Page 8 - Seniors Today Jan20 Issue

Cover Story

Two Countries,

Two Lives

From pioneering work in Tata Electric, to the pathbreaking Tata Consultancy
Services, FC Kohli is a name to reckon with in the building of modern India. In a look
back at their life and times, he and his wife, activist Swarn Kohli, reminisce on the
links between India and its contentious neighbour, Pakistan

Faqir Chand Kohli, known to the world as FC: I was born in Rawalpindi. My mother’s family
were the Sethis. Her elder brother Lala
Kanshi Ram Sethi was the president of the
Indian National Congress in Rawalpindi and
among the wealthiest families of the city.
They were all freedom fighters and played an
important role in the national movement.
I grew up in Peshawar, which was a major
military centre and home to a large contingent
of British officers. I studied at Khalsa Middle
School, and later National High School. I had
topped the matriculation exam and my family
was very proud of me. I did my BA and BSc
Honours in Government College, Lahore, which
was established in 1864. The college had a mix of
students; Hindus and Muslims lived together in
the same hostel.
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