In Shorts
- US AI leader expresses surprise at finding a Bata footwear store while in Delhi.
- The social media post prompted global reactions and shared childhood memories.
- Remarks from her Delhi trip also highlighted local scenes from the summit.
New Delhi: A prominent American tech chief attending a major artificial intelligence summit in India recently became an unexpected social media sensation — not for a keynote, but for a shoe store.
Sara Hooker, co-founder and CEO of San Francisco-based AI firm Adaption, is in the national capital this week for the India AI Impact Summit 2026, a high-profile technology event drawing global policymakers, academics, and startup founders.
While exploring the city, Hooker stumbled upon a Bata retail outlet and shared a photograph of it on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, expressing her surprise at the brand’s global footprint. She recalled growing up with Bata shoes in Eswatini and Mozambique, and admitted she had no idea the label was so widespread.
Her post quickly attracted public attention and a wave of responses from users around the world. Many commenters reflected on their own childhood memories tied to Bata footwear, with one user noting that all their school shoes were from the company. Other users pointed out that Bata, originally founded in 1894 in what was then Czechoslovakia, is so familiar in India that many assume it is a domestic brand.
Beyond the nostalgic moment, Hooker also shared scenes from her Delhi visit on social media, including snapshots of India Gate viewed amidst traffic and a packet of Parle-G biscuits, which she playfully described as the most consumed biscuit in the world.
The India AI Impact Summit 2026 continues through February 21 at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi and has become one of the most significant convenings on artificial intelligence globally. It brings together major technology executives, government officials, innovators, and thinkers to discuss the future of AI and international cooperation.
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