Dr. Ajai Chowdhry is a visionary pioneer who cofounded HCL in 1976 with five others, with a dream of using the microprocessor and changing the world. He spearheaded HCL’s expansion into Singapore in 1980, and created a successful business spanning ASEAN, China, and Hong Kong. Today, HCL is valued at an impressive US $50 billion.

In 1995, Ajai took over HCL Infosystems and was instrumental in turning it into a leader in hardware products, systems integration, and mobile telephony through the distribution of Nokia handsets. Under his leadership over the next 15 years, it grew to become a Rs. 12,000 crore (US $1.6 billion) organization.

Ajai has played a leading role in the establishment of the electronics industry in India, serving on government committees since 1999. In 2009, he chaired a task force created by Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MEITY), which made ground-breaking recommendations regarding the country's electronics import bill, warning that it would soon surpass the bill for imported oil. These recommendations formed the foundation of the Electronics Policy.

He is Chairman of the Mission Governing Board of the National Quantum Mission of India, Distinguished Fellow at NITI Aayog (public policy think tank of Government of India), and Fellow at Indian National Academy of Engineers. He has been nominated by MEITY as a Member to the Advisory Board of India Semiconductor Mission. More details about him can be found here.

Chief Guest of the Convocation