Edgar F. Codd, whose 99th birth anniversary was marked in August 2022, revolutionized data management through his development of the relational database model, a concept that disconnected data access methods from the data itself, making databases more accessible and user-friendly. Before Codd's intervention, databases were cumbersome, requiring specialized skills and understanding of data's physical storage. His 1970 paper, "A Relational Model of Data for Large Shared Data Banks," introduced a new framework that used simple rows and tables, which laid the groundwork for modern database systems and influenced developments such as SQL. Despite initial resistance from IBM, where he worked, Codd's ideas led to the creation of System R, an experimental relational database that demonstrated the practicality of his model. Although he never directly benefited financially from his innovations, Codd's work laid the foundation for an industry worth billions today and earned him the 1981 A. M. Turing Award, underscoring his significant impact on data processing and everyday technology use.