Shiv Nadar

Shiv Nadar (born 14 July 1945) is an Indian industrialist and philanthropist. He is the founder and chairman of HCL and the Shiv Nadar Foundation. As of 2012, his personal wealth is US$ 6.2 billion. Nadar founded HCL in the mid-1970s and transformed the IT hardware company into an IT Enterprise over the next three decades by constantly reinventing his company's focus. In 2008, Nadar was awarded Padma Bhushan for his efforts in the IT industry. Nadar, nicknamed by friends as Magus (Old Persian for Wizard), since mid-1990s has focused his efforts in developing the educational system of India through the Shiv Nadar Foundation.

Nadar was born in 1945 in Moolaipozhi village, about 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) from Tiruchendur in Thoothukudi district, Tamil Nadu, India. His parents wereSivasubramaniya Nadar and Vamasundari Devi in 1945.

His mother, Vamasundari Devi and S. P. Adithanar, founder of Dina Thanthi were siblings. He was a student of Town Higher Secondary School, Kumbakonam. Nadar received a pre-University degree in The American College, Madurai and degree in Electrical And Electronics Engineering from PSG College of Technology, Coimbatore. He began his career at Walchand group's Cooper Engineering in Pune in 1967.

Along with Ajai Chowdhry (Ex-Chairman, HCL Infosystems), Arjun Malhotra (CEO and Chairman, Headstrong), Subhash Arora, Yogesh Vaidya, S. Raman, Mahendra Pratap and DS Puri, initially Nadar started Microcomp to sell teledigital calculators in the Indian market. HCL was founded later in 1976 with an investment of Rs 187,000.

In 1980, HCL ventured into the international market with the opening of Far East Computers in Singapore to sell IT hardware. The venture reported Rs 1 million revenue in the first year and continued to address the Singapore operations. Nadar remained the largest shareholder without retaining any management control.

In 1996, Nadar founded SSN College of Engineering in Chennai, Tamil Nadu in the name of his father, Sivasubramaniya Nadar. Nadar takes active role in the college activities including gifting of Rs. 1 million worth of HCL shares to the college. In 2006, Nadar announced that the college will promote research apart from ensuring that students benefit from foreign university tie-ups. Nadar joined the Executive Board of Indian School of Business in 2005. In March 2008, Nadar's SSN Trust announced setting up of two Vidyagyan schools in UP for rural students where free scholarship will be provided for 200 students from 50 districts of Uttar Pradesh.

In 2008, Government of India awarded Nadar with Padma Bhushan, the third highest civilian award, for his contribution to IT industry.

In 2007, Madras University awarded him honorary doctorate degree (D Sc) for his contributions in promoting software technology. Nadar was also recognised as E&Y Entrepreneur of the Year 2007 (Services).