Dr. Ajai Chowdhry
Entrepreneur, sportsman, salesman, engineer, educationist, jazz aficionado and investor-meet Ajai Chowdhry, the HCL cofounder who dons many hats, all with equal ease.
Ajai quit his job at DCM Data Products and jumped into the uncharted waters of entrepreneurship, founding HCL with Shiv Nadar, Arjun Malhotra, Yogesh Vaidya, Subhash Arora and D.S. Puri. In the 1970s, leaving a stable job with one of India's leading brands was nothing short of crazy. To add to that, not many Indians knew what a computer was.
Over the next four decades, HCL would go on to become one of the largest IT companies in India and a household brand. In his book "Just Aspire", Ajai not only shares the story of a successful business behemoth but also of dreams, aspirations, hope and achievements from the eyes of a small-town boy. Along this journey, he shares timeless lessons on entrepreneurship, technology and the future. For all dreamers and doers, this book is a treasure trove of inspiration.
Dr. Ajai Chowdhry
A new year doesn’t ask us what we want.
It asks us what we are willing to build.
2026 can be the year we strengthen classrooms, restore dignity to education, and create real access to opportunity — not in theory, but in practice.
Through Aspire scholarship I’ve seen what happens when one opportunity changes an entire family’s future.
This year, let’s keep choosing to open doors for someone who’s just beginning their journey.
[Ajai Chowdhry, Just Aspire, New Year, 2026, Aspire Scholarship]
1 week ago | [YT] | 6
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Dr. Ajai Chowdhry
I recently learnt a new word from my grandchildren — photodump.
Apparently, it’s how you capture a year that was full, busy, meaningful, and a little impossible to summarise.
So with a little help, we decided to try one in our own way.
Because if 2025 were to be truly “dumped,” it would probably need a 1TB hard drive.
It was a year of deep work and meaningful movement.
Across technology, entrepreneurship, and policy conversations, we took further steps toward India becoming a true Product Nation.
Quantum technologies began moving from discussion to direction.
Foundations were laid for research and development in India.
What stayed closest to my heart were the conversations with young minds in colleges, classrooms, and corridors.
There were podcasts and long conversations.
There was travel, and reconnection.
There were books and laughter.
And yes, singing on stage in front of a live audience.
2025 did well.
And I’m grateful.
[Ajai Chowdhry, Just Aspire, New Year, 2026, PhotoDump, 2025, Quantum, technology, Product Nation]
1 week ago | [YT] | 2
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Dr. Ajai Chowdhry
Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a bold, long-awaited step has been taken.
With the implementation of the four consolidated labour codes, the Government of India has replaced 29 outdated laws, many of which were written during British rule, with a future-ready, transparent, and worker-first framework.
Yes, there will be debate, and that is healthy in a democracy. But staying trapped in fragmented colonial regulation was never an option for a country aiming to lead the global economy.
This reform strengthens every stakeholder in the system. It gives workers greater rights, safety, and legal clarity, and offers businesses simpler processes and the freedom to grow. It provides investors with stability and a modern policy environment, while giving India the confidence to build systems designed by and for its own people.
This is a landmark moment in India’s journey toward economic self-definition and global competitiveness.
[Ajai Chowdhry, Just Aspire, Labour Law, EPIC Foundation, Democracy, Global Economy]
1 month ago | [YT] | 3
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Dr. Ajai Chowdhry
The ₹1 lakh crore RDI Scheme Fund, launched by PM @narendramodi, marks a new era of R&D-led growth.
In just four months since Cabinet approval, we now have a framework that empowers innovators. It’s a call to India’s private sector, startups, corporates, and academia to take technologies from lab to market and build globally competitive solutions.
India takes a bold leap today toward becoming a true Product Nation.
When we launched the National Quantum Mission last year, our vision was exactly this—to transform deep research into tangible products.
I’m delighted to share that today, Hon’ble Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh, Prof. Abhay Karandikar (Secretary, DST), and Prof. Ajay Kumar Sood (Principal Scientific Adviser) unveiled four breakthrough products in quantum technologies:
QnU – Developed a 500 km quantum-secure communication network, ahead of schedule.
QpiAI – Launched a 64 Qubit Quantum Computer, enabling advanced research and enterprise applications.
PrenishQ – Created India’s first indigenous high-precision Diode Laser for quantum-encrypted communication and computing.
IIT Bombay (Prof. Kasturi Saha) – Developed a Quantum Diamond Microscope, useful for semiconductor testing, trojan detection, neuronal imaging, and studying quantum materials.
QnU, in collaboration with Dhruva Space, has also demonstrated quantum communication in space—a first for India.
Together, initiatives like the RDI Fund and the National Quantum Mission are laying the groundwork for India to emerge as a global hub of innovation and product leadership.
2 months ago | [YT] | 7
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Dr. Ajai Chowdhry
Not going to happen!
