Who is Sundar Pichai and what does Alphabet do?

Sundar Pichai, the chief executive of Google, has been put in charge of its parent company Alphabet, after co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin announced they were stepping down. The 47-year-old said the pair had set up a "strong foundation" on which he would "continue to build". Pichai's life story is remarkable, and his rise to the top of Google is an endorsement of India's standing in the global technology industry - and equally, a reassuring reminder of the so-called "American Dream". Pichai was born and schooled in Chennai, India. He captained his school's cricket team, leading it to win regional competitions.