March - 2001 - issue > Openfile

As journalists who are part of a leading global media organization that is a source of information and analysis for millions of people, we often have to make value judgments. Which news item is more significant? Which does our audience really care to read about? From our vantage point, we witness developments unfolding at feverish pace in all areas of business and technology that we cover. We are acutely aware that what we publish through our various channels — the siliconindia magazine, the Web site at www.siliconindia.com and the e-mail newsletters — significantly affects people’s perceptions of individuals, companies, markets and countries.


From this perspective, our content is unique. It is a structured amalgamation of what we report and analyze, supported by the ideas and analysis of experts in specific areas of business and technology. As a result of this approach, siliconindia has always sought to maintain a sharp edge and an out-of-the-box thought process.


Then, on India’s Republic Day, January 26, 2001, all hell broke loose. The earthquake in India forced us to make judgments about what was more important to our readers — the devastation in the disaster-hit areas, or the usual staple of business and technology news and analysis. This was a special situation. Our readers are not only business and technology professionals but are human beings, have families and strong emotional attachments to roots back home. So in such a situation, what is important to you, the reader? There can only be one main headline a day, right? What should it be?


The answer came as quickly as the questions. Readers from all over the world sent inquiries, offers of help, and ideas for more effective information dissemination. Companies, non-profit organizations and individuals extended support and asked us for help. As the death toll rose, so did the consolidation in these efforts. The message was loud and clear: this was significant enough for a business and technology oriented media organization like siliconindia to cover.


Since then, we have published several articles that delve deeper into the management techniques and technologies that can mitigate the impact of such a disaster and speed up relief efforts. You’ll find those articles on our Web site.

In this issue of siliconindia, we present what we hope is a well-rounded view of India’s preparedness to address the opportunities presented by the emerging global knowledge economy, its potential impact, the possible hurdles and what is needed to overcome them. As you can imagine, this is a vast canvas. Reams and reams of paper can be consumed covering the topic. So we decided to address the key aspects through the voices of the key people dealing with them. You will find mixed streams of opinion about the Indian IT industry flowing through the issue — from the optimistic to the depressing, from refreshing to old-worldly, from surprising examples of the effects of the New Economy, to the nagging vestiges of the Old. That’s what India has done through the ages, right? Shock, amaze and attract — all at the same time. This is precisely what India’s IT industry is doing now to the rest of the world. And that is what this issue is all about. Hope you enjoy it. As always, we look forward to your feedback.



Yogesh Sharma
Editor
Write to: yogesh@corp.siliconindia.com