I am really irriated when I read that IT/software accomplishments of India are nothing. What do these people know or even understand. Yes, with a population of one billion, whatever we do will look punny. so, WHAT? Even if 1% of poor benefit it is a good number. IT cannot and will not solve all our porblems. Every software engineer knows this. No need for some half baked journalist or social worker to say this. If not for IT many of my generation would not have got a decent job. Yes, we have a long way to go, half the population of india is poor....blah blah blah....Everyone agrees. But for the first time since independence, there is hope, there is a mutual feeling shared among masses that "We need to grow". The dependence on government and blaming on government for all maladies is reducing. For the first time, people really believe that education can infact bring tangible benefits. We have lots to learn. From IT coolies (yes we are that, and i am quite proud of that), we need to move up in the supply chain and we will. Not because of any complex economic reason or sudden change in government attitude, but basically due to the thirst of people to see themselves to be peers with rest of the devloped world. This urge and dream is the force that can and will take us, where we belong.