Interview: 'We Must Continue to Run'; Infosys chairman N. R. Narayana Murthy says the bombings only prove how resilient the Indian economy has become.(Interview)

Byline: Vibhuti Patel

Last week's bombings hit India's financial capital, Mumbai, when it was down. A recent tumble in the stock market, followed by the government's halt to privatizations, led to worries that the country's boom might be proved a bubble. But the day after the attacks, Bangalore-based software giant Infosys reported a massive increase in its quarterly earnings and the market rallied. N. R. Narayana Murthy, who retires next month as chairman of Infosys, spoke to NEWSWEEK's Vibhuti Patel about the rebound. Excerpts:

What does the market's response say about the bombings?

We live with cross-border terrorism in an uncertain world, but we have to get on with the job and emphasize the positive things in life rather than being defeated by the acts of a few evil people.

Will the government continue the reform process despite opposition to privatizations?

The prime minister had to take some interim decisions to ensure that the government remains strong despite the disparate forces of the coalition. But I believe he'll continue with reforms and [state] disinvestment and do all that's needed to continue our 8.5 percent GNP growth ...