Recently, the CEO of one of Indias pioneers in IT training and education was explaining how difficult it is to engage Indian politicians and bureaucrats for many things his company is doing or planning to do. And after using all the connections and resources, if a VVIP agrees for a meeting or inauguration of a new center, it is as if he or she is doing a big favor.

There is nothing new about this I thought. But what he told us next set me thinking. This company is now imparting IT training in China. Ever since the company has set up shop in a Chinese city and been able to prove that it can offer quality education, local leaders and bureaucrats have been clean bowled. He has direct and quick access to that citys key ministers and government officials who are involved with IT or IT education there. They have laid threadbare before him all the strategies and plans to make their city and its inhabitants leverage IT in daily life. One city has made him the honorary mayor too.

While Indian politicians and bureaucrats consider it below their dignity to meet such visionaries, their counterparts in a foreign country like China are embracing them. This CEO is getting a royal treatment there. He is so happy about it and takes pride in it.

Ibrahim Ahmad

The regional superpower, with which we do not see eye to eye on many matters, is very smart. After very clearly establishing its global dominance in manufacturing, China has realized that it needs to invest in education, which will be the backbone of knowledge nations. And knowledge is what will bring global dominance in the future. China is using the services of India, which has established itself in IT education, to gear up for the future. While the Indian government is trying to wash off its hands from many responsibilities, the government in China is playing a very pro-active role there.

We view China as a big competitor in many areas where we have some kind of edge, such as software and services, product design, and a huge middle-income consumer base. By investing in IT education, China will close that gap.

While there should ideally be opportunities for these people and their companies to first serve the Indian market, they are actually working for countries that will threaten India economically in the future. It is a matter of concern if our politicians and bureaucrats do not realize this.

Finally, China is not the only competition that India will have. Indian IT training companies are doing similar work in many other countries across the world, whether it is Asia, Africa, South America, or Europe. I am proud that Indian companies are contributing to spreading quality IT education to a number of countries in the world. I just wish they got more respect and opportunities in our own country.

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