A Dream Comes True

Twenty-five associations. One motive. To create a national entity that will help them build fellowship and provide a common and united voice at the country level. This was the objective for the formation of NACIT. And this is how it all happened at a day-long first National Conference of IT Trade Associations facilitated by DQ Channels India. 

The response to DQCI’s first National Conference of IT Trade Associations was overwhelming. Every one of the 25

associations who had confirmed participation, turned up. Representatives of Chennai associations traveled all the way to Bangalore and then to Mumbai because direct flights to the commercial were running full.

The attendance at the conference was worth the trouble taken because of the result achieved. Fifty-four representatives unanimously voted for the formation of National Association of Channels of Information Technology
(NACIT).

A working committee was formed with 24 members. The working committee members then voted for a 12-member managing committee.

Saurin Shah, currently the Chairman of Mumbai-based TAIT, was unanimously elected as the President of NACIT while Arun K Jalan, President of Kolkata-based COMPASS, was elected as the National Vice-President. Chetan Shah of Surat-based SITA was elected as Secretary while Devang Shah of Mumbai-based CMDA became the Treasurer. 

The working committee also appointed four regional VPs: John Thomas of CMDA, Pune (West); Rupesh Kedia of RCTA, Rajasthan (North); TS Srinivasan of TCCDA, Hyderabad (South) and Manoj Lalani of ITAO, Orissa (East). Four members were co-opted to the managing committee. 

These were Naishadh Diwanji of ACMA, Ahmedabad; JP Bansal of DCTA, Delhi; Moolchand Jain of ITTA, Chennai and Lalit Prakash Bhartia of AIT, Bangalore. CW Kadwadkar of TAIT would function as the secretary general of NACIT. 

The member associations have decided to contribute Rs 10,000 each to kickstart the activities of
NACIT.

The participants at the conference highlighted a range of prominent issues that they felt NACIT should take up. Primarily these were segregated into two parts: vendor- and taxation-related. 

The vendor-related issues included, warranty, DOA, RMA, backends, ORCs and service infrastructure. Participants wanted NACIT to take up these issues with vendors and ensure that channels’ concerns were rightly addressed. On the taxation front, NACIT was expected to pay a pivotal role in making representations to the government on VAT, service tax, excise and octroi (in relation to VAT). 

The gathering suggested that among other activities the association should also look at providing legal counseling to channel partners. A once-in-a-quarter meeting of the working committee was also recommended. 

Speaking on the occasion, Chairperson for the day’s proceedings, Saurin Shah said, “The efforts put in by DQ Channels India in facilitating this conference, which has led to the realization of a long-cherished dream of formation of a national body, is highly commendable.” 

“We should register the association as a co-operative body,” suggested Arun Jalan of COMPASS. Something that all the participants unanimously agreed upon.

Those present also felt strongly that the member associations would need to put in lot of efforts to create a strong branding around NACIT. “We need to project NACIT on lines parallel to the way Nasscom and MAIT do for themselves,” suggested Brijesh Khanna of
FITAG.

For practical purposes, majority of the attendees agreed upon Mumbai being the head-quarters for NACIT for the time being. Members have set a time-period of six months to complete the registration and other legalities related to the association. 

GOLDIE  in Mumbai