FEATURE: STC India Chapter 9th Annual
Conference – A Westerner’s Perspective

by Doug Dow, STC Associate Fellow

The STC India Chapter 9th Annual Conference presented a departure from the previous eight in that:

• It took place in a resort locale (Goa) without a significant IT presence, and
• No luminary from STC officialdom appeared to speak or give a keynote address. (As a matter of fact, as a new Associate Fellow, I was the “ranking member,” as some put it.)

Both developments point to a new confidence and a willingness to experiment that marks the STC India Chapter―already a “Chapter of Distinction”―as it closes its first decade.

Planners anticipated a drop in attendance due to the lack of a local core constituency, such as is found in Bangalore, Hyderabad, or Pune. And, at 275, the figure was a little low. But the explosion of late registrations two days before the event left organizers scrambling for resources, leaving the Bangalore corps with their colorful backpack “gift bags” on order. In this respect, the final attendance figure represented a wildly successful event.

And a wildly successful event it was. Pre-conference workshops on DITA, English grammar traps, and my own on “Simplified Technical English” played to crowds of nearly 100, which lessened the workshop aspects, but increased the spread of knowledge.

The traditional opening ceremony, featuring the lighting of the Lamp of Wisdom, carried candlelight all the way to the rear of the convention hall. Anupama A., chapter president (Indian family names can be quite lengthy, and single-letter abbreviations are quite common.), outlined the chapter’s progress through the year, and recalled the text messages she received on consecutive nights, telling her first the news from Minneapolis on becoming a Chapter of Excellence, and then a Chapter of Distinction. Makarand Pandit (who sent the messages) and I smiled deeply inside, having been on the Minneapolis side of these events.

The ensuing two days included sessions on tools and techniques, new software previews, techniques for creating e-learning, and so on. Two debates—a format I’ve yet to see in the West—discussed pay rates in India and the status of the profession in India. Both led to conclusions that the profession in India is surely climbing the maturity model. The other India-only format, the annual quiz, pitted teams of three to answer grammatical and historical trivia of the sort that have long deserted my synapses.

Dinner on Friday night, provided by the conference, took place on a riverboat called Noah’s Ark, which I briefly mistook for the original, but which held up nicely under the pounding of hundreds of dancing feet. Hindi pop tunes evoke particular dance moves, so I was lost at first. But I held my own among the cheering, howling, whistling crowd that cruised the Mondavi River that night.

Saturday saw another tradition, the annual group photo. Although the photo seems to be bigger each year, I get harder to find: a perfect “Where’s Waldo” puzzle. But it’s another conference amenity, and available the same day!

An illusionist capped off the conference, and as quickly as objects disappeared and reappeared, the conference was over. Sunday was another day to play, however, and I had a special invitation to join Mak Pandit and his Pune-based team from TechnoWrites on a day-long excursion, first to historic churches and temples in the area, and finally for an afternoon by the sea at one of Goa’s world-famous beaches. It was a privilege and an honor to join Mak’s team for a day of unforgettable memories.

Planning has started for the STC India Chapter 10th Annual Conference next year. I suggested that they choose Delhi as the site, to lure Western visitors, with Agra (Taj Mahal) nearby. Perhaps a rare dawn-viewing excursion could be arranged. STC India gatherings offer experiences that cannot be had elsewhere. If you’re in the mood for convivial adventure, consider an STC India Conference.

Travel Notes

The Chicago to Delhi flight (American Airlines) handily avoids Europe, eliminating at least one security check. This 14-hour polar route takes you over Greenland, northern Russia, and down through Central Asia. The return flight goes even further north, over the top of Greenland and down Hudson Bay at 40,000 feet.

Domestic flights within India have improved dramatically over the past 15 years. Kingfisher Airlines in particular is going above and beyond to provide exceptional service, tasty meals, and other extras. I was impressed especially by the on-the-ground service, however. Red-coated personnel escort patrons through India’s perplexing terminals, through ticketing, baggage drop-off, security, and boarding. One young man even rescued me from my wrong turn to the outside of the domestic terminal. (India separates their domestic and international terminals. On a city map, they show up as separate airports, where in reality, the terminals are at opposite ends of the runway.)

Having left the terminal and become a potential victim to expensive taxi drivers, I’d been seeking the free shuttle bus that signs had misled me to. The young Kingfisher employee, on a mission to collect baggage carts, saw my red baggage tags and deduced my predicament. “Show me the stubs from your last flight,” he said. I found them. “Now, come with me.” Abandoning his train of carts, he led me back past two security guards to the area where passengers wait for the free shuttle bus. Grateful kudos to him and to Kingfisher!

he Delhi to Chicago leg has extra security checks at the Delhi airport. Not surprising when you think about it, so be prepared with plenty of patience. The situation is compounded by the arrangement of Delhi’s inadequate terminal building, creating crossing queues of arriving and departing passengers. Even before Pakistan’s current turmoil, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) determined that the Delhi-to-Chicago route bore considerable risk, so be prepared for repeated and thorough security checks.