Podcasts about NASSCOM

Direct-to-Mobile (D2M) broadcasting — a new technology that could turn your smartphone into a live TV receiver, no internet required. India's Ministry of Information and Broadcasting is running pilot tests to explore whether phones can double as broadcast receivers. The potential is massive: it could bring entertainment and emergency alerts to over 80 million TV-dark homes. But questions remain about reliability in poor weather, hardware pricing, and whether telecom operators — who make big money off mobile data — are ready to support it. Next: dumb phones are making a comeback. We talk about the Light Phone 3 and why users are opting for distraction-free devices that do little more than call, text, and maybe play music. Some see it as a response to smartphone fatigue. Others think it's a more conscious way to re-engage with life. But the conversation also tackles the practical side — from using cash over UPI to finding your way through a city without Google Maps. And finally, we get into India's AI patent push. According to a new Nasscom report, India has seen a sharp rise in AI-related patent filings over the past 15 years — with machine learning dominating the charts and generative AI catching up fast. While the country now ranks among the global top five in AI filings, the grant rate remains low at just 0.37%, raising questions about R&D quality and long-term innovation depth. All that — plus a little CD nostalgia and public-service broadcasting potential — in this week's episode. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's Thursday, March 13th, 2025. This is Nelson John, let's get started.  1. Saudi's Riyadh Air Eyes India for Expansion Riyadh Air, Saudi Arabia's new airline, sees India as a key market, with CEO Tony Douglas calling it “super important.” Set to begin operations this year, the airline is in early talks with Air India and IndiGo for potential partnerships. Riyadh Air plans to connect Saudi Arabia to over 100 destinations by 2030 and has already partnered with Singapore Airlines, Turkish Airlines, Virgin Atlantic, and Delta. With a fleet of Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners and Airbus A321 neos, the airline is tapping into India's booming aviation market, where Indians form the second-largest expat group in Saudi Arabia. Notably, 16% of Riyadh Air's staff are Indian. 2. Estée Lauder, DPIIT to Boost India's Beauty Startups India's beauty and personal care startups are set for a major push as the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) partners with US cosmetics giant Estée Lauder. Through its BEAUTY&YOU India initiative, the collaboration will offer funding, mentorship, and global industry access, with a special focus on women-led startups. India's beauty market is expected to grow from $7.43 billion in 2025 to $9.69 billion by 2034. “This is a first-of-its-kind initiative,” said Sanjiv, Joint Secretary, DPIIT. With India boasting the world's third-largest startup ecosystem, this partnership could drive innovation and scaling opportunities for beauty entrepreneurs. 3. India's IT Stocks Plunge Amid Growth Concerns India's top IT firms—TCS, Infosys, HCL Tech, Wipro, and Tech Mahindra—saw their stocks fall up to 4.28%, erasing ₹75,414 crore in market value. Brokerages Morgan Stanley, Kotak Institutional Equities, and Motilal Oswal flagged concerns over sluggish IT spending recovery in FY26-27. High interest rates, geopolitical tensions, and vendor consolidation are slowing discretionary tech spending. “We see a transition phase where IT spending is reprioritized, moderating growth,” noted Morgan Stanley analysts. Despite these headwinds, Nasscom projects the IT industry to cross $300 billion by March 2026, implying 6.2% annual growth, though analysts remain skeptical. 4. Gold's Surge Raises India's Sovereign Gold Bond Liabilities As gold prices soar and equities struggle, the Indian government faces rising liabilities on its Sovereign Gold Bond (SGB) scheme, which ties payouts to gold's market price. Gold has outperformed equities since 2015, rising 3.46 times its value, while Nifty 50 has declined. ₹2.39 trillion has already been paid under gold-related schemes since 2017, with another ₹1.4 trillion budgeted for 2024-26. With 132,000 kg of gold equivalent set for payout between 2025 and 2032, a prolonged gold rally could strain government finances, making this a key issue for policymakers and investors. 5. Wendy's, Rebel Foods to Open 500 Locations in India by 2028 Rebel Foods will invest ₹100-150 crore to expand Wendy's footprint in India, targeting 500 locations by 2028. The expansion leans heavily on cloud kitchens, which will account for 70% of new openings. Currently, Wendy's operates in 200 locations, with 185 cloud kitchens and 15 offline stores. India's quick-service restaurant (QSR) market is growing at a 23% CAGR, but profitability remains challenging due to inflation and competition. Rebel Foods CEO Ankush Grover expects the IPL season to boost sales. Rebel Foods, which runs over 450 cloud kitchens across India, the Middle East, and the UK, recently raised $210 million from Temasek to fuel expansion.

It's Wednesday, March 5th, 2025. This is Nelson John, let's get started.  India's Steel Industry Faces Tariff Fallout India's steel industry was on a growth path—until US tariffs disrupted global trade flows. With Washington slapping 25% tariffs on steel from Mexico and Canada and doubling duties on Chinese imports, China's steel exports to the US have become unviable. This surplus steel now threatens to flood India, driving prices down and squeezing margins. “India becomes the natural target for Chinese steel at the worst possible time,” warns Karan Pahuja of ISSDA. While some see opportunity—like Abhyuday Jindal of Jindal Stainless, who notes that Indian exports to the US may gain—others worry that surplus steel from Korea and Japan could also hit domestic markets. The industry is now looking to the Indian government for protective measures. BSE Stock Tumbles Amid SEBI Proposal—But Is Panic Justified? BSE shares plunged 20% after SEBI's February 24 consultation paper raised concerns over trading volumes. At issue is SEBI's plan to change how open interest is calculated in index derivatives, shifting to a delta-based method to reduce systemic risks. But fears may be overblown—SEBI's own data shows that in 89% of cases last November, the proposed limits wouldn't have been breached. Additionally, SEBI's move to restrict derivatives to broader indices aims to prevent manipulation, but exchanges could tweak index compositions to comply. With single-stock derivatives also facing new limits, analysts believe only low-liquidity stocks will be affected. After four days of declines, BSE shares rebounded 2%, signaling investors are reassessing the panic. SEBI's ‘Mitra' Helps Investors Recover Forgotten Mutual Funds Millions of old mutual fund investments remain unclaimed, particularly those opened before PAN was mandatory in 2006. SEBI's new digital assistant, Mitra, developed by KFin Technologies and CAMS, aims to fix this. Investors can visit MFcentral.com, enter their details (beyond just PAN), and track down inactive folios. While verification remains a challenge for accounts with outdated contact details, experts see Mitra as a game-changer. “It's a much-needed tool to consolidate scattered investments,” says Abhishek Kumar of SahajMoney. Still in beta, Mitra marks SEBI's latest effort to safeguard investor wealth and modernize financial tracking. Adani Wilmar Expands Into Packaged Foods With ₹603 Crore Deal Adani Wilmar, known for its Fortune and Kohinoor brands, is strengthening its foothold in Indian kitchens. The company is acquiring G.D. Foods—makers of Tops ketchup and noodles—for ₹603 crore as part of its ₹1,000 crore push into packaged foods. The deal gives Adani Wilmar access to a range of processed products and a retail presence in 150,000 stores across North India. MD Angshu Mallick emphasized their commitment to scaling Tops, positioning it alongside FMCG giants like Marico, ITC, and Tata Consumer. With this acquisition, Adani Wilmar aims to turn Tops into a household staple. India's IT Giants Face Growth Uncertainty Amid US Banking Slowdown India's IT heavyweights—TCS, Infosys, HCLTech, Wipro, and Tech Mahindra—are entering uncertain territory. US banks, their largest clients, are pausing tech investments due to inflation worries and trade tensions. JM Financial's Abhishek Kumar warns, “Uncertainty has crept in… Trade war seems imminent.” Banking contributes nearly a third of revenues for these IT firms, meaning any spending cuts could hit growth. Adding to concerns, Capgemini forecasts zero organic growth this year, signaling global headwinds. Kotak analysts expect FY26 to be marginally better than FY25 but still below pre-pandemic levels, with weak discretionary spending and AI-driven pricing pressures weighing on the sector. Nasscom predicts IT revenue will cross $300 billion next year, but analysts caution that achieving this won't be easy amid economic challenges.

In this first episode of Tech3 by Moneycontrol, Infosys gets the clean chit on labor law violations in trainee layoffs, over 2,000 employees of Technicolor India face job losses overnight . Zerodha's CEO Nithin Kamath warns of a sharp drop in trading volumes, raising concerns about the broking industry. On the brighter side, NPCI is setting up a massive R&D center in Mumbai, and Tata Sons Chairman Natarajan Chandrasekaran pushes for an India AI Stack to drive the country's AI future. Join hosts Chandra R Srikanth and Bhavya Dilipkumar for all the latest updates.

In this episode, we sit down with Sunita R. Cherian, Senior Vice President – Group Human Resources at Wipro Limited, to explore how the company is leading the way in Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) in the tech industry.  With over two decades of expertise in Human Capital Strategy, Sustainability, and Diversity & Inclusion, Sunita has played a key role in shaping Wipro's DEI initiatives, including the Women of Wipro platform. As a former Chair of NASSCOM's National D&I Council, she has been a driving force behind inclusion efforts at Wipro and beyond.  Wipro is recognized as a DEI Lighthouse by the World Economic Forum, setting industry benchmarks through impactful policies, leadership programs, and gender diversity initiatives. In this conversation, we discuss:  - What it means to be a DEI Lighthouse and how Wipro has set itself apart in advancing diversity in tech  - How Wipro integrates DEI into its core business strategy, ensuring it goes beyond corporate rhetoric  - The company's efforts to accelerate women's leadership in tech through mentorship, sponsorship, and leadership programs  - How Wipro designs inclusive hiring and talent development programs to support women and underrepresented groups  - The policies and programs that have driven intersectionality, supporting cultural, socio-economic, and neurodiverse inclusion  - How Wipro is leveraging AI and technology to advance diversity and inclusion  - Key lessons for Nordic companies and how they can adopt best practices from Wipro's DEI journey  - Sunita's top action for individuals and organizations to create sustainable gender diversity in the workplace  Tune in to gain valuable insights from one of the leading voices in DEI in tech and learn how companies can build more inclusive and equitable workplaces.  Listen now.

