[Assam] IT hub in Guwahati

Mon Aug 14 10:20:27 PDT 2006

He aso mentioned that first start  with call centers and only later think about setting BPOs. I think he also spoke about broad band infrastructure etc.

  Umesh

Pradip Kumar Datta <pradip200 at yahoo.com> wrote:

Guwahati, Monday, August 14, 2006 
EDITORIAL 

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  MESSAGE FOR TODAY
For tribal man space was the uncontrollable mystery. For technological man it is time that occupies the same role.
 MARSHALL MCLUHAN

IT hub in GuwahatiThe recent visit of the Infosys chief mentor, NR Narayana Murthy to Guwahati on August 4, 2006, has certainly left much for the people of Asom to learn and ponder over what is actually missing in our educational system and what infrastructural facilities have to be quickly achieved in order to make room for an IT development centre in the State, which perhaps could be the biggest avenue of solving the unemployment problem among educated job seekers. While addressing the students and faculty members of Assam Engineering College, Narayana Murthi emphasised on the importance of value system, learnability, problem-solving orientation and team work spirit as the most important requirements for success in the field of engineering and information technology. From his interaction with the students, he derived an impression of the comparative intellect level for them. He was very happy with the communication skills of students from the North-East and noted that
 their English speaking ability and fluency in language was much better than in many parts of the country. The Infosys chief who has rightly termed Asom as a Sunrise State having a great future ahead, particularly in the wake of opening up of its borders at Nathula Pass and upcoming trade relations with South-East Asian countries. With respect to information technology industry, too, Asom and, for that matter, the whole of North-East could be termed as the region comprising eight Sunrise States. However, what makes us happy is the expression of Narayana Murthi that he would feel himself to be honoured if he could set up a development centre in the State. The logic behind his desire to plant the Infosys flag in the State is not only that there will be a flow of supply of technology-oriented and good quality of English speaking work force to man it, but also because it is the gate way to South-East Asia and has a great future ahead. It would, therefore, fit in ideally with
 his desire to expand operations of the Infosys in the door step of ASEAN belt since the IT industry has already developed its centre in Shanghai and has the companys operations in Thailand, Singapore and Indonesia. Hence, if a development centre is established in Asom, it would mean an expansion of the operation in ASEAN belt. One more good gesture that the Infosys chief has shown in course of exchange with students of Assam Engineering College is his promise of recruiting at least thirty students for Infosys during the next campus exercise.

However, there are many ifs and buts in the process of setting up of an IT development centre in the State. It generally takes time anywhere and our neighbouring State, West Bengal, experienced the same mainly on account of land allotment. But, what will more prolong establishment of a centre in Asom is the absence of some infrastructural facilities which are not only indispensable but which are time-laking apart from requiring huge investment. This is the reason why Narayana Murthi has repeatedly mentioned that the development centre will be set up provided certain conditions are met. Thus, air connectivity remains a major problem. This is because when IT development centres are established, there will be huge business dealings with foreign clients who will have frequent visits to their outsourced centres to which they must have easy access. Thus, air connectivity has to be far more improved. Secondly, these foreign clients, large in number and visiting frequently, will
 require five star hotels in the city for their comfortable stay. Even telecom sector has to be much more improved with high bandwidth connectivity. Yet, one more important condition which relates to welfare is the availability of high quality educational service for the children of the centres employees. Therefore, the city needs to have many more English-medium schools so that the children of their workforce find no problem in their access to standard educational facilities.

Though nothing concrete has emerged from one-to-one talk between NR Narayana Murthi and the States Chief Minister, Tarun Gogoi, the peoblems are not insurmountable. However, one important area of concern, as pointed out by the Infosys chief, is the security environment. The government must go all out to ensure peace, calm and stability in order to draw investments. Unless investor-friendly climate is created, the State cannot attract huge amounts of investment necessary for IT business. As to the need for five star hotels in Guwahati, the Chief Minister disclosed that two mega hotel chains would soon break ground in the city. Establishment of high quality English medium schools will not be a problem, while improvement in the international airport is already in the process in Guwahati. Therefore, if one thinks of finding an IT hub in Guwahati within 4-5 years, it may not be a tall expectation. However, one more aspect of the States shortcomings that has found its focus
 from Narayana Murthis praise for the students English knowing quality is that the status of English language in our educational system is much below the required level. Had he been in interaction with students outside the few celebrated high quality educational institutions, his impression of the students communication skills would have been different. Our educational system requires an overhaul and the reformed structure should not only have inter-disciplinary approach for every subject but the knowledge of high quality English groomed with computer learning should be designed in the system with compulsory English medium teaching from higher secondary stage onwards in order to fit in with the requirement of job market and the latest development of information technology for the sake of upcoming generations.    
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Umesh Sharma
5121 Lackawanna ST
College Park, MD 20740

 1-202-215-4328 [Cell Phone]

Ed.M. - International Education Policy
Harvard Graduate School of Education,
Harvard University,
Class of 2005

weblog: http://jaipurschool.bihu.in/

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