Microsoft's Gates says 20% of engineers Indian

Gates was responding to an "urban myth" that said 32 per cent of Microsoft employees were of Indian origin.

He quipped that there was even a cricket team in Seattle because of the large concentration of Indian employees, but that the Indian restaurants weren't good enough in the city.

But Gates defended US aid to India. Asked whether $150 million given to India by the US was enough compared to an estimated $100 billion that the country might spend on on a war against Iraq.

He said that the US was doing all it could to help India and other countries.

India continues to build its military resources up with nuclear subs, long range nuclear bombers, and aircraft carriers. But despite having a surplus of food, a huge number of Indians go hungry every day.

Gates trip to India is largely philanthropic, it emerges. He told the Times that India and China form a third of the world's population and that both countries are of high priority.

He is concerned with nipping any AIDS problem in the bud and will use the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to help the health problem. µ

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