Bangalore: A leading American Information technology (IT) expert and iGate Global Solutions director Ed Yourdon today (Jan 20, 2004) said the "next big thing" may emerge from India, which may not be on the radar screen of IT majors for innovations.

"The next big thing can emerge from Italy or places like Brazil, Israel and India. India has an opportunity placed where it can happen in cities like Bangalore, Pune, Hyderabad or Chennai," Yourdon, who has published over 550 papers and 26 books on the IT industry, told reporters in Bangalore.

"If that happens, the companies get a lead time of six months to one year to refine, develop and deploy the technology before global competitors become aware its introduction," he said.

Quoting global IT research firm Gartner, Yourdon said about 10 per cent to 20 per cent of American IT jobs would be outsourced during the next five to 10 years, but added the outcry in the US was due to unrealistic fear that nearly 70 per cent jobs may be moved.

"The fear is that IT industry may lose jobs the same way it happened for textile, manufacturing and auto-related jobs that moved offshore during 1970s," he said.

Asserting that the next two years may witness web services and wireless/ubiquitous computing as the big wave, Yourdon said it would be difficult to predict the next big technology wave over the next 10 years, due to the rapid change in technology.