Indian IT industry pioneer F.C. Kohli dies at 96

Mumbai : Fakir Chand Kohli, the founder of India’s 190 billion IT industry, has died at the age of 96.

He was the founding chief executive of TCS, the largest company in the IT sector. Announcing Kohli’s demise, TCS said that Kohli had joined the Tata Group at the insistence of JRD Tata.

Tata Sons Chairman N. Chandrasekhar called Kohli a true legend. He said that Kohli laid the foundation of the IT revolution in India and set the stage for the economy we are enjoying today.

Wipro chairman Azim Premji said Kohli was truly a pioneer of the Indian IT industry. We have all followed his footsteps. His contribution to the IT industry and the country as a whole is invaluable.

Born in 1924, Kohli joined the Tata Group in 1951
Kohli was also awarded the Padma Bhushan by the Government of India for his successful contribution in laying the foundation of the country’s IT sector. He was the head of TCS till 1996.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad and other dignitaries from the government and industry paid homage to Kohli.