Shiv Nadar

Shiv Nadar
Born	Shiv Nadar 14 7, 1945
Birthplace	Moolaipozhi, Madras Presidency, British India
Nationality	Indian
Occupation	Industrialist, philanthropist
Known for	Founder of HCL Technologies, Shiv Nadar Foundation
Education	Bachelor of Engineering (Electrical and Electronics)
Spouse(s)	Kiran Nadar
Children	1
Awards	Padma Bhushan (2008)

Shiv Nadar (born 14 July 1945) is an Indian billionaire industrialist and philanthropist who founded HCL Technologies, one of India's largest information technology services companies. Born in the small village of Moolaipozhi in what was then the Madras Presidency of British India, Nadar co-founded HCL in 1976 with five associates, initially manufacturing calculators and microprocessors in a garage before transforming it into a multinational IT enterprise over the following three decades. Nicknamed "Magus" — an Old Persian word meaning "wizard" — by friends and associates, Nadar has been instrumental in shaping India's technology landscape. He was awarded the Padma Bhushan, India's third-highest civilian honour, in 2008 for his contributions to the IT industry. Since the mid-1990s, Nadar has directed significant attention toward philanthropy, establishing the Shiv Nadar Foundation to improve India's educational infrastructure. In 2025, he and his family were ranked as India's most generous philanthropists, having donated ₹2,708 crore according to the EdelGive and Hurun Philanthropy List.

Early Life

Shiv Nadar was born on 14 July 1945 in Moolaipozhi, a village in the Thoothukudi district of what was then the Madras Presidency in British India. He grew up in modest circumstances in southern India during the years following Indian independence. His brother, S. N. Balakrishnan, would later become associated with HCL's development as well.

Details about Nadar's childhood remain relatively private, though accounts from contemporaries and business publications have noted his early aptitude for technical subjects and a determination to succeed beyond the confines of his small village. The post-independence era in India saw significant social and economic transformation, and Nadar came of age during a period when educational opportunities were expanding, particularly in the fields of science and engineering in the southern Indian states. This environment would prove formative for a young man who would go on to reshape India's technology industry.

Education

Nadar pursued higher education in engineering, earning a degree in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from what is now known as Sri Sairam Engineering College (formerly the American College of Engineering). His engineering education provided the technical foundation upon which he would build one of India's most significant technology companies. The rigorous curriculum in electrical and electronics engineering equipped Nadar with an understanding of hardware systems that would prove essential during HCL's early years as a hardware manufacturer.

Career

Founding of HCL (1976–1980s)

In 1976, Shiv Nadar co-founded Hindustan Computers Limited (HCL) alongside five associates. The company began its operations in a garage, initially focused on manufacturing calculators and microprocessors. This was a period in Indian economic history characterized by the "License Raj," where government regulations heavily controlled industrial activity, and the domestic technology sector was in its nascent stages. Nadar and his co-founders were among a small group of Indian entrepreneurs who recognized the potential of information technology at a time when the country's industrial policy was still oriented primarily toward heavy industries and traditional manufacturing.

HCL entered the personal computer market in the early 1980s, a period when global technology companies were beginning to bring computing to a broader audience. The company developed indigenous computing hardware, positioning itself as a pioneer in India's IT hardware sector. At a time when most Indian companies in the sector were primarily engaged in assembling imported components, HCL sought to develop its own technology, a strategy that distinguished it from competitors and established the company's reputation for technical innovation.

Nadar's leadership during this formative period was characterized by a willingness to take calculated risks and invest in research and development. The company's early focus on hardware manufacturing laid the groundwork for what would become a much larger and more diversified technology enterprise in subsequent decades.

Transformation into an IT Enterprise (1990s–2000s)

The liberalization of the Indian economy in 1991, under then-Finance Minister Manmohan Singh, opened new opportunities for Indian technology companies. HCL, under Nadar's stewardship, was well-positioned to capitalize on these changes. During the 1990s and into the 2000s, Nadar oversaw HCL's transformation from a primarily hardware-focused company into a comprehensive IT enterprise offering a broad range of technology services.

This transformation involved a strategic shift toward IT services, including software development, consulting, and infrastructure management. HCL Technologies, the IT services arm of the HCL Group, grew into a multinational company with operations spanning dozens of countries. The company's revenue grew substantially during this period, and by 2016, Forbes reported that the enterprise had reached $13.8 billion in revenue.

Nadar was recognized as a significant figure within India's IT industry during this period. He was named among the top IT leaders in various industry rankings, including those published by Dataquest, a prominent Indian technology publication that regularly profiled the leaders of India's IT sector.

Under Nadar's direction, HCL also expanded its business through strategic acquisitions and partnerships, building capabilities in emerging technology areas. The company's growth trajectory during this period mirrored the broader expansion of India's IT services industry, which became one of the country's most important economic sectors and a major source of export revenue.

Leadership Transition and Succession

As HCL Technologies matured into a global IT services company, Nadar gradually began to transition leadership responsibilities. His daughter, Roshni Nadar Malhotra, emerged as a key figure in the HCL Group's succession planning. In March 2025, it was reported that Nadar had gifted 47% of his stake in HCL Corp and Vama Sundari Investments to Roshni Nadar Malhotra, representing a significant step in the group's succession strategy.

