India & the U.S.: Exploring New Horizons Together

 

Today I skipped a couple of classes to go to an event at the Wyndham Hotel in Midtown.  The event was officially titled as “India and the United States: Exploring New Horizons Together – Emerging Market Opportunities.”  The event was very relevant towards our upcoming trip; however, I could not stay for the entire program.  The program lasted from 8:00 am to 6:00 pm and I only managed to stay until 1:30 pm.  I was not alone in my quest, shortly after I arrived Erik Rostad and Jamila Yancy were on the scene.  Although they are from a rival tribe, we managed to maintain peace. 

The program consisted of several prominent speakers including the Deputy Chief of the Indian Embassy, Ambassador Raminder Singh Jassal. 

Many aspects of the Indian economy were presented.  Microfinance was the topic that grabbed my attention.  Donna Rohling, who works for the Grameen Foundation discussed how microfinance has helped alleviate poverty throughout the world.  Microfinance is when you give small loans to a small group of people who then use that money to start or expand a business.  The poor people of the world do not have access to any money, which keeps them stuck in the poverty trap.  However, if they have access to money, they have the possibility to lift themselves out of poverty.

 Mr. Lalit Dhingra of NIIT Inc. highlighted some areas in Indian business that were still highly untapped.  The three main areas were insurance services, financial services, & retailing/distribution. 

 

LALIT K. DHINGRA

Profile:

             Lalit Kumar Dhingra is the President of NIIT Technologies Inc. (link this to the home page of NIITà  http://www.niit.com/index.asp)  He is responsible for managing software solutions business for NIIT in the American market.  As part of his role he manages sales as well as technical resources.  Under his leadership US share of business for NIIT Technologies has reached 40%.

Prior to moving to the United States in 1007, Mr. Dhingra was responsible for setting up Global Delivery Model for NIIT.  He initiated the NIIT’s SEI CMM journey and prior to moving to US ensured that NIIT achieved Level 3.  He was also responsible for business development of NIIT’s subsidiaries in Asia Pacific, Europe & Japan market.

Lalit has Masters in Computer Technology from the prestigious Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Delhi n India.  He also has a Masters in Operations Research from University of Delhi, India.  He has attended Executive Management Development Program from Michigan Business School, Michigan.

Lalit was on the board (1999-2001) of Southeastern Software Association, a TAG (Technology Association of Georgia) affiliation.  He is a regular speaker for Software Quality and Productivity in various international conferences.  He has contributed significantly in NIIT’s Travel and Transport business vertical and is a regular speakers I the Travel and Transport Conferences. 

NIIT Technologies Inc. is the leading provider of IT software consulting services for Financial and Insurance, Travel, Transport & Logistics, High Technology and Retail Segments. 

 

GAGAN MALIK

Gagan has now been based in San Jose office for almost 2 years and specializes in serving clients operating in the telecommunications, trading and IT/ITES space. 

Over the past 13 years, Gagan has gained wide experience in individual and corporate tax matters relating to multinational and domestic clients including inbound and outbound investment structuring.  He has been actively involved in providing a comprehensive range of foreign investment consulting services to a host of multinational companies.  He has also developed expertise in undertaking tax due diligence exercises, consulting on acquisition of businesses and structuring of transactions using tax treaties.

            Gagan has a Bachelor’s degree in commerce from Sri Ram College of Commerce, Delhi University, and qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 1997.

 

DONNA ROHLING

Social entrepreneur and activist, serves as president of The Chipias Project, a unique grassroots organization dedicated to furthering microfinance as a solution to alleviating poverty among the poorest of the poor.  The Chiapas Project is a support arm for AlSol, a microfinance institution in Mexico currently lending 4,000 women with the intention of expanding to 15,000 over the next 4 years.

            In 1998, Donna, her husband Ed, and their 2 young children moved from Deauville, France with a desire to experience living abroad first hand.  Upon return to the United States in 2002, Donna reunited with business leader and long-time friend, Lucy Billingsley.  Having learned from AlSol from a meeting with Alex Counts, President of Grameen Foundation USA, Lucy founded the Chiapas Project and began to solicit support.  It was an instant marriage of the minds and today, Donna draws upon her 20 years of experience as a business executive to promote microfinance locally and nationally. 

            A graduate of the University of Texas at Austin, Donna Rohling has served on the Board of Directors of Medisend International, The Greater Dallas Chamber of Commerce, Dallas Convention and Visitors Bureau, The Dallas Urban League, Dallas Historical Society, The American Red Cross Dallas and Fashion Group International. 

 

KARL RYDER

            Karl Ryder is in his 29th year working for UPS and is currently the Vice President of Global Accounts – Shared Services for UPS based in Atlanta Georgia.

            In his tenure, Karl has had a variety of global assignments in marketing, sales, logistics, engineering, technology, and operations.  His primary role today is focused on developing global processes that support supply chain solutions for many of UPS’s largest global customers. 

            Karl has been a member of the Georgia Tech Center for International Business Education and Research (CIBER) Board of Advisors over ten years.

            Karl is married and lives in Flowery Branch Georgia with his wife Valerie and daughter Sydney.

WALTER THOMAS

Dr. Thomas has served as Program Head and Professor in the Apparel and Textile Engineering Technology Department at Southern Polytechnic State University since 1996.  His teaching career at Southern Polytechnic State University