TCS CEO Takes Home Rs 26.5 Crore as 12,000 Employees Face Layoffs
- TCS CEO K. Krithivasan earned Rs 26.5 crore in FY25, 329.8 times the median employee salary.
- TCS laid off 2% of its global workforce, mainly mid- and senior-level staff, citing AI-driven operational changes.
- Netizens and employees slammed the large payouts to top executives amid widespread job cuts.
TCS CEO K. Krithivasan earned Rs 26.5 crore in FY25 329.8 times the median employee salary sparking criticism over income disparity.
TCS announced the layoff of 12,261 employees (2% of its workforce), mostly at mid and senior levels, citing skill mismatch amid AI-driven restructuring.
Other top executives, including former COO NG Subramaniam (Rs 11.55 crore), also received high compensation, fueling debate on executive pay amid job cuts.
Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) CEO K. Krithivasan received a total compensation of Rs 26.5 crore in FY25, marking a 4.6% hike from the previous year, the company’s latest annual report revealed. His pay includes a base salary of Rs 1.39 crore, Rs 2.12 crore in benefits and allowances, and Rs 23 crore in commission.
Krithivasan’s compensation stands at 329.8 times the median employee salary, sparking outrage among IT workers and netizens. Praveen Chakravarty, a user on X, criticised the pay disparity, saying, “If top 100 took small pay cuts, it can save 12,000 jobs… For 12,000 families, lives will be miserable at 0 pay vs Rs 15 lakh”.
The backlash comes as TCS, India’s largest IT services firm, announced plans to lay off 2% of its workforce about 12,261 employees mostly in the middle- and senior-level ranks. The company claimed the layoffs were driven by challenges in redeploying talent, not cost-cutting or automation. TCS is currently shifting its focus toward large-scale implementation of AI and other emerging technologies.
Other top executives also drew hefty paychecks. Former COO NG Subramaniam earned Rs 11.55 crore until stepping down in May 2024. Independent director Keki Mistry received Rs 3.06 crore, while non-executive directors Hanne Sorensen and Pradeep Kumar Khosla each drew Rs 2.74 crore. TCS Chairman N Chandrasekaran received Rs 2.1 lakh as sitting fees without any commission.
The report highlights a growing wage gap within the IT sector, even as companies adopt new technologies that disrupt traditional job roles, intensifying debates on executive pay and job security.
