Post-Satyam, IT industry faces tough time, says diaspora

January 7th, 2009 CHENNAI - The admission of a Rs.70-billion ($1.4-billion) fraud by Satyam Computer founder-chairman B. Ramalinga Raju was a matter of hot discussion on the margins of a diaspora conference here with some delegates saying it raises doubts over the level of corporate governance in India.

January 6th, 2009 BANGALORE - Nasscom, the apex body of the IT-BPO industry in India, expressed its shock Wednesday at the confession made by Satyam Computers' erstwhile chief B. Ramalinga Raju, who admitted to a Rs.40 billion fraud before quitting his post.

January 26th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Engineering and infrastructure major Larsen and Toubro (L&T) Tuesday said it might further raise its stake in the scam-tainted Satyam Computers. 'Overall, we are only trying to improve our situation,' company chairman A.M.

January 12th, 2009 NEW DELHI - A parliamentarian had raised the issue of irregularities in Satyam Computer Services way back in 2001 but then Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government had ignored the matter, the Congress party said Tuesday.

June 11th, 2009 MUMBAI - Between 7,000 to 10,000 Satyam employees have been put in a virtual pool, continuing their association with the company but with reduced pay, the IT firm said in a regulatory statement Thursday. The virtual pool programme is an innovative way of retaining the excellent human assets of Satyam despite the difficult economic situation, chairman Kiran Karnik said in the statement.

April 13th, 2009 MUMBAI - Tech Mahindra, the IT arm of auto major Mahindra and Mahindra, Monday won the bid for India's fourth largest software exporter Satyam Computer. Satyam's new board of directors, which met here to select the highest bidder, chose Tech Mahindra following its bid of Rs.1,757 crore ($351.4 million) for 31 percent stake in the scam-tainted IT giant.

January 7th, 2009 HYDERABAD - As corporate India, particularly the IT industry, Thursday assessed the damage to Brand India caused by the Rs.70-billion financial fraud of Satyam Computer founder B. Ramalinga Raju, the new management team said it was looking for a strategic partner and was open to the idea of outright sale.

January 8th, 2009 CHENNAI - Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekara Reddy Friday said the government may take a re-look at projects awarded to Maytas Infra, run by the sons of former Satyam Computer chairman B.

October 6th, 2009 LONDON - Criminals are going to have a really tough time hiding their faces, thanks to a new software that can recreate their faces. The software is being used by approximately 15 police departments in the UK as well as half a dozen European countries, including France and Switzerland.

January 8th, 2009 CHENNAI - In an announcement that took everybody by surprise, Tamil Nadu Electricity Minister Arcot N. Veeraswamy said here Friday that the state does not need any more investment from the IT sector.

February 11th, 2009 NEW DELHI - The Satyam scam was a 'one-off, unfortunate case of failure of corporate governance', Minister for External Affairs Pranab Mukherjee said here Thursday. Addressing a meeting of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), Mukherjee said: '(Satyam) was an unfortunate case of failure of corporate governance… It was a one-off case.

January 19th, 2009 NEW DELHI - The IT bellwether Satyam Computer Services, embroiled in a Rs.70 billion ($1.7 billion) financial scam, has received buyout offers from both domestic and foreign firms, its new board member Tarun Das said Tuesday. 'Satyam has got enormous fixed, human resources and technology assets.

January 7th, 2009 HYDERABAD - Mendu Rammohan Rao, dean of the prestigious International School of Business (ISB) here, Thursday resigned from his position in the wake of the financial fraud at Satyam Computers. He was a member of the Satyam board when the irregularities were committed.

January 9th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Indian companies have started to review and document their risk management policies and practices to check corporate fraud in the wake of the Rs.70 billion Satyam Computer Services scam, a survey by an industry lobby says. A quick analysis by the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (Assocham) with feedback of over 400 leading corporates, said that to deter possible corporate frauds, companies have commenced re-codifying their risk management policies.

February 9th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Terming the Satyam Computer Services scam a 'singular case', a senior Singapore diplomat said here Tuesday that India would be able to face up to the crisis and emerge 'stronger' from it. 'What happened to Satyam came as a surprise and shock, but we are pleased at the speed of the Indian government that has replaced the board with very credible and highly respected individuals,' Tommy Koh, ambassador-at-large at Singapore's ministry of foreign affairs, told reporters.