personality despite heading one of the world’s most powerful technology companies.

Known for his understated approach to leadership, Pichai’s occasional gestures on social media often draw widespread attention. His decision to follow Paul has not only highlighted the Bengaluru techie’s growing influence but also underscored Pichai’s quiet way of recognising emerging voices in the tech ecosystem.

Conclusion

While the reason behind Pichai’s follow remains unclear, the rare acknowledgment has already created a ripple effect online. For Paul, who is actively engaged in AI research and entrepreneurship, this moment marks both recognition and validation from one of the most influential figures in global technology.