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HCL Technologies Limited

Information Technology Services and ConsultingFounded 1991
Reviewed by Swet Parvadiya
Company data updated: October 2026

Founders

Who Founded HCL Technologies?

Shiv Nadar, Subhash Arora · Founded 1991 · HQ today: Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India

Who founded HCL Technologies?

HCL Technologies was founded by Shiv Nadar, Subhash Arora in 1991. It is now led by C Vijayakumar.

Founders
Shiv Nadar, Subhash Arora
Founded
1991
Headquarters
Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India
Number of founders
2
Current CEO
C Vijayakumar (since 2016)
Where was HCL Technologies founded?
HCL Technologies was founded in Noida, India in 1991.
When was HCL Technologies founded?
HCL Technologies was founded in 1991.
Who started HCL Technologies?
HCL Technologies was founded by Shiv Nadar and Subhash Arora.
How old is HCL Technologies?
HCL Technologies is 35 years old as of 2026.

Founding Story

HCL started in 1976, when Shiv Nadar and five colleagues from Delhi Cloth & General Mills (DCM) left to start their own company. The group included Arjun Malhotra, Ajai Chowdhry, Subhash Arora, DS Puri and Yogesh Vaidya. The early company built and sold computers in India, including the HCL 8C microcomputer in 1978. HCL Technologies was incorporated in 1991 to focus on software and services, and that business became today's HCLTech.

Shiv Nadar

Co-founder 1976

Background

Electrical and electronics engineering graduate of PSG College of Technology, Coimbatore; worked at DCM before founding HCL.

Role at HCL Technologies Limited

Shiv Nadar founded HCL in 1976 with colleagues from DCM and led the group for more than four decades. He stepped down as HCLTech chairman in July 2020, handing the role to his daughter Roshni Nadar Malhotra, and became chairman emeritus. He funds education through the Shiv Nadar Foundation.

Shiv Nadar was born in 1945 in Thoothukudi. Education: American College, Madurai; Town Higher Secondary School.

Nadar was born on July 14, 1945. He chairs the Shiv Nadar Foundation, and in 2008 he received the Padma Bhushan for his work in the IT industry.

Subhash Arora

Co-founder 1976

Background

Early employee at Delhi Cloth & General Mills (DCM) alongside Shiv Nadar.

Role at HCL Technologies Limited

Subhash Arora was one of the original six co-founders who left DCM in 1976 to start Microcomp, which subsequently evolved into Hindustan Computers Limited (HCL). He played a key role in establishing the early hardware distribution networks in India before eventually stepping back from executive leadership. (Exact birth year remains publicly undisclosed).

HCL Technologies Limited: CEO & Leadership History

Full timeline →

Shiv Walia

Chief Financial Officer

2024 – Present

He leads the financial structuring for HCLTech's complex, multi-year managed services contracts and software acquisitions.

Roshni Nadar Malhotra

Chairperson

2020 – Present

As Chairperson, she aggressively pushed HCLTech's ESG initiatives and managed the strategic capital allocation for the company's massive $10 billion revenue run-rate.

C Vijayakumar

Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director

2016 – Present

Under his leadership, USD revenue grew from about $7 billion to $14.7 billion in FY2026.

Anant Gupta

President and Chief Executive Officer

2013 – 2016

As CEO, he scaled the company's global footprint and significantly expanded its engineering and R&D services division before resigning in 2016 to found a venture fund.

Keep researching HCL Technologies

Who Founded HCL Technologies? FAQ

Who founded HCL and in what year was the company established?

HCL was founded in 1976 in Delhi by Shiv Nadar and five colleagues from DCM: Arjun Malhotra, Ajai Chowdhry, Subhash Arora, DS Puri and Yogesh Vaidya. HCL Technologies Limited was incorporated in 1991.

What was HCL's first breakthrough computer hardware invention in the 1970s?

In 1978, HCL designed and manufactured the HCL 8C, one of the world's first commercial microcomputers based on the 8-bit Rockwell microprocessor, developed at the same time as Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak were creating Apple in Silicon Valley, sparking India's indigenous computing revolution.

How did Shiv Nadar pioneer indigenous R&D and private technology manufacturing in India?

When IBM was forced to exit India in 1977 due to foreign exchange regulations, Shiv Nadar and HCL stepped in to build India's computing infrastructure, introducing in-house multi-processor UNIX computers in 1989 and relational database hardware ahead of global rivals.

How did HCL Technologies spin off as an independent IT services leader in 1991?

In 1991, Shiv Nadar recognized the large global opportunity in software services and R&D outsourcing, spinning off HCL Technologies from the parent hardware group to focus on global software engineering, R&D outsourcing, and IT services.

When did HCL Technologies complete its landmark initial public offering (IPO)?

In December 1999, HCL Technologies completed its blockbuster IPO in India, raising capital to build high-quality technology campuses in Noida and Chennai and expand delivery offices across the US and Europe.

What foundational values did the HCL founders instill in the corporate culture?

The founders built HCL on foundational principles of technological daring, entrepreneurial fearlessness, meritocracy, empowering youth, and building indigenous intellectual property that can compete proudly on the global stage.

What honors and national recognitions has founder Shiv Nadar received?

Shiv Nadar was awarded the prestigious Padma Bhushan (one of India's highest civilian honors) in 2008 by the President of India for his transformative contributions to the trade, industry, and information technology revolution in India.

Who founded HCL?

It was founded by Shiv Nadar, Arjun Malhotra, and four other friends. Shiv Nadar is an absolute legend in the Indian tech ecosystem, essentially acting as India's Bill Gates. By proving that India could not only write software but also manufacture complex hardware, they laid the foundation for India's massive global IT dominance.

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Content is for informational purposes only. Not financial advice. Data sourced from SEC filings, annual reports, and public records. See our full disclaimer and methodology.