Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella informed his company’s executives via an email that his eldest son Zain Nadella has passed away. Born to Satya Nadella and his wife Anu, he was diagnosed with cerebral palsy at birth.
Satya Nadella requested for some time to grieve alone in the email that he sent to his executives. He asked them to hold his family in their thoughts and prayers.
Nadella had taken over as Microsoft’s CEO in 2014 after Bill Gates and Steve Ballmer. During his tenure at Microsoft, he has actively been engaged in designing products and services which are better suited to the needs of people with disabilities.
Microsoft also became a pioneer in inclusivity during Nadella’s tenure as the CEO. He made it a point to hire people with special needs.
It was not easy for him to come to terms with his son’s condition in the beginning. He said, “In utero asphyxiation caused a severe case of brain damage, which led to cerebral palsy. To be honest, for a few years after, I was thrown a real curve ball because all my plans were out. I said, ‘why did this happen to me? What happened to us?‘”
However, his perspective changed when he saw his wife working dedicatedly to gather resources for their son. “That’s what I think ultimately woke me up, to recognize that nothing happened to me,” he said. “Something happened to Zain, and it was my responsibility as a father to step up.”
Read More: Why Satya Nadella wasn’t offered a job by an Indian Company?
A father of three kids, he once shared how raising Zain, a child with special needs, shaped him as an individual. At birth, he just weighed three pounds and suffered asphyxiation in utero. He was visually impaired and was quadriplegic.
Satya Nadella shared in a blog post in 2017 that,
“Becoming a father of a son with special needs was the turning point in my life that has shaped who I am today. It has helped me better understand the journey of people with disabilities. It has shaped my personal passion for and philosophy of connecting new ideas to empathy for others. And it is why I am deeply committed to pushing the bounds on what love and compassion combined with human ingenuity and passion to have impact can accomplish with my colleagues at Microsoft
Zain was 26 year-old, fond of music. “Zain will be remembered for his eclectic taste in music, his bright sunny smile and the immense joy he brought to his family and all those who loved him,” wrote Jeff Sperring, CEO of Children’s Hospital. This message was shared with Microsoft executives.
Disclaimer: This article is fact-checked
Sources: Bloomberg Quint, Hindustan Times, The Quint +more
Image Sources: Google Images
Find The Blogger: @TinaGarg18
This post is tagged under: zain nadella, celebral palsy, satya nadella son died, microsoft ceo, anu nadella
We do not hold any right/copyright over any of the images used. These have been taken from Google. In case of credits or removal, the owner may kindly mail us.
