Shiv Nadar
Founder, HCL Group
Chairman Emeritus and Strategic Advisor,
HCL Tech Founder and Chairman,
Shiv Nadar Foundation
Shiv Nadar, the visionary founder of HCL Group and the Shiv Nadar Foundation, serves as Chairman Emeritus and Strategic Advisor to the Board of HCL Tech, offering strategic direction to a global enterprise valued in billions.
$12.3
Billion Global Enterprise
222,270
professionals
60
Countries
Shiv Nadar, Pioneering India’s IT Revolution and Building a Global Legacy
Shiv Nadar is celebrated as a pioneer of India’s computing and IT industry. Under his leadership, HCL has navigated over 45 years of technological evolution, consistently staying at the forefront of innovation since its inception in 1976. Initially a hardware company that introduced India’s first indigenous computers, HCL became a global software services powerhouse. Remarkably, it is one of the few IT companies founded in the 1970s that continues to thrive today.
Nadar’s vision for institution-building emphasised result-oriented partnerships and the creation of new knowledge. He spearheaded joint ventures and alliances that positioned HCL as a leading global technology enterprise. His commitment to engineering and research propelled HCL Tech to establish one of the world’s largest IT Engineering and R&D divisions, solidifying its reputation as a global innovator.
Shiv Nadar began his career as part of the prestigious DCM management trainee program, where he met the future co-founders of HCL. Together, they launched HCL in a Delhi “barsati,” comparable to a garage startup, driven by the revolutionary vision that microprocessors would transform the world.
Shiv Nadar Foundation - Transforming Education and Empowering Future Leaders
Deeply influenced by the education and scholarships he received, Nadar firmly believes that quality education is a powerful tool for transformation. In 1994, he founded the Shiv Nadar Foundation, drawing from his experience of building HCL into a world-class organisation. The Foundation aims to establish transformational educational institutions that nurture India’s youth and address the issue of quality education through a strong emphasis on research and impactful partnerships.
To date, the Foundation has established six institutions spanning the education spectrum, directly benefiting over 36,000 students as of March 2022, with investments exceeding $1.1 billion. Its ultimate mission is to create future leaders who embody symbiotic growth, enabling small but meaningful changes to generate a large multiplier effect. The Foundation’s impact is evident in the success stories of students from modest, remote backgrounds who now pursue their aspirations both in India and globally.
A Legacy of Business, Philanthropy and Global Recognition
Shiv Nadar’s groundbreaking contributions to business and philanthropy in India and globally have earned him numerous accolades, including the prestigious Padma Bhushan, awarded by the President of India in 2008.
He is married to Kiran Nadar, an Asian Games medalist and an internationally acclaimed bridge player. Kiran is also one of the world’s foremost collectors of Indian art, championing its preservation and promotion.