Former Intel India chief Avtar Saini dies after his cycle was hit by speeding cab in Navi Mumbai

Renowned chip designer and former Intel India chief, Avtar Saini, died on Wednesday after his cycle was hit by a speeding cab in the satellite township of Navi Mumbai.

During his tenure in Intel from 1982 to 2004, Saini was instrumental in the design of several processors including Intel 386, Intel 486, Pentium, and more.

“At Intel, we are deeply saddened by the demise of former country manager and director Intel South Asia, Avtar Saini. He played a key role in setting up the Intel R&D centre in India. Avtar will be remembered as a prolific inventor, an outstanding leader and a valuable mentor,” Gokul V Subramaniam, Intel India President and Vice President, Client Computing Group, Platform & Systems, Sustainability Strategy at Intel Corporation, posted on LinkedIn.

Saini, the 68-year-old resident of Chembur in Mumbai, met with the accident at the Nerul Junction and the NRI-Seawoods Estate Signal in Navi Mumbai.

Early in the morning, he was cycling with a group of cycling enthusiasts, when a speeding cab hit him.

He was rushed to the D Y Patil Hospital but pronounced dead on admission.

Soon after the accident, the cab driver Hrishikesh Khade attempted to flee the spot but was caught and handed over to the police.

A fitness enthusiast, Saini was a member of the Chembur Amateur Cycling Group.

Saini’s wife passed away three years ago and he is survived by a son and a daughter, who live in the United States.

Saini holds a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from Veermata Jijabai Technological Institute, Mumbai, and a master's degree in electrical engineering from the University of Minnesota. He holds 7 patents related to microprocessor design.

Saini’s death comes less than a year after runner Rajalakshmi Vijay, the Chief Executive Officer of Business Altruist Technologies Pvt. Ltd, a BPO company., was run over while cycling on Worli Sea Face, on 19 March, 2023.