Imagining India explores India's recent history, ideas that have evolved and how among other things information technology revolutionised business and governance in the country. From electronic voting machines to electronic railway reservations to the modern stock exchanges, Nandan points out how IT has brought great changes in people's everyday lives.

Nandan Nilekani, one of India's best-known icons, introduces a series of extracts from his book, exclusive to rediff.com.

Today's extract looks at the early days of the computer in India and how it baffled many.

Next: 'You have to break all the rules'

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