Bidding Adieu to a Tough Taskmaster and a Visionary F.C Kohli

Padma Bhushan winner Fakir Chand Kohli is widely recognized as the Father of the Indian Industry. He has been popularly described as the "Bheeshma Pitamaha" of the Indian software Industry' – a term straight out from Mahabharata's epic, which meant a master strategist and a visionary leader.  Many in India remember Fakir Chand Kohli as the first Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Tata Consultancy Services (TCS). As a visionary leader, F.C Kohli spearheaded the systematic building of TCS from 1974-1996 by creating a pioneering IT giant and laid the foundation for the rise of a $100 billion Indian IT industry we see today.

Sir Fakir Chand Kohli was born and brought up in the city of Peshawar, at that time a part of British India in the year 1924. He completed his Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science (Honors) from the Government College for Men, Lahore, at the University of Punjab, Lahore, where he was a university gold medalist. Later in his career, Sir F.C Kohli won a scholarship from Queen's University in Canada, where he would complete Bachelor of Science (Honors) in Electrical Engineering by 1948. F.C Kohli would subsequently complete his Mater's in Science in Electrical Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) by 1950.

India's IT pioneer Fakir Chand Kohli took his final few breaths at the age of 96 on Thursday,26th November 2020, leaving his wife and three children behind. "Mr. Faqir Kohli formed and led TCS from its founding days. He guided the company in its early years and defined the vision for its growth," said Tata Group Chairman Emeritus Ratan N Tata. He further added, "His early vision played an important role in creating the outstandingly successful global IT company that TCS has become today,"

Other senior Tata leaders also echoed their condolences - "Kohli was a brilliant technocrat and a business leader with varied interests. He was passionate about the development of our nation and its youth," said former CEO and Vice Chairman of TCS S Ramadorai, who took over after Kohli had retired.

Even at the age of 96, Fakir Chand Kohli was actively involved as the TCS group's promoter.

This is how industry stalwarts from across India shared their respective condolences: -

Narayana Murthy, Co-founder, Infosys: "Mr. F C Kohli laid the foundation for a strong TCS. I had the privilege of working with him on the NASSCOM Executive Council during the early nineties. I pray that his soul rests in peace."

Azim Premji, Founder Chairman, Wipro Ltd.: "Mr. Kohli was the true pioneer of Indian IT. We have all followed in his footsteps. His contribution to the IT industry and thus to India is immeasurable."

Keshav Murugesh, Group CEO, WNS: "Saddened at the loss of a great visionary, Mr. FC Kohli who exhibited an unparalleled zeal at the meetings we had at NASSCOM. He is rightly hailed as the Father of the Indian IT industry, a creator of many CEOs, truly a doyen. We would always be grateful for the path he showed us. My heartfelt condolences to his family."

Kohli's contribution to the Indian IT industry and also for TCS is well decorated. Let us look at some of the other contributions and facts about the great visionary leader and tough taskmaster:

• In 1991, Kohli was instrumental in bringing IBM to India as part of the Tata-IBM deal.

• Kohli was a strong institutional leader, from the Computer Society of India to Nasscom, Manufacturers Association of Information Technology, IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers), Asian-Oceanian Computing Industry Organization (ASOCIO); all of them owe a lot for their growth and evolution to the untiring efforts and leadership shown by Fakir Chand Kohli. In this regard, he is often compared with Sir M. Visvesvaraya.

• Sir Fakir Chand Kohli was also a member and fellow of the South East Asia Computer Society and was also the only non-Singaporean to get the accolade.

• Sir Fakir Chand Kohli was a frequent golfer, and he would also develop keen interests in Gardening later in his life.

• Kohli was known to have passed a very straightforward nature. At work, he would often rib his friends about their dress-codes when they wore shirts that looked like table cloths, for instance.

• Even though Fakir Chand Kohli officially retired way back in 1999, he continued to work at his office right until the end before the lockdown came into effect in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The nation has truly lost a great hardworking intellect and a legend.

Read More News :

Etailers log record Rs 61,253 crore sales in India festive month

TCS founder, 'Father' of Indian IT industry F.C. Kohli no more