[Ilugc] Where Have All the Professionals Gone?

[Girish Venkatachalam]

On Sat, Oct 21, 2006 at 09:48:00AM -0700, Vijay S Anand wrote:
> Usually when I meet students, and professionals, their usual concern and complaint is that most companies here in India do menial service work that rots their brain cells and kills the spark. The conversation usually continues to say that, how they wish they could work in a better environment on something that will induce and encourage creativity and do more than porting of code, management of some old project, migration of data, or do support work for the running of some services.
>   Do people really mean that? I am not sure.
I don't know what you really mean to say here.

I personally have refrained from making pointed remarks at any organization/individual/group in ILUGC so far.

But I think I will have to butt in here. Please don't get offended.

Anyway to answer your question perhaps you are right. That people really don't mean that. Because from whatever I have seen so far what people want in India is to buy a car/house and settle in life with a cushy job. A guaranteed monthly income that gives them some sort of snob value more than anything else and also certain foreign trips thrown into the bargain.

So if you give people all these things and along with that also some sexy work then they are ready. Otherwise not.

Nobody recognizes that great things don't come to them in a plate.

If you pass exams by studying just the previous night, then you forget even before the exam is over. Of course you will get good marks but in life you end up being a zero.

Why? Because no endeavor is done in the short term.

All great achievements are a result of several months and years of hard work, toil and sacrifice.

What to talk of sacrifice in the Indian context?

Our hearts have run dry of such noble and immensely practical ideas.

Perhaps this has to do with a silly Westernisation that is happening of late.

We take all the evil from them but coolly leave out the good points...
>   For those of you who arent aware by now, I work with the Indian Institute of Technology and with the TeNET group. TeNeT in some sense, doesn't come under IIT's direct jurisdiction, though it avails of all the benefits, and has a lot of potential for growth. I am working on putting together a team that would form what I would like to call the TeNET Labs. There are a lot of companies such as Google and Microsoft, all the big players in the Industry who want to align with IIT and do some collaborative work. The task of this team would be to work with them and see what we can build. You'll get a chance of your lifetime to work with some amazing people, and be part of a simple rule : we don't do services work, and everything we do will be qualified as innovative and aimed towards patenting. In otherwords, you will have to be creative.

I happen to know too well about Tenet. :-)
>   Compensations can be matched, and there is the priviledge of working to solve some amazing problems that will impact, perhaps the entire population in drastic ways.
>   Do you think after explaining all this it is easier to find good talent? Most are very reluctant to give up their service jobs and come take this up full time. I understand that it might sound scary and hence am offering them a one year contract. By the end of it you will either love it and want to get more involved, or you walk away with having IIT's name on your resume, some very good contacts in the industry, and some experience gained.
I can't agree with any of this. :-) Let me leave it at that.

Yes, I agree that you get some product development experience that perhaps you cannot get anywhere in India, most definitely not in Bangalore.
>   That sounds like a win-win situation to me. I can't compromise on the talent and skill of the person and make this a one-sided deal. But if You know someone who would love to take up an offer like this and they are looking to stand out, Point them to me. 
>   I am looking to meet people who mean their words, and really want to be part of something, innovative, creative, and larger than life.

I am really very very sorry to be doing this. I know how much hurt I am causing you but I am more or less forced to do it since you can't make omelettes without breaking eggs...

Can you please elaborate what innovative, creative and larger than life endeavor you are going to do?

Aren't you aware that the most reputed TeNET company has not been paying its employees the salary on time? 

Sorry. I couldn't help myself.

If you want to build a great institution first make sure that you pay people properly and that you really mean  what you talk.

If you pay peanuts you get monkeys.

All the best!

Again I repeat. No offence meant. If there is an iota of falsehood in what I say you are more than welcome to hit me back.

Please be calm and respond with a cool head. 

Don't bring emotions into this. 

regards,
Girish