Aslam Khan, President of Octaware Technologies in Mumbai, India, is Chair of The 2013 International Business Awards Final Judging Committee for the IT awards categories, new product awards categories, and product management awards categories. (The International Business Awards are the world's premier business awards competition. The final extended entry deadline for the 2013 IBAs is quickly approaching on 10 July. If you haven't already done so, you can request your entry kit here and it will be emailed to you right away. No additional late penalties or fees will be charged in association with the deadline extension.)
Here we talked with Aslam about how his company is helping the visually impaired.
Aslam firmly believes that a business should not simply try to build assets for itself but for society as a whole. His credo is: “Success is not what you gain or possess, it’s in making others successful.” We asked him to explain one of the ways his company is achieving this.
Your company, Octaware Technologies, has an active CSR program. Which of the many projects in which your company is involved has given you and your staff the greatest fulfillment?
We successfully implemented the concept of employing blind or visually impaired people who have completed their studies and are computer literate. Senior QA consultants at Octaware developed courseware for the National Association for the Blind (NAB)’s Employment and Training program, and trained the NAB trainers at Octaware’s Mumbai development center. The NAB trainers were then able to train visually impaired professionals at the NAB’s Manesar Center.
Our association with the NAB has paid great dividends. Introductory courses in software testing and Internet-based applications have so far been pivotal in creating employment for over 25 visually challenged agents. The NAB center is working actively to create employment for around 50 trained and skilled visually impaired professionals by the end of this year. (You can read more about this project on the Octaware website.)
What item of news recently caught your eye and why?
The news of the courageous efforts of soldiers to rescue people stranded in recent devastating floods and landslides in northern India. The Indian Army’s selflessness and sacrifice has touched the hearts of our entire nation.
(If you want to help, the Indian Red Cross and the American Red Cross are organizing relief operations in the area.)
If you could choose another profession, what would it be?
Teaching: this is a profession that allows people to make a difference, to do good things, and to make an impact on the world by helping people shape their lives.
As someone at the top of your profession, what keeps you inspired or makes you hit the ground running in the morning?
The desire to fulfill the dream of building a successful organization that will contribute, directly or indirectly, to elevating and improving the quality of life for many people is what drives me to do better every day.
About Aslam Khan:
Aslam Khan is the President of Octaware Technologies. He is a business strategist who oversees the definition and execution of the company’s strategy. His aim is to establish Octaware as a major global player providing first-class IT solutions and services.
Aslam has over 17 years of experience in technology, strategy, business development, and entrepreneurship. Before forming Octaware, he was a Director of AskMe Software. He initiated the subsidiary of AskMe Corporation-USA in India, which became one of the most profitable and fastest growing IT companies in Pune. Prior to joining AskMe, Aslam worked at Microsoft Corporation in the USA, where he was a lead developer on the Windows 2000 family of products. Before that, Aslam worked at CitiBank N.A, Japan, developing software for the financial trading platform. Aslam holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Mumbai University.
About Octaware Technologies:
Octaware Technologies is a software development, enterprise solutions, and consulting firm known for excellent project management, delivering high quality solutions, and exceeding the expectations of its customers. With offices in Mumbai, Seattle, Doha, Riyadh, and Lagos, and with development centers in Mumbai and Pune, Octaware is dedicated to helping its clients improve their business productivity by building and implementing comprehensive and cost-effective solutions. For more information go to www.octaware.com.
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