When it comes to research and innovation in technology, Microsoft has been at the

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forefront. The firm’s Indian arm has also been contributing its bit to the software giant's products. P Anandan, MD of Microsoft Research India spoke to N Vasudevan about the company's latest research initiative. Excerpts:

n Please brief us about the recent initiatives taken by Microsoft Research India.

Research is one of the ways where we continue to re-invent ourselves. One of our recent initiatives is the ResearchAndYou.com portal to connect researchers and potential research students by providing expert guidance and educating them about a career in computer science research.

n Are number of students opting for research less in India?

In computer science, US produces 1,800 PhDs a year. Now, India is reaching 100 a year. We have a large talent pool, but India is yet to realise its potential to be a world leader in research. In the US, about a quarter of PhD students are of Indian origin. It’s not that we don’t have talent. It’s just that we have not made it quite a priority, but it is changing.

n Do you think monetary factor plays a role here?

Well, in an indirect way. Compared with olden days, the opportunities are aplenty and the younger generation is eager to grab them. It’s not that a PhD degree will not pay them well. As we start valuing research and innovation, this will certainly change.

n What areas the Bangalore unit is presently focusing on?

We have seven research groups focusing on – algorithm and search, security & applied mathematics, multilingual systems, rigorous software engineering, mobility, networks & systems, technology for emerging markets, vision, graphics & visualisation. We don’t dictate or direct our researchers. The research topic keeps changing.

n What’s the biggest milestone or achievement of Bangalore research lab since its inception?

We have established ourselves as a world-class research lab. We are committed to working with academia and research institutions to strengthen the PhD pipeline in India. I look forward to more growth and seeing other research institutions grow around us. That will be the most exciting thing for us.