The revolutionary crusader

Excerpts from Sam Pitroda's interview with Sathya Mithra of Dataquest.

On IT and Rural India:

Our best brains in IT have been solving western problems. We have not really addressed core problems in IT whether it is e-governance or e-learning or e-health. We are not really doing the kind of research work that needs to be done in many areas. We are basically selling bodies, a bit more sophisticated ones may be.

On Indian software might and Products:

Our people are nor inclined in developing products because it is risky, requires long term view of the world and won’t get your money back next quarter. How can anybody say that with the kind of software resource, we can’t come up with even one global product?

On eGovernance:

Our mind is not tuned to redesigning processes. We need laws, processes and attitudes to change. Instead, we take exactly the same processes that the British Raj left behind and computerize them. We are getting the worst of both worlds.

On IT impacting Politics:

Leaders cannot put themselves in closets anymore because IT demands different parameters. And since information flows both ways, what was earlier a command and control, hierarchical and feudal mindset is now changing to a communication co-ordination and networking mindset. All kinds of things are happening. People have not even begun to understand the profound change that is going on around them because of IT.

For the detailed interview, read the next issue of Dataquest.