At the company I am currently freelancing for, I called the help desk to configure my computer settings, which was easily and quickly, done with no misunderstandings to speak of. The woman I spoke to over the phone was obviously an Indian, living and working in India. She understood my thick American accent and I understood hers; my family is from the country, after all. It struck me how normal it now is to speak to Indians quite frequently to help resolve a wide range of tech issues. When my phone call was complete and my Internet connection was up and running, I also realized how India’s strong presence and involvement in IT (Internet technology) should not be surprising; throughout history, the country has made significant contributions to the advancement of human civilization. Its people have moved all around the world to settle, work, and flourish in almost anything they choose to do. India’s “Technology Renaissance” period, which has been growing since the mid 1990s, is just the most recent phenomenon to become globally recognized. Like anyone else who is interested, I can’t help wondering what the future holds for Mother India and the people within her borders, and beyond.

Outsourcing has almost singlehandedly revolutionized India’s economy, and cities like Bangalore in Southern India are now synonymous with this subcontracting process. My parents knew Bangalore as a popular honeymoon destination. Now, the city’s residents are surrounded by historical remnants and the burgeoning IT industry. Even though Western sentiment is generally against outsourcing jobs to India, we all should agree that the Indian economy has flourished considerably because of the influx of tech jobs that have become available to the people there. The companies who choose to cut costs by outsourcing are the ones who are “to blame” for depriving their fellow citizens of employment.

Now that Bill Gates has given his encouragement and advice concerning the future of India’s tech industry to the country’s business and government leaders, the India’s “Technology Renaissance” will continue to grow for years to come. I personally don’t mind that when I call for tech support, I speak to someone from India or anywhere else. As long the issues are resolved and I can understand what he or she is saying on the other end, I am content…for now.