Explaining what and how IT could be leveraged to make a difference to the Indian landscape, Kohli said that among the first things to be done was to acknowledge the fact that there was no other country in the world with more problems than India.

To a large extent, Kohli said, these problems could be solved by using IT as a tool. Arguing his case, he said, "last year, we had 60 per cent literates and 40 per cent illiterates. We've come a long way from what these numbers used to be. But, if we continue to progress at this rate, it will take another 30 years before we manage to wipe out illiteracy."

Which is why, "some of us are working on building audio-visual models that will deliver content," he added.

The project involves preparing course material that will teach the pupil through easier learning aids to be able to read at least "300-400 words in about three months depending on the individuals capabilities." This, Kohli said, will allow an average person to read half a newspaper.

It is being made possible through sophisticated techniques to deliver content, high-end servers that store the content and WLL technology to transfer the content.

Over the next 12 months, he said that those working on the project would be able to iron out the inadequacies in the system and there was a very strong chance that "we may be able to break the back of illiteracy in five years".

These networks, Kohli said, could be used later to optimise resources used in agriculture, governance, etc. He complimented Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu for the efforts initiated by him.

It was precisely such developments that helped IT gain solid ground in the country, he said. "I am a strong believer in the fact that IT can help solve a good many problems." Unfortunately though, the application of computers was minimal in India and it did not affect a great many people, he explained."I am spending about 25 per cent of my time on the adult illiteracy programme. We need to have an intelligent country as much as we need intelligent enterprises," he said.

He was at pains to emphasise that India should stop looking at export revenues in the long-term from the software industry. "Software is a soft option," he said. "Instead, we should increasingly channel resources into building hardware where India does not have a significant presence, because the process of building hardware is not as cumbersome as it used to be," he added.