Mumbai: Faqir Chand Kohli, an IT industry visionary and founding CEO of industry leader Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), passed away at the age of 96 on Thursday. Also Read – TCS Second Quarter Result: Earnings Up 2%, Rs 45 Announced as Dividend
Kohli was often considered the father of the Indian IT industry. Also Read: TCS Shares Drop Nearly 3% After Q3 Earnings
In a statement, TCS said it regrets the death of Kohli, who died this afternoon, adding that it was the insistence of JRD Tata that caused the young Kohli to join the Tata Group in 1969. Also Read: Reliance Overtakes TCS to Become Top Valued Company on D-Street, Shares Up 2%
“He moved first to management consulting and then for the next two decades to software development, helping the organization navigate multiple waves of technology over two and a half decades by continually investing in people and staying relevant to clients. “TCS said, adding Kohli resigned as CEO of the company in 1996.
Messages of condolence started pouring in from everywhere, with IT industry body NASSCOM calling him a “visionary leader” who foresaw a technology opportunity for India and built TCS.
Paying tribute to the legend, Wipro Ltd founding president Azim Premji said: “Mr. Kohli was the true pioneer of information technology from India. We have all followed in their footsteps. His contribution to the information technology industry and therefore to India is immeasurable. “
Infosys co-founder Narayana Murthy recalled: “Mr. FC Kohli laid the foundation for a solid TCS. I had the privilege of working with him on the NASSCOM Executive Council in the early 1990s. I pray that his soul may rest in peace. “
Ashok Soota, CEO of Happiest Minds, said: “FC Kohli created a formidable and enduring institution and helped shape the IT industry in India. His contribution goes beyond information technology, as he helped strengthen the TATA group with the solid cash flows generated by TCS ”.
Sharing similar views, KK Natrajan, Co-founder of Mindtree said: “The industry has lost a dean who was the true architect of India’s IT industry. May his soul rest in peace.”
“He was a true legend, laying the very foundation for India’s spectacular information technology revolution and setting the stage for the dynamic modern economy we enjoy today,” said Tata Sons Chairman and former TCS N CEO. Chandrasekaran.
(With PTI inputs)
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