Just before the AI ​​Summit, Bill Gates took a big decision, stepped back from the keynote speech, now this veteran will take charge of the Gates Foundation.

News India Live, Digital Desk: A big news has come out from the ‘India AI Impact Summit 2026’ going on in Bharat Mandapam, Delhi. After the ongoing suspense for the last two days, it has now become officially clear that Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates will not give his keynote address at this summit. In his place, a senior official of the Gates Foundation will now take the stage.

Why did the decision change at the last moment?

Bill Gates’ speech was scheduled for February 19, but the Gates Foundation today informed through a social media post that after ‘intense deliberations’ it has been decided that Gates will not attend the event. According to reports, this step has been taken amid political controversy and criticism on social media after his name appeared in the controversial ‘Epstein Files’, so that the focus remains on the main priorities of the summit.

Ankit (Ankur) Vora will represent

Now in the absence of Bill Gates Ankur Vora (Ankur Vora), who chairs the Gates Foundation’s Africa and India offices, will represent the Foundation at the summit. He will deliver his address in place of Bill Gates. The foundation has clarified that even though Gates is not attending in person, the institution is fully committed to India’s health and development goals.

The government was the target of the opposition

Let us tell you that political temperature was rising in India regarding the participation of Bill Gates. Opposition parties like Shiv Sena (UBT) and Congress had asked questions to the central government citing the Epstein controversy. Even the temporary removal and subsequent return of Bill Gates’ name from the summit’s official website caused considerable confusion.

Gates came on India tour

Interestingly, Bill Gates was on a visit to India this week. He had met Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu in Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh and also appreciated the work being done in the field of technology and AI in the state. However, his distance from the main program of Delhi has now become a topic of discussion.