Can India Produce A Bill Gates?

SAURABH SRIVASTAVA,
Managing Director, IIS Infotech

Given the several world-class Indian infotech trepreneurs, one is tempted to say we can. But then Bill Gates operates in a freewheeling entrepreneurial culture, sans red tape, with easy access to capital and the world’s largest market. Even Europe has not produced a Bill Gates.

M. CHANDRASHEKARAN,
Director, Aditi Technologies

Absolutely. The raw material the infotech industry deals with isintellectual capability. But it would need a change in circumstances and loosening up ofthe controls the industry is subjected to while adopting the value-addition mantra.

N. VITTAL,
Former chairman, Telecom Commission

There are already many Bill Gateses on a smaller scale, who possess thevital mix of technological and entrepreneurial skills. Bangalore is emerging as a globalsoftware centre. An Indian, Vinod Dham, invented Intel’s Pentium chip and SiliconValley is flooded with Indians. What we need is the venture capital and a conducive fiscalclimate.

ROYANS K. THARAKAN
Student and software entrepreneur

Bill Gates was not a poor, resource-struck guy as most of us in Indiaare. Unfortunately, computers is a field where infrastructure is an integral part oflearning, unlike maths and physics. There are many talented guys out there who haven’tseen a computer yet. I was very lucky that I had access to computers at a young age. Indiacan certainly produce a Bill Gates, but I doubt whether it will happen soon.