India (Commonwealth Union)_ In a landmark move, Roshni Nadar Malhotra has ascended to the pinnacle of India’s wealth rankings. HCL Group Founder Shiv Nadar, in a strategic gesture, has transferred 47 percent of his stake in HCL Corp and Vama Sundari Investments (Vama Delhi) to his daughter, Roshni Nadar Malhotra. This transfer has solidified her control over the USD 12 billion technology conglomerate, making her the majority shareholder of both entities and granting her significant influence over HCL Technologies and HCL Infosystems. As a result, Roshni Nadar Malhotra has now surpassed her father, Shiv Nadar, to become India’s richest woman and the third-richest individual in the country.
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The stake transfer, executed through gift deeds in March 2025, was part of a private family arrangement designed to ensure stability and continuity in the leadership of the HCL Group. Despite this transfer, Shiv Nadar has maintained his total promoter interest in HCL Technologies, which stands at 60.814%. This move ensures the continued dominance of the Nadar family in the tech giant while making Roshni Nadar Malhotra the principal decision-maker for the company’s future. With a net worth of USD 35.9 billion, as reported by Bloomberg’s Billionaires Index, Roshni Nadar Malhotra now ranks behind only Mukesh Ambani and Gautam Adani in wealth among Indians. Her rise to the top of India’s wealth ladder marks a defining moment for HCL and the broader Indian corporate landscape.
Roshni Nadar Malhotra: A journey of leadership and philanthropy
Roshni Nadar Malhotra, born in 1982, is the only child of Shiv Nadar, the visionary founder of HCL, and philanthropist Kiran Nadar. Growing up in New Delhi, Roshni attended Vasant Valley School before pursuing higher education in the United States. She earned a bachelor’s degree in Communications from Northwestern University, specializing in radio, television, and film. Later, she completed an MBA at the prestigious Kellogg School of Management, focusing on social enterprise management and strategy. Before joining HCL, Roshni worked as a news producer, demonstrating her broad professional interests. In 2010, she married Shikhar Malhotra, Vice Chairman of HCL Healthcare, and together, they have two sons, Armaan and Jahaan.
Roshni’s corporate journey reached new heights when she took on the role of Chairperson of HCL Technologies in July 2020, becoming the first woman to lead a listed Indian IT company. Under her leadership, HCL has continued to innovate and expand, positioning itself as a global player in the technology sector. Beyond her corporate achievements, Roshni is deeply committed to social causes. She oversees the Shiv Nadar Foundation, which focuses on educational and community development initiatives across India. Through this foundation, Roshni has helped establish some of India’s leading educational institutions. She is also the founder of The Habitats Trust, an organization dedicated to wildlife conservation and ecosystem protection in India.
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In addition, Roshni serves on several prestigious boards, including the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF), the global board of The Nature Conservancy (TNC), and the advisory boards of MIT’s School of Engineering and the Kellogg School of Management. She is also the chairperson of VidyaGyan, a leadership academy for talented underprivileged rural students in Uttar Pradesh. Furthermore, Roshni Nadar Malhotra has earned numerous accolades for her leadership and philanthropic work. In 2024, she was awarded France’s highest civilian honor, the Chevalier de la Legion d’Honneur (Knight of the Legion of Honour). She has also been consistently recognized in Forbes’ “World’s 100 Most Powerful Women” list from 2017 to 2023, with a ranking of 60th in 2023 and 54th in 2019. Her remarkable contributions have also earned her awards like the Schaffner Award (2023) from Kellogg and the Lewis Institute Community Changemaker Award (2017) from Babson College.
The future of HCL under Roshni’s leadership
With the recent stake transfer, Roshni Nadar Malhotra now controls the largest voting shares in HCL Corp and Vama Delhi, which hold significant stakes in HCL Technologies and HCL Infosystems. This development reinforces the Nadar family’s dominance in HCL’s corporate structure, ensuring that Roshni will play a central role in steering the company’s future growth and global expansion. As the new majority shareholder, Roshni Nadar Malhotra influences key decisions concerning HCL’s strategic direction, including its continued innovation and development on the global stage.
HCL, a company founded by Shiv Nadar in 1976, has long been a leader in India’s IT sector, and with Roshni at the helm, the company is poised to further strengthen its global presence. Roshni’s visionary leadership, coupled with her dedication to social causes, positions her as a transformative figure in both the corporate and philanthropic sectors. As she continues to shape the future of HCL, her growing influence as India’s wealthiest woman is a testament to the enduring legacy of the Nadar family and their contributions to India’s tech industry and society at large.