With generative AI poised to reshape industries, how can India's IT sector keep up? In this episode, Rajesh Nambiar, President of NASSCOM, joins Govindraj Ethiraj to explore the transformative impact of AI on the traditional IT model. Reflecting on pivotal moments like Y2K and the importance of learnability, Nambiar discusses how the industry can pivot to seize new opportunities. What lessons from the past can guide India's next tech revolution? And how can the country leverage its strengths in data and innovation to thrive in an AI-driven future? Tune in to uncover strategies for staying competitive in this watershed era. (00:00) Introduction to the Future of AI and Work (02:01) The Impact of AI on Job Creation and Replacement (06:01) The Importance of Skill Development in Emerging Technologies (09:16) Challenges and Opportunities for Deep Tech Startups (12:01) India's Position in the Global Startup Ecosystem (16:31) The Semiconductor Ecosystem and India's Role (25:18) Leveraging India's Strengths for Semiconductor Growth (29:33) Startups and Leveraging Technology to Solve Real Problems (32:16) Advice for Young Engineers Entering the Workforce (34:20) The Evolution of IT and What's Next for the Industry (37:23) Closing Remarks: The Future of Work and Technology ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Listeners! We await your feedback....⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ The Core and The Core Report is ad supported and FREE for all readers and listeners. Write in to shiva@thecore.in for sponsorships and brand studio requirements. For more of our coverage check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠thecore.in⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join and Interact anonymously on our whatsapp channel⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe to our Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow us on:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Linkedin⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Youtube

A version of this essay was published by firstpost.com at https://www.firstpost.com/opinion/shadow-warrior-comrade-kirillov-and-the-art-of-whistleblowing-13846569.html?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=socialOne of the great Raja Rao's slighter works is called Comrade Kirillov: it is what Graham Greene would have called an ‘entertainment', as opposed to the ‘novels' he wrote on themes of some gravity. I was reminded of the title in an altogether inappropriate way when I read of the assassination of General Kirillov in Moscow, allegedly by Ukrainian secret agents.Then I read of the tragic suicide of Suchir Balaji, a whistleblower and former employee at OpenAI, surely the most glamorous company in Silicon Valley these days.There is a thread here: it is not good for your health if you expose certain people or certain companies. You will pay a price.You may just be minding your own business, but you happen to be in the way. This is what happened to Indian nuclear and space scientists over the last few decades. Homi Bhabha's plane crashed in the Swiss Alps. Vikram Sarabhai died mysteriously at Halcyon Castle, Trivandrum, close to the space center that now bears his name.Dozens of lesser-known Indian space and nuclear scientists and engineers died too, inexplicably. The same thing happened to Iranian nuclear scientists. Nambi Narayanan was lucky to escape with his life (“Who killed the ISRO's cryogenic engine?”), though his career and reputation were ruined.My friend Dewang Mehta of NASSCOM died quite suddenly too. I wrote a tribute to him years ago, “The man who knew marketing”. In hindsight, I think he was a friend, not just an acquaintance. I remember some very human details about him: eg. he asked a mutual friend to introduce eligible women to him, just as I did. But I digress: I believe Dewang was as important to the Indian IT story as Bhabha and Sarabhai to nuclear and space: they made us believe, and we rose to the occasion. Then there was Lal Bahadur Shastri. The circumstances of his sudden death remain murky.And Sunanda Pushkar, Shashi Tharoor's wife, whom I was following on Twitter in real time. One night, she promised to make some startling revelations the next morning, presumably about dubious dealings in Dubai by the D Company. And lo! she was dead the next morning.It is hard not to think that there is a pattern. Not only here, but in the trail of dead bodies that follows the Clinton dynasty around. The Obama chef who drowned. The whistleblowing CIA and FBI agents who… just died. The list is long. People who are inconvenient end up in body bags. I remember reading that when Sarabhai died, his family did not even ask for a post-mortem.There are two broad patterns: geo-political assassinations and those for commercial reasons.In Kirillov's case, it was probably both.General Kirillov claimed that there were bio-labs in Ukraine, etc. where the Deep State was cooking up banned biological weapons, in an eerie echo of Peter Daszcak's Ecohealth Alliance and Anthony Fauci's NIAID allegedly aiding and abetting prohibited gain-of-function research at the Wuhan Institute of Virology. He claimed biological crises were manufactured on demand to generate profits and increase government control. Presumably he opened a can of worms that the Deep State and Big Pharma didn't want opened. Off with his head!There is the ‘conspiracy theory' that the entire COVID-19 circus was a bioweapons project that went awry. It was intended to depopulate the world, especially of black and brown people, to which the IITD paper (that was forcibly withdrawn) alludes: the genes that seemed to have been inserted into the original virus were from India, Southeast Asia, and Kenya, if I remember right. Of course, the powers that be do not want shocking stuff like this to come out.It is straightforward to make it a false-flag operation with the Ukrainian SBU secret service to provide plausible deniability: much like the bombing of the NordStream pipeline. So exit, stage left, for Kirillov. As Sherlock Holmes might have said, “Follow the money”, or words to that effect. Cui bono?I really don't mean to trivialize human suffering, but to focus on the shadowy forces that organize and execute targeted assassinations. In particular, decapitation strikes can be devastating. In our own history, the loss of Hemachandra Vikramaditya in the Second Battle of Panipat, in 1526, to a stray arrow that hit him in the eye, was a point of inflexion.Similarly, at the Battle of Talikota in 1565, the capture and beheading of the aged Ramaraya by his own troops that had gone rogue turned the winning position of the Vijayanagar Empire into a headlong rout and obliteration for the city-state.The assassination of Ahmed Shah Masoud, the Commander of the Northern Alliance, with a bomb hidden in a news camera, turned the tide in Afghanistan in 2001. The American assassination of Qasem Soleimani of Iran in 2020 led to a significant erosion of Iran's position, for example in Syria.The silencing of whistle-blowers has, alas, become all too common. There were the allegations about Karen Silkwood in 1974, who died in a mysterious car crash as she was driving to meet a NYTimes reporter regarding problems at a plutonium processing plant run by Kerr-McGhee in Oklahoma.In 2003, David Kelly, a British weapons inspector who claimed there were indeed no weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, was found dead. The verdict was suicide.In 2015, Alberto Nisman, an Argentine prosecutor known for his work on terrorism cases, was found dead days after he accused Iran of involvement in a car-bombing on a Jewish center.In March 2024, John Barnett, a former Boeing employee, was found dead from a gunshot wound in his truck, just before he was scheduled to testify in a whistleblower lawsuit. There was also Joshua Dean, who died of a strange infection in May 2024, shortly after Barnett's death. He worked for a company supplying parts to Boeing.In November 2024, Suchir Balaji, all of 26 years old, was found dead in his San Francisco apartment. In October, he had made allegations about OpenAI violating copyright laws.The bottom line: if you know something, just keep quiet about it. If you are a person of substance, take no risks, and be paranoid about your security. It's a pretty nasty world out there.The AI-generated podcast about this essay courtesy Google NotebookLM: 1050 words, 19 Dec 2024 This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit rajeevsrinivasan.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Kamal Karanth, co-founder and CEO of Xpheno, a staffing firm in Bengaluru, explains the modest increase in open IT positions in recent times. Consider that in FY22, the IT sector alone hired some 2,30,000 people, net, according to the industry lobby Nasscom. That fell to 60,000 in FY23 and FY24 was about the same. Not much has changed yet for the IT giants, but non-tech companies rooted in India's economy, as well as a new wave of global capability centres are hiring, Karanth says.

Welcome to Top of the Morning by Mint, your weekday newscast that brings you five major stories from the world of business. It's Thursday, July 18, 2024. My name is Nelson John. Let's get started:The Indian stock markets BSE and NSE remained closed on Wednesday on the account of Muharram.The upcoming Union budget on 23 July is set to unveil a new initiative aimed at boosting the domestic production of medical devices, mirroring an existing program for pharmaceuticals. This move is intended to enhance self-sufficiency in medical equipment, potentially lowering healthcare costs. While the specifics of the financial backing remain under wraps, ongoing discussions signal a strong government focus on enhancing the sector's global standards. Currently, India's medical device market is predominantly composed of disposables and implants, which contributed to an $11 billion industry in 2022, accounting for about 1.5% of the global market. Projections suggest this could expand to $50 billion by 2030. Mint's Priyanka Sharma reports that the proposed scheme is expected to resemble the Revamped Pharmaceuticals Technology Upgradation Assistance Scheme launched earlier this year. The scheme supports technological advancements in the pharma sector through financial incentives.A new piece of legislation from the Karnataka government made news on Wednesday. The now-halted bill required that 50% of management and 75% of non-management roles in the private sector be reserved for local residents. Local residents are defined under the bill as individuals born in Karnataka or have lived in the state for at least 15 years. Being able to speak Kannada is also mandatory under this bill. The pause came after this policy shift was being seen as a serious challenge, particularly to the IT sector, which is a major contributor to the state's economy. The potential impact on these sectors includes a decrease in investments and a possible exodus of companies to other regions with less restrictive employment laws. Industry bodies like Nasscom even expressed deep concerns, predicting that such protectionist measures could deter global firms looking to invest in the state. Mint's Devina Sengupta explains how the now-paused piece of legislation could have impacted Karnataka's position in the race to become the country's biggest tech hub.Guess what tech startups can do without? A Chief Technology Officer. Major tech-driven companies like Zomato, Healthify, Swiggy and others are reconsidering the necessity of this senior executive role. Mint's Mansi Verma reports that instead of hiring new CTOs, these firms are redistributing responsibilities to existing team members or leaving the position vacant altogether. So what's causing this shift? Firstly, the cost of maintaining such a high-level position is substantial. CTO compensation packages often include hefty salaries and stock options, which can be financially burdensome. Additionally, internal promotions and reallocation of duties are proving effective. Companies are finding that empowering existing staff can maintain momentum and innovation without the need for a dedicated CTO. Despite this, an absence of the CTO could pose challenges, especially for companies relying on cutting-edge technology. The impacts of climate change are increasingly visible and distressing, ranging from severe floods to prolonged droughts. These events not only disrupt lives but also foreshadow significant economic turmoil. We're looking at potential drops or fluctuations in agricultural yields, which could lead to persistent food price inflation. Additionally, the severity of monsoon-related coastal flooding is likely to increase. In this article, part of Mint's special series of pre-budget stories, former Minister of State for Finance Jayant Sinha talks about how India's goal of net zero emissions can be reached through three steps: legislation, emission trading and capital mobilisation. Once synonymous with inefficiency, public sector undertakings or PSUs have transformed into significant wealth generators. In 2023-24, the 56 listed PSUs in the BSE PSU index recorded a combined profit of over ₹5 trillion, an all-time high. This surge is partly attributed to the government's emphasis on enhancing India's infrastructure, with capital expenditure rising dramatically over the past decade. Yet, this remarkable performance raises questions. Are we witnessing a sustainable growth trajectory, or is this another market bubble driven by government spending and sector-wide euphoria? Investors should consider whether they are chasing short-term gains or genuinely investing in long-term growth. While PSUs currently show strong performance, the underlying risk of a sector-driven bubble looms, suggesting caution in an overheated market. Today's Long Story by Mint's Abhishel Mukherjee focuses on PSUs listed on the Dalal Street, and whether investors should continue investing. We'd love to hear your feedback on this podcast. Let us know by writing to us at feedback@livemint.com. You may send us feedback, tips or anything that you feel we should be covering from your vantage point in the world of business and finance. Show notes:Budget may unveil scheme to incentivize medical gear makersOutsiders stay away: Karnataka's 'locals only' quotas can hit firms and jobsThe CTO charm is wearing thin at Indian tech startupsThree steps to net-zero: Legislation, emissions trading, capital mobilizationPSU stocks are in a micro-bubble. What should investors do now?

