Cognizant marked three decades of operations in Kolkata on Wednesday, celebrating a journey defined by innovation, growth, and the dedication of its associates. The city was home to Cognizant’s second facility in India, which began in 1996 from a modest 2,000-square-foot rental office. Today, the company operates across three facilities spanning 1.23 million square feet, employing nearly 18,000 associates.

The 30-year milestone not only highlights Cognizant’s sustained growth in the region but also signals a renewed commitment to nurturing talent, driving technological innovation, and contributing to Kolkata’s vibrant IT ecosystem.

As part of the celebrations, Cognizant unveiled an AI Tech Zone, underscoring its focus on developing enterprise-scale agentic AI platforms and engineering capabilities. The initiative reflects the company’s vision of being a global AI Builder, while reinforcing a people-first culture that encourages creativity, collaboration, and learning.

Cognizant’s engagement in Kolkata extends beyond business. Through the Cognizant Foundation India, the company has implemented high-impact social initiatives, including neurological and neonatal care, thalassemia treatment, prevention of avoidable blindness, early intervention for children with special needs, STEAM education for visually impaired students, and sustainable livelihood programs for women and persons with disabilities.

Globally, Cognizant employs 351,600 people, with more than 70% of its workforce based in India. Its presence spans major cities including Bengaluru, Bhubaneswar, Chennai, Coimbatore, Delhi-NCR, GIFT City, Hyderabad, Indore, Kochi, Mangaluru, Mumbai, Pune, and Visakhapatnam.

The company’s commitment to excellence has been recognized widely. It was recently Certified™ by Great Place To Work® in 31 countries, including India, and has been consistently ranked among the top five IT/ITES exporters from West Bengal by the Software Technology Parks of India (STPI) for over five years.

Reflecting on the milestone, Cognizant emphasized that its Kolkata journey is both a celebration of past achievements and a launchpad for future innovation, with continued investments in people, technology, and the community.