Indian entrepreneurs

Ernest Prabhakar (prabhaka@apple.com)
Fri, 4 Dec 1998 17:41:24 -0800


So, I'll help keep FoRK alive by breaking my long silence (due to neglect, not
malice).

This week's Business Week (I read it on paper, not online) had an article on
Indian Entrepreneurs, mostly focusedon IIT grads. The most interesting quote:

Of an estimated 2,000 startups in Silicon Valley, 40% are Indian-spawned, and
of those, half are by IIT grads.

I assume that means at least one Indian in the charter group; still, that's
pretty huge.

It also interesting that the article is focused on enterpreneurship and
management, not (just) on being whiz kids techno-geeks.

They also mentioned an "Indus Enterpreneurs" network in the SF area. Perhaps
the most remarkable is that it is both Indians and Pakistanis' -- South Asians
hate banding together. :-) Anyone want to take bets on when Rohit will be
their Keynote Speaker?

Its interesting to imagine that if Rohit and I had been born & bred in India
we'd have ended up someplace like that. Assuming we survived, the major
difference would be that Rohit didn't procrastinate, and I'd be married.

"IIT status and salaries make them hot commodities in India's contractual
marriage system"

-- Ernie P.