Today, I had the pleasure of meeting N R Naryaya Murthy again with a select audience to go over his new book and asked him some questions.

His book is based on lectures from around the world that he has given and is definitely worth a read because the man has incisive and deep thoughts. People may not appreciate him and his idea of tech coolies but his ideas on education, public life and ethics are definitely a whiff of fresh air.

There were plenty of questions. I questioned him around does technology/automation take away jobs, especially given the rising influence of technology that was once in western domain like ATMs, etc.

His view are somewhat similar to what I have heard many people say: EPABX did not replace operators, operators were re-trained and made better and more productive. Computers made knowledge workers etc.

I am actually quite unconvinced about this idea as I dont think that this is a fair comparison. First, I feel that the rising joblessness indicates that these days people are finding it increasingly hard to get re-trained. Secondly, most of these technologies are from western domain where the labour costs are high and can be used in the Indian setting only when you are sure that the millions of partially educated and college educated students have been re-trained.

Increasingly, as technology becomes more sophisticated this higher levels are becoming difficult to achieve. I often wonder whether we are waiting for a cataclysmic force of jobless people breaking machines, and indulging in xenophobia.

This is where great leadership can come in and make a difference. They can look ahead and bring the change that will provide jobs and at the same time ensure technical progress.

You read it here first: Book is to be released on April 20th, 2009 but I have shown you a preview