ABSTRACT

In the mid-1980s, India emerged as a major software development zone in the world. While major software deals and decisions were made in Silicon Valley, USA, Indian urban centers became the back office of the information economy. Cities such as Bangalore, Hyderabad, Delhi National Capital Region, Mumbai, and Chennai emerged as software development locales. Rapid increases in software development units brought with them a large employment base for the educated section of society. The burgeoning middle class, caused largely by the economic liberalization since 1991, includes a large proportion of highly skilled IT professionals working in high-tech spaces in and around major urban centers which are rapidly expanding (Mukherjee 2008).