New challenges: Diversity and multiculturalism

“Technology is blind to colour, gender and religion. It is inclusive in nature, companies have to be the same,” says Mrinalini Ingram, Senior Director, Finance, at global computer networking giant Cisco.

“Technology is blind to colour, gender and religion. It is inclusive in nature, companies have to be the same,” says Mrinalini Ingram, Senior Director, Finance, at global computer networking giant Cisco.

Inclusion and diversity no longer remain confined to the world of politics or religion. They are fast becoming buzzwords in the world of IT business in India as well.

In the past three years, across major technology companies, special positions have been created in the corporate hierarchy to address issues like gender sensitisation and create acceptance for different cultures, ethnicities and religion, equal opportunity, disabled-friendliness, respect for other people’s world views, acceptance of minorities. Workshops, training sessions and talks are conducted revolving around these issues in the companies that are focused on diversity and inclusion being a part of their business strategies.

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Geetha Kannan, Associate Vice President HR at Infosys, for example, heads the company’s diversity office and Dell India has a Diversity Manager in Preethi Raja.

At the inauguration of an Infosys internship programme, the company’s Chief Mentor N R Narayana Murthy said: “We have to learn how to integrate with other cultures and work seamlessly as a multicultural team.”