"Indira ki den hai IT kranti"

Story of a transformation

Deccan Herald, September 1, 2009

l

Dinesh Sharma’s latest book ‘The Long Revolution’, which talks about the birth and growth of India’s IT industry, was released at a City bookstore

The book The Long Revolution by Dinesh C Sharma could not have found a better place than Bangalore for its launch. As the author claimed, this City has helped him a lot in bringing about this book as it is a book about the IT industry. The book was launched by the author recently at a City bookstore. He read excerpts from the book, which was followed by a panel discussion with historian and author Ramachandra Guha, N Seshagiri, former Director General, National Informatics Centre and S Sadagopan, Director IIIT, Bangalore. The book tells the tale of a great transformation. How a country became a front-runner in the technology and knowledge-based sector and turned into the favoured investment destination for the US giants. The author has spoken about the birth and growth of India’s IT industry. In fact, this is the first book which has covered everything about the IT sector in this country. From the time of its inception till it grew to become such a big giant, all minute details are covered by Dinesh. He has also emphasised on the fact that the Government of India has played a very important role in nurturing the IT industry. The decisions taken by the government, the amendments made, the laws passed, everything has been digged out by Dinesh. Read full story here: http://www.deccanherald.com/content/22610/story-transformation.html

India's IT boom a brainchild of Indira Gandhi: New book

Business Standard, Bangalore, August 29, 2009

Rajiv Gandhi is often credited with ushering in IT revolution by implementing the new computer policy, liberalising the hardware imports in 1984 but the policy which provided a headstart to India in software exports was actually brought in by his mother Indira Gandhi weeks before her assassination, a new book on Indian IT revealed.

The 1984 policy providing the provision for software exports through satellite links was approved by Indira Gandhi's cabinet but was announced by the government headed by Rajiv Gandhi on November 19,1984, the book titled "The Long Revolution:The Birth and Growth of India's IT Industry" written by science journalist and author Dinesh C Sharma said.

It was the provision of exports via satellite which attracted American firms like Texas Instruments (TI) and opened up new gateway for software exports from India. Two other companies were licensed along with TI to set up software units with satellite links but only TI took off, it said.

In fact,a number of policy initiatives including liberalisation of policies for computer and electronics sector, rural digital telephone exchange, software technology parks and computerisation of railways, which are linked with Rajiv's era, were set in motion by Indira Gandhi after she came to power in 1980, it said.

"Post-1980, Indira Gandhi was a changed person. It was almost as if she was repenting for the excessive socialist policies unleashed under her rule in 1970s" Sharma told PTI. Dr.N.Seshagiri-former Director General of National Informatics Centre and one of the 'computer boys' of the Rajiv Gandhi era - who was present at the launch of the book here last night, said the technology initiatives of Indira Gandhi were vigorously pursued by Rajiv when he became the Prime Minister after her assassination.

Full story at: http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/india\s-it-boombrainchildindira-gandhi-new-book/72150/on

"The industry is in listening mode now"

DNA Bangalore, August 29, 2009