He couldn’t get US Visa in 1976, today Sanjay Mehrotra runs one of America’s most important AI firms; Joins Satya Nadella & Sundar Pichai in trillion-dollar club
According to a Times of India (TOI) report, Mehrotra was rejected three times by the US embassy in New Delhi in 1976, even though her acceptance from three universities was confirmed and all the necessary documents were available.
But his father refused to give up.
Sanjay Mehrotra’s Father Waited Outside the Embassy Until Visa Approved
Mehrotra’s father decided to wait for the consular officer outside the embassy after learning that she had gone out for lunch, TOI reported.
This persistence eventually paid off and Mehrotra finally received his visa; This was a moment that would completely change his life.
Nearly fifty years later, the same student who struggled to get into America now runs Micron Technology, one of the world’s most strategically important semiconductor companies.
Micron Surpasses $1 Trillion Market Cap Amid AI Boom
Micron Technology recently surpassed the $1 trillion market cap mark as Wall Street’s AI frenzy continues to push semiconductor stocks higher. This rise has placed Micron among the most valuable companies in the United States, ahead of big names like Walmart, Berkshire Hathaway and JP Morgan Chase.
According to TOI, the company’s shares have risen significantly in 2026 as demand for memory chips used in AI infrastructure explodes.
While Nvidia processors power artificial intelligence systems, memory chips produced by companies like Micron are also essential for storing and processing large amounts of data.
Sanjay Mehrotra Joins Satya Nadella and Sundar Pichai
Mehrotra’s rise has also created a remarkable moment for Indian-origin leadership in global technology.
Three trillion-dollar tech companies: Microsoft, Alphabet and Micron are now led by Indian-born executives.
Satya Nadella, Sundar Pichai and Sanjay Mehrotra came from modest middle-class backgrounds before leading some of America’s most valuable firms.
TOI reported that Mehrotra grew up in a house in Kanpur that did not even have a telephone.
During his early years in the U.S., he reportedly called home via what his family identified as a “PP”, short for “padosi ka phone”, on which landline neighbors would relay messages to their parents.
Unlike Software Giants, Mehrotra Has Built a Semiconductor Powerhouse
Unlike Microsoft and Google, which were already dominant software companies before Nadella and Pichai took over, Micron operated in the highly volatile memory chip industry.
The semiconductor industry is known for cutthroat competition, large investment requirements and fierce global competition from Asian giants such as Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix.
When Mehrotra became CEO of Micron in 2017, the company was reportedly valued at approximately $20 billion.
Today, in the midst of the global AI race, Micron has entered the trillion-dollar club.
Donald Trump Openly Praises Micron and Mehrotra
TOI reported that former US President Donald Trump even publicly praised Micron after meeting Mehrotra at the White House.
Trump reportedly described Micron as: “One of the hottest stocks.”
The report also stated that Mehrotra later joined Trump’s business delegation during his visit to China and underlined Micron’s growing strategic importance in America’s technology and national security ecosystem.
Micron’s Major India Expansion in Gujarat
Micron is also expanding aggressively in India.
The company is investing more than $800 million of its own capital in a semiconductor assembly and testing facility in Sanand, Gujarat.
The project forms part of India’s broader push to become a serious player in the global semiconductor manufacturing industry.
According to TOI, the Gujarat facility includes one of the world’s largest single-storey clean rooms for assembly and testing.
The company is also rapidly hiring engineers, manufacturing specialists and automation specialists.
Sanjay Mehrotra’s India Connection Remains Strong
Unlike some Silicon Valley executives who maintain only symbolic ties with India, Mehrotra has repeatedly talked about India’s long-term importance in engineering and manufacturing.
Micron’s role in expanding its presence in India has become particularly important as the United States and India deepen cooperation in semiconductor manufacturing and technology supply chains.
The Rise of Quiet Indian Technology Leaders
One thing that ties Mehrotra, Nadella and Pichai together is their management style.
Neither fit the loud, celebrity-style image associated with Silicon Valley billionaires.
Instead, all three are known for being relatively simple, engineering-focused, and operationally disciplined.
The rise of leaders like Mehrotra reflects how the age of AI increasingly prizes supply chain management, production coordination and technical execution over flamboyant public personas, according to TOI.
And perhaps that’s what makes Mehrotra’s story so remarkable.
Once a young student repeatedly denied entry to America, he is now helping shape the future of America’s semiconductor industry and, by extension, the global artificial intelligence race.
