Kumar Bahukhandi
EPIC Foundation, the non-profit organization co-founded by HCL co-founders and industry think tanks Mr. Arjun Malhotra and Dr. Ajai Chowdhry with a mission to establish India as a global leader in electronics hardware product design and manufacturing, today announced a leadership transition within its top ranks. Mr. Arjun Malhotra has taken on the role of Chairperson of the Foundation, succeeding Dr. Ajai Chowdhry, who will now serve as Founder of the organization.
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Arjun Malhotra, Co- Founder, HCL | Chairperson, EPIC Foundation
The transition marks a new chapter in the Foundation’s leadership structure where both visionaries will remain closely engaged in advancing their shared vision: Building a sustainable, self-reliant and complete ecosystem for semiconductors and electronics as a key driver of national transformation. Their continued collaboration will centre on supporting indigenous innovation, domestic manufacturing and IP creation, building technology sovereignty, enabling Indian Startups, improving market access, and fostering collaboration between industry, government, academia for a well-connected ecosystem.
Ajai Chowdhry, Founder, EPIC Foundation, said, “Arjun’s life’s work in itself is a testimony to what EPIC Foundation stands for – the conviction that engineers, entrepreneurs, and institutions of India origin can build for the world. This transition decision does not stem from correcting course but rather is a natural progression at a time when India has both the talent and the opportunity to lead in indigenous innovation backed by strong policy support. Arjun’s decades of experience building enterprises from the ground up, scaling Indian technology globally, and mentoring founders across generations are vital in further shaping Foundation’s voice in creating an environment conducive to innovation.”
Mr Malhotra stands among the visionaries who anchored and shaped India’s technological destiny. As co-founder of HCL in 1975, he was at the helm of building indigenous confidence in Indian engineering proving Indian talent could build, design and compete at a global level. Beyond building India’s technological foundations, he played a true catalyst in laying the groundwork for the digital economy that today drives India’s global standing, employment generation, exports, and innovation capacity. Under his leadership, EPIC Foundation will look to further deepen its impact on accelerating globally competitive indigenous technology and products and build stronger capabilities across electronics, deep-tech, innovation and emerging technologies.
Arjun Malhotra, Chairperson, EPIC Foundation, said, “Nearly 50 years ago few of us dared to change direction of the country where we believed that India could build for the world and HCL happened. The conviction stayed with me ever since. Having seen India’s technology journey evolve over the past five decades, I believe that the next big opportunity for the country is to move beyond adopting technology to creating products and solutions that address our own needs and can compete globally. We are charting a clear output driven vision for the Foundation where we create an ecosystem that encourages entrepreneurs to take risks, supports indigenous product development, and helps promising innovations move from the laboratory and drawing board to the market. In the new role, my focus will intensify on helping build the kind of institutions, products, and policy environment that let Indian engineers and entrepreneurs solve problems on their own terms – for India, and for the world.”
Mr. Malhotra’s contributions to technology, entrepreneurship, and institution building have earned him wide recognition, including the Albert Einstein Technology Medal and the Dataquest Lifetime Achievement Award – the latter honoring his role in fostering entrepreneurship and shaping India’s technology landscape. The Institution of Engineers (India) has also recognized him as an Eminent Engineering Personality, and he has received honorary doctorates from both IIT Kharagpur and Punjab Technical University. In recognition of his sustained commitment to his alma mater, IIT Kharagpur named him a Life Fellow and inducted him as one of the founding members of its Hall of Fame. Most recently, he was presented with the One World One Family Global Leadership Award, celebrating his work in advancing business practices rooted in purpose and social impact.
EPIC Foundation remains committed in its efforts to enhance India’s capabilities as a Product Nation.
