Mumbai: The morning calm on Palm Beach Road was shattered last Tuesday when a speeding taxi struck and killed ex-Intel India chief Avtar Saini as he cycled with fellow enthusiasts. Saini, 68, was rushed to the hospital but succumbed to grievous injuries from the impact.
Saini, a Mumbai native, was recognized for his pioneering work on Intel’s 386, 486, and Pentium processors over a decorated career spanning 1982 to 2004. He also led Intel’s pivotal transition to 64-bit computing.
Police said Saini was cycling with members of the Chembur Amateur Cycling group around 5:50 am when the taxi hit his bicycle from behind near the Nerul junction. The collision wedged Saini’s mangled bicycle under the cab, but the driver allegedly tried to flee, dragging it for a kilometer before being intercepted.
The accused driver, Hrishikesh Khade, was charged with causing death by negligence, police inspector Satish Kadam said.
Saini’s body was sent for an autopsy, while the cabbie was released after questioning, with orders to cooperate with the ongoing probe.
Saini studied engineering at Mumbai’s Victoria Jubilee Technical Institute before earning a Master’s from the University of Minnesota. Joining Intel in 1982, his pioneering the Pentium processor and spearheading the shift to 64-bit computing earned him five US patents.
From 1999 to 2004, Saini served as Intel’s India head, playing a key role in setting up their Bengaluru development center. He retired as vice president after his stint in India.
An avid cyclist who rode with the Chembur group for years, Saini is survived by his son and daughter in the US. He lost his wife three years ago. Condolences have poured in from the tech community, remembering Saini as an inventive leader and mentor.
The shocking incident has cast a pall over Pune’s cycling community while raising concerns over road safety. Saini’s tragic death is an unwelcome reminder that more work is needed to protect cyclists and pedestrians on Indian roads.
