Will youngsters bring alive a defunct VIDWA?

The Visakhapatnam Information Technology Dealers Welfare Association (VIDWA), started in the early 90s, has become almost defunct, as the association members are not actively participating in any of the activities. "If we have a problem, we meet and solve the issues. However, if there exists no problem, people ask what is the use of forming an association?," said Suresh Kolla, CEO, Kolla Innovatives Infotech, who is also the VP of the association.

It is a general myth prevailing among most of the channel partners that associations are needed only if there is a problem. "There are no elections, no social meetings, or anything else. I believe, apart from business, the channel partners should meet at least once a quarter to revive a spirit of healthy competition among themselves," Kolla added. However, some of the office bearers are very keen on restructuring the association for the welfare of the members, and Kolla too affirmed that the association will not stay defunct anymore. "We want to conduct a chain of activities this year, hopefully in this quarter itself. If all our members are supportive, things which used to happen earlier will continue taking place in the coming days," he said.

Speaking on the situation of the association, Anand Narla, CEO, Pioneer Marketing Company, who is also the president of the association said, "It used to be a very active association at one point of time. The team had graduates from top institutes like IIT. However, later, some of the very active members left and started other businesses. In the course of time, the activeness of the association also started fading and now it has become completely defunct." Sharing the earlier days of the association, Narla said that there used to be regular meetings and even social activities in 1992. However, today the association does not even have a proper logo. "We are planning to completely reshuffle the structure by introducing young bloods to make the association active," he said. Narla also said that it is the high time and the responsibility of the young generation is to take up leadership positions in the association to make it as active as it should be. "Through The DQ Week I request volunteers from the community to join hands and make the association an active social forum," he said.