HCLTech CEO C Vijayakumar's FY26 Pay Rises 67% to ₹175 Crore, Remains India's Highest-Paid IT Chief
- dhanapaul303
- Jul 21
- 2 min read
HCLTech Managing Director and CEO C Vijayakumar continued to lead the list of India's highest-paid IT executives after his total remuneration rose by nearly 67% year-on-year to $18.13 million (around ₹175 crore) in FY26, according to the company's latest annual report.
The compensation increase comes as India's information technology sector continues to adapt to changing business conditions, including the rapid adoption of artificial intelligence and evolving global demand.
Breakdown of the CEO's Compensation
According to HCLTech's annual report, Vijayakumar's total remuneration includes multiple components beyond his fixed salary.
His FY26 package comprises:
Base salary: Approximately ₹23.88 crore
Performance-linked bonus: Around ₹19.26 crore
Long-term incentive: Nearly ₹37.95 crore
Value of exercised Restricted Stock Units (RSUs): About ₹90.53 crore
Other benefits and allowances: Close to ₹2.99 crore
The exercised RSUs formed the largest portion of his overall compensation during the financial year.
Pay Compared With Employees
HCLTech stated that Vijayakumar's total remuneration was nearly 292 times the median compensation of the company's employees worldwide.
The company explained that the comparison is based on the salaries of its global workforce after converting employee compensation into Indian rupees using purchasing power parity (PPP) calculations. As of June 30, HCLTech employed more than 227,000 people globally.
Salary Growth Excluding Stock Benefits
While the overall remuneration increased sharply, the company noted that the rise in Vijayakumar's regular compensation was lower when excluding long-term incentive payouts and exercised stock awards.
Without these equity-related benefits, his salary increase was approximately 22.9% over the previous year.
Highest-Paid Among Indian IT CEOs
The latest figures keep Vijayakumar ahead of several other prominent leaders in India's IT industry. His total compensation remains significantly higher than that of CEOs at major technology companies including Infosys, Tech Mahindra, Wipro, and Tata Consultancy Services (TCS).
Strong Financial Performance Supports Growth
HCLTech also reported healthy financial results for the first quarter of FY27.
The company posted a 20.3% increase in consolidated net profit, reaching ₹4,624 crore compared with ₹3,843 crore during the same period a year earlier.
Revenue from operations climbed nearly 14% year-on-year to ₹34,579 crore, while the company's EBIT margin improved to 16.9%, reflecting stronger operational performance.
HCLTech also confirmed an interim dividend for shareholders, with the record date set for July 17, 2026, and the payment scheduled for July 27, 2026.
The latest results underline the company's continued financial growth while highlighting executive compensation trends across India's technology sector.
Comments