New Delhi: Sometimes, a missed opportunity can open the door to something greater — a truth Nandan Nilekani knows well. The Infosys co-founder once revealed that missing his IIM entrance exam became a turning point in his life. After graduating from IIT Bombay, Nilekani planned to take the test but didn’t appear because he 'was not feeling well' that day.
At a Crossroads
In an interview with Groww, Nilekani admitted he was 'too lazy' to apply for the SAT or GMAT either, leaving him uncertain about what to do next. 'I was actually at a loose end,' he said. It was at this uncertain stage that he came across an opportunity that would shape his destiny.
A Chance Encounter at Patni Computers
Nilekani learned about Patni Computer Systems, a small tech company in Mumbai. At the time, after IBM’s exit from India in 1977, the tech industry was still finding its footing. Patni acted as a distributor for Digital Data General systems in India, and Nilekani decided to join the firm’s Nariman Point office.
It was there that he met Narayana Murthy, a brilliant engineer who would later become his mentor and partner. After solving a technical challenge, Nilekani received a job offer — marking the beginning of a collaboration that would eventually lead to Infosys.
The Birth of Infosys
In 1981, Murthy shared his vision of starting a technology company, and Nilekani, along with a few others, joined him. 'It was Murthy’s vision… we all worked for him and started Infosys,' Nilekani recalled. The company grew steadily through the 1980s and 1990s, later experiencing rapid expansion under Nilekani’s leadership as CEO from 2002 to 2007.
A Vision for Growth
During his tenure, Infosys’s revenues multiplied sixfold to around $3 billion. Nilekani emphasised the company’s philosophy of setting ambitious goals — 'get to 100 million, get to a billion, get to 10 billion.'
The Best Mistake of His Life
Looking back, Nilekani called missing the exam 'a mistake I’m glad I made.' The setback, he said, became the foundation of a journey that changed India’s IT landscape forever.
