According to a 2007 IIMS Dataworks survey only 27 percent of paid workers in rural areas had insurance, compared to the 47 percent penetration in more urban regions. "Also, competition in the rural hinterlands is low compared to the metros where all players exercise their muscle. We feel that a high growth potential exists in rural and semi urban areas," adds Ashwin B., COO, ING Life Insurance

If Subramanian wanted to contribute to the rural push, he knew he would have to lower the cost of setting up branches by attacking IT infrastructure. Some IT optimization had already been done for him. But hardware was a modest cost-reduction target and delivered short-term tactical gains. In order to achieve longer term benefits, Subramanian wanted to target software costs. That's when he decided to present a SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop (SLED) plan to the senior brass in Hong Kong.

It would also allow each desktop to pay for itself in seven years. Going Open Source dramatically reduced the Rs 85,000 ING Life was paying Microsoft for every PC running Windows XP over a six year period.

With the success of the pilot, Subramanian felt confident of embarking on a final roll out. And he did it quickly. Between June and December of 2008, ING Life moved 1,200 of its 2,000 desktops to Open Source.