Date:04/07/2005 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2005/07/04/stories/2005070413680200.htm

Karnataka - Bangalore

An IT bigwig in the making

`I should consider my journey as an entrepreneur as an adventure or a challenge as there are a number of hurdles to be overcome'

Suhas isn't just innovative but probably the youngest CEO in the IT sector today. He is an entrepreneur who loves the adventure associated with it, discovers K. Satyamurty

He may have been born with an inquisitive and highly innovative mind. Close on the heels of getting the Infosys Foundation-sponsored Young Achievers Award, 19-year-old Suhas Gopinath is off to Islamabad representing India at the International Youth Leaders' Conference.

"Even as a 10-year-old schoolboy, he was a wizard with computers," his teachers at the Air Force School in Hebbal recall. Getting into complicated software and using it came easily to him.

This was at a time when Microsoft Windows was making waves in our country.

High-speed computing fascinated young Suhas and eventually led to the creation of his own enterprise; he is now perhaps the youngest CEO in our burgeoning information technology (IT) sector. He heads Globals Inc., which has offices in the U.S., the U.K., Singapore, Europe and South Africa.

This growing company's latest offering is a school management system called "eScola," which is considered one of the most cost-effective student information system and assessment tool. The interesting thing is Suhas led the team that developed the system while he is still studying telecommunications engineering at the M.S. Ramaiah Institute of Technology.

A few days ago, Suhas called on the President, A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, and the Minister for Human Resources Development, Arjun Singh, in New Delhi. He discussed with them the wider usage of school management systems and the introduction of basic IT infrastructure in all Central Government-run schools. As he explained to them: "School management systems can reduce a lot of drudgery for teachers and school staff and spare them the time and energy to focus on their core strength: that of strengthening academic standards."

The main agenda of his meeting was to discuss the non-profit programme adopted by his organisation called "Building Entrepreneurial Skills in Youngsters." Through this programme, Suhas and his team members are addressing students of various educational institutions in India and overseas.

They have created a 85-minute interactive presentation in which the team speaks on leadership qualities, and students attending it can clarify doubts on setting up an enterprise, tips on crisis management and issues which may face a new business.

"I should consider my journey as an entrepreneur as an adventure or a challenge as there are a number of hurdles to be overcome.

At the initial phase there could be financial insecurity and pressure from the family to take up a job as it will provide financial security," says Suhas. He feels a bit let down that our society and even the educational institutions do not emphasise entrepreneurship.

He suggested to Mr. Arjun Singh that an entrepreneurship cell could be set up at the national level so that more youth from across India can be reached and those with workable ideas encouraged and nurtured. He is going to propagate this idea at the international level while in Pakistan.

Like we said, Suhas is genetically predisposed to innovative ideas. His father Gopinath was a scientist with the Aeronautical Development Establishment here and was presented an award 15 years ago by the then President, Neelam Sanjeeva Reddy.