Indian IT Sector: The Beginning
Indian IT Sector — Starting & Initial Phase Image credit: Copyright: ©NicoElNino - stock.adobe.com The Indian IT sector’s global stature is today obvious: software exports, vibrant startup ecosystems, cloud and data centres, and millions of professionals powering companies worldwide. But that success was built slowly, starting in laboratories, public institutions and modest private firms. This article examines the starting and initial phase of the Indian IT story — the machines and minds of the 1950s–1980s, early government policy, the pioneers who turned small teams into companies, the rise of export-oriented delivery, the Y2K inflection, and the formation of IT hubs that became the foundation for later exponential growth. A short primer: why the initial phase matters When we look back at mature industries, the first decades often explain structure, culture, and resilience. India’s transition from scarce computing resources to a world-leadin...