September - 2009 issue > In My Opinion

By Bharat Desai

The story of Syntel is one of transition and evolution. I moved to the United States in the late 1970s while working for an Indian technology services firm. Through my work as a consultant, I realized that there was a significant business opportunity delivering high-quality programming talent to companies in need of software expertise. I decided to further my education by attending The University of Michigan on nights and weekends, eventually earning an M.B.A.

In 1980, my wife Neerja and I were both in graduate school and founded Syntel (then called Systems International) using our savings of $2,000. We started providing IT staffing services to Detroit-based automotive companies, and earned $30,000 in our first year of operations.

We faced the usual challenges getting the business off the ground – landing our first customers, convincing people to come work for us, and learning new sets of skills like legal, finance, and HR.

We also had to address some of the nagging doubts that every entrepreneur faces, like the questions:

* Is this really what you are most passionate about?

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