Bill Gates' remark faced swift backlash on social media, where many criticised the choice of words as inappropriate and patronising.
Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates' recent comments during a podcast appearance with Internet entrepreneur, venture capitalist, and podcaster Reid Hoffman have sparked controversy, particularly among Indian commentators, after the tech mogul described India as a 'laboratory to try things'.
Gates' remark, intended to underscore India's role in global development efforts, faced swift backlash on social media, where many criticised the choice of words as inappropriate and patronising.
During the podcast, Gates remarked, 'India is an example of a country where there are plenty of things that are difficult -- the health, nutrition, and education are improving, and they are stable enough and generating their own government revenue enough that it's very likely that, 20 years from now, people will be dramatically better off.
;'And it's kind of a laboratory to try things that, when you prove them out in India, you can take to other places.'
He also highlighted the role of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation in India, noting that its largest non-US office operates there and that the country plays a key role in piloting many of the foundation's initiatives.
'...The most number of pilot rollout things we're doing anywhere in the world are with partners in India,' Gates added.
The phrase 'laboratory to try things' provoked widespread outrage, with critics accusing Gates of reducing India to a testbed for international projects.
One user on X expressed indignation: 'India is a laboratory, and we Indians are guinea pigs for Bill Gates.
'This person has managed everyone from the government to Opposition parties to the media.
'His office operates here without FCRA (Foreign Contribution Regulation Act), and our education system has made him a hero! I don't know when we will wake up!'
Another user questioned the ethical implications of Gates' statement, implying that India is used for experimental initiatives: 'The human beings in India are samples for Bill Gates' laboratory to try things, and once they are proven to be effective, taken to the US.
'This clip doesn't sound right no matter in what context you hear this.
'That's why researches backed by governments can often have vested interests. Didn't @elonmusk raise this as well?'
Others, however, defended Gates, arguing that his comments were misinterpreted.
One user noted: 'I genuinely don't understand this conspiracy theory attitude against Bill Gates in India.
'There's no guinea pig-style experiments for vaccines happening in India, period!'
The uproar comes in contrast to Gates' prior praise for India's advancements in health and nutrition.
In a recent interview with PTI, Gates lauded the country's commitment to addressing malnutrition, saying: 'India, for its income level, acknowledges that some of these nutritional indicators are weaker than it would like.
'That kind of frankness and focus on it, I think is very impressive,' adding that he would give India an A for its efforts in tackling malnutrition.
Gates' long-standing engagement with India through the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has garnered both appreciation and scrutiny.
The foundation has supported numerous initiatives across the country in areas such as sanitation, disease prevention, and education.
- From the Rediff Archives: When Gates Visited India
Feature Presentation: Ashish Narsale/Rediff.com