On today's episode, financial journalist Govindraj Ethiraj talks to Jigar Pandit, Head of Commodity & Currency Business at Sharekhan by BNP Paribas as well as Sangeeta Gupta, Chief Strategy Officer and Senior Vice President at Nasscom.SHOW NOTES(00:00) Stories Of The Day(01:09) Global Investors Now Promise Funds Will Flow After Elections(05:54) Buying Gold Gets Tough As Governments, Including India, Push Up Prices (13:51) India's Billionaire Raj More Unequal Than British Raj, Inequality Lab Reports(15:14) The Big IT Industry Shifts That Will Determine 2024 Trends(26:19) Median Reservoir Levels Hide Distress in Southern StatesFor more of our coverage check out thecore.in--Support the Core Report--Join and Interact anonymously on our whatsapp channelSubscribe to our NewsletterFollow us on:Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Linkedin | Youtube

India's efforts to build core AI technologies is at best at a nascent stage. At the country's biggest tech industry lobby Nasscom's annual flagship conference last week, we caught up with Debjani Ghosh, the organisation's  president, for a quick chat on the topic. Ghosh spoke about how India's tech services companies are approaching the AI opportunity, including lessons from India's experiment with its digital public infrastructure.

In a compelling podcast episode, KS Viswanathan (KSV), Vice President of Industry Initiatives at Nasscom, converses with Nitika Goel, CMO at Zinnov, delving into the transformative developments within India's Global Capability Centers (GCCs) in 2023. KSV, drawing from his extensive experience, discusses the significant surge in engineering roles, the strategic integration of Generative AI, and the evolving synergy between startups and GCCs. He elaborates on how these factors signal the maturation of India's technology ecosystem. KSV articulates the progression of GCCs from their early stages to becoming globally recognized tech hubs. Looking forward, he provides insights into anticipated trends for 2024, emphasizing the critical role of robust leadership and active community involvement in shaping the future. The conversation effectively highlights India's shift from a primarily talent-rich environment to a leadership-driven technological powerhouse, suggesting a promising and influential trajectory for GCCs in the global tech arena. This dialogue not only captures the essence of India's technological evolution but also underscores the GCCs' pivotal role in redefining the global technology landscape. TIMESTAMPS 01:33 How was 2023 for GCCs? 04:11 Is India leadership rich? 05:20 How is control being defined in different regions? 09:14 Are GCCs eating into the share of IT services companies? 12:02 Will GenAI lead to job erosion? 17:45 Forecasts for 2024 in GCCs 19:16 Roadblocks to look out for in 2024 22:07 The Rapidfire

Former investment bankers turned founders, Pawan and Paramdeep, break down the complexities of AI in this episode. Discover their story of transitioning to AI from edtech, building AI powered products for themselves and clients. If you are overwhelmed by the sudden barrage of AI related jargons and want to really understand the hype behind AI, then this episode is a must listen.Read more about Shorthills AI:-1.Generative AI as a stepping stone to an AI-centric tomorrow2.The perils of leaving AI model training to AI models3.Shorthills AI selected by NASSCOM in its Gen AI Foundry Programme4.AI for Everyone: How open-source Language Models that power AI like Chat GPT are changing the game!

In this podcast, businessline's Haripriya Sureban is joined by Arjun Rao, General Partner, Speciale Incept Advisors LLP; Sangeeta Gupta, Senior Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer, Nasscom; and Geethanjali Radhakrishnan, Founder and Managing Director, Adiuvo Diagnostics, where they talk about the evolving landscape of deep tech start-ups in India.  The conversation highlights the nascent stage of India's deep tech sector, which constitutes a small fraction of the overall technology start-up ecosystem. However, the momentum is building, with a focus on diverse areas such as health tech, agri-tech, space tech, and more. The guests emphasise the unique advantage India offers for solving micro and macro problems on a large scale, catering to a global market.  The dialogue also touches upon the role of government initiatives, such as the National Deep Tech Startup Policy, which aims to support and nurture deep tech start-ups. They discuss the need for clear roadmaps, capacity building, and public-private partnerships to ensure the effective execution of the policy.  The guests also discuss the sectors where deep tech start-ups in India are making an impact, including health tech, space tech, and AI.  The podcast also explores the significance of AI in the deep tech landscape, noting its convergence with other technologies. Generative AI is highlighted as a transformative force, enabling the democratisation of AI and influencing various industries.  The conversation extends to India's global presence in the deep tech arena. The importance of risk capital, IP building, and global credibility in establishing a strong presence on the global stage is also emphasised.  The dialogue concludes with a discussion on the National Deep Tech Startup Policy's potential impact and the need for continued efforts to move from policy formulation to effective implementation, addressing challenges, and fostering the growth of the deep tech ecosystem in India.  --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/business-line/message

In this episode of blpodcasts, we look at the exciting world of deep tech innovation in India. Host V Nivedita explores how India's startup ecosystem is evolving beyond replicating Western models and venturing into deep tech solutions based on scientific discoveries and engineering innovations. Sanjeev Malhotra, the CEO of the NASSCOM Centre of Excellence for IoT and AI, an initiative supported by the Indian government and various state governments, talks about the various functions of the centre and more. Listen in to learn how this centre is building an ecosystem to nurture startups that focus on deep tech solutions, from agricultural sciences to quantum computing. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/business-line/message

When it comes to adopting new technologies, businesses often need to strike a balance between innovation and preserving their existing operational models. How are businesses navigating this challenge and what strategies are they employing to ensure a smooth transition? How does the NASSCOM Center of Excellence for IoT & AI in India, empower deep-tech startups and how does it contribute to their success in terms of raising funds, mentorship among other things. Where does India currently stand in terms of effectively incorporating and adapting to new-age technologies, in comparison to global standards? In this episode, Sanjeev Malhotra, CEO at Centre of Excellence for IoT & AI, NASSCOM, dives deep into all of these and much more. Tune in.

Ever wondered how the intricate world of pharma sales and marketing is evolving in the digital age? Considering that pharma industry has been one of the slowest industries to wake up to the importance of digital presence of a brand, it is an interretsing conversation for everyone, even outside this space, to learn the nuances of an industry that is not operating at the complex intersections of policy changes, digital transformations, and data-driven marketing. And to decode the complexities is our guest, Saumya Prakash, the Co-Founder of Multiplier AI Solutions. Saumya, a visionary leader in the field, reveals how AI technologies are revolutionizing pharma companies' approach to lead generation and automation, providing a data-driven edge to their marketing practices. We delve deeper into the discussion, shedding light on how the pandemic has forced physicians to embrace digital consultations, prompting an altered approach from pharma companies to reach them. Moreover, we'll discuss the use of AI and ML technologies to enhance customer experience and the value of cloud-enhanced automation.Our exploration wouldn't be complete without discussing the fragmented Indian market and the unique challenges of unorganized data that mars the pharma industry. We unravel the challenges in gathering consistent data and the imperative role of data analysis in understanding the pharma market.The conversation then branches out to explore the strategies for fine-tuning messaging, understanding the evolving regulatory environment and the need to create a clear roadmap for marketing efforts. We also bring to forefront the increasing role of women in this historically male-dominated sector and their unique perspectives. Finally, we wrap up with a discussion about the significance of relationship-building in sales and the importance of keeping promises made to clients. Join Roshni and Saumya for this insightful journey through the bustling intersection of tech, pharma, and marketing.About the guest: Saumya Prakash comes with a strong background in data analytics, business intelligence, and international marketing, She has driven innovation and delivered exceptional results in the pharmaceutical industry. An engineer turned entrepreneur, Saumya is a perfect example of business vision meeting high-speed execution. Leading a global business with a team of 70+ professionals, she is also a doting mom to two kids whom she loves to pamper.Connect with Saumya at Linkedin: https://in.linkedin.com/in/saumya-multiplieraiAbout Multiplier Solutions AI: Transforming Healthcare with InnovationMultiplier AI is a leading force in the Healthcare industry, providing cutting-edge solutions to global brands like Galderma, Abbott, Merck, Cipla, Mankind, and more. With a team of 70+ dedicated professionals, they specialize in Generative AI, data insights, and physician influencer marketing, driving growth and transformation in the Healthcare landscape. Multiplier AI has successfully collaborated with global clients across the United States, nine countries in Southeast Asia, and the APAC region. Additionally, it has been recognized by T-Hub Accelerator program and NASSCOM's 10,000 Startups.Visit https://multipliersolutions.com/ to know moreLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/multiplierai/

