The American technology sector owes a significant part of its success to the contributions of Indian professionals, according to Harbir K. Bhatia, CEO of the Silicon Valley Central Chamber of Commerce.
In an interview with PTI, Bhatia highlighted the pivotal role Indians have played in propelling innovation within the globally renowned tech hub of Silicon Valley. “Indians are one of the largest leaders of innovation in Silicon Valley. At one point, the data showed 40 per cent of Silicon Valley CEOs or founders were from South Asia or India. That is so huge,” she stated.
Bhatia emphasised that the remarkable accomplishments of Indian professionals in the US tech industry are not merely coincidental. “They’re either at the CXO level or they’re the CEOs. That doesn’t happen by chance,” she added.
Attributing their success to a strong work ethic and an unwavering drive for excellence instilled by the Indian culture, Bhatia noted, “If you get a 98 per cent in school, your mom and papa will always tell you, but why didn’t you get a hundred per cent? That’s our culture. That’s who we are. It’s never enough, and that craving and that aspiration is what separates us.”
The Chamber CEO also lauded the resourceful “jugaad” approach that Indian professionals bring to problem-solving, remarking, “If there’s a problem, put a desi on it, you’ll find a solution.”
Bhatia highlighted the symbiotic relationship between Silicon Valley and India, with a substantial portion of outsourcing operations being based in the South Asian nation.
“The tech industry is able to thrive in the United States because they can do the three-to-one model, which is the one employee in America costs three employees in India,” she explained.
“Who’s running all the operations? Who’s keeping all the lights on? It is our forces, our community that is in part and parcel and bread and butter of every tech company in some way. They cannot survive without us,” Bhatia asserted.
Acknowledging the efforts to limit visas for Indian professionals, she attributed it to their exceptional capabilities, stating, “There’s a reason why they keep trying to cap the visas because they know we’re so well that they just have to put a limit. Otherwise, we could take up all the jobs.”
