42 Years of Dataquest: Tech Titans Tell All

Pradeep Gupta, Chairman, Cybermedia Group expresses gratitude for Dataquest’s recognition in India’s ICT industry, tracing its evolution from inception to a leading industry influencer.  Highlighting landmark events like the Dataquest Top 20 and ICT awards, Gupta underscores Dataquest’s role in shaping industry discourse. He invites industry luminaries and leaders to share insights, reflecting on the magazine’s commitment to guiding the industry amidst emerging technologies.

Neelam Dhawan, Board Member, Mentor and Advisor of businesses and entrepreneurs: “Dataquest ICT Awards and DQ20 were highly anticipated. We at HCL and HP always aspired to see ourselves at the top of the list. The event fueled healthy competition, and the secrecy around the results added to the excitement. Winning an award meant carrying Dataquest pages in our sales kit for a year, showcasing our achievements.”

Ajai Chowdhry, Cofounder HCL, Padma Bhushan Recipient, Distinguished Fellow – NITI Aayog, Chairman EPIC Foundation: “Dataquest has been a Guiding light for the industry, chronicling its journey since its inception. I recall Dataquest releasing captivating special issues over time, featuring brilliant articles contributed by various sectors of the industry. However, what stands out in my memory is the publication’s inclination towards hardware.”

Saurabh Srivastava, Chairman at Indian Angel Network and Co-Founder at NASSCOM: “Dataquest’s essence lies in its pursuit of excellence. Pradeep Gupta’s pioneering journey shaped the IT industry, with collective contributions evolving it into the industry’s ‘Oscars.’ Awards like Top 20, Path Breaker, and Lifetime Achievement symbolize excellence, driving force amidst inaccessible prestigious awards.”

Ashank Desai, Founder & Former Chairman,  Mastek and former Chairman, NASSCOM: “Dataquest’s quest for data was evident since its inception. The rankings were a pivotal moment for us, inspiring confidence and showcasing our capabilities to the industry. Your contribution to the IT industry’s dreams cannot be overstated. Times may change, but your legacy as a pillar in the IT industry is secure.”

Kiran Karnik, Former President, NASSCOM: “Congratulations on 42 years, PG and Dataquest team! Dataquest has not just chronicled history but is poised to shape the future. The awards, though not punishment, are indeed great; they recognize and honor the right people, the good people. The awards, especially the Path Breaker Award, acknowledge new directions that may emerge. It’s fabulous to see Dataquest undertaking this initiative. Here’s to continuing to chronicle, guide, and push the industry forward. All the best.”

Rajendra Singh Pawar, Chairperson of NIIT: “It’s very rare to find someone who judges and ranks people every year, yet everyone still loves him. This speaks volumes about the fairness and correctness that Dataquest embodies. Despite intense competition, I haven’t heard anyone express anger towards him. I wanted to appreciate this quality today because it’s remarkable.”

Raman Roy, CMD, Quatrro BPO Solutions: “I represent the BPO industry, and I wanted to share a different perspective. We sneaked into the ICT industry when it was going down, and they needed numbers to show the graph going up. Now, we are an integral part of ICT. The vast workforce from the BPO industry, not IT trained, used publications from Cybermedia to understand IT. I dare say the middle and upper-middle management of the IT industry learned a lot from these publications.”

Som Satsangi, Sr. Vice President & MD, HPE India: “Over the past three decades, we’ve all grown alongside Dataquest and Cybermedia. I vividly remember eagerly awaiting the monthly edition of Dataquest, as it was our primary source of industry updates in the absence of the Internet. The DQ Top 20 rankings were particularly exciting; everyone eagerly awaited to see where they stood. Thank you for your unwavering support and contributions to the industry.”