In today's episode, we take a quick look at India's opportunity to expand its digital technologies ecosystem to tier-2 cities, but first, some headlines that caught my attention. Headlines that caught our attention Google is expanding its generative AI search experience to markets outside the US, starting with India and Japan, TechCrunch reports. The new AI-powered search feature, also known as SGE (Search Generative Experience), will be available through Google's Search Labs. Meanwhile, Chinese tech giant Baidu said that its ChatGPT-like Ernie bot was now open to the public at large, signalling a green light from Beijing, and another indication of a more relaxed policy stance on artificial intelligence, CNBC reports. In some cheer for the SaaS sector, Salesforce, cloud software bellwether, yesterday announced quarterly results and guidance that beat Wall Street's expectations, CNBC reports. As many of you might remember, India's Freshworks beat expectations with its June quarter earnings results on Aug. 2. One thing today Now, speaking of India's tech talent, that workforce is making it a destination for the next wave of foreign companies looking to establish centres for R&D, software development and engineering. And there is an opportunity to expand the ecosystem to tier-2 cities, Nasscom, the country's biggest tech lobby, and accounting consultancy firm Deloitte, say in a new report. The report examines talent, infrastructure, risk and regulatory environment, start-up ecosystem, and social and living environment, which are vital for establishing a flourishing technological landscape. And it spolights the potential of 26 cities in the country – from Chandigarh to Indore to Mysuru and Vishakapatnam – which could become an integrated part of India's tech ecosystem, Nasscom and Deloitte said in a press release on Aug. 29. Helped by rapid infrastructure growth, diverse skills, burgeoning start-ups, and governmental initiatives, these emerging hubs are gearing to achieve tier-1 status, according to the press release. “While big cities were the focus in the past, the post-pandemic era witnesses a remarkable decentralisation of work across the nation,” Sumeet Salwan, a partner at Deloitte India, said the press release.  Today, about 60 percent of India's graduates in engineering, arts, and science come from smaller towns and 30 percent of total graduates relocate to tier-1 cities seeking employment, he said. The 26 promising locations identified in the report have the potential to become the epicentre of innovation and growth, according to the report. This trend is supported by a workforce skilled in cutting-edge digital technologies, with about 800,000 individuals located in these emerging hubs. And these cities are seeing strong additions to the number of people skilled in digital technologies. These locations currently account for 10-15 percent of India's tech talent. They provide promising growth potential when supported by the governments' commitment to world-class infrastructure, Salwan says. Take the “if you build it, they will come” approach, he says. Startups in these locations grew 50 percent from 2014-2018, with expectations of 2.2X growth by 2025, according to the report. These tier-2 locations also offer a cost advantage, including a 25-30 percent lower cost of talent and a 50 percent lower cost of real estate rentals compared with the large cities. So far, some 140 global capability centres have found a home in these locations, highlighting the growing interest of foreign companies in these emerging hubs, according to the report. “As companies worldwide revisit ways of working with an eye on optimising outcomes, costs, and talent, alternative tech hubs are becoming essential” Sukanya Roy, head, GCC and BPM, at Nasscom, says in the release. About 39 percent of the country's 7,000 or so startups operate in emerging hubs spanning industries from Deep Tech to Business Process Management (BPM), according to the report.

Learning Matters is a seven-year-old ed-tech organisation based in Bengaluru. They implement their Artificial intelligence-based solution-Tara - in schools and colleges to improve the communicative English proficiency of students and teachers. They were recognized by India AI and NASSCOM for their significant contribution to India's AI ecosystem by being included in their compendium "75 at 75" which showcases 75 Indian companies doing innovative work using AI last year. https://www.aninews.in/news/business/business/learning-matters-announces-star-educator-awards-2023-celebrating-exceptional-educators-and-transformative-educational-institutions-worldwide20230817162451 Our guest today is  Saraswathy Ramamoorthy, one of the co-founders of Learning Matters. An early childhood education (ECCE) expert, she has worked in various facets of the education domain as an educator and educationist. Her core expertise is in designing and developing educational curricula and programs, teaching children, training teachers, as well as creating digital education products and programs. As co-founder of Learning Matters, she takes care of marketing. Listen in as she shares what Learning Matters does and explains the buzz around the 3rd edition of the  Star Educator award, they are hosting. To nominate yourself or anyone you know click: https://learningmatters.ai/star-educator-awards/                                                                                   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/the-third-eye1/message

I can never say this enough - hosting my own podcast means I have had the privilege to meet so many wonderful people, some of whom have gone on to become friends and trusted advisors. My first meeting with Seetha Rani KP was last year when running a workshop for NASSCOM senior industry leaders in Bengaluru, we connected over our lived experiences (and we were both wearing green). She shared a story about her name - her name Seetha has a religious and cultural resonance. So, people have expectations about what Seetha should look like, how she should dress, behave, speak

Rajat Tandon is the President of IVCA, India's apex body representing the interests of PE/VC industry, Real estate, Infrastructure and Credit funds, Limited Partners, Family offices & Corporate VC's. Rajat leads the planning, development, and implementing IVCA's regulatory advocacy activities, while also effectively influencing regulatory outcomes in support of the alternate asset class. Previously, Rajat was part of the leadership team at NASSCOM, where he headed NASSCOM's 10,000 Startups initiative, providing crucial support to technology startups in India. With his early stint as entrepreneur and extensive corporate experience in the IT & Telecom and GIS/Navigable maps, Rajat competently bridges the gap between boardroom expertise and on-the-ground experience. Over the past 25+ years, he has worked in various positions ranging from technical support, sales leadership, service delivery to strategic initiatives at Siemens, Nortel, and Nokia. Rajat also brings with him his extensive network in the startups space, having worked closely with most of the eminent industry leaders. His knowledge of the startup ecosystem, its constituents, successes, opportunities, and challenges run deep. He is also a member of CII National Start-up Council. A Post-Graduate in Business Management from the Indian Institute of Management Technology (IIMT), Ghaziabad, Rajat also has a Bachelor's degree in Engineering from Pune University. When not busy with the VC-PE and startup communities, you will find him spending quality time with family or enjoying a game of Golf.​ . . . Episode Notes: Introduction (2:00) The evolution of the Indian VC ecosystem in the past decade (3:20) IVCA's pivotal role in the advancement of the Indian VC ecosystem (5:06) Rajat's career path (7:45) IVCA's remarkable milestones and contributions (17:55) Envisioning a thriving startup ecosystem (26:04) Inspiring success stories from India's vibrant startup landscape (42:20) Rajat's lasting legacy: Shaping the future of Venture Capital (51:29) . . . Social Links: IVCA on Twitter: https://twitter.com/indianvca Rajat on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rajattandy Podcast on Twitter: https://twitter.com/thedesi_vc Akash Bhat on Twitter: https://twitter.com/bhatvakash Podcast on Instagram: https://instagram.com/thedesivc Akash Bhat on Instagram: https://instagram.com/bhatvakash 

Step into the exciting world of automation with Harish Bharadwaj, Vice President of Service Delivery and Operations for India and UAE. Discover how businesses are revolutionizing customer engagement, leveraging chatbots and personalization, harnessing context, building seamless automation fabrics, and retaining employees. Get ready to navigate the future of work with expert insights and advice in the 5th episode of Nasscom's podcast.

With a strong emphasis on frugal innovation, quality, and sustainability, GCCs may drive India's digital transformation and become globally integrated enterprises, says experts.   Haripriya, Jayapriyanka, Nivedita  Indian global capability centers (GCCs) have emerged as key players in India's transformation into a global technology and innovation hub. These centers, also known as captives, have evolved from cost arbitrage centers to Centers of Excellence, driving innovation, development, and strategic value for global enterprises. In a recent episode of Business Line's podcast, industry experts from NASSCOM discussed the evolution of GCCs and their future prospects.  The early GCCs in India, established in the 1980s, primarily leveraged cost advantages. However, in the past decade, there has been a significant shift towards innovation. GCCs now focus on creating value for businesses and customers, driving strategic initiatives, and solving complex business problems through innovative approaches. The centers have become instrumental in India's tech story, contributing approximately 48% of the global GCC market share and generating $45 billion in export revenue. They employ around 1.64 million people, with a majority engaged in digital product engineering.  The GCC landscape in India is concentrated in key cities like Bangalore, Hyderabad, Chennai, Pune, Noida, and Gurgaon. These centers have attracted global enterprises from Fortune 100 and Fortune 2000 companies, and their success has inspired new entrants to follow suit.  The future of GCCs in India looks promising, driven by various factors. The COVID-19 pandemic served as a tipping point, accelerating digital transformation and highlighting the importance of GCCs in enabling remote work and sustaining business operations. Additionally, India's strengthened business environment, predictable regulations, respect for privacy and intellectual property, and its strategic location in the Asia-Pacific region have increased global confidence in GCCs based in the country.  Looking ahead, GCCs in India are poised to create even greater value for all stakeholders. With a strong emphasis on frugal innovation, quality, and sustainability, these centers are well-positioned to play a crucial role in driving India's digital transformation and becoming globally integrated enterprises.  The growth of GCCs in India will be influenced by factors such as the expanding markets in Asia-Pacific, increasing investment in technology startups, and partnerships with governments and NGOs to shape industry ecosystems. The strategic outlook and transformative ambitions of GCCs will continue to drive their success in delivering value for businesses, customers, shareholders, and investors.  Indian GCCs have evolved into centers of excellence, driving innovation, and shaping India's position as a global technology and innovation hub. With a favorable business environment, a focus on frugal innovation, and a strategic outlook, GCCs are set to contribute significantly to India's digital transformation journey.  In this podcast, Haripriya joins KS Viswanathan, Vice President- Industry initiatives, NASSCOM, Sudish Panicker, MD and Head, BNY Mellon International Operations, and Siva Padmanabhan, MD & Head of Global Innovation & Technology Center, AstraZeneca India to discuss the transformation and highlights of GCCs in India.  Listen in! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/business-line/message

