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of service outsourcing of various kinds of new things；〃 said Rajesh。 〃But I believe
that there should be no doubt that this is just the beginning。 If ＇Indians＇ think
that they've got something going and there is something they can keep that's not going
to go anywhere； that will be a big mistake； because we have got Eastern Europe； which
is waking up； and we have got China； which is waiting to get on the services bandwagon
to do various things。 I mean； you can source the best product or service or capacity
or competency from anywhere in the world today； because of this whole infrastructure
that is being put into place。 The only thing that inhibits you from doing that is
your readiness to make use of this infrastructure。 So as different businesses； and
as different people； get more comfortable using this infrastructure； you are going
to see a huge explosion。 It is a matter of five to seven years and we will have a
huge batch of excellent English…speaking Chinese graduates
coming out of their universities。 Poles and Hungarians are already very well connected；
very close to Europe； and their cultures are very similar ＇to Western Europe's＇。 So
today India is ahead； but it has to work very hard if it wants to keep this position。
It has to never stop inventing and reinventing itself。〃
The raw ambition that Rajesh and so many of his generation possess is worthy of note
by Americans…a point I will elaborate on later。
〃We can't relax；〃 said Rajesh。 〃I think in the case of the United States that is what
happened a bit。 Please look at me： I am from India。 We have been at a very different
level before in terms of technology and business。 But once we saw we had an
infrastructure which made the world a small place； we promptly tried to make the best
use of it。 We saw there were so many things we could do。 We went ahead； and today
what we are seeing is a result of that。 。 。 There is no time to rest。 That is gone。
There are dozens of people who are doing the same thing you are doing； and they are
trying to do it better。 It is like water in a tray； you shake it and it will find
the path of least resistance。 That is what is going to happen to so many jobs…they
will go to that corner of the world where there is the least resistance and the most
opportunity。 If there is a skilled person in Timbuktu； he will get work if he knows
how to access the rest of the world； which is quite easy today。 You can make a Web
site and have an e…mail address and you are up and running。 And if you are able to
demonstrate your work； using the same infrastructure； and if people are comfortable
giving work to you； and if you are diligent and clean in your transactions； then you
are in business。〃
Instead of complaining about outsourcing； said Rajesh； Americans and Western
Europeans would 〃be better off thinking about how you can raise your bar and raise
yourselves into doing something better。 Americans have consistently led in innovation
over the last century。 Americans whining…we have never seen that before。 People like
me have learned a lot from Americans。 We have learned to become a little more
aggressive in the way we market ourselves； which is something we would not have done
given our typical British background。〃
So what is your overall message？ I asked Rajesh； before leaving with my head spinning。
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〃My message is that what's happening now is just the tip of the iceberg 。 。 。 What
is really necessary is for everybody to wake up to the fact that there is a fundamental
shift that is happening in the way people are going to do business。 And everyone is
going to have to improve themselves and be able to compete。 It is just going to be
one global market。 Look； we just made ＇baseball＇ caps for Dhruva to give away。 They
came from Sri Lanka。〃
Not from a factory in South Bangalore？ I asked。
〃Not from South Bangalore；〃 said Rajesh； 〃even though Bangalore is one of the export
hubs for garments。 Among the three or four caps we got quotations for； this ＇Sri Lankan
one＇ was the best in terms of quality and the right price； and we thought the finish
was great。
〃This is the situation you are going to see moving forward；〃 Rajesh concluded。 〃If
you are seeing all this energy coming out of Indians； it's because we have been
underdogs and we have that drive to kind of achieve and to get there 。 。 。 India is
going to be a superpower and we are going to rule。〃
Rule whom？ I asked。
Rajesh laughed at his own choice of words。 〃It's not about ruling anybody。 That's
the point。 There is nobody to rule anymore。 It's about how you can create a great
opportunity for yourself and hold on to that or keep creating new opportunities where
you can thrive。 I think today that rule is about efficiency； it's about collaboration
and it is about competitiveness and it is about being a player。 It is about staying
sharp and being in the game 。 。 。 The world is a football field now and you've got
to be sharp to be on the team which plays on that field。 If you're not good enough；
you're going to be sitting and watching the game。 That's all。〃
How Do You Say 〃Zippie〃 in Chinese？
As in Bangalore ten years ago； the best place to meet zippies in Beijing today is
in the line at the consular section of the U。S。 embassy。 In Beijing in the summer
of 2004； I discovered that the quest by Chinese
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students for visas to study or work in America was so intense that it had spawned
dedicated Internet chat rooms； where Chinese students swapped stories about which
arguments worked best with which U。S。 embassy consular officials。 They even gave the
U。S。 diplomats names like 〃Amazon Goddess；〃 〃Too Tall Baldy；〃 and 〃Handsome Guy。〃
Just how intensely Chinese students strategize over the Internet was revealed； U。S。
embassy officials told me； when one day a rookie U。S。 consular official had student
after student come before him with the same line that some chat room had suggested
would work for getting a visa： 〃I want to go to America to become a famous professor。〃
After hearing this all day； the U。S。 official was suddenly surprised toget one student
who came before him and pronounced； 〃My mother has an artificial limb and I want to
go to America to learn how to build a better artificial limb for her。〃 The official
was so relieved to hear a new line that he told the young man； 〃You know； this is
the best story I've heard all day。 I really salute you。 I'm going to give you a visa。〃
You guessed it。
The next day； a bunch of students showed up at the embassy saying they wanted a visa
to go to America to learn how to build better artificial limbs for their mothers。
Talking to these U。S。 embassy officials in Beijing； who are the gatekeepers for these
visas； itquickly became apparentto me that they had mixed feelings aboutthe process。
On the one hand； they were pleased that so many Chinese wanted to come study and work
in America。 On the other hand； they wanted to warn American kids： Do you realize what
is coming your way？ As one U。S。 embassy official in Beijing said to me； 〃What I see
happening ＇in China＇ is what has been going on for the last