TCS founder, 'Father' of Indian IT industry F.C. Kohli passes away at 96
Mumbai, Nov 26: Fakir Chand Kohli, the founder and the first CEO of Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), passed away on Thursday after reportedly suffering a heart attack. He was 96.
A recipient of the Padma Bhushan, Kohli is called the 'Father of Indian IT Industry' and is credited for pioneering the technology revolution in India.
Mourning the passing of Kohli, TCS, in statement, noted that Kohli joined the company in 1969 at the behest of J.R.D. Tata.
He pivoted the first into management consultancy, and then over the next two decades, into software development, helping the organisation navigate multiple technology waves over two and a half decades by continually investing in people and staying relevant to customers, it said.
Kohli stepped down as TCS' CEO in 1996 and continued to play an active role in promoting technology to solve the country's social problems.
Tata Sons Chairman N. Chandrasekaran said: "I am deeply saddened by the news that Mr F.C. Kohli passed away this afternoon. He was a true legend, who laid the very foundations for India's spectacular IT revolution and set the stage for the dynamic modern economy we enjoy today."
He said that Kohli led innovations in areas far-ranging from adult literacy, water purification, software engineering, software automation, complex systems and cybernetics.
"I have had the honour and privilege of working with and learning from Mr. Kohli from the day he hired me as a trainee in TCS. Despite his momentous achievements, his simplicity and thoughtfulness is a lesson for us all. His enduring optimism and his ability to make ambitious bets leaves a legacy - one that has advanced a nation," Chandrasekaran said.
TCS CEO and Managing Director Rajesh Gopinathan described Kohli as a true visionary, showing amazing foresight in harnessing the rich engineering talent available in India to create an entire new industry that defied all odds and grew to be a global powerhouse.
TCS' former CEO S. Ramadorai said that Kohli was a brilliant technocrat and a business leader with varied interests. He was passionate about the development of the nation and its youth, he added.
Industry body NASSCOM said: "A true visionary and the father of the Indian software industry - FC Kohli will always be remembered for his pioneering contributions to the sector and remarkable leadership at NASSCOM. Our condolences to his family."
He was the President of NASSCOM during 1995-96.
Kohli was born in Peshawar, where he did his schooling and did his college-level education in Lahore.
He later went to Queen's University, Canada and completed B.Sc (Hons) in Electrical Engineering in 1948 and did his MS in Mechanical engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1950.
Shri FC Kohli Ji will be remembered for his pioneering contributions to the world of IT. He was at the forefront of institutionalising a culture of innovation and excellence in the tech industry. Pained by his demise. Condolences to his family and many admirers.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) November 26, 2020
We mourn the passing of Padma Bhushan Shri FC Kohli, the Father of Indian IT Industry, and the first CEO of TCS.
— Tata Consultancy Services (@TCS) November 26, 2020
To read the full statement, click here: https://t.co/M6kYZw42Xc pic.twitter.com/Uwjb7zJkx2
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Karnataka govt directs municipal corps to regulate, prohibit pigeon feeding
Bengaluru (PTI): The Karnataka government has issued directions to municipal corporations across the state to regulate and prohibit feeding pigeons in public places, citing serious public health concerns.
Deputy Secretary to Government V Lakshmikanth has written to the Urban Development Department requesting it to issue directions to the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) and all municipal corporations to take immediate steps to implement the measures.
In an official note dated December 16 issued by the Health and Family Welfare Department and released to the media on Wednesday, the department said uncontrolled feeding of pigeons in public places has resulted in large congregations of birds, excessive droppings and serious health concerns, particularly respiratory illnesses linked to prolonged exposure to pigeon droppings and feathers such as hypersensitivity pneumonitis and other lung diseases.
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"The commissioner, the Greater Bengaluru Authority and the Commissioners and chief officers of other municipal corporations shall take necessary action to mitigate the causes of dangerous disease spread by pigeon and enforce specified guidelines in their respective jurisdiction," the note said.
According to the department, these include a prohibition on feeding pigeons or causing pigeons to be fed in areas where it may cause nuisance or pose a health hazard to the public. Pigeon feeding shall be permitted only in designated areas in a controlled manner, subject to certain conditions.
"The designated areas may be selected in consultation with stakeholders. The responsibility for upkeep of the designated areas and compliance to the directions shall be taken up by some charitable organisation or an NGO. The feeding in designated areas shall be permitted only for some limited hours in the day," it said.
The note further stated that authorised officers of local authorities shall issue on-the-spot warnings and may impose fines for violation of the order, or lodge complaints to prosecute offenders under Sections 271 (Negligent act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) and 272 (Malignant act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
It also directed local authorities to conduct public awareness campaigns, including the display of signboards, banners and digital messages, explaining the health hazards associated with pigeon droppings and feathers, the content of the regulatory directions and penalties for violations, and alternative humane methods of bird conservation that do not endanger public health.
