Kris Gopalakrishnan is a major Indian business person who is also one of the founding members of the nation’s largest IT services firm, Infosys. He is a well-known name across the globe and is a entrepreneur and a philanthropist. As a compassionate visionary, he has played a vital role in making India one of the champions of software and IT services technology. His life stories, from childhood, his rise to perhaps the most powerful position at Infosys as CEO, his creativity and resilience stands out. Further, he is also known for his philanthropic acts and funding research.
Life History and Coursework
Gopalakrishnan was born on the 5th of April 1955 in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. The entrepreneur was deeply interested in science and technology and pursued a Physics degree from the University of Kerala, followed by a Masters in Computer Science from IIT Madras. This tremendous educational background would aid his career in the field of Information Technology and propel his ambitions.
Heres a glimpse on how Infosys began and progressed throughout its early days.
In 1981, Infosys was founded by Kris Gopalakrishnan with $250 dollars alongside Narayana Murthy and Nandan Nilekani. They had a simple but bold goal, market software services to customers around the world and at the same time do it with flair. While Murthy focused on the vision, Gopalakrishnan and his team set up the framework for the company and this formed the strength of Infosys in a emerging IT sector This strategy, alongside his knowledge on systems design, fortified the credentials of the firm.
Under Gopalakrishnan’s tenure, Infosys made tremendous strides in customer related solutions and global delivery models which allowed them to attract clients from different parts of the world and help put India’s IT sector on the map.
Leadership at Infosys
Now let’s talk about Kris Gopalakrishnan. He was always a man of many different professions. Over the years at Infosys, he undertook several leadership positions that eventually molded him into a leader. His CEO journey began in 2007, which came alongside a boom in the IT sector after the company hit the revenues of more than 4 billion dollar mark. During his tenure, Gopalakrishnan ensured that technology innovation remained at the core of the company’s values, a trait that helped expand Info sys’ footprint in the IT sector.
In 2011, he was elevated to the position of Executive Vice-Chairman, a position he enjoyed until his exit in 2014. During this time, Gopalakrishnan focused on enhancing the competencies of the company to include emerging technologies such as analytics, mobile applications, and cloud computing. His vision strategy turned out to be one of the factors that enabled Infosys to stay competitive in the market.
In June of 2012 along with the people concerned, Gopalakrishnan started the Biocon Academy with the main aim of providing the Indian Biotech industry with professional managers and scientists. The Academy was founded by Gopalakrishnan – the bigshot behind Biocon who wanted to train and equip skilled biotech professionals in India with everything they needed to successfully venture into the market internationally. Biocon is Gopalakrishnan’s globally known leading Indian drug company, and since his position requires him to work outside of India most of the time, he wanted to hire talented Indians for the job, hence Gopalakrishnan’s decision to open the Biocon Academy.
He has an interest in philanthropic activities with a focus on neuroscience. In 2014, he made a personal contribution of 225 crores to the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) in Bangalore funding the establishment of the Center for Brain Research (CBR) which specializes in the study of age related neurological diseases like Alzheimer and Parkinson. His contribution raised India’s profile as a global destination for advanced research in Neuroscience.
As for the history of Gopalakrishnan, he has also participated in other activities beyond science like education, health and business. He was even involved with the Indian Institute of Information Technology and Management-Kerala (IIITM-K), where he sought to raise the level of technological education in the area.
Awards and Recognition
Because of Kris Gopalakrishnan’s input to the IT industry and the general welfare of society, he has won several prizes. Because of his trade and industry activity, in 2011, he received the Padma Bhushan award – the third-highest civilian award in India. Along with receiving this award, he has also received appreciation from other internationally based institutions because of the impact and leadership he has shown in the technology world.
Gopalakrishnan’s expertise has led him to be a keynote speaker in important forums and conferences all over the world. He continues to inspire young entrepreneurs and leaders through his thoughts on technology, innovation and business leadership.
The Visionary’s Legacy
It is astounding how Gopalakrishnan’s life started like every other boy in Kerala and eventually he became a key player in the technology field. His ability to break Infosys from a start up into a huge IT enterprise has improved the economy of India and inspired millions of young entrepreneurs. His different styles of managing businesses points out to both young and old how to effectively lead, and defines his style as a role model to the upcoming leaders.
Conclusion
Kris Gopalakrishnan’s story is the story of an entrepreneur of this century who utilizes technology to benefit the society. He is a co-founder at Infosys, and is a crucial contributor in positioning India as a player in the IT industry. His continuous involvement in different educational and research projects and charity work makes him a positive influence in the society.
As Gopalakrishnan’s life itself offers insight on what is necessary to be a successful businessman, one has to practice empathy, have a strong will and purpose. Gopalakrishnan is a great example of why complete visions should be merged with action in order to make the world a better place.
If you are interested for more: Nothing Phone 3A: Everything You Should Know About This Exciting New Device 5 Inspiring Ways Kris Gopalakrishnan Transformed India’s IT Landscape
