Kerala IT industry to bear the brunt- Hindu article

The Group of Technology Companies (GTECH), a strategic grouping of IT firms in Kerala, has urged the Union Government to extend the Software Technology Parks of India (STPI) scheme by a few more years for small and medium enterprises.

Addressing reporters, GTech president V.K.Mathews and Secretary Anoop Ambika said Kerala would have to bear the brunt if the Centre decided to wind up the scheme by March 2011. “Over 200 small and medium enterprises in the state would lose the existing tax benefit that is being reinvested for development of infrastructure and generating fresh employment. Many of these companies will be forced to shut shop”.

Mr.Mathews said the STPI scheme was introduced to promote exports from India. “IT companies made good use of the scheme to improve efficiency, productivity and profits”. He said extending the scheme to Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities alone would help to broadbase development across the country.

Mr.Anoop said the decision to wind up the STPI scheme was driven solely by the compulsion to step up tax revenue. “The Government should realise that 50 per cent of the expenses of a small company are spent on the payroll, a portion of which goes back to the exchequer as taxes”.

Mr.Mathews said winding up the STPI scheme would force companies to move out to Special Economic Zones. This, he observed, would result in poor utilisation of the existing infrastructure.

Smaller companies beginning to make profit will now find themselves having to pay tax. This will affect their capacity for reinvestment.

GTech is seeking the Prime Minister’s intervention to extend the STPI scheme. One of the problems in mobilising industry associations for the cause is that many of the former STPI beneficiaries have grown out of the ambit of the scheme to become major players.

GTech proposes extending the STPI scheme to SMEs so that they continue to benefit from tax incentives.

As STPI tax breaks end, tech SMEs dial SOS- Economic Times article

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Those whose ears are close to the multitude of small and medium sector IT companies in the country can already hear a moan, as the date nears for the end to sops under the Software Technology Parks of India (STPI) scheme. That moan is almost becoming a collective sigh as the days are ticking by towards its close in February.

The STPI scheme, launched in 1991, gave a flat 10-year tax exemption on profits to IT/ITES units, and the STPI centers acted as single-window facilitators in providing services to software exporters and incubation infrastructure to SMEs.

IT industry players say that if the finance minister is not convinced about the need to extend the scheme any further, SME tech companies will be in serious trouble. And the biggest noises for an extension of the scheme is coming from Kerala, where more than 80% of tech companies are in the SME sector, and a number of them are new entities who have not got the 10-year benefit. Kerala’s 300-odd tech companies employ roughly 40,000 staff, and over 70% of the companies have less than 100 staff.

“It is going to severely deplete the investible surplus of SMEs. For the bigger IT companies who are out of the STPI scheme, this may not matter, but if the scheme is ended it would be like saying if you are big you are okay, but if you are small, go away”, says VK Mathews, CMD of Technopark-based IBS.

According to Anoop P Ambika, MD of Kreara Solutions based here, “the government need not take it as a black and white issue. Why not let the SMEs continue to benefit from the scheme according to some norms, so that they are not faced with a crippling cash crunch?”, he asks.

The Group of Technology Companies (GTech) in Kerala has suggested that the tax exemption scheme be continued under certain conditions, so that the deserving ones benefit. One suggestion is to extend the STPI scheme for companies operating in tier-2 and tier-3 cities, which will also take India’s IT boom to more locations. Another suggestion is to allow a prescribed time limit for tax exemptions for companies that have established recently, so that they too can avail of the scheme for a longer time like many others have enjoyed.

GTech is planning to take Nasscom’s help in taking up the issue with the PM and finance minister, but officials say that they would be personally pushing the issue before the PM. “Many Nasscom members are too big to be concerned with the ending of the STPI scheme, and it is important that we take an active interest in lobbying for all SMEs in the country”, they said.

A positive decision from the centre, they say, will make a significant contribution to the employment levels and overall economy, considering that the Indian IT sector including BPO, KPO and call centers employ close to 1 million hands. While the top 100 firms may contribute 80% of Indian IT exports, GTech officials point out that the remaining companies account for roughly 65% of the employment.

HCL Infosystems signs agreement for R & D Centre in Technopark

Tvm: HCL Infosystems, India’s premier hardware, services and ICT system integration company today acquired the formal possession of 2 acres of land for setting up a state-of-the-art facility in Technopark, Thiruvananthapuram. The Research and Development Centre will be set up at Technopark Phase III which is coming up near the Technopark campus.
An agreement to lease out the land was signed today by V K Bhal, Corporate General Manager, HCL Infosystems with Mervin Alexander, CEO, Technopark in Trivandrum. The new facility has been planned as per the company’s expansion strategy. The centre will be creating job opportunities for around 1,600 professionals over the course of next 9 years. The facility will involve setting up of regional skill development centre, state-of-the-art data centre facility, networking lab, product development lab, software development centre and remote support centre.
Speaking on this occasion, George Paul, Executive VP, HCL Infosystems said, “We commend the vision of the Government of Kerala to fuel investments in igniting the growth of IT sector in the state and are honoured to have got this opportunity to partner in the state’s growth story. This is yet another chapter in the transformation journey of HCL Infosystems as we add more capacity to build a stronger ICT solutions ecosystem.”
Spread over an area of 2 acres, the proposed facility of over 160,000 Sq ft will be built over three phases. The company already has more than 14 centres in India and would be starting the construction process of the new facility soon.
Dr. Ajay Kumar, Principal Secretary IAS (IT); Sheela Thomas IAS, Principal Secretary to CM; Korath Mathew, Director, Akshaya and Binu Sanker, CEO, GTech were among those present on the occasion.
Anil PhilipKerala IT News

