‘THE RICHEST LEARNING COMES FROM A DIVERSITY OF EXPERIENCES'

Roshni Nadar Malhotra, Chairperson of HCL Technologies, talks about leading the company, her love for content, her parents, philanthropy and her aspirations

- UDAYAN MUKHERJEE

On a good day for technology stocks, Roshni Nadar Malhotra is India’s wealthiest woman. She has inherited not only the genes of her father Shiv Nadar, a pioneer of the Indian tech boom, but also his keen sense of philanthropy. In a freewheeling chat with Business Today’s Global Business Editor Udayan Mukherjee, she speaks about stepping into Shiv’s tall boots, preparing HCL Tech for the digital age, her mother Kiran’s love of art, and her lifelong admiration of primatologist Jane Goodall. Edited excerpts:

Q: Roshni, you are today one of the richest women in India and chairperson of HCL group, but you had once set your heart on being a media personality. And, if I remember correctly, you even interned with CNN and Sky News. So, I had imagined Roshni Nadar was going to become a media face. So, what happened? Did your father take you aside one day and say ‘Roshni all this is fine, but who is going to manage this multi-billion-dollar enterprise?’ Is that how and when you decided to change course?