HRD Talk

An interview with Harish Fabiani, Chairman, eComServer, Princeton, New Jersey

Established in 1998 with an employee size of over 200 people, eComServer with offices in New Jersey, Spain, and India is an emerging technology leader in building customer-centric eCommerce and customer-contact solutions and products.

ARMED with a Diploma in Engineering from PUSA, Harish Fabiani ventured to start eComServer, an eBusiness Solution Provider that focuses on providing solutions in B2B eCommerce and CRM areas. Strategic partnerships with key companies in the industry have provided robust, scaleable, fault-tolerant B2B eCommerce Solutions.

An investment of IRs.1000 crore in 1999, and IRs 500 crore this year has given him positivereturns and has made eComServer a name to reckon with.Mr. Fabiani's views on the Indian market and manpower potential was shared with Pratibha Gadhalay during a recent conversation:

India is a country with promising potential, and this is the reason I decided to tap the opportunity. Five years hence, I strongly believe that India is going to be one of the strongest countries in the field oftechnology. Setting up a company in the US is expensive when compared to the cost advantage in India.

As a result we have a lot of MNCs making theirpresence felt, and this triggered us to set up eComServer here. India is not lagging behind in any way; in fact we have everything available here.

It only requires tapping the right potential at the right time. I feel that the biggest boon for India has been the Y2K boom, the next one is just round the corner. India will be known as one of the most tech-savvy countries in the world. The Internet has given India has given the capability and capacity to assert and make its presence felt in the global market.

There is marked difference between the Indian and American middle class. The Indian spends Rupees while the American spends the same number of Dollars.

It therefore makes more sense to recruit, train and set people to work in India for two reasons - you tap the best potential that is available in India which often ranks above the available talent in the US, and it also proves to be the most economically advantageous option to both the technical personnel and the investors.

Teamwork, tapping the right potential, and identifying people with the needed skill sets are the positive traits that have helped eComServer become what it is today.

Apart from business, I have also funded a school near Jodhpur called Gita Ashram. I believe that education is a must for all and those who are deprived of it are losing out a lot in life. Education has played a key role in my life and hence I want to make a contribution to education in whichever way I can.

The concept of the Hyderabad International School interests me, as it would give tremendous opportunity to children who want an exposure to the western way of education and for expatriates who will be willing to relocate to Hyderabad as internationally recognised education will be available.

The fact that the majority of Indian students in the US are from Andhra Pradesh is significant; making it apparent that such a school is a felt need for the local students.

I very strongly believe that we should give back to society, society's due. Too many entrepreneurs have been distracted by burgeoning revenues and they have often forgotten the need to put back a little of what they take out. I am sure that this country would be a great place to live in if we get together to make it one.

As told to Pratibha Gadhalay

pratibha.hyd@careercommunity.co.in