The two remaining independent directors on the board of Satyam Computers, TR Prasad and V S Raju, today said they would continue on the company's board till investor confidence is restored.

Prasada is a former cabinet secretary while the other independent director V S Raju was formerly director of IIT-Delhi.

''I am of the view that resigning from the board now is like deserting a troubled ship,'' Prasad said.

Satyam is a major player in the global IT space, employing over 50,000 professionals, he pointed out.

``The company has vendor commitments to several global corporates and entities. Satyam today is almost entirely owned by the public at large, either directly or through FIIs. Restoring the confidence of all these stake holders is the task of utmost importance awaiting the consideration of the board for which we are also availing the services of D S P Merrill Lynch,'' he said.

He said measures are also under way to increase the size and change the composition of the board to strengthen Satyam's governance.

``Completing this ongoing task, in my view is a public duty and responsibility and I intend continuing on the board at least till this commitment is fulfilled,'' he said.

The $2-billion Satyam has over 690 clients worldwide and its major clients include GE, Applied Materials, Dupont, Unilever and some of the leading automakers.

The statement comes on the back of reports that some analysts had expressed doubts on vendors continuing their relationship with Satyam  after the aborted merger deal and the World Bank's move to debar it from procurement business for eight years.

The NYSE-listed Satyam had lost four directors so far, including the three directors - M Rammohan Rao, dean of the Indian School of Business, Krishna G Palepu, a Harvard Business School professor and Vinod K Dham, described as the father of Pentium - who resigned from the Satyam board yesterday.

Mangalam Srinivasan, a US-based academician and an independent board member, had quit the Satyam board following investor fury over Satyam's $1.6 billion merger fiasco.

The Satyam board is scheduled to meet on 10 January to discuss dilution of the promoter stake and measures to boost investor confidence besides restructuring its board. 
 
Meanwhile, B Ramalinga Raju, founder and chairman of the troubled Satyam Computer Services, has told Satyam employees in an e-mail that the software firm is talking to both investors and customers to regain their confidence.

Raju said that customers "continue to show a high level of trust in Satyam. He also defended the merger move saying  the "board arrived at its decision to bid for Maytas by following all required processes and procedures and while there was a spirited discussion among members, their vote to approve the motion was unanimous".

He also assured employees that "Satyam did not and does not now intend to retreat from IT and BPO services in any way and going forward, it will focus exclusively on these markets".