Bharat Desai is regarded as one of the world’s most successful and affluent businessmen. After graduating from IIT Bombay, he began his career at Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), founded by Ratan Tata. However, his aspirations led him to co-found Syntel in 1980 alongside his wife, Neerja Sethi, with a modest investment of just Rs 1.5 lakh. Today, his net worth stands at an impressive Rs 13,501 crore.

Background

Born in Kenya in November 1952, Bharat Desai was brought up in India. After completing his degree in electrical engineering at IIT Bombay, he furthered his education by obtaining an MBA in Finance from the Ross School of Business in Michigan. In 1976, Bharat Desai commenced his career as a programmer at Tata Consultancy Services (TCS). During this period, he had the opportunity to work on a TCS project in the United States, marking the beginning of a significant transformation in his life.

Founding Syntel

While living in a small apartment in Michigan, Desai and his wife, Neerja, made the decision to establish Syntel in 1980. The company operates in the IT consulting and outsourcing sector. In the early days, Bharat and Neerja worked tirelessly to manage the business. Achieving their first annual sales of $30,000 was a significant milestone for them.

Global IT Projects

By 2018, Syntel's revenue had soared to $900 million (approximately Rs 7,200 crore), as the company undertook numerous significant global IT projects. That same year, the French IT firm Atos SE acquired Syntel for $3.4 billion (around Rs 28,000 crore), a deal that proved highly lucrative for Bharat Desai and Neerja Sethi. However, following the acquisition, Atos filed a lawsuit against Bharat Desai, alleging that he had concealed the company’s liabilities; this lawsuit was dismissed in 2023.

Bharat Desai is actively involved in Detroit's 'Paint the Town' initiative, which focuses on community revitalisation. In 1996, he was honoured with the 'Entrepreneur of the Year' award by USA Today and NASDAQ. Forbes recognised his company, Syntel, as one of 'America's Best 200 Small Companies'.

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