Conf. held on Indian economy

India may not have the same economic stature as the United States or China, but that isn't discouraging Penn students from finding out all they can about the Indian economy. About 250 Wharton undergraduate and MBA students, members of the media and assorted businesspeople gathered at the Wyndham Franklin Plaza Hotel on Friday for the fourth annual Wharton India Economic Forum conference. The conference was organized by the Wharton India Economic Forum, a collaborative effort of nearly 100 Penn students, both undergraduate and graduate, designed to foster awareness of the business climate in India among Penn students. The WIEF conference itself is designed to attract speakers in high-level business and government positions, event organizers said. Joseph Sutton, chairperson and chief executive officer of Enron International, a fuel and energy industry, delivered the keynote address. Montek Singh Ahluwalia, head of the Indian government-affiliated Planning Commission, made an additional presentation over teleconference. Following breakfast and registration, the conference began in the morning with an introductory presentation by Sutton. He opened by discussing India's tremendous potential for growth and development. Citing reasons why India was a smart investment, Sutton explained that India has a large open market, a very well-educated middle class, a willingness to expand and reform their system economically and a strong legal system. "For us, our story in India has been long; it's been a roller-coaster ride, but it's come out quite well," Sutton said. Sutton also discussed the importance of infrastructure for financial growth and success. He said a strong infrastructure can be achieved through the privatization of businesses, the development of a sound communication network and forward thinking. The conference also included a discussion among four panels about the future of the Indian economy. Each panel was composed of a moderator and three to four panelists, all of whom hold prominent positions in the business world. The members of a panel of entrepreneurs were all under the age of 30 and have already started their own Internet companies. College senior Kanupri Jhunjhunwala, a board member of the WIEF, praised the networking opportunities provided by the conference. "Students are enthusiastic because it is rare to have a list of such influential speakers gathered together at one event," Jhunjhunwala said. "The conference opens up a wonderful dialogue between so many different people."

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