ExpertDabbler

I kinda half expected someone to come up with some better ideas and insights. Also I did not have solid data to back certain issues. But then was this exchange thing going on between me and Senthil. Whats more he wondered if i am advocating socialism or communism. This effectively necessitated this part III.

So what is the solution? Clamp down investments in the IT sector? Enforce unwanted regulations and unleash bureaucratic hurdles and take India to the pre ‘90 days? Typically this is what legislature is capable of.

The real solution in my opinion lies at the hands of “Indian” IT Bellwethers like TCS, Wipro and Infosys and all other major corporates who have benefited from the Great Indian Economic Reforms v1991 and IT outsourcing. While all of them are world class in their business, its high time they also thought about the greater albeit underdeveloped India. An India exploited by politicians and bureaucracy.

It is time these Indian cash rich companies thought about the vast untapped skilled,capable human resources but lagging in qualification and training and other promising sectors in India. Ideally they can invest in Agriculture, Education, Finance, Pharmaceutical and Engineering sectors and or fund research in the latest technologies in these areas. I for one believe India’s problems as well its source of strength is its Human resources. What this might ensure is that the sectors which are supported by these companies in such a manner will provide a means for these IT majors to test and develop innovative applications for these verticals which can be marketed internationally as products.

Why cant these IT companies build a research institution in say pharma and healthare?

On the social front, there is a wonderful scheme by Narayana Hrudayalaya in Bangalore. And there is Aravind eye hospitals initiative. I dont think any IT company has done as much for eye care through Shankara Nethralaya like Shankara Mutt.
I dont see any such socially relevant schemes supported by or sponsored by these IT bigwigs when u take the sheer revenue they make. By and large thery are more worried by the next quarterly earnings and about the next takeover bid.

Right now it is disappointing that these companies are looking for government support in developing the infrastructure in areas where they have their own offices. For example the Old Mahabalipuram Road aka The IT corridor in Chennai is utilised mainly by Wipro, Infosys, CTS, Satyam, Polaris, TCS company buses along with Sathyabama buses. About 25000 techies use that road. These buses and the employees who opt to come by car form the bulk of traffic on this road. i dont know if any effort was taken by these companies to take on the task of building this road.

Right now the project is being taken up as a joint venture between Tamil Nadu Government and IT Expressway Ltd, fully owned subsidiary of TamilNadu Road development company whose background I am not sure. The Infys and Wipros cannot think anything beyond offshore outsourcing, new ODCs, ITES, the next campus to recruitment etc.

It is not as if these companies will be the first if at all they do. An IIT Chennai graduate by name Suresh Kamath has already shown the social responsibilities of the technology business through Lasersoft Infosystems. Lasersoft is a firm which specializes in banking applications. But what makes Lasersoft special is that Suresh Kamath chose to start his own company and was willing to employ physically challenged persons who have the spirit and intelligence but not necessarily the background to write software. He was willing to provide them training opportunities and showed the world that it was still possible to run software companies without BE/MCA or equivalent with 60 % with 3 years experience in everything under the sun.
He might have ended up paying these people considerably less than what an IT MNC pays a software Engineer but the impact of Lasersoft on the society is significantly higher than what these companies in total has been able to make.

This story is but one example of what he is able to do.

I am all for capitalism. But a country like India needs capitalism with compassion and human face, not exactly the Lehman Brothers capitalism which profits only a select few.

Now to what will happen if these companies stick to their core competencies (as management gurus are fond of calling that). This IT wave will go, some other wave will come and we will be caught on the wrong foot bcos we may not have the human resource and infrastructure bandwidth.

It is in the hands of visionaries who have willingness, resources and guts to shape India’s future. IT companies have plenty of cash. But it remains to be seen if they can be called real visionaries like one Cherian behind Amul’s initiative in Anand, Gujarat.