In July 2020, Indian businesswoman Roshni Nadar Malhotra became the first woman to head a listed Indian IT company when she took over as chairperson of HCL Technologies, succeeding her father Shiv Nadar and taking over responsibility for providing strategic guidance to the organization.
Co-founded by her father almost fifty years ago, HCL has become an important player in India’s rise as an IT hub. And while her father stepped down from the chairperson position, he will continue supporting the company as managing director and chief strategy officer.
Malhotra joined HCL in 2009 after a brief stint in media and communications as a news producer. She graduated from Northwestern University with a degree in communications with a special focus on radio, TV, and film. She then obtained a Master of Business Administration degree from the prestigious Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern.
After working as a producer for various companies, her drive for business and family connection led her to HCL, where she was promoted to executive director and CEO of HCL corporation within a year of joining the company. She then took on her current role after her father stepped down from the position.
Malhotra has also worked hard to make a name for herself outside of HCL, focusing on philanthropic organizations such as the Shiv Nadar Foundation which is committed to promote education and has established some of India’s top colleges and schools. She also serves as chairperson of VidyaGyan Leadership Academy, which provides education opportunities in economically disadvantaged areas. In 2018, her passion for wildlife and conservation led her to set up The Habitats Trust which aims to protect India’s natural habitats and its indigenous species to create sustainable ecosystems through tactical partnerships and associations.
“My mother and father are exceptionally proud Indians. They always wanted to contribute, to give back philanthropically, especially in the field of education,” she once explained.
In recognition of her work in business and in philanthropy, she has earned several honors, including the NDTV Young Philanthropist of the Year award for 2015 and the Vogue India Philanthropist of the Year award for 2017. She is also ranked number 55 on Forbes’ 2020 World’s 100 Most Powerful Women list, a testament to her business prowess and charitable contributions in India and beyond.