But she knew it would.
Kunkun, my wife, has been the ideal partner. I struggle to describe just how much she means to me. She is my anchor, my rock, — the algorithm that drives my life. A safe haven when times are bad and a delightful companion when they are good. These may sound like platitudes, but every one of them is true. Quite simply, she is the most important person in my life.
Anyone who knows her knows that she’s all heart. I have never seen anyone so deeply moved by another’s pain. From working with children on the autism spectrum to helping strangers on the street, whenever she sees someone in distress, she steps in. And somehow, every life she touches blooms.
She combines humour and empathy with a sharp, discerning mind — the kind that makes all of us turn to her for advice. Her aesthetic sensibilities are flawless and shine through in our beautiful homes in Delhi and Goa.
Lately, her heart was set on Coonoor. Having spent time there as a child, she held fond memories of it. Then she watched the series Out of Love, set in Coonoor — and who says cinema doesn’t influence us?
It moved her so much that we planned a trip to revisit the place.
Standing on those misty slopes, watching sunlight dance across the rolling tea gardens… the place made us fall in love all over again.
Long story short — that’s now our second home.
When I look back on my life, there’s been so much to celebrate, and my proudest, happiest moments all come from my family. Every single day, I count my blessings. I’m grateful for the people around me who decorate my life and fill it with joy.
This festive season, I’m feeling nothing but gratitude.
Best wishes to all of you — and welcome to our life, Coonoor!
[Ajai Chowdhry, Just Aspire, Coonoor, Out of Love, Second Home]
2 months ago | [YT] | 9
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Dr. Ajai Chowdhry
HCL's Journey, India IT's boom, and his visionary leadership.
2 months ago | [YT] | 0
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Dr. Ajai Chowdhry
Retirement often carries a sense of closure. When I stepped down from HCL at 62, I knew I wasn’t retiring from life—I was simply retiring from routine.
The gift of time allowed me to channel my energy into causes close to my heart: strengthening India’s technical education, fostering entrepreneurship, and building pathways for our nation to lead in electronics.
For me, retirement was never an ending. Leaving HCL gave me the freedom to reimagine my role as an enabler, mentor, and nation-builder.
If you had the gift of time, what passion would you pursue?
#AjaiChowdhry #JustAspire #RetirementHCL #Entrepreneurship
3 months ago | [YT] | 2
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Dr. Ajai Chowdhry
A truly humbling and memorable birthday surprise. Thank you to the entire team at Business world for this wonderful feature, which reflects on the journey we have shared in building India's technology ecosystem.
It is an honor to be recognized as 'The Tech Statesman of India,' and I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to have contributed to this legacy. Thank you, Anurag Batra, Chairman and Editor-in-Chief.
www.businessworld.in/article/ajai-chowdhry-at-75-t…
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[Mindfulness in Corporate World, HCL, Ajai Chowdhry]
4 months ago | [YT] | 5
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Dr. Ajai Chowdhry
At EPIC Foundation, India Foundation, we’ve been focused on building a strong Product Nation—where India doesn’t just consume technology, but designs and sustains it.
But there’s a silent gap we often overlook: What happens after the product is sold?
India is already the third-largest generator of e-waste in the world.
Too many devices are discarded—not because they stop working, but because repairing them is too difficult, expensive, or simply not an option.
That’s where the #RighttoRepair becomes critical.
It’s about opening up access, affordability, and self-reliance.
Through thoughtful product design, stronger policies, and local repair ecosystems, we can extend product life, reduce e-waste, and create real economic value right here in India.
Let’s clear up the confusion and focus on what’s possible.
(Dr Ajai Chowdhry, Just Aspire, product nation, digital India, semiconductors, Startups, manufacturing, Right To Repair, entrepreneurs, e-waste)
6 months ago | [YT] | 1
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Dr. Ajai Chowdhry
Yesterday was #WorldReadingDay, not that I ever need a reason to read.
Right now, I'm reading Hum Dono: The Dev and Goldie Story by Tanuja Chaturvedi and Never Flinch by Stephen King.
Hum Dono is such a joy — especially the bits about making classics like Guide and the creative magic between Dev and Goldie Anand.
Never Flinch is gripping in that way only King can be, it really makes you think about fear and what you're capable of facing.
If you're looking for your next read, I'd definitely recommend picking up either one.
A big shoutout to Reeta Ramamurthy Gupta, who’s leading the India Reads, India Rises campaign — a powerful call to build a nation of readers. She also just launched her book "Win the Battle of Your Mind in the Age of Social Media: Scroll Less, Read More", a timely read on why reading matters now more than ever.
[Ajai Chowdhry, books, current reads, Never Flinch, Hum Dono, Stephen King, Tanuja Chaturvedi, National Reading Day, World Reading Day]
6 months ago | [YT] | 5
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