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CIO Bulletin,
21 July, 2026
Author:
Gayathri Sr
One man’s pay package bigger than many entire teams; what does it really mean for the Indian IT sector?
HCLTech CEO salary has once again stolen the spotlight. In FY26, C Vijayakumar, CEO and Managing Director of HCL Technologies, took home a whopping ₹ 176.47 crore, a massive 67 percent jump from the previous year. This eye-popping figure not only makes him the highest-paid CEO among major Indian IT services companies for the third year in a row but also raises eyebrows across the industry.
As reported by CIO Bulletin, Vijayakumar’s compensation package dwarfs those of his peers. For context, TCS CEO K Krithivasan earned ₹ 28 crore, Infosys CEO Salil Parekh received ₹ 82.6 crore, Wipro’s Srinivas Pallia got ₹ 49.6 crore, and Tech Mahindra CEO Mohit Joshi took home around ₹ 67.5 crore. The gap is hard to ignore.
Breaking down the HCLTech CEO salary, the package includes a base salary of $2.48 million, performance-linked bonus of $2 million, long-term incentives worth millions, and the value of RSUs exercised. Based in the USA, Vijayakumar draws his remuneration through HCL America Inc.
The ratio of his remuneration to the median pay of HCLTech employees stands at an impressive 291.9. With a global workforce of over 227,181 people as of June 30, the company used Purchasing Power Parity (PPP) factors to calculate the median fairly across countries.
Strong leadership that has kept HCLTech competitive in a tough global market
Clear alignment between performance and rewards
A bold statement on valuing exceptional talent in technology
A senior industry analyst familiar with executive compensation trends remarked, “In today’s cut-throat global tech race, companies willing to pay premium for proven leaders often see better long-term results.”
Yet the numbers spark natural questions: Are such packages justified? Do they motivate teams or widen the gap? How will this affect talent retention across the industry?
CIO Bulletin continues to track these high-stakes developments that shape the future of Indian technology leadership. One thing is clear, the conversation around executive pay in IT has never been more exciting.
As the industry evolves, everyone from fresh graduates to seasoned professionals will be watching closely. After all, when leaders earn this much, the expectations and the stakes, rise for everyone.
Everything you need to know about this news
Vijayakumar’s package includes significant long-term incentives and RSU gains that reflect strong company performance and his US-based role.
The company uses Purchasing Power Parity conversion across its global workforce of 227,000+ to ensure fair median comparison.
C Vijayakumar’s ? 176.47 crore far exceeds peers like TCS (? 28 cr), Infosys (? 82.6 cr), and others.
Long-term incentives and exercised RSUs form the largest chunk, along with base pay and performance bonuses.
It signals that exceptional leadership and results can command premium rewards, motivating many to aim higher in their careers.
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