Google Cloud elevates Sashikumar Sreedharan as India MD

Google Cloud India MD Sashikumar Sreedharan

Google Cloud has elevated Sashikumar Sreedharan as the managing director for India, the company said on July 1, a crucial market for the growth of its artificial intelligence (AI) initiatives.

Sreedharan will succeed Bikram Singh Bedi who will be vice-president of Google Cloud Asia Pacific (APAC), focusing on regional strategic initiatives.

“It has been an incredible four and a half years leading Google Cloud in India and I am immensely proud of the business that we have built with the support of my team, our customers and partners. I look forward to contributing to APAC's strategic priorities and watching India's continued success in this new chapter under Sashi’s leadership,” Bedi said in a statement.

The appointment comes as Google's cloud unit intensifies its competition with Microsoft and Amazon in India’s rapidly expanding cloud market, driven by rising AI adoption among businesses.

Sreedharan will lead Google Cloud’s go-to-market organisation in India, working with the company’s enterprise and digital native customers, partners, and developer ecosystem. Sreedharan was earlier serving as Google Cloud's chief operating officer for the APAC region.

Before joining Google Cloud in 2023, Sreedharan was managing director of Microsoft India, leading its enterprise business. He has also held leadership roles at companies such as SAP and IBM in India. He has over 30 years of experience.

“AI is poised to redefine India’s industries and supercharge the productivity and creativity of its vast talent pool. With our deep AI heritage, cutting-edge technical infrastructure, and innovative solutions, Google Cloud is uniquely positioned to partner with Indian businesses and the public sector to harness AI's transformative power," said Karan Bajwa, president, Google Cloud, Asia Pacific.

"As Sashi takes on the leadership of our team in India, I’m confident he will further propel our organisation and our customers to their next phase of growth in this crucial market” Bajwa added.

Google currently operates two cloud regions in India - Mumbai and Delhi-NCR. The company stated that its cloud business has seen significant growth in India, particularly over the past 12 months. This growth has been driven by the rising adoption of its AI models and fully integrated AI technology platform.

Google Cloud's clients in India include financial services firms such as HDFC Bank, HDFC Ergo, ICICI Prudential; retail businesses like Flipkart, Meesho, and Myntra; healthcare providers including Apollo 24/7, Manipal Hospitals, and Dr. Reddy’s Labs; technology giants like Tech Mahindra and Wipro; and digital natives such as Glance, Sharechat, and Dream11, among many others.

Google Cloud has also been working with various state governments and the public sector entities such as ONDC, Nirmit Bharat, Karamyogi, and Plutos.one to accelerate their digitalisation journeys.

“My time as COO for APAC has deeply affirmed my belief in Google Cloud’s winning strategy and powerful AI-first platform. I am excited to return to the field and to work with our customers to advance their innovation agenda,” Sreedharan said.

India's overall public cloud services market is expected to reach $24.2 billion by 2028, technology research firm IDC estimates.