Topping Tech Tables and Paygrades: HCL CEO Earns $10.85M, Dwarfs TCS and Infosys Chiefs

In a striking development in the Indian IT sector, HCLTech CEO C Vijayakumar has emerged as the nation's highest-paid IT executive for the financial year 2024-25, outstripping his counterparts at larger rivals Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) and Infosys. His robust leadership and the company’s extraordinary growth trajectory have paved the way for this landmark compensation. Here’s a comprehensive breakdown of this headline-making development as of August 3, 2025.

 

Key takeaways from Vijayakumar’s pay packet

 

C Vijayakumar took home a staggering $10.85 million (about ₹94.6 crore) for FY25. This figure sets him apart not just in comparison with TCS CEO K Krithivasan and Infosys CEO Salil Parekh, but also peers at Wipro and Tech Mahindra, underscoring his exceptional value to HCLTech and the broader industry. Notably, Vijayakumar’s approved pay for the coming year (FY26) is set to leap by over 71% to $18.6 million—a rare remuneration spike in India’s corporate top tier.

 

How does his salary stack up against the competition?

 

TCS CEO K Krithivasan’s total pay in FY25 was reported at ₹26.52 crore—significantly lower than Vijayakumar’s package.

 

Infosys CEO Salil Parekh received ₹80.62 crore, still less than Vijayakumar’s earnings.

 

Wipro CEO Srinivas Pallia earned $6.2 million (approximately ₹53.6 crore), and Tech Mahindra CEO Mohit Joshi had a package of ₹53.9 crore for the same period.

 

With these numbers, Vijayakumar’s FY25 compensation tops India’s largest IT houses by a wide margin, cementing his recognition in the industry.

 

Breakdown of Vijayakumar’s FY25 compensation

 

His remuneration for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2025, was meticulously structured as follows:

 

Base salary: $1.96 million

 

Performance-linked bonus: $1.73 million

 

Long-term incentives: The largest portion of his compensation came from exercised Restricted Stock Units (RSUs), valued at $6.96 million

 

Benefits and perquisites: $0.20 million

Notably, Vijayakumar draws his remuneration from HCL America Inc., the US-based subsidiary of HCLTech, and has been steering the company as CEO since 2016.

 

What’s behind the big hike and board backing for FY26?

 

HCLTech’s board has sanctioned a striking increase of over 71%, with the CEO’s proposed pay for the next year at $18.6 million (approximately ₹154 crore). This signals the board’s strong endorsement of his stewardship during a period that has seen the company’s market capitalisation multiply by 3.8 times—from ₹1.15 lakh crore (March 2016) to ₹4.32 lakh crore (March 2025). In comparison, the market capitalisation of the other leading Indian listed IT service firms grew by approximately 2.5 times during the same period, a testament to HCLTech’s standout performance under his leadership.

 

Industry context: growth, challenges, and ongoing prospects

 

Despite industry-wide challenges and a 9.7% drop in HCLTech’s consolidated net profit in the June quarter (dragged down by higher expenses and a client bankruptcy), the company remains bullish. HCLTech has raised its revenue growth outlook for the full fiscal to 3-5%, up from the previously projected 2-5%, banking on strong deal bookings in the upcoming quarters. This optimism, combined with solid capital market performance, has contributed to the board’s confidence in approving Vijayakumar’s elevated remuneration.

 

Looking ahead

 

The unprecedented leap in C Vijayakumar’s pay packet is more than a personal milestone—it’s a reflection of HCLTech’s ambitious vision, resilience in navigating global IT headwinds, and the premium placed on top-tier leadership within the competitive Indian technology landscape. All eyes will now be on how this pay structure and leadership will steer the company in the coming years as it competes on the global stage.

 

Source: The Economic Times, CNBC TV18, Business Standard, The Week, and official HCLTech disclosures.