After playing a key role in the fight against online sales and hosting the CeBIT a Plugged-In events, it is making efforts to help the members with technology adoption. It is also looking at improve its relationship with the state government.
It recently hosted its 17th annual general body meeting and Ketan B Shah, secretary of the association, in an exclusive chat with B.Swaminathan, shares the year-long journey, challenges and road map for the next one year of stint.
Excerpts
Channel Times: How is it feels completing one year heading one of the leading IT associations in South?
Ketan B Shah: As you are aware, this was the first time that the elections were conducted in AIT, our winning team is highly motivated and has great enthusiasm. Having started off on an uneven surface, we were able to accomplish most of our commitments. We are thankful to all the Members who had Faith in us and they are satisfied with the performance of the current team.
CT: What were the key achievements of your team during the first year?
Shah: Almost all the programs conducted were of importance to the members and many of them were firsts in AIT. The activities include training for members on both official and personal front, family outings, sports activities and for the first time ever, a mass protest registering the sale of unethical online sale. It was also our pride that a global events firm like HMFI has partnered with FiTDAK and AIT has organized curtain raiser Program of CeBIT & Plugged in September that was graced by IT Minister S.R.Patil and we worked closely with FiTDAK to make the collaboration with CeBIT, a reasonably big success.
CT: You had been elected at a time where online had been the key issue in a place like Bengaluru. Other than online, what are the other challenges the fraternity faced in the last one year?
Shah: Online was the key issue and is still continuing to be. The silver lining is after all the protests to the State and Central Govt, the vendors have come forward with positive advisories. We look forward to have good price corrections in near future, though some price corrections have taken place.
The other challenges faced by the fraternity were on the Credit Terms and also the technology changes. Technology adaptation was becoming a challenging task, given a scenario where the manpower constraint was the drawback.
CT: You had mentioned that AIT will give importance for enabling the members meet the growing demands of the SMB segments. How far you have achieved in the same?
Ketan: We have been advising the members to look at more opportunities in the service and solutions business, as the newer technology demanded the same.
CT: How strong AIT-Government relations has been till date?
Ketan: The relationship with the Govt has been very cordial, but not to our expectations, we look forward to strengthen the same this year
CT: What are the short-term and long-term plans you have for the next one year?
Ketan: Going further, we will make the Google Group exclusively for the members. The group will benefit members in terms of trade communications to buy and sell programs and communication with AIT. The Google Group Conduct Codes will be circulated to all members.
CSR activity was not taken up last year. This year we will have atleast one CSR activity.