Rajendra S Pawar

The trainer



Though computer education was there in the 80s, it was still restricted to
an intellectually elite section in the IITs and the science labs. Taking the

benefits of IT learning to the masses needed breaking this elitist aura, and

this was only possible through training the vast middle class. The country

needed a messiah and in came Rajendra Pawar. The beginning was humble, when with

two colleagues he started NIIT in 1981. Over the next two decades, NIIT became

synonymous with computer training, and notwithstanding the jibes, Pawar is

perhaps the most responsible for proletarianization of IT in India today. No

doubt he will also be remembered as MAIT president, Where he integrated its

activities with other associations and as National IT Task Force member was

responsible for shaping several IT policies.