An e-minister abroad (part 3): silicon.com joins Patricia Hewitt in Bangalore

Day three: Bangalore

After two successful days on tour, the chaotic city of Bangalore comes as a bit of a shock. Patricia Hewitt is here to take part in the opening of IT.com, an exhibition billed as 'Asia's biggest IT fair', attracting Indian government and industry luminaries, the American ambassador and the minister of IT for Japan.

The Invest.UK team setting up at the exhibition had trouble tracking down their stand furniture - but after an unscheduled stopover in Bahrain and Bombay it arrives and is ready and waiting to be officially opened by Hewitt.

The exhibition is popular, attracting large crowds of visitors and photographers, but it's India's love of ceremony that causes consternation amongst the British delegation as the inaugural ceremony overruns by two hours and the minister is whisked away to her next engagement.

Even with the advantage of air-conditioned cars, five star hotels and a protective entourage, it would be impossible to visit India without being forced to confront the poverty that has trapped over half the population.

And it is in Bangalore that Hewitt faces the pressing question of how and why the technology industry should help.

One man who has championed the cause is Narayana Murthy, founder and chairman of multi-billion dollar software house Infosys. This ex-communist party member has become a role model for young Indian entrepreneurs and has reportedly given away so much company stock that even his driver became a millionaire.

For Murthy it is the potential access to education, health, government and other essential resources that will make an enormous difference to India's poor. "We're talking about a person who forms the majority in this country - he is poor and is only remembered by the politicians at election time and is discriminated against," he explained.

"He is the person who needs the cheapest services," he added, "to reduce lifecycle and increase productivity."

Despite recent moves, including a G8 initiative earlier this year, the problems of the poor becoming increasingly disadvantaged by lack of access to technology is worsening. Amanda Murphy, founder of Teddy Exports, said: "The gap between the rich and the poor is getting worse - but IT could bridge that gap."

Murphy recently set up a subsidiary, Teddy Technology, to develop software to help India's rural population increase productivity and break out of the poverty trap. Murphy admitted it's a tough task: "Some might call it brave - maybe it's foolhardy, but I'm prepared to try and fail."

Hewitt is clearly an enthusiastic backer of taking IT to the people. "Technology is opening doors and opportunities regardless of income and education," she told a conference audience. "We're determined to overcome the digital divide which effects countries all over the world."

But even with the success of some UK schemes, such enthusiastic talk is overshadowed by the enormity of the task facing the Indian government and industry - and everyone here admits there is still a long way to go.