Cancellations cause setback to IT.com

By Our Special Correspondent

BANGALORE, NOV. 1. The Secretary for IT, Mr. Vivek Kulkarni, said here on Thursday that the post-September-11 developments and the slowdown in the industry had affected Bangalore IT.com to the extent of Rs. 2 crores by way of cancellations by would-be participants.

Addressing the gathering at the inauguration of the event, he said travel restrictions were one reason for the cancellations.

Despite all odds, IT.com was being held on schedule, and had become a ``calendar event'' for the industry, which ``just could not be postponed'', he said. The event had grown from last year; there were 15 overseas countries represented compared to five countries last year, and the number of participating overseas firms had doubled to 70. The CEO conclave had more than 350 registrations, he added.

Mr. B.V. Naidu, Director, Software Technology Parks of India, the co-host of IT.com, said the STPI accounted for exports worth $ 4.3 billion last year, and member companies from Bangalore were expected to register exports worth Rs. 210 crores this fiscal year. The event had become more international now, he added.

Mr. Rajiv Nair, President, Microsoft India, who released the new Windows XP with Kannada fonts, said IT.com showed again ``the political will of the State Government to drive IT as a business, and that it took seriously the feedback from the industry''.

The NASSCOM representative, Mr. Phiroze Vandrewala, said Bangalore and the rest of Karnataka had done the software industry proud, and the sector would achieve 35 to 40 per cent growth this year. The host city's contribution in reaching this growth would be significant, he added.

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Section  : Southern States
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