 "Old sayings that the tortoise may be slow but will prevail over the hare will not succeed in the modern world. Being steady may be okay, but being slow means you will be left behind. What we need is a combination of the hare and tortoise - speed and steadiness," says the energetic secretary of Informaion Technology, Tamil Nadu, Vivek
Harinarain.
Inaugurating ICAI Universe - the first phase of the Virtual Universe System of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) at the Brahmayya Memorial Hall in Chennai November 22, he decried the philosophy oif industrialists of the sixties in Tamil
Nadu.
The big barons had held the view hat if you are good, you will be discovered. But this will not suit modern conditions. "Today, you will have to tell the world you are good. Otherwise, no one will notice you," he added.
He pointed out that the perception was that Bangalore and Hyderabad were ahead of Chennai in the IT sector but Chennai was actually No 2 in the reality check. Bangalore was in the double digits and Hyderabad further behind. "I have a tough job of trying to match the perception with reality," he said in a lighter vein.
 Software exports from Tamil Nadu had more than doubled from Rs 3,116 crore in 2001 to Rs 7,000 crore in 2003. Over 250 software companies have been added in the last two years, which meant that a new company was coming up in Tamil Nadu every three days, Vivek pointed out.
Tamil Nadu's share of national software exports ($ 10 billion) had risen from 11 per cent in 2001 to 17 per cent in 2003 but the question was how to retain the 17 per cent share when the exports were bound to touch $ 50 billion in a few years, he added.
Vivek hoped that ICAI would give due attention to security aspects while promoting online payments and transactions in order to protect privacy and prevent hacking.
ICAI president R Bupathy, its secretary Dr Ashok Haldia, joint secretary K Venkataramana and deputy secretary A Irudayam pointed out the salient features of the ICAI Universe project - integration of regional offices, regional councils and branches in the first phase; home institute concept in the second phase by January 2004 to move to a paperless office; and total computerisation in the third phase.
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