From Odisha to CEO of Cognizant, inspiring journey of Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Awardee Ravi Kumar S

With the curtains all set to be drawn on the mega Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) convention today, President Droupadi Murmu on the third day will confer the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Awards during the valedictory session in Bhubaneswar. 

The Samman will be the major highlight of the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD). As many as 27 individuals and organisations will be honoured this year, from countries like the US, Fiji, Guyana, Mauritius, Moldova, Myanmar, Russia and Saudi Arabia.

The award will be special as one of the recipients is an Odia man, Ravi Kumar S, the CEO of global tech giant Cognizant. From a humble origin in Odisha to the CEO of global tech giant Cognizant, the journey of Ravi Kumar S is an inspiration for everyone daring to dream and make it big in life. He is the first Odia CEO of any Fortune 200 company and is among the highest-paid CEOs.

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He spent his early career as a nuclear scientist at the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC). He served as the president of Infosys from 2016 to 2022 and also held several positions at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), Cambridge Technology Partners, Oracle and Sapient (now Publicis Sapient). In 2023, Ravi was appointed the CEO of Cognizant, a role that marked a significant milestone in his career.

Born and raised in Ganjam’s Berhampur, his childhood was rooted in simplicity and ambition. With limited resources but an unwavering thirst for knowledge, he excelled academically. After a degree in chemical engineering from Shivaji University, he pursued an MBA from Xavier Institute of Management, Bhubaneswar which provided the foundation for his illustrious career in technology and business leadership.

Expressing gratitude for the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman, he said, this recognition is a reminder of the importance of staying connected to one’s roots while striving for excellence on the global stage.

“Indian-origin technocrats head 10 per cent of Fortune 500 companies. As India aspires to become Viksit Bharat by 2047, the active participation of the diaspora is crucial in realising this goal, particularly by focusing on key areas such as manufacturing, infrastructure, skilling, innovation and reforms,” an elated Ravi said.