Produced by: Mohsin Shaikh
Bagchi shared a photo of a Re 1 cheque—his last symbolic salary for eight years of public service as Chief Advisor to the Odisha government, calling it his “biggest wealth in this one life.”
For each of the 8 years in government, Bagchi drew just Re 1 per year, refusing financial compensation to serve Odisha through institution and capacity building.
He co-founded Mindtree in 1999, rose to Executive Chairman, and exited in 2016. The firm was later acquired and merged with L&T’s IT unit to form LTIMindtree.
In 2016, Bagchi joined the Odisha government under CM Naveen Patnaik, leading the Skill Development Authority and later becoming the chief Covid-19 spokesperson during the pandemic.
His Re 1 post went viral, sparking praise across India for his humility and refusal to commodify service—many calling it a “gesture that restores faith.”
Unlike performative acts of public virtue, Bagchi’s sustained contribution—without PR or perks—was seen as genuine, long-term, and values-driven.
From starting out as a government clerk to building a global tech company and returning to serve his home state, Bagchi’s arc is a rare blend of ambition and humility.
The cheque—though tiny in value—symbolizes something powerful: that leadership is about purpose, not position or pay.
Bagchi’s journey reminds us that in an era obsessed with numbers, sometimes the smallest figure—Re 1—can carry the loudest truth.