S ‘Kris’ Gopalakrishnan, co-founder Infosys, announced the launch of itihaasa, a first-of-its-kind digital app that recounts the history of Indian IT since the 1950s in the presence of industry leaders and other guests at a ceremony last evening. itihaasa is one of the largest chronicles of its kind with 600 videos featuring 44 technology stalwarts.
Using the app, one can hear FC Kohli, Prof Rajaraman, Prof Mahabala, Narayana Murthy, Azim Premji, S. Ramadorai, Nandan Nilekani, N Vittal and others trace this incredible journey from the installation of the country’s first modern computer in 1955 to crystal gazing on Indian IT in 2040.
Highlights of the itihaasa app include:
* 600 short videos, over 37 hours of footage, 350 archived photographs and articles
* Easy browsing with 12000 tags. Users can personalize stories on six dimensions-Time, People, Organization, Policy, Technical Terms and Place
* Find answers to questions like – When was programming first taught in India? How did education in computer science evolve? How did India embark on a journey to manufacture computers and software? Who were the earliest IT entrepreneurs and much more
* Discover the milestones of each decade and how it changed the Indian IT space forever
Conceptualized by Kris Gopalakrishnan as a mobile app to track business history using research-based interviews and supported by Krishnan Narayanan and Dr. N. Dayasindhu. Kris continues to be itihaasa’s patron. The app is available for free download on iOS and Android phones or tablets. The history of Indian IT is an ongoing research and will be updated periodically. The platform will explore and publish historical research on other topics in the future
Kris Gopalakrishnan, co-founder Infosys, said, “Indian IT has been integral to the rise of modern industrial India. The Indian IT and BPM industry employs 3.5 million people, contributes 9.5 percent of our GDP and has redefined the country’s perception globally. From a single modern computer in the early 50s, today the industry generates close to USD 150 billion of revenues. I am fortunate to have been a part of this fascinating journey. With itihaasa, we hope to reach the incredible story of Indian IT to many more people across the world.”
“Spread over a year, the interviews and research for itihaasa unearthed hidden nuggets and insights that make for a most compelling digital museum. I thank each one of the 44 leaders who graciously agreed to be a part of this initiative. Without their unstinting cooperation, this story would never have been told.”
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