HCL’s Remarkable Beginnings: How Six Friends Built a Technology Dream With ₹1.87 Lakh

Long before India emerged as one of the world’s biggest technology hubs, a small group of entrepreneurs took a bold step that would eventually lead to the creation of HCL. The company’s origins can be traced to six friends who set out with an ambitious technology vision and initial capital of just ₹1.87 lakh.

A recent conversation featured on Power Turks revisits those early years, offering a glimpse into the challenges, risks and ideas that shaped HCL during a period when India’s computing industry was still in its infancy.

A Technology Dream Before India Was Ready

The founders began their journey at a time when the microprocessor was still a relatively new development and personal computing had not yet become a mainstream concept in India. The country’s technology infrastructure and market were far removed from the ecosystem that exists today.

Against this backdrop, the decision to build a technology company involved considerable uncertainty. The founders had to operate in an environment where computers were expensive, access to technology was limited and the domestic market was still developing.

Rather than waiting for conditions to become favourable, the group chose to experiment and create opportunities themselves.

Their starting point was modest, but their ambitions were considerably larger. The ₹1.87 lakh with which the venture began became the foundation for a company that would go on to become one of India’s best-known technology names.

When Founders Became the Delivery Team

The early HCL years demanded a very hands-on approach from its founders. Building products was only one part of the challenge. The team also had to ensure that customers actually received and could use the technology.

One anecdote from the discussion illustrates just how involved the founders were in the company’s early operations.

At one point, computers had to be delivered personally to customers. The founders even drove a Fiat to the airport to collect computers and make sure they reached professors at IIT Madras on time.

Such incidents underline the difference between running a technology company in its early stages and operating a large corporation with established logistics, supply chains and support networks.

For the founders, there was little separation between strategy and execution. If something needed to be done, they were prepared to do it themselves.

Taking the HCL Vision Beyond India

The company’s ambitions were not restricted to the Indian market. HCL also explored opportunities in the United States during its early years.

Entering an international market presented another set of challenges for a young Indian technology company. Yet the attempt reflected the founders’ willingness to test their ideas beyond familiar territory.

Experimentation became an important part of the organisation’s culture. Not every initiative was successful, but unsuccessful efforts were treated as experiences from which the team could move forward.

That attitude became one of the recurring themes in the founders’ reflections: businesses cannot afford to remain stuck after a setback. The ability to recover, learn and attempt something different can be just as important as the original idea.

Making Computers More Accessible

Another important aspect of HCL’s early thinking was the question of affordability.

The founders recognised that the growth of computing in India would depend not only on technological advancement but also on whether ordinary users could eventually afford and access computers.

Their vision extended beyond simply selling machines. They believed that lower costs, wider broadband connectivity and useful content would collectively play an important role in encouraging PC adoption.

That perspective was significant because it viewed technology adoption as an ecosystem rather than a product problem alone. A computer becomes far more valuable when people can connect to networks and access content that makes the technology useful in everyday life.

Trusting Young People With Responsibility

The founders also highlighted the importance of people in building an organisation.

One of the principles that emerged from the discussion was the value of giving young employees meaningful responsibility at an early stage. Rather than keeping important decisions concentrated among senior leaders, the approach involved trusting people and allowing them to learn through experience.

For a growing technology company, this philosophy could help create a workforce capable of taking ownership and responding quickly to changing circumstances.

Customer focus was another central principle. Technology may provide the product, but understanding what customers need ultimately determines whether a business can create lasting value.

Lessons From HCL’s Early Journey

The story of HCL’s beginnings offers a broader lesson about entrepreneurship. The company did not start with enormous resources or a mature technology ecosystem around it. Instead, the founders worked with limited capital, took risks and repeatedly tested new ideas.

Their experience suggests that successful entrepreneurship is not necessarily about getting every decision right on the first attempt. It can also involve recognising when an approach has failed, learning from it and having the confidence to move forward.

From personally delivering computers to exploring international markets and thinking about the future of affordable computing, the early HCL journey was shaped by an appetite for experimentation.

What began with six friends and ₹1.87 lakh eventually became a significant chapter in India’s technology story. Decades later, the founders’ reflections continue to highlight a timeless message for entrepreneurs: take calculated risks, empower people, stay close to customers and keep moving forward when the first idea does not work.