All programmers are playwrights who write and create stories of success, failure and real heroes. And Bhaskar Pramanik, country head of Sun Microsystems (India) is one such hero who has programmed his own success story. A man who eats, drinks and sleeps with network solutions, Pramanik has had over 30 years' of tryst with Indian and multinational companies. Nonetheless, being in an MNC as huge as Sun hasn't made Pramanik unrealistic in setting his goals. Putting his marketing strategy in place, he has once been quoted saying, "So far, we have been perceived as companies catering to the high-end market.

There is a huge market in the lower segment which needs next generation of applications and middleware, where cost of computing is very important." A graduate from the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur, Pramanik did his AMP from Stanford University and has been active in the Indian information technology since 1982. Since its inception in 1982, the idea that 'the network is the computer' has propelled Sun Microsystems as a leading provider of industrial-strength hardware, software and services that make the Net work.

And it's no surprise that Sun can be found in more than 100 countries. And among these 100-plus countries, India is a market of immense potential, which Pramanik is heading. Prior to Sun, Pramanik has held various positions with Digital Equipment, including director of enterprise sales, Asia Pacific, based in Singapore and Vice-President, Sales and Marketing, India. He has also held numerous senior management positions with Blue Star and NELCO, a Tata company.

His phenomenal knowledge of computers and telecommunications has made Pramanik one of the most highly sought after men. It goes to Pramanik's contribution of having made Sun Microsystems one of the leaders in technical computing with new generation workstations. A pioneer in turning India into a major R&D centre for Sun, Pramanik is not just involved with his corporate work, but also take special care of his social responsibilities. For a man, who has worked hard to be where he is, it is only hoped that he will continue to shine and spread his radiance like the sun's rays.