Shiv Nadar
Founder of HCL and one of India’s leading philanthropists
- Age
- 81 yrs
- Birthday in 261 days
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Shiv Nadar is the founder of HCL, which grew from an early Indian computer maker into the global IT services company HCL Technologies. Through the Shiv Nadar Foundation he is one of India’s most generous philanthropists, focused on education.
Biography
Education philanthropy
Nadar has been ranked repeatedly as India’s most generous philanthropist. Besides SSN College of Engineering and Shiv Nadar University, his foundation runs the VidyaGyan schools, which give free education to academically gifted rural children in Uttar Pradesh, and the Kiran Nadar Museum of Art in Delhi, founded by his wife.
HCL
After studying engineering at PSG College of Technology in Coimbatore, Nadar worked for DCM in Delhi. In 1976 he and colleagues founded Hindustan Computers Limited (HCL), which built some of India’s first computers and later grew into HCL Technologies, a global IT services company. In 2020 he handed the chairmanship to his daughter, Roshni Nadar Malhotra.
Philanthropy
The Shiv Nadar Foundation, set up in 1994, founded the SSN College of Engineering in Chennai, Shiv Nadar University and the VidyaGyan schools for talented rural students. He received the Padma Bhushan in 2008.
Building HCL
HCL began by making calculators and microcomputers for the Indian market, at a time when IBM had left India, and became one of the country’s leading hardware makers. In the 1990s Nadar steered the group towards software and IT services, and HCL Technologies grew into a global company with operations in dozens of countries. HCL Infosystems and HCL Healthcare are other group businesses.
Legacy
Nadar is regarded as one of the founders of India’s information-technology industry, alongside Infosys and Wipro founders. He received the Padma Bhushan in 2008, and his decision to direct a large share of his wealth into education — particularly for rural and first-generation learners — made him one of India’s most influential philanthropists.
Timeline
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1945
Born in Moolaipozhi, Tirunelveli district, Madras Presidency (now Tamil Nadu)
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1976
Co-founds HCL
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1994
Shiv Nadar Foundation
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1996
SSN College of Engineering opens
Chennai.
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2008
Padma Bhushan
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2011
Shiv Nadar University founded
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2020
Hands chairmanship to his daughter
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2021
Steps down as managing director of HCL Technologies
Awards and honours
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Padma Bhushan
2008
Did you know?
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1
HCL made some of India’s first home-grown computers.
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2
He has repeatedly topped lists of India’s most generous donors.
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3
His wife Kiran Nadar founded a major modern art museum in Delhi.
Gallery
Connections
Frequently asked
Who is Shiv Nadar?
Shiv Nadar is the founder of HCL, which grew from an early Indian computer maker into the global IT services company HCL Technologies. Through the Shiv Nadar Foundation he is one of India’s most generous philanthropists, focused on education.
How old is Shiv Nadar?
Shiv Nadar is 81 years old, born on 14 July 1945 in Moolaipozhi, Tirunelveli district, Madras Presidency (now Tamil Nadu).
Where is Shiv Nadar from?
Shiv Nadar was born in Moolaipozhi, Tirunelveli district, Madras Presidency (now Tamil Nadu).
What is Shiv Nadar known for?
Shiv Nadar is best known for Founding HCL in 1976; the Shiv Nadar Foundation and Shiv Nadar University.
What awards has Shiv Nadar received?
Notable honours include Padma Bhushan (2008).
Who is Shiv Nadar married to?
Spouse: Kiran Nadar (art collector, founder of the Kiran Nadar Museum of Art).
References
- Shiv Nadar — Wikipedia. Wikipedia. Retrieved 26 October 2026.
- Shiv Nadar — Hindi Wikipedia. Wikipedia (Hindi). Retrieved 26 October 2026.
- Shiv Nadar (Q3522726) — structured data. Wikidata. Retrieved 26 October 2026.
External links
About this profile
- Researched by the TrackFame editors; reviewed by Sanjay Sokal
- First published 26 October 2026
- Last updated
Cite this page
“Shiv Nadar.” TrackFame, last updated 26 October 2026. https://trackfame.com/person/shiv-nadar
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