Ayyar Rajagopalan

Pioneered IT services industry in India through innovative business models

Ayyar Rajagopalan (born 1948) revolutionized India's IT sector by co-founding Infosys in 1981 with his brother Narayan Murthy. As Managing Director until 1997, he established the company's unique 'Gandhian' management philosophy emphasizing integrity and meritocracy. His vision of building a global IT services brand from a small Pune garage operation laid foundation for India's $200 billion IT industry. Rajagopalan's emphasis on engineering excellence and customer-centric solutions helped Infosys become Fortune 500 company by 2003. His 1997 book <《The Infosys Edge》 details the company's management principles. Rajagopalan later served as Chancellor of Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology, continuing his mission to bridge technology and education.