Small IT companies will play a big role in the growth of IT sector in the coming decade, according to Mr Rajendra Singh Pawar, Chairman of National Association of Software and Service Companies (Nasscom).
He was speaking here on Saturday evening after receiving the Twentieth Dr Y.Nayudamma Memorial Award from the Supreme Court Judge, Mr Justice Jasti Chelameswar.
Mr Pawar said by the end of the current financial year, the IT industry in the country would be of the size of $100 billion and by the end of 2020, the target of Nasscom was to achieve $225 billion, giving employment to 10 million people. Currently, 3 million people were employed in the sector.
He said Nasscom was making all attempts to bridge the digital divide in the country by taking IT to rural areas.
In the fields of education and medicine, he said IT would bring about a revolutionary change in the future. Unlike in the rest of the world, in India IT would reach the masses through the mobile phone.
He said Nasscom was also taking initiatives to minimise electronic waste and to make IT sector eco-friendly. He said the Andhra Pradesh Government was in the forefront in introducing IT in governance. Now the other states were emulating Andhra Pradesh, he added.
Citizens' services would be delivered in future by employing IT. In the agriculture sector too IT would play a big role in future, Mr Pawar said.
Middlemen would be eliminated and the farmer would get a fair price for his produce.
He recalled the services of the late Dr.Y.Nayudamma for development of science and technology in the country.
Mr Justice J. Chelameswar, Mr P. Vishnu Murthy, Managing trustee of Dr Y.Nayudamma memorial trust, Mr R. Sampath, senior journalist, and Mr Ratish Nayudamma, son of Y. Nayudamma, also spoke on the occasion.