IT Champions of the Nation

If India today stands at the threshold of being labeled as an IT Super Power

and is known as the largest source of IT professionals in the world, the credit

goes to the champions of the Indian IT industry and a few visionary bureaucrats

and politicians.

About 35 years back, when computerisation had just begun in India, there were

lot of restrictions on the private sector in getting access to computers.

Companies such as Tata Consultancy Services and ECIL were the first ones to

start their operations. During the last three decades the industry has seen

several ups and downs. While, during the 70s, IT companies focused on the

domestic hardware requirements, the 80s saw the focus shift to software services

sector, which included international markets. However, many of these Indian

technocrats showed their entrepreneurial and excellent strategising skills in

quickly adopting the new technology and providing services in the areas that

were in vogue from time to time. From the mostly labour-oriented Y2K jobs to

building high-end e-commerce solutions, the Indian software industry has come

long way.

The 90s was the era of the wealth creators in the Indian IT world. The new

brand of techno-entrepreneurs built their software services companies which

quickly shot up in the stock markets even during the worse times. Investor's

confidence in these entrepreneurs such as N.R. Narayana Murthy, Azim Premji,

Shiv Nadar and Raj Saraf were unshakable. The last three are the most successful

names in fighting the invasion of mighty MNCs into the hardware sector.

Supporting these entrepreneurs were the able leaders who built their company

into strong brands in the IT world. Ashok Soota and Rajendra S. Pawar are the

two big champions who made Wipro and NIIT leaders in their respective sectors.

We also have personalities from the public service, who continue to be the

pioneers in foreseeing the future in IT and playing key roles in preparing India

for the IT revolution. Able administrators N. Chandrababu Naidu and Dewang Mehta

and bureaucrats N. Vittal and N. Seshagiri have helped India lead in the

ever-changing world of Information Technology.

Besides individual figures, organisations, both private sector and public

sector, have helped India be known as the potential leader in virtual every

field of information technology. Their contribution in training, maintenance,

services, hardware, Internet and communications is unparalleled.

Cyber India Online (CIOL) salutes these champions at a time when India is

ready to step in as a world leader in information technology. Beginning this

week, CIOL will feature these leaders, both individuals and organisations.

Azim H. Premji

Shiv Nadar