An established information technology (IT) hub and an emerging space for innovation and start-ups, India's tech sector is one of the country's most promising, with software exports touching a whopping $180.6 billion in FY25, expanding at a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 14.2% over the past five years.

Shiv Nadar ($33.2 billion)

Often referred to as one of the pioneers of India's booming IT industry, Shiv Nadar founded HCL in a garage in 1976, transforming his brainchild from an IT hardware company to a global IT enterprise over the following decades. A noted philanthropist who established the Shiv Nadar Foundation, the HCL founder has committed more than $1 billion to philanthropy, with a focus on India's educational sector, creating institutes like the Shiv Nadar University and the SSN College of Engineering.

Azim Premji ($10.8 billion)

Often called the 'Czar of the Indian IT industry', Azim Premji was instrumental in Wipro's transformation into a global leader in the software industry.

Another renowned philanthropist, Premji has donated over $21 billion to the Azim Premji Foundation, a body founded by him, which also focuses on improving India's education sector.

Sridhar Vembu & siblings ($6 billion)

The founder and CEO of Zoho Corporation, which he started as AdventNet Inc in 1996, Sridhar Vembu was the force behind Zoho's ascent into a global tech powerhouse serving over 130 million users... without ever taking venture capital or going public.

With rural empowerment being a core tenet of Vembu's philosophy, the tech magnate moved back to his native Tamil Nadu village of Tenkasi from Silicon Valley in 2019, from where he continues to lead the company, which recently launched the Arattai messaging and calling app that is now aiming to take on WhatsApp.