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
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Bhopal: The Madhya Pradesh High Court on Thursday expressed strong dissatisfaction with the FIR registered by the state police against BJP Minister Kunwar Vijay Shah over his controversial remarks against Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, calling it deficient in crucial legal elements. The court has now decided to monitor the police investigation to ensure it proceeds fairly and without external influence.
A division bench of Justices Atul Sreedharan and Anuradha Shukla noted that the FIR lacked any substantive mention of the suspect’s actions that would establish the offences under the relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), specifically Sections 152, 196(1)(b), and 197(1)(c). These provisions relate to acts endangering national sovereignty, disturbing communal harmony, and threatening national integration.
The court observed that Paragraph 12 of the FIR merely reproduced the court's previous order without laying down how the minister's comments constituted the registered offences. “The FIR has been registered in such a manner... so that if it is challenged under erstwhile Section 482 CrPC, the same may be quashed as it is deficient in material particulars,” the bench remarked.
To prevent what it called a "subterfuge", the court directed that its full order dated May 14 be treated as part of the FIR. The court stated it would now monitor the investigation to ensure it is conducted lawfully and impartially.
The controversy stems from Vijay Shah’s statement, where he appeared to link Col. Qureshi, a senior officer of the Indian Armed Forces, to terrorists by referring to her as their “sister”. His comments were made in the context of Operation Sindoor, a military operation against Pakistani terror targets, during which Col. Qureshi had served as a spokesperson.
“Jinhone humari betiyon ke sindoor ujade the… humne unhiki behen bhej kar ke unki aisi ki taisi karwayi,” Shah had said, a remark the court found to be not only disparaging but dangerous and communal.
The High Court had earlier called the minister's language “gutter-level” and condemned his innuendos against a decorated military officer, stating that such remarks “encourage feelings of separatist activities by imputing separatist feeling to anyone who is Muslim, thereby endangering the sovereignty or unity and integrity of India.”
Following the High Court’s stern direction, Shah issued a public apology on social media, calling Col. Sofiya Qureshi “the nation’s sister.” The state government also posted on its official handle that it was taking appropriate action in compliance with the court’s order.
However, the court made it clear that it was not satisfied with the FIR's content and expressed concern that it was framed in a way that could undermine its legal sustainability.
Meanwhile, Vijay Shah has approached the Supreme Court challenging the Madhya Pradesh High Court’s suo motu direction for registering an FIR against him.
Colonel Sofiya Qureshi had become a prominent face of the Indian Armed Forces during Operation Sindoor, regularly briefing the media on military actions against terror camps in Pakistan. Her professionalism and presence made her a symbol of national service and unity, leading to outrage after Shah’s disparaging remark.
The High Court has listed the matter for further hearing immediately after the court vacation. The bench emphasized that its monitoring would not interfere with the autonomy of the investigating agency, but would ensure justice is not subverted by procedural lapses or political pressure.
