CMS Group founder chairman passes away

MUMBAI, INDIA: Ramesh D. Grover, the founder and chairman of the CMS Group of companies and one of the early luminaries in establishing India as a global IT powerhouse, passed away here on Saturday night. He was 66 years old.

A graduate in Mechanical Engineering from the (BITS), Pilani, Grover started his career with IBM. After 10 years with IBM, he started his own IT Services firm along with two other IBM executives, to support the machines that IBM left behind after their exit from India.

In 1976, he founded ‘Computer Maintenance Services’, commonly known as “CMS”. In a short span of time, CMS Computers Ltd grew from a maintenance and outsourcing firm to a diversified conglomerate serving the IT and ITES needs of the largest Indian and global enterprises in India.

The company is best known for its road traffic signals automation and transport management systems, electronic and security systems, card printing and card personalization.

CMS is also actively engaged in software development and export worldwide through its fully owned subsidiary SYSTIME, with three development centers in Mumbai, Pune and Chennai staffed by over 1100 professionals.

In 2008, Grover partnered with the Blackstone Group, one of the world's largest private equity firms and financial advisory services provider, to create CMS Infosystems, a leading IT and outsourced business services provider focusing on retail banks, insurance, telecom, retail, public sector and government segments.

Grover is survived by his wife, Raju Ramesh Grover, son Vishal Grover, and daughter Aarti Grover.