Strategy's important,not your dream - NASSCOM President Dewang Mehta

There is probably no better person to talk about the software sector in India than the present President of NASSCOM (National Association of Software and Service Companies), Dewang Mehta. Mehta is on the board of directors of various companies and educational institutions. Dewang Mehta spoke to Mumbaibest.com about the IT sector, the Indian economy and management graduates.

What do you have to say about the Indian IT sector?
There is no doubt that India has abundant, technically skilled manpower. And this natural resource will transform India into a software superpower. It is no wonder that today, when people talk of software development, they talk about India and its software industry. India provides low-cost and high-quality service when it comes to software.

Do you think that as we concentrate on technological development, we have neglected other important sectors?
India lacks basic infrastructure. Development in the technical field will bring about changes in the way other sectors work. Information technology is already affecting and will further affect almost every aspect of our lives. These aspects include how we work, how we educate our children, how we communicate with each other and how we are entertained. India's software capability is fast emerging as an essential ingredient in the development of its economy.

How has the advancement in technology affected the Indian economic structure?
As far as the development in the economy goes, information technology will play a major role, in converting illiterate people into literates; in converting present working governments to smart governments and, last but not the least, in providing employment to more than 2 million people through IT-enabled services and e-commerce.

What do you have to say about the new entrants in the IT sector, their dreams and aspirations?
When you come here, your dream is not important, your strategy is. I have been repetitively telling new entrants, to give direction to their thinking. Do not just go the way everyone else is going. Plan your career and then make a definite strategic move.

The Venture Capitalist makes money easily available for amateur website entrepreneurs. Do you think this has caused the market to be flooded with a number of novices who do not know what they are up to?
I agree that initially the Venture Capitalists (VC) did give away money to anyone and everyone in the industry. But now the scenario has altered. Now the VCs are demanding results. After a lot of dropouts in the web industry, the VCs have tightened the flow of money. They are now demanding for outstanding results from the entrepreneurs.

What are the chances of survival of new entrants in this competitive market?
Competition is everywhere, in the cement industry, fabric industry, etc. The chances of survivals are always bright but one should remember that the fittest survive. I think there is ample scope for new entrants, as long as they are capable and talented. There is the need for proper guidance and farsightedness. I tell students who come to me to give their best shot in whatever they do, and to have the patience to reap the benefits of hard work.

Today, all the new talents are joining the new ventures, keeping the high pay packages in mind. Do you think this is a right move?
Beginners should never look for hefty pay packages right at the start of their career. It is always better to gain experience from a brick and mortar company, which exposes them to the real world. And then accordingly they can switch over to better prospects.

We always complain of brain drain from India. Do you agree with it?
I really do not know why this is a matter of controversy. I fully agree with one IIT Professor who once said, it is better to have brain drain, than brains in the drain. I just cannot relate to the Indian approach. On the one hand, we talk about globalisation; at the same time we complain about the outflow of talent. It all depends on your personal priorities in life. If today, I get a better opportunity at New York, I will definitely give it a try. What is the harm in that.

Moreover we should not complain at present, when Indian talents are getting recognition abroad. Mainly this recognition is due to the high quality of Indian software services. International companies today would not outsource their products from here only because the cost is low.

In India, we have hundreds of MBA institutes. But when the issue of proper leadership arises, even the graduates from the premier institutes fail. What do you think is lacking?
To be short and precise, our management graduates lack experience at the highest level. After interacting with MBAs in the workfield, I realised that they have a very immature approach in whatever they do. The reason behind this is the lack of experience.

I advice that the management institutes should take in students who have a few years of work experience. Otherwise what happens is that these fresh graduates when thrown into the market, cannot adapt themselves to the real work culture. The result is that they underperform, and do not deliver what the company expects. They may be talented, but there is no substitute for experience and everyone gains that over a period of time.

Interview by: Sharmistha Chakraborty