With annual economic growth rates averaging 7 percent since 19971, India is one of the most watched, analyzed, and sought after marketplaces in the world. Foreign direct investments (FDI) in India drew US$1.74 billion in November 2009 alone, earning the country a third place ranking in total global FDI for the year.2
However, like many developing countries — including its economic rival to the north, China — India faces a host of challenges in managing growth. Chief among these are a dearth of infrastructure, a labor force still firmly rooted in agriculture, and the world's second largest population, over 70 percent of which still resides in rural areas and a full 25 percent of which lives below the poverty line.3
To help address these issues while targeting continued growth and ongoing investment from global companies like IBM, the Indian government is placing big budget bets in 2010 on infrastructure and social programs to foster inclusion — to the tune of 1.7 trillion rupees (US$37.9 billion) and 1.37 trillion rupees (US$30 billion) respectively.4 That's good news for a vast majority of Indian citizens, including 60 million people with disabilities, the aging, and the world's largest population of illiterate adults.5 It's also a major step in the right direction for small companies like Barrier Break Technologies, which is working to advance awareness of the importance accessible information technology to bridge the digital divide for these same segments of the population across India. Over the last several years, Barrier Break Technologies has worked to build partnerships with the Indian government and bring strategic international accessibility conferences to the region to provide a pivotal platform for knowledge sharing and expand the availability and use of assistive technologies.
In February, for example, Barrier Break Technologies hosted the second Techshare Conference in New Delhi, India, in conjunction with The Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB), United Kingdom. IBM was a gold sponsor of the event, which brought together more than 500 professionals, educators, people with disabilities, and representatives of corporations, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and government agencies. A number of IBM executives delivered key presentations around the theme of Bridging the Barriers:
- Anil Joshi, Program Director, Human Ability and Accessibility Center, IBM Research spoke on the Business Value of Accessibility.
- Anupama Vaish, Persons with Disabilities Program Lead, IBM India Pvt. Ltd. talked about Enabling Persons with Disabilities at the Marketplace.
- Dr. Ashish Verma, IBM India, Pvt. Ltd., presented Advancements in Accessibility Technologies at IBM Research.
New to the conference this year was an exhibition area that was inaugurated by the Honorable Shri Mukul Wasnik, Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment in India. The Minister's involvement in Techshare 2008 and 2010 is a testimony to the efforts of companies like Barrier Break Technologies, RNIB, and IBM to drive home the importance of accessibility in developed and developing countries alike. With any luck, it will be the first of many collaborative efforts in India as the country rises to meet the challenges of the 21st century.
1 2010 CIA World Fact Book (link resides outside of ibm.com)
2 India Brand Equity Foundation (link resides outside of ibm.com)
3 2010 CIA World Fact Book (link resides outside of ibm.com)
4 Associated Press (link resides outside of ibm.com)
5 The Hindu (link resides outside of ibm.com)