Author: Gautam Siddharth
Publication: The Times of India
Date: January 28, 2008
URL: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Software_shakhas_draw_IT_pros_to_RSS/articleshow/2736140.cms
The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh is adding colour
to India's booming IT sector: saffron.
Efforts to induct young, upwardly mobile IT
professionals into its fold have gained momentum in "cybercities"
across the country: from Pune to Hyderabad, and from Chennai to Noida.
RSS is drawing young professionals in substantial
numbers in these cities to events called "IT Milans" with the ultimate
aim of using the networking skills of the young to spread its message.
These "software shakhas" contain everything
- from power-point presentations on RSS's community work to yoga. In fact, video
conferences will soon be added to this list.
IT professionals gather once a week in these
cities and their numbers are rising.
"The first software shakha was held in
Bangalore in 2003-04. It's a new experiment to connect with emerging sections
of professionals," says Ram Madhav, former RSS spokesman.
"At the Pune IT Milan, more than 1,000
turned up, which isn't a bad number."
"The number of youths joining IT companies
is increasing. We've introduced IT Milan to groom professionals towards RSS's
way of thinking," says Pune-based Katcheshwar Sahane, western Maharashtra
prant sanghachalak of RSS.