As we kick off this brand-new season, I can feel the excitement bubbling up inside me!With a remarkable ability to speak comfortably in front of audiences, our guest Ramkumar's story is filled with invaluable lessons on personal growth, exploring different perspectives, and stepping into unknown territories.You'll also hear about his journey from entrepreneurship to corporate, and how he turned around businesses within larger organizations with his entrepreneurial mindset. With deep insights into the importance of purpose statements, flexibility, and listening to others.And that's not all! The episode also touches on the importance of being open to experiences and creating a portfolio life, as well as the value of measuring progress daily. About The GuestRamkumar (Ram) Narayanan is a global leader focusing on data driven, digital product innovation spanning consumer and enterprise markets. He has been an advisor to Enterprises, large and small, in the arena of digital transformation, product strategy and product marketing. Ram is currently VP Technology and Managing Director of VMWare India. Before joining VMWare, he served in global leadership positions at eBay, Yahoo! and Microsoft. He started his career in the auto industry in US developing software solutions for design and packaging of automotive suspension and powertrain systems. Ram serves on the Executive Council of NASSCOM and as Chairman NASSCOM Product Council, Governing Council of DERBI Foundation, an academic incubator and is a Board Member of Sukino Healthcare, a leading company in the leading provider of long-term health care management for patients with chronic ailments.

As cybersecurity threats become more sophisticated, organizations must employ new measures to protect their networks, digital assets, and data. By understanding and implementing these concepts, you can help reduce your organization's risk of a cyberattack. In this episode, cybersecurity expert Bikash Barai, Co-founder of FireCompass, explains how to manage your company's external attack surface and perform continuous automated red teaming. Host Steven Bowcut and Bikash discuss the importance of external attack surface management and continuous testing of your defenses. Bikash explains the relationship between automated red teaming and attack surface management and offers advice about how organizations can prioritize the tsunami of vulnerabilities they face. About our Guest Bikash Barai is a serial cybersecurity entrepreneur. Before co-founding FireCompass, he founded iViZ, an automated application security testing company. He has graduate and post-graduate degrees from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) in computer science and architecture. He is passionate about AI, cognitive hacking, and attack simulation. He is credited for several innovations in the domain of IT Security and has multiple patents. Bikash is one of Fortune's 40-under-40 and has also received multiple other recognitions from UC Berkeley, Intel, Nasscom, Red Herring, TiE, & others. Outside of cyber security, Bikash is an amateur magician and painter. He is also passionate about mindfulness meditation, psychology, and philosophy. Listen to learn more about external attack surface management and continuous automated red teaming.

Nidhi Bhasin, CEO of the NASSCOM Foundation, joins us to talk about tech for good in India and initiatives to drive digital literacy.  The NASSCOM Foundation is part of the NASSCOM ecosystem — the biggest industry body representing the tech industry in India. Much of their focus is on going deep into rural areas and reaching that ‘last mile'. Inclusion is at the core of their strategic thinking. Digital literacy is a broad area and is of relevance to a range of segments including the elderly, girls and women, and those of limited resources.  Many elderly individuals in rural India don't know how to use a smart phone or make online payments. And, many women from marginalised communities are poorly informed about their rights and have a limited understanding of government information and schemes designed to help them. This episode provides insight into how technology and philanthropy come together in India to improve digital literacy and social outcomes. Thank you for downloading this episode of the Do One Better Podcast. Visit our Knowledge Hub at Lidji.org for information on 200+ case studies and interviews with remarkable leaders in philanthropy, sustainability and social entrepreneurship.   

SUNIL GOPINATH | CEO, Rakuten India Enterprise Private Limited As the CEO of Rakuten India, the global product and innovation center of Rakuten Group, Inc., Sunil spearheads the scaling of product and technology footprint across a wide range of Rakuten's global businesses. Sunil is also responsible for driving the rapid adoption of data sciences and AI across Rakuten's global products and ecosystem. He is also an advisor to many startups and a global leadership coach. Sunil has been nominated as a member of NASSCOM's prestigious GCC Council for 2021-23.He also leads Rakuten's Enterprise SaaS Business in APAC. In 2022, Sunil Gopinath joined Twid's board of directors. Sunil has an MBA from the University of California, Berkeley, and an MS from Virginia Tech.Before Rakuten, as Head of Flipkart's Marketplace Division, Sunil helped build & scale their Marketplace business to a $2B+ business with over 100,000 merchants.Sunil has held senior leadership roles globally in companies like Intel and Qualcomm driving innovation in mobile, wearable devices, and location-based services.

Tune into this Indian Express podcast brought to you by NASSCOM where our host Charulata Biswas from the Indian Express is joined by Kirti Seth, CEO SSC NASSCOM. They talk about Future Skills Prime a digital skilling initiative - a partnership between the Government of India and NASSCOM and how it can be your go-to platform for upskilling, how to best leverage this innovative platform, highlighting its uniqueness, the various courses on offer, the many monetary & professional benefits, and the overall future of the job market in the coming year and the coming decade.

The results of the IIT entrance exam JEE-Advanced released on September 11th showed that the IIT Delhi zone had the most number of candidates in the top 500 with 133. Followed closely by IIT Madras zone with 132 candidates and IIT Bombay zone with 126 students. And in the top 10 list, IIT Madras circle was ahead with five candidates followed by IIT Bombay Zone at three and IIT Delhi and Kharagpur zones each claiming one spot each.      Uttar Pradesh emerged as the top state with 3,864 qualifying candidates while Rajasthan, home to tuition hub Kota, took the second spot with 3,339 candidates. Maharashtra is sending 3,036 candidates to IITs whereas coaching hubs of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana ranked fourth and fifth.  Tamil Nadu, which boasts of the highest annual enrolment into various engineering courses, does not feature in the top five. In the 2017-18 academic year, about 1.58 lakh students enrolled in UG and PG courses in the engineering and technology domain in the state. Andhra Pradesh followed it with 1.01 lakh students. Maharashtra comes next with 1 lakh enrolments.  Half of all the engineering seats in India are located in the five southern states namely Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Kerala. Rest of the seats are fairly well-distributed across the country.     But the all-India capacity utilisation is as low as 49.2%. While the approved engineering seats in 2017-18 was 16.6 lakh, the number of students who enrolled was 8.18 lakh. This indicates the supply of engineering seats exceeds the demand for the same.  In 2013-14, enrolment was 59% of total capacity. States with the lower number of seats have reported higher enrolment percentages while the states with larger capacity have reported lower percentage of enrolment in engineering, with Karnataka being an exception.  The enrolment percentage in Tamil Nadu, which had 3.02 lakh engineering seats in 2017-18, was just 53% while Karnataka's was 65%. Delhi with about 10,700 seats had an enrolment ratio of 79%. Overall, the number of students who found placement at the end of the academic year was 3.45 lakh or about 42% of the total number of students who enrolled in engineering. This is an increase from 29% of students placed in 2013-14. Now comes the most crucial factor: the employability. A NASSCOM survey in 2019 had revealed that out of about 15 lakh engineering graduates which India churns out every year, only 2.5 lakh land jobs. The National Employability Report for Engineers 2019 by SHL shows that employability of engineers in IT services companies is just 16.25% and 3.4% for IT products. It goes as high as 39% for non-tech roles like ITeS/BPO associate.  This report was based on a sample of more than 170,000 engineering students from 750+ engineering colleges across multiple Indian states. The report indicates that students from Bihar, Jharkhand, Delhi, Haryana and West Bengal have the highest employability in IT services roles. Odisha, Telangana, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh form the next tier in employability. Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Punjab and Rajasthan fell in the third category. Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra were in the bottom 25 percentile bin.  States with the highest number of colleges showed the lowest percent employability.

You'll learn: What is conscious networking? How do you build long-lasting relationships? Networking mistakes you should avoid at any cost. Secrets master networkers know that can change your life. Paritosh Pathak is an expert Networking Coach who teaches people the art of effective networking to help accelerate their business and career. He's the author of the book The Conscious Networking Revolution. In his 10+ years as a Networking Expert, Paritosh has mentored global companies of repute including Genpact, HSBC, Australia Trade Commission, Zenica Cars, TiE, Nasscom, and KNS Partners.   The Inspiring Talk is now available on YouTube. You can watch this interview on Youtube. https://youtu.be/pXkkdyGIfOo   We have a telegram community for our listeners. Join here- https://theinspiringtalk.com/telegram   For brand collaborations and opportunities, send us an email at  hi@wyn.studio   Send me a voice message: https://theinspiringtalk.com/speak   Connect with Paritosh Pathak Website LinkedIn    Follow the Inspiring Talk on Facebook http://theinspiringtalk.com/facebook   Twitter http://theinspiringtalk.com/twitter Instagram http://theinspiringtalk.com/instagram

