Dreams of a Developer

This book sets out to explore the evolution of tech leadership in India from a bird’s-eye view rather than the casual explanations often I share with those who inquire during long airplane flights and social gatherings. In the chapters that follow, I use three storylines to answer. First, my personal story, which like that of so many Indian people, begins in rural poverty (though we didn’t perceive ourselves as poor) and changes direction as a result of parents who prioritized my education. Later, as a result of a career at Microsoft, my story also includes what I’ve learned from three Microsoft CEOs (Bill Gates, Steve Ballmer, and Satya Nadella), who have spanned the advent of the personal computer, the Internet, cloud computing, and now artificial intelligence. Second, I want to explore the history, economics, and mindset that have shaped tech competencies and capacities in India. My book title stems from my own dream to become a computer engineer, and my subtitle suggests that software development – technologies of all kinds, really -- can contribute to inclusive economic development anywhere for people, organizations, and society. Finally, we will look ahead to what this might mean in the future for people and communities – what is on the horizon and how do we cultivate a quantum mindset?