Date:13/03/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/03/13/stories/2006031321410400.htm

Karnataka - Bangalore

Educated youth should enter politics: Sadagopan

Special Correspondent

`Make Wipro, Infosys and ITPL mainlands of prosperity'

Bangalore: India's "islands of prosperity" such as Wipro, Infosys and ITPL should be converted to "mainlands of prosperity" so that the results of economic development can reach more people, said S. Sadagopan, Director, Indian Institute of Information Technology-Bangalore, here on Saturday.

Delivering the keynote talk at the two-day national management festival, "Manojavam", hosted by the Department of Management Studies of the Oxford Educational Institutions, he said compared to the 1970s, India has seen welcome changes in a few urban centres. There are islands of excellence, attracting global attention and many heads of states are visiting Bangalore for strategic tie-ups, he said.

"The world media is focusing its spotlights on India; we are no more snake charmers but the `mouse charmers' of the world,'' he remarked, referring to our information technology professionals' deft handling of the computer mouse.

An interesting development is the serious involvement of the educated youth in politics and public life, Prof. Sadagopan noted. Six former IIT-ians had formed a political party named "Paritrana" in Tamil Nadu and it was an example for students to get into public life. "At least some of you should enter politics to clean up the system instead of just complaining about corrupt politicians,'' he said.

Addressing an interactive session later, Sanjay Purohit, Head, Corporate Planning, Infosys Technologies Ltd., stressed the need for competitiveness among budding managers.

Chairman of Oxford Institutions N. Narasa Raju and Executive Director N. Ramesh Raju addressed the event attended by more than 1,000 student delegates from across the country.