Ravi Pandit of KPIT Technologies passes away in Pune — Who was he?

Ravi Pandit, co-founder and long-time Chairman of KPIT Technologies Ltd, passed away on Friday, May 8, 2026, in Pune.

KPIT Technologies, one of India’s leading automotive and mobility software engineering firms, confirmed the news of his demise in an exchange filing. They did not say the cause of death.

“We are deeply saddened by the death of our Founder and Chairman, Mr. Ravi Pandit, on the morning of May 8, 2026,” the company said in a statement.

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Investor and businessman TV Mohandas Pai mourned his death in an X post and said: “A great Indian and business leader is leaving us. Om Shanti.”

Who is Ravi Pandit?

Ravi Pandit was a well-known Indian entrepreneur and technology visionary, known as the co-founder of KPIT Technologies.

He was a gold medal-winning Certified Public Accountant and graduate of MIT Sloan School of Management, according to KPIT Technologies’ press release. His unique combination of business and scientific knowledge earned him election as a Fellow of the Indian National Science Academy (INSA). He also received honorary doctorates from Coventry, Amity, TVM and EMB Universities.

Apart from his technology ventures, Pandit also headed Kirtane & Pandit Chartered Accountants (KPCA), making it one of India’s largest professional services firms.

He founded the company with Kishor Patil in 1990. Under his leadership, KPIT has grown from a generalist IT consulting firm to a global specialist in automotive and mobility software. Today, the company operates in 15 countries and its engineering solutions power millions of vehicles in the United States, Europe and Asia.

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Beyond his commercial success, Pandit was a key figure in shaping India’s civil and environmental policies. He co-founded Pune International Center and Janwani, organizations dedicated to urban management and public policy. He has also been a big supporter of sustainability research, particularly through his work with the Center for Sustainable Development at the Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics (GIPE).

Pandit was a key driving force behind India’s transition to clean energy. Due to his deep expertise, the government of India appointed him as the sole private sector member of the Empowered Group for the National Green Hydrogen Mission.

To ensure new technologies benefit everyone, we use HRIDAY (Hhydrogen R.for evolution Iof india D.development A.agriculture and energyto) initiative, a project focused on the use of green hydrogen to improve agriculture and rural livelihoods.

He represented Indian industry on important platforms as President of MCCIA, Chairman of CEERI Research Council and contributed to many important CII committees.

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Pandit’s influence has extended to national development through various high-profile leadership and board roles. He served as Chairman of Jnana Prabodhini and held board positions at Thermax Ltd, World Resources Institute (India) and the Aga Khan Rural Support Programme. In these roles, he focused on driving national priorities on environmental protection and rural development.

He is the co-author of the award-winning book “Leapfrogging to Pole-Vaulting,” focusing on radical business and social transformation.