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Infosys, Accenture take leadership positions at India’s tech lobby NASSCOM... as on-premises call centers wither
Over 90 percent of nation’s IT services sector now works from home
Senior execs from Infosys and Accenture India have taken the reins of India’s influential National Association of Software and Services Companies (NASSCOM), just as the industry is reconfiguring itself in light of the country's coronavirus stay-at-home shutdown.
At the association’s first-ever virtual Executive Council meeting yesterday, Infosys COO UB Pravin Rao was named chairman. Rekha Menon, chairman of Accenture in India, was named vice-president. NASSCOM’s chair is appointed for a one-year term.
The association remains a lobbying and policy powerhouse with deep access to India’s government, regardless of who sits at the top of its meeting room table. Evidence of that close co-operation is easy to find.
Thank you for your constant support and encouragement @DoC_GoI. We are determined to emerge stronger from this global crisis. @piyushgoyal @PiyushGoyalOffc @CimGOI https://t.co/axf68eBpVl
— NASSCOM (@nasscom) April 6, 2020
Incoming chair Rao thinks NASSCOM has even more of a role to play in this unpleasantly viral moment.
“These are challenging times for the Indian IT industry, as we deal with an unprecedented situation. However, the Indian IT industry has time and again proven its resilience, and I have no doubt that this time too, we will emerge stronger and wiser,” he said in the association’s announcement [PDF] of its new executive.
“I believe that our industry, more than ever, needs a focused approach towards building resilience, upskilling is workforce and contributing to our country’s growth, and I’m excited to be a part of this journey with NASSCOM.”
NASSCOM president Debjani Ghosh, meanwhile, has revealed that over 90 per cent of the industry’s staff are working from home. And Ravi Shankar Prasad, India’s Law & Justice, Communications, Electronics & Information Technology Minister, has praised it for doing so and its role in keeping business viable during the nation’s strong coronavirus lockdown.
Nearly 90% of India's IT workforce is now working from home & only those performing critical functions are going to offices. This has ensured that business operations are not affected. I am delighted to see the resilience of Indian IT sector during this crisis. #IndiaFightsCorona https://t.co/ZxRhZkOizE
— Ravi Shankar Prasad (@rsprasad) April 6, 2020
India's COVID-19 response thrust its technology industry and government digital services to the fore, with hackathons and industry consultations prominent. Citizens have been steered towards services such as the national cloud storage locker, DigiLocker, and services aggregation app Umang as ways to get things done while in isolation. ®