Roshni Nadar Malhotra conferred “Chevalier de la Légion d’Honneur”

Ms Roshni Nadar Malhotra, Chairperson of HCLTech, was yesterday conferred the "Chevalier de la Légion d’Honneur" (Knight of the Legion of Honour) by H.E. Mr Thierry Mathou, Ambassador of France to India, on behalf of the President of the French Republic, during a special ceremony at the Residence of France. The highest French civilian award came in recognition of Ms Nadar Malhotra’s outstanding contributions to the business world, constant endeavour to promote economic ties between France and India, as well as her unwavering commitment to social and environmental causes.

Ms Roshni Nadar Malhotra made history by becoming the first woman to lead a listed IT company in India, when she took over as the Chairperson of HCLTech, a 13.3-billion-dollar turnover company with over 227,480 professionals operating from 60 countries. Under her stewardship, HCLTech expanded its global footprint and enhanced its reputation for excellence in technology and innovation. In France, HCLTech, which has received Business France and IFCCI’s support for its development, strengthened its position between 2020 and 2023 by signing some of the largest digital transformation contracts in the French market and is now rated among the top IT service providers in the country.

Deeply committed to environmental sustainability, wildlife and conservation, Ms Nadar Malhotra established The Habitats Trust in 2018. She also drives numerous social initiatives through the Shiv Nadar Foundation, which focuses on transformative education. Since 2020, HCLTech has partnered with renowned NGO Apprentis d’Auteuil in France to enhance coding education in middle schools, enabling over 200 students in Saint-Paul-sur-Isère and Bagneux to master programming languages in a creative and project-oriented learning environment.

    Conferring the honour on H.E. Mr Thierry Mathou, Ambassador of France to India, said: “I am delighted to confer the Chevalier de la Légion d’Honneur on Ms Roshni Nadar Malhotra whose exceptional leadership qualities have helped her carve her own niche in both the corporate and the philanthropic worlds. Under her forward-thinking mindset focused on emerging technologies as AI and cybersecurity, HCL has remained at the cutting-edge of the industry, and has been recognized as an active promoter of business relations between France and India. The French Republic acknowledges today not only Ms Nadar Malhotra’s professional achievements but also her impact on society and her commitment to strengthening bilateral relations between our two countries.”

    Receiving the recognition, Ms Roshni Nadar Malhotra, Chairperson of HCLTech, said: “I am deeply honoured to receive the Chevalier de la Légion d’Honneur. HCLTech has a longstanding relationship with France in both business and CSR efforts. We are committed to scaling our operations in the country and supporting the digital transformation journeys of French businesses. We look forward to contributing to the collaborative efforts of France and India to create a better future for all."

About the Légion d’Honneur:

Instituted in 1802 by Napoleon Bonaparte, the Légion d’Honneur (Legion of Honour) is the highest civilian award given by the French Republic for outstanding service to France, regardless of the nationality of the recipients. The President of the French Republic is the Grand Master of the Order of the Legion of Honour.

About HCLTech:

HCLTech is a global technology company, home to more than 227,000 people across 60 countries, delivering industry-leading capabilities centred around digital, engineering, cloud and AI, powered by a broad portfolio of technology services and products. HCLTech works with clients across all major verticals, providing industry solutions for Financial Services, Manufacturing, Life Sciences and Healthcare, Technology and Services, Telecom and Media, Retail and CPG and Public Services.