Just a few days of rain changed everything, exposing the crumbling infrastructure of crammed Bangalore and washing away the tall claims of authorities. Roads disappeared under muddy flood water and motorboats came roaring rescuing people from their own homes. Fish were spotted on highways and people were seen swimming in their living rooms in posh colonies of Bangalore -- the capital city of Karnataka and IT hub of India. Their luxury cars, from BMWs and Range Rovers to Bentleys, were left behind, half-submerged. The stark visuals of flooding inundated social media too.  Life came to a standstill in Bangalore's key Outer Ring Road area, which houses more than 700 companies, including offices of big ones like Microsoft, Intel, Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley. Many of these companies have had to allow work from home or pass on important work to locations outside of the city. While companies usually have business continuity plans involving such steps, they have still paid a heavy price. The Outer Ring Road Companies Associations has reportedly claimed that the flood caused a loss of Rs 225 crore to the IT and banking companies it represents on the 30th of August alone. In a September 1st letter to Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, the industry body asked the government to come up with short-term and medium-term plans to address the issue. Stating that concerns about Bengaluru's future growth were being raised across the world, the letter warned that companies may leave if the infrastructure issues were not addressed. IT and IT-enabled services remain one of the top services exports from India. Close to 50 per cent of the total services exports comprise IT exports. India's services exports set a new record of $254.4 billion in FY22, beating the previous high of $213.2 billion in FY20. According to the Karnataka economic survey, the state contributed an estimated 38 per cent to India's FY22 software exports, which were estimated to be worth $170 billion. According to a recent report by Inc42, Bangalore has clinched the title of India's 'top start-up hub'. It added that within India, Karnataka topped the list of states in terms of start-up ecosystem development with $62 billion in funding. Meanwhile, Delhi-NCR attracted $39 billion and Maharashtra 20. The stakes are high when it comes to brand Bengaluru's future. India's start-up success story has been touted across international forums by the government, which is also counting on the ecosystem to generate much-needed high-quality jobs. India also has an ambitious services export target of $1 trillion by 2030. The continued growth of the IT industry, and by extension that of Bengaluru, will be a necessary condition for achieving this goal. But now, there are fears that the city's technology capital image could be in deep water. And, the brand image has indeed been dented. Mohandas Pai, Chairman of Manipal Global Education Services and Advisor at Manipal Education & Medical Group, says brand Bengaluru is hurt by flooding and bad governance. Authorities taking the city's IT ecosystem for granted. Illegal constructions blocking waterways needed to stop flooding. CM should set up a high-level panel to fix issues.  But, Bangalore can still salvage the situation. A senior IT services veteran based in Bengaluru told Business Standard that when he spoke to five large Fortune 500 firms, none said that the recent flood would make them move out of the state or the city. The National Association of Software and Service Companies also appeared to be committed to staying put. Last week, a Nasscom-led consortium of software companies met Karnataka IT and BT Minister C N Aswathanarayana to discuss the way forward. State officials have agreed to have IT sector participation in governance mechanisms planned for Bengaluru's tech corridors. The officials will also hold a meeting with the industry to discuss plans once every fortnight. Adv

Over four years after launching a lateral entry scheme to induct private sector professionals in government departments, and almost a year after hiring 31 such experts for different departments and ministries, the government is now going to implement something similar in the field of education. University Grant Commission recently approved draft guidelines under which professionals like civil servants, engineers, military personnel, lawyers, artists, and media persons with 15 years of experience might soon be able to teach at universities and colleges without a PhD or clearing the NET. These ‘Professors of Practice' will also design their own curriculum and collaborate with industry for project work and securing internships. The guidelines also said that these industry experts would be exempt from the condition of publishing a research paper, which is otherwise crucial for faculty recruitment at such institutions. The hiring of a ‘professor of practice' will not fill any of the sanctioned posts of the institutions. Thus, the scheme will not affect the number of sanctioned posts or the recruitment of regular faculty members. The UGC has approved the scheme and is now seeking feedback on the draft guidelines. Before we get into the likely impact, let us understand the specifics of the guidelines. While distinguished experts from various fields will be welcome as candidates, the ‘professor of practice' position will not be open to those in the teaching profession, either serving or retired. Under the guidelines, these ‘professors of practice' will be engaged for a fixed term. Their maximum tenure will be three years, with a conditional one-year extension. Also, the number of such professors will not exceed 10 per cent of the institution's sanctioned posts. One of the key objectives of the guidelines, which are likely to be notified in September, is to ensure that what is being taught at these institutions meets the needs of the industry. Another is to give higher education institutions the opportunity to work on joint research and consultancy projects with these industry experts. The guidelines indicate a shift towards training and skilling relevant to industry.   The engineering and information technology industries, in particular, might benefit from such a move in the long term. According to a 2019 NASSCOM survey, India produces 15 lakh engineering graduates every year. However, only 2.5 lakh of them succeed in getting jobs in the core engineering industry. Another survey by Aspiring Minds found that 80 per cent of Indian engineers were unemployed in 2019. The lack of industry-ready skills and work-readiness among newly-minted engineers is the problem. In the past, a mismatch has also emerged between the skills that the industry needs, such as AI, machine learning, and data engineering, and what is being taught, leading to a supply-demand gap in talent.  A number of American and British universities and colleges appear to employ such professors of practice. Take for example the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. MIT found that unlike their peers in industry and government, traditional faculty might be unable to pass on real-world lessons and professional experiences. To bring the experience of decades of professional experience to its students, MIT started appointing professors of the practice and associate professors of the practice starting in 1997. Other top institutions such as Harvard, Yale, Princeton and Columbia have rosters of leading practitioners, many of whom teach on a part-time basis. IITs and IIMs also employ ‘professors of practice'. For example, the Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore says that in order to be considered for the associate or full professor of practice roles, the candidate must have more than 10 years of experience in industry or government in senior positions. While the candidates must preferably hold a PhD, it is not an essential cr

Ted Ross is the CIO, City of Los Angeles and GM of Information Technology Agency (ITA). Ted leads a team of 450 that deliver enterprise IT services to 48,000 City employees across 41 departments, and over 4M residents. He is awarded CIO of the Year by LA Business Journal. Ted is a speaker at global conferences such as Andreessen-Horowitz Tech Summit, Milken Institute, and India's NASSCOM and regularly featured in Fortune Magazine, The Wall Street Journal, and The Economist. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/theindustryshow/support

At the 30th edition of NASSCOM's Technology and Leadership Forum 2022, Chairperson and CEO of Salesforce India, Arundhati Bhattacharya discusses a range of subjects with Sadhguru including climate change, challenges faced by the agriculture sector, the #SaveSoil movement and the role the technology sector can play in the movement.Conscious Planet: https://www.consciousplanet.orgSadhguru App (Download): https://onelink.to/sadhguru__appOfficial Sadhguru Website: https://isha.sadhguru.orgSadhguru Exclusive: https://isha.sadhguru.org/in/en/sadhguru-exclusiveConscious Planet – Save Soil, a global movement envisioned by Sadhguru, seeks to bring about a concerted, conscious response to impending soil extinction. Action now to #SaveSoil.

At the 30th edition of NASSCOM's Technology and Leadership Forum 2022, Chairperson and CEO of Salesforce India, Arundhati Bhattacharya discusses a range of subjects with Sadhguru including climate change, challenges faced by the agriculture sector, the #SaveSoil movement and the role the technology sector can play in the movement.Conscious Planet: https://www.consciousplanet.orgSadhguru App (Download): https://onelink.to/sadhguru__appOfficial Sadhguru Website: https://isha.sadhguru.orgSadhguru Exclusive: https://isha.sadhguru.org/in/en/sadhguru-exclusiveConscious Planet – Save Soil, a global movement envisioned by Sadhguru, seeks to bring about a concerted, conscious response to impending soil extinction. Action now to #SaveSoil.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this edition of Policy Talks, Yatish Rajawat - founder of Centre for Innovation in Public Policy, a think tank that also works in the emerging technology space -  talks to Harish Mehta - a veteran IT stalwart and author of The Maverick Effect which charts the journey of NASSCOM - on how startups in the country need an association that will help them widen their goals and targets.

The Covid-19 disruption has changed the way we live and work. While companies had to fast-forward digital transformation, their workforce adapted to remote and hybrid operations to ensure work continuity.    As economic activities are returning to normalcy, India Inc is now facing subtle pushbacks in getting its workforce back to the office.   However, mass resignation reported at Mumbai-based startup WhiteHat Jr after it asked its employees to get back to office has put the spotlight on the problem facing India Inc: Employees don't want to return to office full-time.    According to a November 2021 survey by Nasscom and job portal Indeed, around 70 per cent of IT companies were trying to make the hybrid model work effectively. The survey found that 66 per cent of the respondents had reported higher employee satisfaction working remotely. Now, let's examine the present employee outlook and the steps taken by India Inc. In March 2022, a financial daily reported the finding of a survey where six out of every 10 employees who responded were prepared to quit their jobs instead of returning to the office.   The same survey by recruitment firm CIEL HR Services found that a similar number of employees ready to forgo a higher-paying job that required them to come to the office. This view is prevalent among employees in sectors like IT, outsourcing, consulting and BFSI, along with tech start-ups. According to a recent Business Standard report, companies across sectors are proceeding cautiously. In June 2020, FMCG player CavinKare had said that it would rent out its corporate office and its 300+ employees might work-from-home permanently. At present, CavinKare's corporate office is still in the WFH mode and in-person meetings are held once in 15 days. In April 2020, TCS called out for a 25/25 model. Under this model, by 2025, 25 per cent of the IT major's workforce would work out of its facilities, without spending more than 25 per cent of their time in office.     HCL Technologies, meanwhile, has identified 40-50 per cent of employees who can work from home permanently. For its part, upGrad has established offices across multiple locations in multiple cities. This has allowed its workforce to choose their preferred work location.   Over at ITC, employees can work-from-home for up to two days in a week. However, this is subject to approval. And, in case of an emergency situation, work-from-home is allowed for up to 15 days in a month. For many who have moved back to their hometowns, it will be difficult to convince them to return to the high rents and long office commutes of the metros. Some prefer continuing from their hometown. Hybrid work models might not be enough to retain such talents. However, there are other options.   There are many advantages for India Inc too in adapting to the changed circumstances. Not to mention, the changes seen in the nature of work, like the hybrid model, might not go away even if the pandemic does. Getting employees back to work will be a continuing challenge, especially if Covid-19 cases rise again. Even if and when the pandemic ends, companies might find that they have to the employee location and not the other way round. What about you? Would you give up an attractive paycheck for work from home?  

