Technology Evangelist

From trading to assembling systems, he has done it all. But when Delhi-based Gagan Gupta found himself lost at Nehru Place, he consciously began to work on a niche area for his company, Computers Infinite. Having found it, Gagan has now become a technology evangelist. 

Delhi-based Gagan Gupta of Computers Infinite refers to himself as a man who lets his heart rule the head. And when the call of duty came to join the family business of ball bearings in 1992, Gagan did not think twice about it.

Soon after graduating in commerce from Hansraj College, Delhi Gagan joined the 40-year-old family business, which was in dire need of reliable and efficient workforce. Though this nipped in the bud Gagan's ambition to clear the CAT and pursue an MBA, he threw in his head and heart to this task. 

An interest fuels a career

His initial interest in computers was kindled soon after Gagan passed out of class ten and enrolled at NIIT for a course in programming. However he could not pursue it seriously. Later in 1999, came an opportunity that Gagan had waited for all along. He got into assembling of systems with his younger brother more out of an interest than an intention to make a career out of it. 

His foray into systems assembling continued for nearly a year-and-a-half and Gagan then decided that this was the business he really wanted to be in. In May 2000, Gagan shifted his business lock, stock and barrel to Nehru Place. And as they say, there has been no looking back, since then. 

Having started off with systems assembling, Gagan also started trading in almost everything in IT. But, he felt lost within a few months at Nehru Place. "I had to find my niche", he said, "instead of putting my fingers in different pies." 

Then, he found his focus on Logitech and AMD. "I can sell their products better because of my total faith in their capability as a brand", he points out. Once the niche was decided on, Gagan put all his efforts to understand the technology behind the products that he was selling. 

Today, Gagan sounds like a technology evangelist rather than a trader. His knowledge of technology has helped him to strike right balance between trading of products and systems assembling. 

Within a short span, Gagan has established a base of nearly 200 resellers who work with him on a regular basis. His turnover further reinforces his close relationship with his partners. He closed 1999-2000 with just Rs 15 lakh, while he closed March 2001 with a whopping Rs 3
crore. 

Priorities in place

What differentiates Gagan from the rest is his sound understanding of the products. He is also among the few certified by AMD as 'Gold' partners. "Technically, only a few partners at Nehru Place can advise customers about the right products," he says. This is the prime reason that prompted Gagan to shift to Nehru Place and "give it a try", as he puts it.

Gagan's guiding principle has been to do clean business with his distributors and resellers. His partners have recognized the strength of his business practices. The result is that Gagan's business has been growing fast and he has been hunting for a bigger outlet. 

The current space has become a constraint. A bigger shop is Gagan's immediate priority. He firmly believes in the now famous Malcolm Forbes quip, "Anyone who says businessmen deal in facts, not fiction, has never read old five year projections." 

Mohit Chhabbra

in New Delhi