Early Life
K. Dinesh was born in Sagar, Karnataka on June 6, 1954. Before co-founding Infosys in 1981, he worked at NGEF Ltd., an electrical equipment manufacturer, and Patni Computer Systems. He also worked with the Department of Telecommunications, Bangalore Telecom, and UCO Bank. Dinesh holds a post-graduate degree in Mathematics from Bangalore University and earned a doctorate in Literature from Karnataka State Open University in 2006.
Rise to Success
Dinesh, along with N.R. Narayana Murthy and others, co-founded Infosys in 1981. From 1991 to 1995, he managed software development activities for Infosys' global operations. He served as the Chairman of Infosys Technologies Australia. During his tenure, the company achieved world-class benchmarks, including CMM Level 5 in 1999. He stepped down from the board in 2011.
Key Business Strategies
As one of the co-founders, Dinesh played a key role in Infosys' trajectory. His focus on software quality processes helped Infosys achieve significant milestones. He was also instrumental in the execution and delivery of software solutions to customers.
Philanthropy
After retiring from Infosys, Dinesh and his wife Asha established the Ashraya Hastha Trust, which focuses on education, healthcare, animal welfare, and agriculture. The trust has impacted 60 lakh people through 98 projects in 27 states, with cumulative spending of ₹111.2 crore between 2000 and 2023. In FY23, Dinesh's donations were ₹47 crore, making him the “most generous new entrant” in the EdelGive Hurun India Philanthropy List. The trust has partnered with over 80 NGOs and supported over 1,400 projects.