This man was behind IT giant valued at over Rs 13.78 lakh crore, born in Peshawar, also known as father of...

Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) stands as the crown jewel of the Tata Empire today, valued at over ₹13.78 lakh crore. The visionary behind its inception was Faqir Chand Kohli, who is affectionately known as the father of the Indian IT industry. Born in 1924 in Peshawar, Kohli's life and achievements highlight his significant contributions to the information technology sector.

Kohli began his academic journey by earning a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Punjab in Lahore, which was part of undivided India. His excellence in academics earned him a scholarship to Queen’s University in Canada, where he completed a BSc (Honors) in Electrical Engineering in 1948. He later pursued a Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in 1950.

Kohli's professional career kicked off with Tata Electric in 1951. In 1969, with encouragement from JRD Tata, he joined the newly formed Tata Consultancy Services, a division of Tata Sons established in 1968. Initially hesitant, Kohli's innovative use of computers in power engineering made him the ideal candidate to lead TCS.

Kohli had a clear vision for TCS: to leverage computers for the betterment of Indian society and the economy. Under his leadership, TCS grew rapidly, setting the stage for it to become one of the world’s leading IT firms. He pushed for an ambitious growth target of 100% over five years, helping to establish TCS's reputation for offering comprehensive solutions across various sectors, including banking and utilities.

Kohli's strategic trip to the United States marked TCS's first significant global exposure, securing crucial software assignments from major companies like American Express. He also identified the Y2K crisis in the early 1990s as a key opportunity, making TCS the first Indian IT firm to address this issue, which contributed to its growth and led to hitting $1 billion in revenue by 2003.

Aside from his professional achievements, Kohli was known for his wit and humor. In one memorable incident, when introduced as the “Father of the Indian IT Industry,” he humorously remarked that while he had fathered three sons, he was unsure about his role in the IT sector. Kohli passed away on November 26, 2020, following a cardiac arrest, leaving behind a legacy that profoundly shaped the Indian IT landscape.

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