All’s not well within the myriad of associations scattered across the country as we scratch below the rosy picture!

With the predicted boom in the Information Technology (IT) sector came in several IT associations in India, mainly to promote the IT industry usage. The common goal of these associations have been to safeguard the interest of the industry, promote goodwill and unite the industry, to strengthen the role of IT in National Economic Development and so on.

MAIT, TAIT, AIREA, NASSCOM, COMPASS, SITA just to comb a few, are examples of the numerous associations related to the channel in some way or the other across the country. But how effectively are these associations carrying out their roles and how effectively have they addressed situations in the need of the hour is difficult to comment on.

Most associations aim at developing the city in which they are located in as a globally competitive Indian IT Industry but end up making news about dirty politics of power play. Before you read this article as “Anti-association”, lets face it… the channel needs a wake-up call!

Are all existing associations actually working in favor of the community at large? Which association can proudly stand up and say that all its members are united in their stand for any particular that requires a united intervention and solution? At any given day, most channel partners and resellers within an area are busy warring and undercutting each other on schemes or other trivial issue. With the threat of retail looming large over the channel, resellers and partners alike are forced to scout lucrative options to eke a decent profit in the channel business.

“Where our agenda is concerned we are not looking after the interest of channel partners but all aspects of channel business. Until we do not get any requests, we do not do anything.” These are the words of Saket Kapoor, President, PCAIT.

For sometime now, SITA in Surat has been trying to transform Surat into India's most preferred IT destination. Some talks about developing an Infotech park were also on. The association is not clear on those plans; the latest information we received from the current president and other members is that they are currently neck deep in planning out an excursion to Shimla.

SITA President Ketan Patel promised to call back and answer to the numerous emails and phone calls sent by us. After being harrowed from SITA's unresponsiveness I decided to call up their office again. "We are all very busy here," said a voice over the phone. “We have an impending plan to implement, which is a business-cum-fun trip to Shimla," the voice continued.

After much running around, we finally caught up with SITA's “immediate past president” Bharat Randheri. "SITA is very upfront on protecting its dealer community. We have even pleaded Microsoft not to directly victimize the dealers in name of raids," Randheri stated. While Lalani of COMPASS went on disconnecting our calls. He must be so busy, we understand.