Nadar has also been involved in advisory and governance roles at prominent Indian academic institutions. He was appointed to head the board of IIT Kharagpur, one of India's premier engineering institutions, reflecting his standing in both the technology industry and the educational sector.

Philanthropy

Shiv Nadar Foundation

Since the mid-1990s, Nadar has increasingly directed his resources toward philanthropic activities, primarily through the Shiv Nadar Foundation. The foundation focuses on education, with an emphasis on creating institutions that promote academic excellence and research. The foundation has established several educational institutions across India, spanning primary, secondary, and higher education.

Among the foundation's major initiatives is Shiv Nadar University, a private research university established in Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh. The university offers programs in engineering, natural sciences, humanities, social sciences, and management. It has formed academic partnerships with international institutions, including Duke University, with which it has collaborated on global health projects.

The foundation also established Shiv Nadar University, Chennai, which in 2025 announced the merger of SSN College of Engineering into its operations. Under this restructuring, the university was set to conduct admissions to BTech and MTech programs from the following academic year.

VidyaGyan

One of the Shiv Nadar Foundation's notable educational initiatives is VidyaGyan, a leadership academy for meritorious rural students. The program identifies academically talented children from economically disadvantaged rural backgrounds and provides them with quality education. Forbes reported on the initiative in 2016, noting that VidyaGyan graduates had gained admission to leading Indian institutes across fields ranging from engineering to fashion.

International Philanthropic Partnerships

The Shiv Nadar Foundation has extended its philanthropic activities beyond India through partnerships with international academic institutions. In December 2021, the foundation donated $7 million to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Department of Computer Science and Engineering (now the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science). The gift was directed toward supporting undergraduate research and initiatives to increase the participation of women in electrical engineering and computer science.

In February 2025, the Shiv Nadar Foundation signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Illinois Institute of Technology (Illinois Tech) to establish a scholarship program for students from India. The scholarship was designed to provide driven students with opportunities to pursue higher education at the American university.

Philanthropy Rankings

Nadar has consistently been recognized among India's leading philanthropists. In 2011, Forbes included him on its list of "Heroes of Philanthropy," acknowledging his contributions to education and social development. In November 2025, Nadar and his family were ranked first on the EdelGive and Hurun Philanthropy List 2025, with total donations of ₹2,708 crore, surpassing other prominent Indian business families in charitable giving.

Personal Life

Shiv Nadar is married to Kiran Nadar, who is herself a prominent figure in Indian art patronage. The couple has one daughter, Roshni Nadar Malhotra, who has taken on an increasingly prominent role within the HCL Group. In 2025, Nadar transferred a significant portion of his stakes in the group's holding companies to Roshni as part of a succession plan.

Nadar's brother, S. N. Balakrishnan, has also been associated with the HCL Group. Nadar is known among friends and colleagues by the nickname "Magus," derived from an Old Persian word meaning "wizard," a reference to his ability to foresee and navigate technological and business trends.

Recognition

Shiv Nadar has received numerous awards and honours over the course of his career in recognition of his contributions to the Indian IT industry and his philanthropic activities.

In 2008, the Government of India awarded Nadar the Padma Bhushan, the country's third-highest civilian honour, for his contributions to the field of trade and industry, specifically for his role in building India's IT sector.

In 2007, Nadar was named the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year, a recognition of his achievements as a business leader and entrepreneur in India.

He has been profiled in numerous Indian and international business publications. The Hindu and The Hindu Business Line have featured his contributions to India's technology sector on multiple occasions. Rediff.com and Moneycontrol have similarly documented his career trajectory and business strategy.

Forbes has included Nadar on its annual lists of the world's wealthiest individuals and has profiled his philanthropic activities, including his inclusion on the 2011 "Heroes of Philanthropy" list.

Legacy

Shiv Nadar's legacy is closely intertwined with the development of India's information technology industry. As the founder of HCL, he was among a small cohort of Indian entrepreneurs — alongside figures such as N. R. Narayana Murthy of Infosys and Azim Premji of Wipro — who built the IT services companies that transformed India into a global technology hub. HCL's evolution from a garage startup manufacturing calculators in 1976 to a multinational IT enterprise with billions of dollars in revenue represents one of the defining corporate stories of post-independence India.

Beyond his business achievements, Nadar's philanthropic legacy through the Shiv Nadar Foundation has had a measurable impact on Indian education. The establishment of Shiv Nadar University in Greater Noida, Shiv Nadar University Chennai (incorporating SSN College of Engineering), and the VidyaGyan leadership academies for rural students has created educational pathways that extend from primary school through to postgraduate research. The foundation's international partnerships with institutions such as MIT, Duke University, and Illinois Tech have further expanded the reach of these educational initiatives.

The scale of Nadar's charitable giving has set a benchmark for Indian corporate philanthropy. His family's position at the top of the EdelGive and Hurun Philanthropy List 2025, with donations exceeding ₹2,700 crore, underscores the extent to which he has directed personal wealth toward social causes, particularly education.

The succession plan that has seen Roshni Nadar Malhotra assume greater responsibility within the HCL Group suggests that both the business and philanthropic dimensions of Nadar's work are being positioned for continuity. The transfer of a substantial portion of his stakes to his daughter in 2025 represented not merely a financial transaction but a structured effort to ensure the long-term direction of the enterprises he built over nearly five decades.