There was a lot more to Vijay Mukhi than what most people know him. As a writer and columnist, as an educator and an industry captain who was always around when people needed help. And his contributions in the evolution of the Indian computer industry have been immense.
In the 1980s, when computers were known more because then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi was initiating computerisation across the country, Mukhi, a graduate from the Veermata Jijabai Technological Institute (VJTI) in Mumbai, got active as a trainer – teaching popular business software like dBase III+ and IV, FoxPro and Lotus 1-2-3 to professionals. He then joined a Chartered Accountant friend to set up a training academy before setting up his own institute – Vijay Mukhi’s Computer Institute in 1989. Mukhi’s real calling was with teaching the C programming language, Visual Basic and conducting a variety of cutting edge training programmes. All by himself.
But there was more to Mukhi than teaching. In the early 1980s, the media excited him and he went on to study journalism at Mumbai’s Xavier Institute of Communications. He won a prize in a science fiction writing contest and didn’t look back as a columnist and freelance writer. Along with Raju Chellam, a leading computer journalist of that era, he would produce special content pull-outs for Business India magazine, and write for an assortment of publications – including Science Today (later ‘2001’), Indian Express, The Economic Times, etc. His column every month in Dataquest magazine would make him the talkpoint of the industry and the one titled ‘Only Fools Use Cobol’ had the tech community all riled up.
He moved on from columns to authoring books – and his seven-part ‘The C Odyssey Series’ has been critically acclaimed. So while there was a side to Mukhi who was seen as an computer industry impresario, techies sweared by his tomes. And he has written over 80 of them, the last two being a 909-page book on Bitcoins directed at techies, and a guide to artificial intelligence for laypersons.
There were many who knew Mukhi for his parties – at his home in South Mumbai in the 1980s to the various informal groupings he set up – the Bombay Computer Club, the Bombay Technology Club, the Internet Users Club of India. He was also among the professionals who helped establish software body NASSCOM and was later actively associated with the Mumbai Police advising successive commissioners on cyber safety issues. He was past president of The Indus Entrepreneurs (TiE Mumbai) and the National Association of Computer Trainers (NACT) and chairman of the IT committees at FICCI and the Indian Merchants Chamber.
It’s very difficult to define someone like Vijay Mukhi. Internet Guru, Digital Media Maven, Technology Evangelist, Geek or just a friendly guy?
For me, he was a great friend, often more enthusiastic about my work than even I was. When I started a business six-odd years back, he insisted I meet a slew of investors, and never for once did he tire of doing the introductions. I have known him for over three decades, and I was woken up to the news at around midnight on Tuesday. He died of a massive cardiac arrest.
A friend who was helping him drum up media support for the launch of his newest book said she was with him less than three hours before he logged out. He was his usual self, gung-ho about the world around him with two of his most trusted friends – Raj Saraf and Harish Mehta for company. He had met a journalist from The Hindu Business Line earlier in the day.
We spoke last week, reviewing his launch plans, gossiping about the industry, and planning to meet for lunch next week.
That alas will never happen. RIP, Vijay Mukhi.
The writer is a commentator and editor working across the media
