India Should Build on its Early Start

The past three decades of computer revolution was built on the outstanding success of microtechnology - microprocessors, micro-code, micro-kernel, micro-miniaturisation of processor chips, RAM chips, hard disks, access cards, peripherals and a whole range of companies that capitalised on this revolution. In the process a near trillion dollar industry got created, thereby ushering in an IT revolution that cuts across industries, disciplines and even continents. The next revolution that is round the corner is in nanotechnology. This refers to designing devices that are of the size of a nanometer (10-9 meter), fabricating them and system engineering such devices to build interesting applications. It is an inter-disciplinary science calling for expertise across a whole range of subjects - electrical and electronics engineering, computer science, biotechnology, materials engineering, chemistry and physics.