SN2
Moolaipozhi, Tamil Nadu
HCL Technologies
Shiv Nadar
Six friends, ₹187,000, and a dream of an Indian computer company in 1976 — when 'Made in India' meant nothing in tech. He out-innovated multinationals on home soil.
Engineering rigorReinventionPatron of the arts
Struggles
Hardware bets nearly killed the company twice. Globalisation forced a complete reinvention into services.
Family
Married to Kiran Nadar (art collector, founder of KNMA). One daughter, Roshni Nadar Malhotra — now HCLTech chairperson.
The full story
From day one to today.
The journey
Milestones, not magic.
1976
Quit DCM Data Products with 6 friends to start HCL in a Delhi barsati.
1980
Made India's first indigenous microcomputer — before IBM PC launched.
1991
Pivoted from hardware to software services as economy opened.
2020
Stepped down as chairman; HCL is now a $100B+ market-cap company.
Wins
- Built HCL Technologies into a defining brand from Moolaipozhi, Tamil Nadu.
Setbacks
- Hardware bets nearly killed the company twice. Globalisation forced a complete reinvention into services.
News, interviews & references
Read, watch, dig deeper.
Live links — open the latest articles, interviews and profiles about Shiv Nadar across the web.
Next journey
Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw — Biocon