The Maverick Effect: A Talk at Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan on the IT Revolution in India

Nasscom founder Harish Mehta tells the untold story of how 55 lakh IT jobs and a Rs 21 lakh crore industry were created in India

BILKULONLINE

Ahmedabad, Sep 15:  “We learn about the Green Revolution which made us self-sufficient in food. We talk about the White Revolution which made us a world leader in dairy products. But the story of the IT revolution, which made India a global IT leader and also created an economic revolution in India, is untold. The IT revolution also created the rise of the middle class, provided much higher than average income in the IT sector, and gave higher spending power and disposable income to the youth. For the first time in India, it also ensured equality for all at work – including 22 lakh women IT engineers.” Harish Mehta, the founder and the first president of the apex IT Industry body NASSCOM, said on Saturday while addressing the students of Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan in Ahmedabad.

“For us, it was clear that we must see the interest of the country first because we were sure that the interest of the industry would then be automatically ensured. And that is why all the maverick entrepreneurs were able to put aside their business rivalry and come together to lay the foundations of an industry, which today has a turnover of US$ 250 billion (about INR Rs 21 lakh crores).” He said, referring to his recently published bestseller book ‘The Maverick Effect’, which tells the story of how this industry body was created. Its Gujarati version has been launched recently.

Mehta succeeded in convincing his business competitors to join hands and work together to make sure that the government policies were conducive for the growth of the IT industry. They also made sure that the IT industry thrived in India rather than in some other country. At present, about 55 lakh I.T. engineers are being provided employment by this industry, now spread across the country. And beyond that, some 2.5 crore individuals indirectly depend on the IT industry. These entrepreneurs, known as mavericks, also include the founders and leaders of companies like TCS, Infosys, Wipro.

“When even the word software was unknown in India, these mavericks believed in the bright future of this industry and instead of focusing only on their own business development, they worked for the wider interest of the country,” Bhavan’s Secretary Prakash Bhagwati said while appreciating what NASSCOM did for the country.

Bhavan’s Shri Harilal Bhagwati Institute of Communication and Management (HBICM), which has been running professional skills-based diploma and certificate courses since 1967, had organized the event. Bhavan’s Chairman Mr. Mukesh Patel appealed to Mr. Mehta, Nasscom, and Gesia (Gujarat Software Industries Association) to consider the interest of the younger generation and partner with Bhavan to make the courses more impactful.

Bhavan’s HBICM-Sheth R A College of Arts and Commerce currently offers Gujarat University recognized courses. They include a one-year diploma in digital media and journalism; Industrial Relations and Personnel Management (IRPM); International Trade (Import-Export), and Hospital Management.

“There was a time when India was called the “Land of Snake Charmers,” and today it has become a “Global Technology Hub.” Dusty colonial buildings with piles of files on desks have been replaced by bright, glass offices filled with computers. People have become fearless and self-reliant. A lot has changed in a short span of just 30 years,” he said while talking about his book.

The untold experiences of industry leaders in creating NASSCOM have been included in this book. While the stories of India’s transformation deserve to reach every Indian, the unique values and people-led approach highlighted in the book can be applied to any industry.