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The Rediff Business Interview/S Ramadorai

'There are no plans to bring TCS, Tata Infotech and Tata Teleservices under one roof'

'We're not going public. I don't think high stock valuation will put an attractive spin on TCS in US'

Are you worried about the employee turnover? What has been the effect of some of the senior people of TCS leaving in recent months?

Attrition in any industry has to be looked at from the point of view of factors of attrition, whether it is because of the demand-supply inequilibrium, whether it is because people choose to go and look at opportunities differently.

In some situations and at some levels, people may be reaching their levels in the organisation. Our challenge and our wish and focus is to keep that attrition as low as possible within the realisation of what the environment and what the needs of the environment are.

So we will focus on attrition and controlling attrition definitely, but the inherent strength of the organisation is to throw up a lot of leadership. And we have enough depth to throw up a lot of leadership and in the meantime, people will entertain the challenges. And that is what leadership building is all about, and our commitment is to the people who are capable of shouldering additional responsibility.

Is TCS fairly active in the Internet and e-commerce areas?

Yes, yes, we have some very focused groups working on Internet solutions, e-commerce solutions. They have been there for the last couple of years, and we are focussing on these areas very actively.

What is TCS's level of thrust on software products?

We are very focused on our products. We have the next version of E-X called E-X NTN, we have the multi-user version of E-X which has been launched recently. We have the retail banking product which is one of our very successful products. We have launched a wholesale banking product in Switzerland called Quartz. Then we have other retail industry products, healthcare products, global custody products on the international scene. These are products which are very successful and are off-the-shelf but require some consulting around them also.

At the end of your tenure, what would you like people to say about the Ramadorai era at TCS?

I have been here for 27 years and as the head of TCS for the last two years. I want my time here to be remembered as the same in terms of building leadership, building people and customer excellence.

How active is your predecessor F C Kohli these days?

He has slowed down. He continues to be the deputy chairman. But almost all the running of company, the decision-making is with myself.

Do you see TCS, Tata Infotech and Tata Teleservices consolidating under one umbrella?

No, these are all separate entities and there are no plans of bringing them under one roof.

What is your message to new graduates and Non-Resident Indians? Why should they choose a career at TCS over any other?

We will give them the same kind of challenges which they are used to wherever they are. We will guarantee that we will give them enough challenges and opportunities and learning environment to enable them to grow to their full potential.

We want them to visit the organisation and spend some time with us in our research laboratories, if they want to do their sabbatical from their academic community. And we would like them to remember TCS as a global organisation out of India and a memorable one in whatever form or shape they would like to associate with us.

There are a lot of (former) people from TCS around the globe. At the end of the day, they have very fond memories of TCS. Quite a few of them have kept in touch, quite a few of them we know and interact with. So at the end of the day, they have very good memories of their growth in TCS and their initial upbringing in the organisation.

Photographs: Jewella C Miranda

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