How to Recruit 70,000 People in One Year

While the Tata family name may have seen significant press coverage related to its activities in the automotive sector, it has also gained a growing reputation in the outsourcing business. With a market capitalization of over $50 billion and 2010 revenues of over $8.2 billion, Mumbai-headquartered Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) has grown into one of the largest IT services, business solutions, and outsourcing companies in the world.

Debashis Ghosh, President, manufacturing, life sciences, and energy at TCS

For 10 years, TCS has been serving some of the world's largest pharma MNCs through its TCS Life Sciences and Healthcare unit. President of Manufacturing, Life Sciences and Energy at the company, Debashish Ghosh, comments on the 70,000 employees TCS recruited in 2010 alone. "The Tata name attracts the best talent, and through training we make sure they are customer-oriented. We then give them access to the best technology: we've grown as a technology company, so our technology orientation is extremely strong. This, combined with our strong processes, led to a very high standard of output to our clients."

This supports Ghoshes' belief that people come to India for cost advantages, but eventually stay because of the quality and productivity they find there. "If it was not the case, companies would not stay here. But they do," Ghosh says. Today, TCS Life Sciences and Healthcare covers a full range of services for the entire value chain, including data management, biostatistics, medical writing, pharmacovigilance, new product development, plant automation, and so on. "One of our biggest advantages is the Tata name," Ghosh says. "We partner with about 500 top universities and colleges in India and overseas each year, in order to hire the best talent." And while both local and international companies will continue to compete to be perceived as the first employer in the market, the real challenge will more likely persist in the successful retention of India's well-trained human capital.