India's $195 billion IT industry is increasingly making its presence felt across the world. In FY 22, its revenue grew by $30 billion to reach the $227 billion mark. The industry registered an impressive 15.5% growth. And, according to Nasscom, it was the highest since 2011. The industry also added the highest ever 450,000 new employees in FY22, taking the employee base to 5 million. But, even as it recruited a record number of new talent, the industry was besieged with an all time high attrition rate. Just look at the IT bellwethers. At Infosys, on a last twelve months basis, the attrition rate hit a record high of 27.7 percent in the fourth quarter of FY22. Meanwhile, India's largest IT services company, Tata Consultancy Services, saw record attrition in the March quarter at 17.4 percent.   And IT companies have been at their wits end, doing their best to retain talent. Some resorted to novel ways to keep employees on board. According to reports, companies doled out salaries much above the prevailing market rates. Some even gave 100 percent hikes. Employee stock options were also being dangled in front of software engineers. Fintech firm BharatPe offered BMW bikes to new entrants. Techies, who have a few years under their belt, are now getting multiple job offers. Some IT companies, fintechs, and even startups, have started delaying the payout of employee's performance bonus in a bid to delay their departure. Apparently, this gives the company more time to find a replacement.   But why this churn? Experts believe that demand for digital talent has outpaced supply. The pandemic has also caused an acceleration in digital adoption. This, too, has contributed to the intense race for talent, not only from the IT giants, both global and domestic, but also from nimbler start-ups. But some experts also believe that this churn cannot continue indefinitely and that things will settle down sooner rather than later. However, the skill sets that were at the centre of the talent race will still be necessary for any aspiring techies who want to make it big. According to the TeamLease Digital Employment Outlook Report, released last December, the IT-BPM industry had set its eyes on digital skills in FY22. And, among them, 13 skill sets were going to largely be in demand. In fact, they were expected to record a 7.5 per cent growth in FY22 over FY21.   Also, according to the same report, the demand-supply gap is widening for data engineering, data science, machine learning and artificial intelligence skills. Recreate the table from the attached image. (PLEASE DO NOT USE THE IMAGE ITSELF) A talent solution and IT staffing expert Business Standard spoke to also emphasised on these skill sets. However, the IT industry -- and in fact most businesses-- are standing on the cusp of momentous changes, the effects of which are yet to be fully understood. Clearly, techies will have to adhere to up-skilling religiously. But, what about the industry? At the end of the day, a company can either build the talent or buy it. But, if the churn doesn't indeed subside in the coming year, could it be perhaps time for the industry to look at a third option? They may also look to borrow, so to say, talent by engaging companies that provide temporary staffing solutions. There will indeed be dearth for digital talent in the market who can keep pace with the technology. Take for example the potential of the metaverse, and the skills that it will require. With 5G becoming the norm in the coming years, the Internet of Things will also take off in a big way. The situation is dynamic and thus, it is hard to predict whether the same skills that are so in demand today will still be at the top five years down the line. They will remain relevant, no doubt, but will they still command the premium that they do today? Only time will tell. 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi appeared on TV on March 24 night at eight to announce the 21-day lockdown beginning midnight. With just four hours left, anxious people stormed grocery shops, medical stores, ATMs and even liquor vends to get their fill. From March 25, public transport came to a standstill, leaving migrant workers in big cities with no other choice, but to walk. So they walked. Moving stories and disturbing visuals of exhausted families -- with children in the tow -- streaming out of metros and walking towards their homes flooded the newspapers and TV channels. And it was just the beginning. The toll that the contagious virus extracted on lives was unparallel in recent Indian history. Official estimates say that over five lakh lost their lives in the next two years. Some believe that the death toll was way higher.   The March 24, 2020 lockdown was the first in the series of many which came later. Now, three waves, two years and several lockdowns later, life is springing back to normalcy. And so is the economy. Perhaps one of the most visible and lasting impacts that the pandemic has had is on how Indians, and people across the world, view work and the workplace. While the hybrid model is here to stay, it is going to be sector-specific. For example, companies in IT and allied industries will continue to work in a hybrid model. In fact, according to a survey by Nasscom and Indeed, 70 per cent of IT companies are trying to employ the hybrid model effectively.   Flexible work is another model that has gained acceptance. Hindustan Unilever, India's biggest FMCG company, has introduced a new flexible work model. Under the scheme, employees would have a flexible association with the company, but still receive financial, security, retirement and medical benefits. The worker will get a monthly retainer. In addition, he or she will get paid for each assignment. And, between assignments, they ate free to do other things that are important to them. The pandemic has also left a lasting impact on what we consume and how we consume. The Boston Consulting Group interviewed consumers during the second wave of India's Covid-19 outbreak. It then compared that survey with its previous one from August 2020. It also compared the findings to data that it had collected during the pandemic's first phase.   The group that there are accelerating behaviours which increased rapidly after the initial Covid outbreak and continued to increase as time passed. For example, the number of consumers who purchased nutritional supplements and healthier packaged foods for the first time surged by around 30 per cent during the first stage of the pandemic. And this was still rising as of late May 2021.   Then there are sustained momentum behaviours. These include the use of a wide array of digital services. Use of e-commerce, digital wallets, online educational classes, paid over-the-top media services, and free online video apps like YouTube jumped early in the pandemic. By the time of the second wave, their use had settled at those elevated levels. These behavioural changes are more permanent than others. As a result, the market for these services is likely to remain robust even after Covid. This was good news for the likes of Amazon and BYJU'S. There are also sensitive behaviours which tend to change in response to the intensity of the pandemic and lockdowns.   For example, relying on online doctor consultations. According to BCG, the strong growth seen in doctor tele-consultations, compared to visiting them in person, is unlikely to continue after Covid. Lastly, there were transient behavioural changes. These gained significant traction during the early stages of the pandemic, but didn't last. Examples would be online fitness and hobby classes. The pandemic may also change how we do business. India Inc, like the rest of the world, will have to re-evaluate established notions about scale and glo

"Most people make the mistake of thinking design is what it looks like. People think it's this veneer – that the designers are handed this box and told, ‘Make it look good!' That's not what we think design is. It's not just what it looks like and feels like. Design is how it works.”  ~Steve Jobs In #TGV206, we bring you a futuristic speaker passionate about developing product leaders.  Tune in NOW to understand how someone should go about product designing in India. Here are the timestamp-based show notes from Naveen Samala's  conversation with Shalini S: 0:00:00 Intro to the Guest - Shalini Sankarshana 0:02:02 Career Journey of the Guest 0:03:09 Motivation behind product management 0:06:56 Top three things to focus on while building a product in India. 0:08:35 Fintech evolution and Revolution  0:11:57 Leaders and uncertainty 0:14:37 Witty answers to Rapid Fire questions 0:18:15 One piece of advice to those aspiring to make BIG in their careers 0:20:24 Trivia About the Guest: Shalini Sankarshana is an amazing professional with deep intellect, empathy, and ambition. Shalini matches these qualities with her strong work ethic, integrity, passion, and focus on execution. Shalini's communication skills inspire others to achieve their dreams. She has industry experience of 2+ decades including critical leadership roles in building enterprise SaaS products, leading product & technology functions, offering solutions and services to the world's largest financial institutions. Built, shipped, and ran multiple products and platforms of various sizes and spans, with customers across North America, Europe, and the Asia Pacific. Check out Shalini Sankarshana's profile on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shalini-sankarshana-147b854   Connect with the hosts on LinkedIn: Naveen Samala: https://www.linkedin.com/mwlite/in/naveensamala Sudhakar Nagandla: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nvsudhakar   Follow on Twitter: @guidingvoice @naveensamala @s_nagandla   Tags:   #product, #technology, #software, #continuousimprovement, #TGV, #podcast

In February, it was reported that Accenture was setting up offices in Jaipur and Coimbatore. With this move, the company aims to access more talent and give its employees greater flexibility regarding where they want to work from. In the past, Accenture has primarily operated in Indian metros. In March, IBM Consulting told a financial daily that it was opening new IBM Client Innovation Centres in Kochi and Coimbatore. And in December last year, Tata Consultancy Services had announced that it would invest 100 million dollars to establish a new outsourcing facility in Indore. Infosys has also earmarked 27 million dollars for a software centre in Indore. The IT giant is also investing a similar amount to set up a campus in Nagpur. In September last year, Wipro had opened a software hub in Vishakhapatnam that will employ 2,000 people. Meanwhile Zoho is taking things a notch further. In March last year, it had announced that it would open additional satellite offices, which seat 20 to 30 employees, in rural and non-urban areas across India. Then, in September, Zoho said that it had plans to hire about 2,000 people for its rural offices by December end. These are not isolated incidents, but part of a broader trend that started some time before the pandemic for some companies, and then found broader traction with the overall tech industry once the full effects of the pandemic were felt. Citing a Pareekh Consultants' study, a financial daily has said that IT, IT-enabled services, and engineering services companies have created a physical presence in 27 tier-II cities. These cities include the likes of Kakinada, Vizag and Vijayawada. Clearly, tier-II cities have been the biggest beneficiaries as tech firms look beyond the metros. However, reports and industry insiders suggest that tier-III cities also stand to benefit.   Nasscom Senior VP & Chief Strategy Officer Sangeeta Gupta told Business Standard that the digitization tsunami, as well as the acceptance and expanding investment in new technologies, has raised demand for digital skills. This, she says, has resulted in a talent war that is widening the demand-supply imbalance. Businesses can overcome the talent shortage by recruiting workers in smaller cities, thanks to innovative working models that remove geographical restrictions. According to Gupta, with significant cost arbitrage, thriving infrastructure, and smart city efforts, tier-II cities have become more appealing for tapping into talent pools.   The NASSCOM strategic review 2022 revealed that currently over 35 technology companies have 50+ delivery locations and are further growing their coverage across Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities. Tech Mahindra has been one of the early adopters of this trend. And the factors that have driven its decisions  shed light on why IT companies are aggressively looking beyond the metros.   So, what are the other factors driving this trend? First, the adoption of the work from home model due to the Covid-19 pandemic has highlighted that employees don't need to be based in metro cities to execute projects. Many young employees had to return to the smaller cities from where they hailed due to work from home. Companies will find that some of them might be hesitant in returning to metros with its hour-long office commutes and sky-high rents. As dining and entertainment options in these smaller cities catch up with the bigger metros, there's even less of a motivation for young graduates to leave their hometowns. Tech companies are also adopting worker-centric models thanks to the pandemic. And, they have good reason to do so. Microsoft conducted a survey of 30,000 employees and found that 80 per cent wanted to work remotely. A Zerodha survey found that only 8 per cent of employees wanted to return to the office full time. Meanwhile, 67 per cent said that they would move to Tier-II or Tier-III cities and towns if working from home was allowed permanently.

