TCS boss Rajesh Gopinathan on the firm's Covid-19 response
As India’s tech industry copes with disruption from Covid-19, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) has joined a number of India’s leading firms in combating the virus through research & development (R&D). Among the solutions being developed is a data collection and analytics system for patient tracking.
The firm’s response appears to be largely constructive in the wake of the crisis. As the largest IT services in the country, TCS is leveraging its expansive resource pool not only to ensure minimal repercussions within its organisation, but also to support governments and the healthcare sector in combating the crisis.
TCS’ Managing Director and CEO Rajesh Gopinathan explained the firm’s broad-based response in the wake of disruption in an online post.
“We are helping rapid rollout of Covid-19 tracking systems, supporting fragile supply chain systems across industries, ensuring critical payroll processes so that workers get paid in time, helping build and power platforms and processes feverishly for discovery of vaccines, helping universities continue their classes online, and ensuring homes have the network connectivity without which remote working wouldn’t be possible in time of today’s crisis,” explained Gopinathan.
The last of the efforts is particularly critical to ensuring the economic infrastructure remains intact. TCS stands atop a thriving tech industry in India, which has been among the numerous sectors that has sent its workers and executives to work from home, and is now looking for creative ways to work around the situation.
Gopinathan also offered insight into the precise nature of medical contributions being made by TCS, leveraging the resource base of its substantial research & innovation wing. The firm is leveraging its tech expertise to make life easier in the healthcare sector.
“Some examples are Covid-19 patient tracker, creating a quick and light platform for clinical trials systems to rapidly collate effectiveness data in collaboration with pharma and medical institutions, drug molecule discovery using our patented technology and frameworks, exploring promising ideas for affordable and effective ventilators, kits, etc,” added Gopinathan.
The firm already has close ties with the health sector, offering its clients digital platforms to better manage logistics, as well as supporting some healthcare firms with their digital transformation process in recent years. One example is the firm’s collaboration with global health solutions firm Cardinal Health.
Now, TCS’ healthcare clients will come among the priorities, as the global business environment looks to do its bit to combat the ongoing crisis. Disruption to life and the economy across the world is yet to be quantified, for a virus that has already claimed more than 26,000 lives worldwide.