Ten and tottering, thats BangaloreIT.in for you. Having just turned ten, IT.in has already become passe. This, then, succinctly sums up the sad state Bangalore’s flagship technology spectacle — BangaloreIT.in, billed as South Asia’s premier conclave finds itself in ten summers since its genesis amidst all hype and hoopla.

The tenth edition promoted as Gateway to Asia for those wanting to leverage upon Asia’s unique ICT Ecosystem, the annual IT jamboorie has simply lost sheen and steam, failing to live upto the euphoria and expectations created around it. The promise and pride with which the calendar IT trade fair and conference event took its birth seems to have died young.

Year after year borne down by the weighty baggage of its past glory, BangaloreIT.com which took to its new nomenclature BangaloreIT.in in 2006, has been skidding downhill failing to muster and whip up any new zeal or interest among the constituents it sought to showcase. If, in the initial formative years, IT.in was being frowned upon saying it was more of a State government show and that, in later years, it had nothing much to offer in terms of pure-play technology and different from one year to another, this time, as State IT, BT & ST Secretary M N Vidyashankar put it: it was a show by the industry, for the industry and of the industry.

Whose show?
But the bitter truth though is unpalatable. IT Capital’s IT showpiece seems to have been shunned with disdain and much disregard by the IT industry, which is its backbone and whose cause it seeks to champion year after year.

In hindsight, it looks like the absence of a government at helm and official patronage that the IT.in received with the government playing an active role in its conduct, has cost the show dearly dousing the future hopes of the show.

 In fact, as one State stall official put it very pointedly, the presence of Karnataka State IT minister could possibly have ensured bureaucracy was fired up on all the cylinders and no stone was left unturned in making the show a success. Atleast through presence of more overseas participation both at the trade fair and the conferences.

Lack of interest
“States,” another official said, “come up with definitive agenda that participating in IT.in will give a booster to their own state’s prospects. But all our energies are wasted. There was no business enquiries that could turn into business opportunity later. The tech fair has turned into more of a mela.”

Another added “the conferences were total flop. There were so many experts on the various sessions’ panel but absolutely no audience.” In fact, those that were found around the exhibition ground were being coerced into attending the conferences at several halls they were on in.

Too many odds
What has led to this dismal state of affairs of a show that is still young and should show more promise? Has BangaloreIT.in lost its chip and byte? Well, from impressions one garnered from various exhibitors that pitched their tents, it was obvious shifitng of the venue and travelling distance has done the event in.

Having moved from the city centre, from the sprawling surrounding of the palace ground with the magnificient palace in backdrop for the event, BangaloreIT.in has lost on several counts. If not the technology event per se, atleast Bangalore Palace was a reason enough for both foreign as also domestic disporas to brave the odd traffic jams to log in at IT.in to make the most of it as a participant as also a tourist.

Venue too far
Furthermore, the sprinkling of star hotels within the vicinity of the fair centre, as also an efficient shuttle service ensured conferences too were an instantaneous hit, inclement weather and other extraneous issues not withstanding. Also the palace ground ensured that exhibition halls could be schematically structured according to various subjects such as e-Nations, e-States, STPI, e-Infrastructure, et al providing specific focus and attention. However, this time around IT.in was held in an exibition centre 25 km away from the city centre. The kind of people visiting and the lukewarm response to the show, has been telling.

Said another exhibition participant  “With poor transport facilities and travel time of over 90 minutes due to traffic snarls at every major junctions enroute, the show has lost all its charm and attraction.

There were no serious visitors — be it from business, students or policy making side. No major IT company was around. There was also total absence of foreign participants both at the exhibition and conferences. Even though the conferences boasts of good galaxy of speakers there was no audience participation. The conferences were a total flop. So many experts so few audience.” These then were the common refrain to whomsoever one spoke to.
Many felt that the format needs to be reworked. The event itself must go in for major overhaul with definitive business orientation to it and pipeline products showcasing it’s prime driver.

The organisers could revist on whether the late October-early November dates are appropriate. The recent shows have seen rains play major spoilsport putting a dampner on the show.

Likewise, as a participant pointed out, if Bangalore International Exhibition Centre will henceforth be the permenant venue, then organisers could take a leaf out of Hannover fair.

According to him, there organisers provide escorts service, free transport from airport to fair-cum-conference centre, in-house residences at the exhibition site, besides ofcourse, the main ingredients — food and water, whose lack of it at the stall site roiled several of exhibitors who could not leave the hall unattended or close it to attend to their personal needs.

The suggestion touted by the participant was organisers could charge a bit more as participant fee and provide all these basic amenities to make the show a success.

While BIEC as a venue is excellent in terms of infrastructure and of international standards, the service side improvements as also logistics, could go a long way in making BangaloreIT.in a must port of call calendar schedule for most of us, he added.

The message is very loud and clear: It’s time for deep introspection both for the organisers as also the industry who after having raised the bogie of it being a more government mela than industry-driven initiate simply thumbed their noses at it when the ball was thrown in their court. The tenth edition of IT.in was a wake up call: change quickly before it is too late.