By sonam kothari | March 5, 2014 0 Comments

Net worth: $71.2 billion dollars

Career / Profession: Entrepreneur, Founder Microsoft

Most influential person of the millennium

Born on 28th Oct 1955 in United States, Bill Gates is owner and the founder of Microsoft. At a very tender age, he developed his interests in programming and software, he revolutionized the computer world. He has a broad innovative mind which always works to bring out new ideas with provide a new edge to technology.

Marital status: Married

Bill was married to Melinda French on January 1, 1994. The couple also has three children. The couple also has ventured into various philanthropic activities like Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. The noble hearted couple has generously donated $28 billion in charity. They also have big plans to donate almost 95% of their assets to charity.

Possessions

•  Xanadu 2.0

Gates own a very post mansion spreading over an area of 66,000 sq. ft. in the areas near lake Washington. It is a well-equipped and features cutting edge technology. It has 7 bedrooms, six kitchens, 24 bathrooms, and numerous fire places. Decorated with 7 different types of stones and glasses, its interior is eye catching and beholding. It also has a private library, sauna, steam room and swimming pool. Gates has a prestigious neighborhood of Amazon’s founder Jeff Bezos.

•  Grand Bogue Caye

Normal people own houses and cars, but people like him can needs to have an island! In fact, Bill owns one of the largest islands in republic of Belize, The Grand Bugue. Famous for its marine life and aesthetic beauty, it has been a fascinating place for its visitors.

• 1999 Porsche 911 convertible

A car which makes you fall in love with it the very first time you see it. Bill owns a Porsche 911 Carrera which is visually appealing and has a 6 cylinder engine and 296HP. The car offers a speed of 60 mph, and is even convertible.

•  1988 Porsche 959 Coupe

Recognized as world’s fastest production car and technologically advanced sports car, it is one of Bill’s favorite. It is also called “Gates 959”.

•  Porsche 930

It has been with Bill from his early days at Microsoft, so it is more close to his heart. It was the fastest cars of its time and has a 260 Ps engine and offers 256 HP and a high speed of 60 mph to 153 mph.

• Codex Leicester : $30.8 million

Bought in 1994, it is the most expensive book sold till date. It was the most enriched works of Leonardo da Vinci. It documents all the scientific discoveries which Vinci made during his life. Gates once said, “Yeah, I feel very lucky that I own a notebook. In fact, I remember going home one night and telling my wife Melinda that I was going to buy a notebook; she didn’t think that was a very big deal. I said, no, this is a pretty special notebook; this is the Codex Leicester, one of the Notebooks of Leonardo da Vinci. And I personally have always been amazed by him because he personally worked out science on his own, and he understood things that no other scientist of that time did. And his work is amazing. He would work by drawing things and writing down his ideas.”

• Lost on the Grand Banks : $36 million

This oil painting was bought by 1998 and is most expensive painting sold. It was painted by American painter, Winslow Homer

• Polo Crowd (Painting): $ 28 million

Auctioned in 1999 and painted by George Bellows is one of the collectibles in Gates collection.

•  Room of Flowers: $ 20 million

Painted by Frederick Childe Hassam became a part of gates collection in 20^th century.

•  The Nursery: $10 million

It is an oil piece of art painted by William Merritt Chase. It was made in 1890. This painted cost Bill Gates a sum of 10 million dollars.. 

• Distant Thunder: $7 million

Gates bought this piece of art in 1996. Painted by Andrew Wythe, it was one of the most famous piece of work in 20^th century.

Causes and philanthropic interests

•  Bill & Melinda Gates

Originally named as William H. Gates foundation and founded in 1994, it was then renamed as Bill & Melinda Gates in 1999. Being one of the world’s largest philanthropic organizations, it has a worth of 30 billion dollars. It works to improve health situations and poverty in the nation.

• The Giving Pledge

It aims at encouraging the billionaires of United States to give most of their wealth for the betterment of the nation and various other philanthropic causes. It became more popular when Warren

What can he do with the money he has?

• 146,868.68 Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Roadsters ($495,000 each)
• 51,928.57 Aston Martin One-77s ($1.4 million each)
• 111,332.31 Ferrari Enzos ($653,000 each)

With the total money he has, Bill Gates can give $10.23 to each person in the world.

Rich quotes

Some  of the famous quotes by Gates are as follows:

• “Technology is just a tool. In terms of getting the kids working together and motivating them, the teacher is the most important.”
•  “We always overestimate the change that will occur in the next two years and underestimate the change that will occur in the next ten. Don’t let yourself be lulled into inaction.”
•  “As we look ahead into the next century, leaders will be those who empower others.”
•  “If I’d had some set idea of a finish line, don’t you think I would have crossed it years ago?”