IT.com likely to generate more business this year

By Our Special Correspondent

BANGALORE, OCT. 15. The Bangalore IT.com is definitely on and will be held from November 1 to 5 as scheduled. This year's theme, ``There's More To The Future'' reflects the State Government's optimism.

Mr. Vivek Kulkarni, IT Secretary, told presspersons here on Monday that ``it is likely to be bigger and generate more business this year, despite the post September 11 events affecting all business. We will have a clear picture by November and the outlook is positive.''

The reasons for the optimism are: A large number of overseas IT companies (28 from the U.K. alone) from Europe, Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore, China, Taiwan, Dubai, Sharjah and Mauritius have already confirmed their participation in the third edition of the IT.com. Travel restrictions following the terrorist attacks will not affect them as most have an active presence in India and many are based in the City.

The Software Technology Park of India (STPI) Director, Mr. B.V.Naidu, said the STPI pavilion would have a larger number of IT companies from the SME segment this year. There would also be a global buyer-seller meet with ``match making'' by computers to facilitate one-to-one business meetings with fixed time slots.

Several venture capital firms and entrepreneurs had confirmed their participation. Earlier estimates had put this year's software exports from Bangalore at $ 2.34 billion, an increase of 48 per cent over last year but this may have to be scaled down slightly, Mr. Naidu said.

The IT.com will have more technical sessions and related events this year. There will be a CEO conclave on the IT.com's theme, focused on planning for the future. There will be a Software Engineering Conference with key speakers from the Carnegie Mellon University of the U.S. This becomes significant as Bangalore has the largest concentration of CMM Level 5 software companies certified by the Software Engineering Group of the university.

Microsoft -- the Platinum Sponsor occupying a 25,000 sq feet pavilion -- will be launching its Windows SP at the IT.com. A report based on a joint study undertaken by the STPI and McKinsey, the global consultants, on the impact of the U.S. slowdown on the Indian IT industry, will be released along with a panel discussion on the subject.

The 220 Indian participants in the IT.com include big names such as Infosys, Tata Telecom, Tata Consultancy Services, ITC Infotech, HCL, ISRO and the State governments of Maharashtra, Punjab, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Chandigarh, with some more states yet to confirm. The official Telecom partner, BSNL, will provide additional bandwidth for Internet and telephonic communications at the event.

Dr E.V.Ramana Reddy, Director IT, said the finals of the IT Quiz for rural students would be held during the IT.com. The Internet World event for students would be enlarged this year with the facilities made available to the general public in the evening hours, he added.

Replying to questions from the media, Mr. Kulkarni said this was the first time that recession had hit the U.S., Europe, Japan and South East Asia at the same time, affecting 95 per cent of the world's economy. However, there could be a positive fall out for India, including more outsourcing opportunities.

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