'The whole process where people get an idea and put together a team, raise the capital, create a product and mainstream it -- that can only be done in the US. It can't be done sitting in India. The Indian part of the equation is to help these innovative US companies bring their products to the market quicker, cheaper and better, which increases the innovative cycle there. It is a complementarity we need to enhance."

-- Nandan Nilekani, CEO, Infosys, quoted in The New York Times, March 7, 2004.

So, do you agree now?? The number one guy in India has said so himself!!! So, basically he says that we Indians are just these poor people who need to work for the more influential and intellectual Americans.. Oh Ya Ya, i can hear you.. "Many Indians hold top positions in many companies", u say.. True. Accepted. But how many people are in the actual decision taking positions in these companies.. handful, right?

A very influential IT magnate of India, along with another influential person came to my institute some time back! We got 6 precious minutes to speak to them... Yay! I am jumping up and down with joy! Well, this is the fun part. We were allowed to ask 4 questions to the guests and one person in the audience asked "Why doesnt India have an MNC?". It was quite a well intentioned question, i would say. We, afterall, have the brains of the world dont we? The IITians, the IIM-grads, the IIITians ( **cough**) are all there right? Money? Well, Infosys is a billion$ company and so are Wipro and TCS! Back to the question that was asked.. the guest gave some answer which basically paraphrased what the guy had originally asked. Two weeks after this happened, the top Professor of our college came to us and gave us a gooooood thrashing! Apparently, a few of the $1B companies i mentioned above are MNCs according to "popular definition". The popular definition is "if the company has a customer from more than one nation, it is an MNC". Well, technically it is correct. But, the term should not be taken that literally, should it?? Atleast, i dont! See, there is a difference between the above mentioned companies and companies like Microsoft, Nokia, GE, Bridgestone, McDonalds and whatnot!!!

Here is the bottom line.. I agree that these companies are doing a great job for India, and that the BPO thing is one of the best things that has happened to us in quite a long time... But, it is time to move on.. It would be great if these companies could take the next step and push it. Just imagine.. Wipro and Infosys giving MSoft the run... or Reliance actually starting to make cell phones and giving Samsung and Nokia the shivers... or Saravana Bhavan competing with McDonalds (haha)... Sony could do with some competition from Videocon, right???

Well.. Dreams are really nice!! but as my Blog-page title goes..."Kanavu Meipada Vendum"...