On January 16th, Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said that India's IT industry can play a big role in raising services exports to $1 trillion a year. In a virtual meeting with a clutch of top leaders from the IT industry, the Union minister assured the government's full support to the sector. The assurance, which came just days before the Union budget, was a confidence-booster for the sector. And amid strong Q3 performances, the Indian IT sector got another shot in the arm this week. Six Indian IT companies found themselves in the top 25 list of most valuable global IT services brands. TCS' growth is attributed to the company's investments in its brand and its employees, customer equity, and strong financial performance. Tata Consultancy Services or TCS has become the world's second most valuable brand in the IT services sector, according to Brand Finance's recent Global 500 IT Services Ranking report. On the top of the list was Accenture. TCS grew its brand value by $1.84 billion (12.5%) to $16.78 billion in just over the last 12 months. Infosys came in at third rank with a brand valuation of $12.77 bn. And apart from the two giants, four more Indian companies feature in the top 25 IT services brands The average growth of Indian brands that have appeared in the Brand Finance IT Services ranking since 2020 is an impressive 51 per cent. The US brands have on average contracted by 7 per cent. Both TCS and Infosys reported a healthy quarter-on-quarter rise in their consolidated net profit in the quarter ending December 2021. While TCS saw its net profit increase 1.51% to Rs 9,769 crore, Infosys saw its net profit increase by 12% to Rs 5,809 crore.  And the top 5 Indian IT companies, namely TCS, Infosys, Wipro, HCL Technologies and Tech Mahindra are expected to report around $70 bn as combined revenue in the ongoing fiscal year.  The pandemic has dealt a big blow to India's unorganised sector. But it helped several organised sectors register a good growth. Over the last two years, Indian IT companies reaped rich dividends as the world underwent digital transformation at a frantic pace. India's $194-billion IT industry has been a big beneficiary from the pandemic. It spurred global companies to bolster investments in services, ranging from cloud-computing, digital payment infrastructure to cyber-security. In fact, industry body NASSCOM has recently pointed out that before the pandemic, Indian IT companies were reporting annual growth rates of around 6-7%, which have now increased to around 15-20%.  However, the industry's growth has brought with it an increased scale of attrition. Indian IT majors and newer tech start-ups flush with venture capital money are competing for the same talent pool. And as evidenced by payments startup BharatPe luring techies with the promise of BMW bikes and paid holidays to Dubai, the entry of these VC-backed startups is driving up the industry's compensation metrics, leading to higher attrition rates, which for most companies including TCS, hovers around 15-16% today. Even as Indian IT services players keep pace with their global peers, they need to be ready to adapt to a volatile market, where change is the only constant. Another question that remains open is what will happen to the industry's momentum if and when the rapid pace of digital adoption driven by COVID-19 settles down.     Watch video

Kiran Karnik, former president of NASSCOM, and Osama Manzar, co-founder of Digital Empowerment Foundation, discuss the promises and pitfalls of technology, the gaps in its application in India, and the role the government can play in making access to technology more equitable. Highlights (for the app only): How digital technologies have enabled people, even in the remotest parts of India. Why we cannot look at technology in isolation and need to address the systemic flaws creating unequal access. Why the government's primary objective when it comes to using technology must be to create more equity for its citizens. Why the purpose of technology must be very clear. Whose interest does it serve? Does it benefit the least empowered people in the world? Read more: The missing link in technology India urgently needs an EdTech policy How the social sector thinks about tech is wrong Developing our digital commons How to think about funding technology in the social sector Four things to think about with tech for social good Are we ready for EdTech? When internet comes home: E-learning in Indian villages during COVID-19 Connecting the disconnected Open-source tech for nonprofits India's gendered digital divide Non-linkage with Aadhaar has impeded access of the poor to welfare entitlements An offline alternative for Aadhaar-based biometric authentication How COVID-19 deepens the digital education divide in India This podcast is a Maed in India production, you can find out more about us https://www.maedinindia.in/

 Geetha Ramamurthy is the co-founder and CEO of GiGa Innovation Centers in Bangalore and US, a robust Entrepreneur ecosystem that offers incubation, business support services, advise, mentoring and funding for start-ups and growth stage companies. It provides Entrepreneurs access to US markets through introductions and strategic marketing campaigns. She launched GiGa CALM – business support services including Compliance, Accounting, Legal, Marketing and placement services to small and midsize businesses that saves costs and promotes faster growth. She co-founded 10X Organizational Transformation program designed to inspire Intrapreneurship, Innovation, transform leadership to achieve growth and scale. 10XOT is adopted by SMEs and Global companies worldwide. She founded Ignite Career Confidence Pvt. Ltd., that provides education and training to corporate workforce and college students on leadership, technology and soft skills. Ms. Ramamurthy has conducted Management Development and Leadership training at several global companies and colleges across India and she conducts Entrepreneurship education and Training programs worldwide. Ms. Ramamurthy serves as chair of TiE Women Bangalore program that provides mentoring and funding to Women Entrepreneurs, worldwide. She serves as - advisor to Keiretsu, the largest global angel network, lead mentor at GINCELERATOR, Bangalore, Jain Innovation Center, advisory team member and mentor to Anthah Prerana of TiE Bangalore, a business Plan competition for startups. She is on jury panel of various business plan competitions (ITBT, TI IICDC, Unnathi, KIIT-TBI, NASSCOM, TYE and others) in India and abroad. She is advisor to global non-profit organizations like Akshayapatra (ISCON) Child Fund and FUEL, and provide students access to employment opportunities through career counseling and skilling. As a member of Vision Karnataka Foundation, she leads its Startup Entrepreneurship and Innovation Council. Prior to founding GiGa, Ms. Ramamurthy was the founding executive Director of the Boston Chapter of TiE and serves as Charter Member. She led several TiE Boston and TiE Global conferences and two VC delegation trips to India. This inspired several US VC houses to open offices in India. As an active Charter Member of TiE, she interacts with its members and Charter Members worldwide, regularly. Ms. Ramamurthy is the creator of TyE (TiE Young Entrepreneurs) an Entrepreneurship education program for youth, designed to teach youth how to become entrepreneurs and business leaders. She is the program evangelist, worldwide. For more details join our Telegram Growth Hubhttps://t.me/joinchat/CSEJQxlsGbnRG7AbWBLsbgMail to: dream100@hasovan.com for more detailsFor a Free copy of Holistic Wellbeing Quotient workbook, download from http://www.hasovan.com

Tanmay Bakshi is a 16-year-old Canadian author, AI and ML Systems Architect, TED & Keynote speaker, Google Developer Expert for Machine Learning, and IBM Champion for Cloud.  He has addressed over 200,000 executives, developers, and audiences worldwide as a speaker. The United Nations, NASSCOM, Linux Foundation, Apple, SAP, IBM, KPMG, Microsoft and Walmart are a few of the organizations he has keynoted for. Tanmay has been featured in the Toronto Star, Forbes and CNBC, Bloomberg, The New York Times, and The Wall Street Journal, just to name a few. His self-titled YouTube channel reaches over 330,000 subscribers across the world.

Abhishek Prasad is the Managing Partner at Cornerstone Venture Partners (CSVP), an early-stage fund focused on backing startups that are ‘technology enablers' in India and abroad. A few of the companies within their portfolio include Intelligence Node, Wizgo, Credit Nirvana and Smart Ship.Abhishek is an IIM-B alumnus, committee member at NASSCOM and has previously spearheaded the Investment team at GenNext Ventures Fund (part of Reliance Industries Ltd.)Follow both, Abhishek Prasad (@abhishek_csvp) and host, Akash Bhat (@bhatvakash) on Twitter.. . .Glossary of terms:1. NPA: NPA or Non-Performing Assets is defined as a credit facility in respect of which the interest and/or installment of principal has remained 'past due' for a specified period of time. In simple terms, an asset is tagged as non-performing when it ceases to generate income for the lender.. . .In this episode we will learn about:1. Abhishek's experience investing as a CVC and then now as a traditional VC fund2. India's value proposition to investors3. Qualities in a startup/founding team that attracts CSVP4. How involved an investor should be in an early stage startup5. Areas where CSVP makes investments in6. What is impact scaling and why is that the thesis for success at CSVP7. False positives and false negatives with respect to investing in technology startups8. What customer diligence is all about

Are entrepreneurs born with traits that most of humanity lacks, or can they be made with the right ingredients in place? In this Episode, we explore this question with our very first guest on the show, Rishi Thomas. Rishi Thomas is a venture partner at Contrary Capital and the president of USC's premier entrepreneurship society - Sigma Eta Pi. He co-founded an online consulting platform for the Indian job market called Qdero during his sophomore year, and the company was incubated at NASSCOM in India. He has also worked with Microsoft Accelerator and Investopad (Founded by two under 30 members) in the past. Rishi has a passion for entrepreneurship and a keen interest in emerging technologies - especially blockchain - and is always willing to engage people in a discussion surrounding society and technological development.