Secret to success?

Question

I was just wondering how come India seems to be producing people who are very good in IT and electrical engineering? Silicon Valley is full of them and I was wondering what`s their secret to success?

Answer 1

1. Indians come from a society where education is highly valued. Traditionally, engineering and medicine are two of the most respected fields a person can go into. I.E. If you have a son/daughter in that field, people know you to be reliable, cultured, disciplined, trustworthy, etc. Business school, art school, and even law school are frowned upon by many parents.

2. Many come from a background where both parents were put together in an arranged marriage. Divorce is taboo. After marriage you are supposed to have kids and divert all your attention to them. So both parents encourage the kid to go into the "respectable fields" and show off that they have a stable marriage, a good child and a good family.

3. After you are indoctrinated in the belief that engineering and medicine are the only two fields available in the world, and your whole life is geared toward becoming a doctor/engineer, you yourself become engaged in your work and work hard by yourself to attain the kind of results that are expected of you.

4. Indians, as a community, are generally scared of risk. They'd much rather go the safer route than risk losing it all (i.e. by going into the entertainment industry or a business one really likes, where there is a ton of struggle with very little initial reward and often ridicule by the community as you being a loser).

5. We don't really like hard labor (as in fast food, construction, lifting, etc.) and most Indians who do hard labor (convenience store, fast food, etc.) want to learn technology to get out of it. This is also because of the social system that says that hard labor is for the lower, uneducated rungs of society.

6. America attracts the best and the brightest of India to come here. You at least have to be bright/connected enough to afford the plane ticket (unaffordable to all in lower classes, exorbitant for most in the middle class).

7. The competition in India is fierce among the IT professionals. A lot of hard-working students don't get in to the school of their choice. Even after a student graduates, unemployment is relatively high. (This is changing in large part because of IT).

8. Once an IT professional gets to America, chances are s/he considers him/herself lucky because the quota for engineers to come to the USA fills up as soon as it is released. S/he doesn't want to screw things up. Besides, s/he doesn't really know anyone in the new country that is vastly different from the home country and would much rather devote more time to the work that s/he is doing and is familiar with.

9. The community itself encourages/supports members of the community (most of the time anyway). The community is the richest minority in America and as with any community, there is always the "Keeping up with the Jones'" attitude so you have a pressure to make a decent amount.

10. A decade ago, most people in India and even Indians in America were in awe of the computer. A few still are. People seemed to think that any being who can operate that complex/expensive a machinery, should be respect worthy.

11. Indians generally gravitate towards where the money is. Money issues, and how to handle them, are taught right from childhood. You can't argue with a field that pays quite a lot above the average of what other fields make. Money helps finance a wedding, a family, a car, stability, respect within the community, etc. All the things we are taught that we should have.

12. Most educated people come from working middle class families. These families had very little money, sometimes even if they worked hard. So, we value the money we have now and are quite hungry for any and all money making opportunities available.

13. The dollar is (even now) quite a lot stronger than the rupee. Most immigrants, as in not second-generation Indians, think in terms of rupees and any salary you can get here is quite lavish for Indian standards. Thus, they are able to work for lower wages and are generally (not always true) more humble than other's.

14. We are taught to think logically and mathematically through most problems. I know every culture does that to some extent, but its just somehow presented in a way that translates well into computer sciency things!

15. Quite a few more complex reasons exist and different people will give you different "secrets." But most importantly I feel: culture, community, values, discipline, hard work, and just now realizing the potential of possibilities available are the basic ones.

Answer 2

The key to success anywhere is education. Get trained well, and get a good job. They'll tell you the same.

Answer 3

the secret to success anywhere is education, get trained well, and never give up, and get a good job

Answer 4

There is no secret to success!!! But there is a key for sure, and the key is called - "Hard Work"!!!!

Answer 5

Less compenation, less turnover (due to "visa slavery").

IMHO - vast majority of them are good people.

Answer 6

basically they demand less salaries and no benifits only give me a visa

Answer 7

HARDWORK, PATIENCE AND LOVE OF WORK.