Founders
The beginning of India's first CIO forum
The CIOs Of India journey began in 1996 with a simple but powerful idea: create an independent platform where information systems leaders could come together, learn from one another, and build a collective voice for India’s user-industry technology community.
Origin
The founding idea
The idea of a broader association for information systems leaders was initiated by H. Balasubramanian. S. R. Balasubramanian later recalled that H. Balasubramanian was prompted by Late Dewang Mehta of NASSCOM to work on the idea of bringing CIOs and information systems leaders together on one independent platform.
The timing was important. In the mid-1990s, technology leadership in Indian organisations was beginning to move beyond systems administration and operational support. Information systems leaders were increasingly expected to understand business, influence decisions, manage change, and help organisations use technology as a strategic advantage.
At that stage, CIOs and senior IS professionals needed a peer forum where they could speak openly, exchange experience, discuss common challenges, and represent the voice of the user industry. IS India was born from that need.
The forum was formally launched in 1996 as IS India. Delhi became the starting point, but the ambition was national from the beginning. The founders did not want to create a local club or a vendor-led platform. They wanted to create a trusted community of technology leaders who could learn together, support one another, and help shape the future of enterprise technology in India.
That founding idea continues to define CIOs Of India: independent in spirit, peer-led in character, and built around trust, shared learning, and contribution to the larger ecosystem.
Founding General Body
The first group of leaders
The first group of leaders gave IS India its shape, credibility, and early momentum. They represented the spirit of the forum: senior professionals coming together voluntarily to create something larger than their individual organisations.
The founding general body included leaders and contributors from different organisations and professional backgrounds. Their combined effort helped the forum move from an idea into an organised platform for CIOs and information systems leaders.
H. Balasubramanian of Modi Xerox played a central role in initiating the idea. S. R. Balasubramanian became closely associated with the formal formation and later led the forum through its early years. Other early members and contributors included K. V. Krishnamoorthy of Ranbaxy Laboratories, Ashok Wahi, K. K. Nigam of Milkfood, Indrani Ghosh of Oberoi Hotels, G. V. N. Shastry of Maruti, Rajiv Chawla of Indian Oil, Murli Menon of Computerworld, and Vinita Chawla of Computerworld.
This group helped establish the culture that continues today: peer respect, voluntary contribution, practical knowledge sharing, and a belief that CIOs need an independent platform of their own.
The founding general body should be seen not only as a list of names, but as the first circle of people who gave time, credibility, and personal commitment to building India's first CIO forum.
The launch of IS-India is also attended by luminaries such as Dr. N. Seshagiri, director general, the National Informatics Center, Satish Jha, chairman, Meta Group India, and Pramath Sinha of McKinsey & Co.
Founder President
S. R. Balasubramanian
S. R. Balasubramanian became President when the first formal committee was formed and led the forum from 1996 to 2006. His leadership covered the most delicate phase of the organisation's journey: the years when a new idea had to become a trusted institution.
During this formative period, the forum had to build credibility among CIOs, create relevance for senior technology leaders, and establish its identity as an independent, non-profit, peer-led platform. S. R. Balasubramanian's role was important in sustaining that early momentum and giving the forum continuity.
His presidency helped the association move from an informal idea into a more structured community. Under his leadership, IS India created space for technology leaders to meet, exchange knowledge, and discuss the changing role of information systems in Indian organisations.
The early years were not only about events or meetings. They were about building trust. They were about convincing CIOs that the forum belonged to them, would be run by them, and would serve their professional and community interests. That foundation made it possible for the association to later be registered as the Information System Managers' Forum in 2006 and continue its journey as CIOs Of India.
S. R. Balasubramanian's contribution therefore, stands at the foundation of the forum's institutional memory. His leadership helped preserve the founding spirit and carry it forward into the next phase.