Ajai Chowdhry
Board Member, IAN & Co-founder, HCL
Dr. Ajai Chowdhry is one of the six founder members of HCL. HCL was started with a dream ‘to take the microprocessor and change the world’ in 1976.
HCL today is valued at US $ 50 Bn. Starting from India, Dr. Chowdhry took HCL to Singapore in 1980 and created a business spanning ASEAN, China and Hong Kong. In 1995, Dr. Chowdhry took over the reins of HCL Infosystems and created a 12,000 crore (US $ 1.6 Bn) organization over the next 15 years. HCL Infosystems was the leader in hardware products, system integration and Nokia phone distribution.
Dr. Chowdhry has been at the forefront of helping create the Electronics Industry in India. He was involved in Government Committees since 1999. In 2009 he headed a Task Force created by MEITY which made path breaking recommendations where the task force warned that the electronics import bill will exceed the oil import bill. (https://www.financialexpress.com/opinion/making-india-atmanirbhar-in-electronics/2066551/ ). This formed the basis of the Electronics Policy.
In 2011, in recognition for helping build the IT & Electronics industry in India, the Hon’ble President of India, conferred the prestigious Padma Bhushan, one of the highest civilian honour in India.
He has received many awards including Electronics Man of the Year 2010, CNBC’S India Innovation of the Year Award 2010 and Cybermedia Business ICT Award 2013 for Lifetime Achievement in ICT.
Dr. Chowdhry has been an institution builder and Chaired IIT Hyderabad and IIIT-Naya Raipur and helped build these two institutions from their founding. And then Chaired IIT Patna during its early days. In addition, he was Chairman of NIFFT Ranchi and helped convert the Institute to National Institute of Advanced Manufacturing with change of course towards Industry 4.0. Dr. Ajai Chowdhry was also the Chairman of Electronics Sector Skills Council of India.
From 2011, Dr. Chowdhry has been deeply involved in investing in, nurturing and mentoring startups. He is on the Board of the largest Angel Network in India, Indian Angel Network and has personally invested in more than 50 startups. He is on the Investment Committee of IAN Fund, Electronic Development Fund and Canbank Venture Capital Fund. He also is the Chairman of FICCI Startup Committee.
Dr. Chowdhry has been nominated by Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology as a Member to the Advisory Board of India Semiconductor Mission. Dr. Chowdhry has been appointed as an Esteemed member of the Consultation Group on Science & Technology and Innovation Sector by the Vice-Chairman Niti Aayog.
In 2021, Dr. Ajai Chowdhry co-founded EPIC Foundation an Industry Led Non – Profit Organization conceived to develop Electronics Products of national importance unleashing an economic potential of $20 Billion Dollars and Self – Empowering the masses of India by bridging the digital divide and creating a secure technology infrastructure. He is currently the Chairman of EPIC Foundation and has created a fabulous team of more than 50 Eminent Global leaders to provide impetus to this important national initiative.
Dr. Chowdhry has focused on giving back to the society and has set up a Charitable Trust called Swayam where he contributes to many areas including education, women empowerment and providing relief during Covid to Delhi and Goa citizens. He also is a Board Member of Population Foundation of India and a Trustee of Save Life Foundation.
Dr. Chowdhry has a Bachelor’s degree in Electronics and Telecommunication Engineering from Jabalpur Engineering College and attended the Executive Program at the School of Business Administration in the University of Michigan in the US. He has also been awarded Honoris Causa (D.Sc) by IIT Roorkee, Indian Institute of Information Technology, Design & Manufacturing, Jabalpur and University of Engineering & Management Kolkata.