T. V. Mohandas Pai (born 1958) is an Indian businessman, investor and commentator. As chief financial officer of Infosys from 1994 to 2006 he helped set new standards of disclosure for Indian companies and took Infosys to the Nasdaq exchange. Since leaving in 2011 he has chaired Manipal Global Education, invested in startups through Aarin Capital and other funds, and helped build Akshaya Patra, which serves school lunches to millions of children. He received the Padma Shri in 2015.
Quick Facts
| Full name | Tellicherry Venkataraman Mohandas Pai |
| Born | 1958, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India |
| Occupation | Businessman, investor |
| Known for | Former CFO and board member, Infosys; chairman, Aarin Capital |
| Education | St. Joseph’s College of Commerce, Bengaluru (B.Com.); Bangalore University (LL.B.); chartered accountant |
| Spouse | Kusum Pai |
| Children | 2 sons (Pranav and Siddarth) |
| Honour | Padma Shri (2015) |
Early Life
Pai was born into a Konkani family in Bengaluru and qualified as a chartered accountant, also taking a law degree. He worked in finance for a leasing company before joining Infosys.
Career
He joined Infosys in 1994, the year after it listed in India, and became chief financial officer. He designed its policy of sharing more information with investors than the law required, publishing accounts under several countries’ standards and guidance on future earnings. In March 1999 Infosys became the first India-registered company to list on Nasdaq. He was named among the best finance chiefs in Asia several times. In 2006 he gave up finance to head human resources, education and research, when the company was hiring tens of thousands of graduates a year. He resigned from the board in 2011.
With Ranjan Pai of the Manipal Group he founded Aarin Capital, which has backed companies in education, health and technology, including the edtech firm BYJU’S in its early days. His sons run the venture fund 3one4 Capital. He chairs Manipal Global Education Services and has advised state governments on technology policy and higher education.
In 2000 he helped the ISKCON temple in Bengaluru turn a small feeding effort into the Akshaya Patra Foundation, which uses large mechanised kitchens to cook midday meals for government schools. It now serves about two million children a day across many states.
Public Voice
Pai comments daily, and bluntly, on taxes, the treatment of startups, the state of Bengaluru’s roads and national politics. He has campaigned against the “angel tax” on startup investments and for better city government.
Frequently Asked Questions
When was T. V. Mohandas Pai born?
T. V. Mohandas Pai was born in 1958, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India.
What is T. V. Mohandas Pai known for?
Known for: Former CFO and board member, Infosys; chairman, Aarin Capital.
Featured image: T. V. Mohandas Pai, then a director of Infosys, speaks at an event in Goa, September 2006. Photo by Frederick Noronha, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
