Inaugurating the Microsoft India Development Centre, the first of its kind in the country and only the second overseas facility of the global giant, at Hi-Tec city here, he said that it was an important milestone in Hyderabad's journey towards becoming a major Information Technology city in this part of the world.

Stating that the new facility was focused on cutting edge technologies and was strategic to Microsoft's core product development, he said that it would provide the opportunity for Indians to work on state-of-the-art products.He recalled that during his discussions with Bill Gates in the past, the latter had expressed his willingness to set-up a Mircrosoft campus in Hyderabad and visit the city in 2000 AD.