HCL

This time let’s start our journey, inside an office canteen. It seems like lunchtime is going on. Some are talking about politics, sports, their bosses or just discussing about their ambition. Back in 1976, in a similar canteen of Delhi Cloth & General Mills, one day eight engineers from company's calculator division also started talking about their dream, about their future, that one day they will leave their job & start their own company and make microcomputers. But unlike others, the eight of them took action. They left their secure jobs and ventured into the risky world of business. To gather funds they first began by selling tele digital calculators, and then in the same year formed Hindustan Computers Limited, HCL. But it was difficult to get the approvals& funds, so they all approached the UP government. Impressed by the vision of these young entrepreneurs, the UP government supported HCL. Two years later developed India's first microcomputer, HCL 8C; which was three years before IBM's first PC. HCL soon started growing in India, but the founders dreamt of taking their company International. A year later, HCL ventured outside India, by setting a small office in Singapore, the new company was named Far East computers. Now decades later HCL has grown into a multi-billion-dollar company, operating in over 45 countries with around 150,000 employees. One of HCL's key founder is Shiv Nadar. He was born in a small village in Tamil Nadu, studied in this Town Higher Secondary School, the same school where the renowned mathematician Ramanujan also studied. Other than being the founding member of HCL, Shiv Nadar also was the biggest investor and founding chairman of the popular, NIIT, the multi-national IT training company, spread in over 30 countries. Now 44 years after starting HCL, according to latest Forbes figures, Shiv Nadar has become the 2nd richest person in India, he is now richer than the Hinduja's, Lakshmi Mital,and the media mogul Rupert Murdoch. So without any further delay, let's get on the plane & travel across the world to witness HCL's massive business empire. We will start our journey in, the Americas, and reach Canada. We are right now in the coastal province of New Brunswick. Here HCL has recently started a Global IT Delivery Centre. Moreover in Canada, HCL Technologies also operates 7 more delivery centres that serve major Canadian railway & airline companies.

Moving to the US, we will reach the Emerald City, Seattle. Here HCL operates an Internet of Things innovation centre, along with over 20 delivery centres across the United States. Overall in US HCL employs around 17000 people, which is much more than how many people Microsoft & Procter & Gamble combined, in India. Moreover, in US HCL has worked on major projects for Ford Motors, Readers Digest, and Xerox and has also worked on modernising unemployment insurance services in multiple US states. In the US, HCL also owns a Life Sciences Services company; a Digital experience company; an Aerospace solutions company; a hybrid data management company and also one of the leading Microsoft business applications consulting company, Power Objects. Furthermore in the region, HCL operates in Mexico, Brazil and also the scenic Guatemala. Now from Guatemala let’s move to Africa and reach the vibrant South Africa. Here HCL has been operating since the past11 years and has worked on key IT projects for De Beers and also South Africa's Second Largest Supermarket Chain, Pick n Pay. Now from South Africa, let move to Europe& reach the picturesque Spain. We are right now in the beautiful port city of Alicante. The starting point of the world’s longest professional sporting event, Volvo Ocean Race. The IT service provider for this 8-month long event has been HCL. From Spain, let's cruise towards the United Kingdom. Here HCL owns a data automation company, a cloud solutions company, a multi-million dollar consultancy company, an Insurance BPO, and also has delivery centres in around 10 locations across the UK. Now we will reach Old Trafford, the home of one of the world’s biggest football club, Manchester United. HCL is Manchester United's digital partner, the official App & website of Manchester United has been jointly developed by HCL. Overall in Europe, HCL operates in over 20countries, with over 12,000 employees, over 75 delivery centres, and has worked on major projects for, Volvo Cars, Norway’s largest financial services institution, DNB and the Swiss pharmaceutical giant, Novartis. Moreover in Europe, HCL owns the German IT and engineering services provider, H&D International. Now after travelling in Europe, let's take a long flight, all the way to Australia. Here in Australia HCL operates in 8 locations, while in nearby New Zealand we will find HCL Delivery centres in 3 locations. Speaking about New Zealand, HCL has also recently won a major deal to modernising technology infrastructure of New Zealand's multinational dairy company, Fonterra. Now getting back to Australia, let's take a walk on the bustling streets of Melbourn. We will now reach the Melbourne Cricket Ground, Australia’s largest stadium and home of Cricket Australia. Talking about cricket, do you know who Cricket Australia’s official digital technology partner is? You are right, it’s HCL. Now from Melbourne, let's move towards Asia and reach the lion city, Singapore. We are outside one of Asia's leading stock exchange, Singapore Exchange. The IT solutions and management of this busy stock exchange is done by HCL. While in rest of Asia Pacific region, we will find HCL located in Japan, China, Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia and even Hong Kong, where HCL has worked on IT application project, for Hong Kong's largest airline. In the rest of Asia, we will find HCL in SriLanka, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, Turkey and UAE. In UAE the company has undertaken IT projects for various government departments, major theme park and airline. Now finally after our world tour, it's time to reach India. Here, HCL development centres are located in 15 cities across India, which includes this massive 50 Acres campus, in Noida, which can accommodate nearly 25,000 people. Here in India, HCL also owns a healthcare company, a distribution and services Company, HCL Info system, and has recently acquired semiconductor design services firm; and a Mumbai-based engineering services company. Moreover in India, HCL manages IT infrastructure for one of the biggest stock exchange, ATM's, multiple government organisations and also oil & gas companies, while the company also regularly organises cybersecurity hackathons. HCL has not only created a mammoth business empire but has also been involved in multiple social projects that includes developmental work in 170 Gram Panchayats, supporting multiple NGO's through HCL Grant, multiple educational institutions and has also established museums of art. Furthermore, Shiv Nadar, who is currently the Chairman of HCL, has committed more than $1 billion to philanthropy and in 2019 alone he has donated over $100 million. Looking at this inspiring journey which started with few office colleagues dreaming about their future, HCL has certainly come a long way, to be now present all over the world. In the end, all I can say this is HCL's massive business empire.