Archive · 12 Aug 2026
Delhi barsati to HCL: 1976 microprocessor gamble pays off
Long ago in 1976, six friends in India had a big idea: they wanted to build a computer using a tiny electronic brain called a microprocessor.
Back then, almost nobody in India used computers, and there was no easy way to get money to start a business.
The six men used their own savings, borrowed money, and even sold a car to raise the funds they needed.
They started working in a small rooftop room called a barsati in Delhi.
Their first company was called Microcomp, and their dream was to build an Indian-made computer.
They did not have a licence to make computers, so they teamed up with a government company called UP Electronics Corporation, and from that partnership HCL was born.
At first, they sold a computer that had not even been finished — they only had a brochure and a pretend model.
Their first customers included two big universities and a company in Coimbatore, where they beat a much larger rival.
It took a lot of courage to convince businesses to try technology they had never seen before.
Today, that small rooftop start-up has grown into a huge global company with more than 223,000 workers in 60 countries.
In 1976, six young men — Shiv Nadar, Arjun Malhotra, Yogesh Vaidya, Subhash Arora, D.S. Puri and Ajai Chowdhry — quit their jobs to build an Indian computer around the microprocessor.
The founders raised ₹1.87 lakh through savings, borrowing and selling a car to fund the venture, named Microcomp, started in a barsati in Delhi's Golf Links.
Lacking a manufacturing licence, the team partnered with UP Electronics Corporation, a partnership that eventually gave birth to Hindustan Computers Limited (HCL).
HCL introduced an 8-bit microprocessor-based computer in 1978 and won early orders from IIT Kharagpur, IIT Madras and Premier Mills in Coimbatore, beating rival DCM DP.
HCL expanded to Singapore when the company was only four years old; today it reports more than 223,000 professionals across 60 countries and annual revenues of over $14.8 billion.
- Who
- Six co-founders — Shiv Nadar, Arjun Malhotra, Yogesh Vaidya, Subhash Arora, D.S. Puri and Ajai Chowdhry — who left their jobs to start the venture.
- What
- Founded what became HCL by betting on the microprocessor to build an Indian computer, starting with the venture Microcomp and selling machines before they were finished.
- When
- 1976, with the story recounted by Ajai Chowdhry as HCL marks its 50th year.
- Where
- A barsati in Delhi's Golf Links, later expanding to Singapore and then globally across 60 countries.
- Why
- The founders believed the microprocessor would change the world and wanted to make technology useful and accessible to Indian businesses.
- Founded
- 1976
- Initial capital
- ₹1.87 lakh (₹187,000)
- First office
- A barsati in Delhi's Golf Links
- Original venture
- Microcomp
- Key partner
- UP Electronics Corporation (provided the manufacturing licence)
- First computer
- 8-bit microprocessor-based computer introduced in 1978
- Early customers
- IIT Kharagpur, IIT Madras and Premier Mills in Coimbatore
- HCL today
- 223,000+ professionals in 60 countries; annual revenues over $14.8 billion