STPI scheme closure will hit State hard: Gtech

Our Bureau
Thiruvananthapuram, Dec.7
The predominant presence of small and medium IT companies in the State will make Kerala the hardest hit if the Software Technology Parks of India (STPI) scheme is allowed to expire in March 2011.
The Group of Technology Companies (Gtech), a strategic grouping of IT companies in the State, is seeking the Prime Minister's urgent intervention in the matter, and save hundreds of small and medium businesses from folding up.
Not convinced
Speaking to newspersons here, Mr V. K. Mathews, President, and Mr Anoop Ambika, Secretary, Gtech, said the closure of the STPI scheme would cause an estimated 85 per cent of the 200-odd small and medium companies in the State to close down.
Since most of the erstwhile STPI beneficiaries have since turned big players and overgrown the flagship scheme, Gtech is finding it difficult to mobilise leading industrial bodies to engage the Union Government on their behalf.
While the Union Ministry of Commerce is convinced that there is indeed a case for extending the STPI scheme, the crucial Ministry of Finance has not taken a view perhaps because of the tax implications from the move.
Extension sought
The Gtech suggested that the scheme be extended for another seven years to the SMEs so that they continue to receive tax incentives.
Explaining why SME companies should be allowed to enjoy STPI benefits, Mr Ambika said as much as 50 per cent of the overheads in IT companies are accounted for by payroll expenses. In the traditional sector, this was around 10 per cent only.
For instance, while the steel industry pays 18.9 per cent of total revenue as taxes, IT industry pays 20.1 per cent as taxes even with the STPI incentives that they receive.
This happens because 50 per cent f the expenses of any IT services company is pay roll expenses and 20-30 per cent of the salaries goes back to the Government in the form of income taxes.
While the top 100 firms would be contributing about 80 per cent of total IT industry output in the country, some 4,500 SMEs, despite their 20 per cent contribution, account for almost 65 per cent of total employment.
The National Association for Software and Service Companies (Nasscom) has increasingly been talking about getting Tier 1 and Tier 2 cities under the STPI umbrella, Mr Mathews said. This should be the way to go in Kerala as well.
Asked if pulling the plug off the STPI facility could mean increased focus on Special Economic Zone-led model of development, Mr Mathews said that inconsistencies in policy thinking fail to inspire confidence in the benefits expected to flow from SEZs.
Withdrawal of the STPI scheme would also throw up the larger issue of leaving the built-up infrastructure to rust, Mr Ambika said.

Kochi to host India ICT Summit 2010

Special Correspondent

Thiruvananthapuram: Over 400 delegates, including politicians, government officials, leaders from the private sector, trade associations and the media, are expected to attend the 2010 edition of the India ICT Summit to be held at Hotel Le Meridien, Kochi, on December 14 and 15.

Organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry, the summit is a high profile ICT event with several eminent national and international industry stalwarts slated to speak in six different sessions. The theme of the event is ‘Changing Role of India – Partnering for Transformation.'

“This is an extremely relevant topic, signifying a major challenge faced by the IT Industry in India today. Kerala, with its large pool of educated youth, should be able to play a major role in the next wave of outsourcing by global enterprises,” said V.K. Mathews, convener, CII Kerala ICT Panel & Chairman India ICT Summit 2010.

The summit will have over 25 eminent personalities and thought leaders from India and abroad discussing topics, including international business opportunities for Indian IT companies post recession, the use of technology to transform global businesses and how the industry should prepare for the second wave of outsourcing.

The event will be inaugurated by V. Narayanasamy, Minister of State, Planning & Parliamentary Affairs. Some of the key speakers included Shashi Tharoor, MP, Andrew Simkin Consul General, U.S., Ajith Singh, Consul General, Singapore, Mike Nithavrianakis Deputy High Commissioner, U.K., Hans Burkhard Sauerteig Consul General, Germany, Dr. P Prabakaran Chief Secretary, Government of Kerala and Kris Gopalakrishnan, CEO, Infosys.

The U.K. is the partner country for the event and the government of Kerala is the partner State.

Details of the event are available on www.indiaitsummit.com.

IT firms look at Europe

T. Nandakumar

GTech team for Nordic region

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Scandinavian countries not wary of outsourcing

IT market in Nordic region worth $10-12 billion: report

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Thiruvananthapuram: Nearly 20 IT companies in Kerala specialising in cyber security, bioinformatics, three dimensional imaging, embedded systems, ERP systems, Web based applications, wireless technologies and solid waste management could soon have business partners in the Nordic region of Europe, thanks to an initiative launched by the Group of Technology Companies (GTech), a strategic grouping of IT/ ITES companies in the State.

Efforts are on to organise a business delegation to work out partnership deals with companies in Sweden, Denmark, Norway and Finland. The team is expected to visit the region sometime in March 2011. The delegation would also hold talks with Nordic government officials and representatives of industry associations.

GTech had zeroed in on the Scandinavian countries primarily because of their outward looking economies that are not wary of the outsourcing model of doing business. The new approach represents a move to tap fresh business opportunities and reduce dependence on the U.S. market.

According to V.K. Mathews, president, GTech, and chairman and CEO, IBS Group, the decision to engage stakeholders in the Nordic region is part of a ‘market connect' strategy aimed at helping domestic companies, especially small and medium enterprises, to touch base with new markets and potential customers.

“Nearly 20 IT companies in Kerala are participating in this initiative. The profiles of these companies with their domain competencies have been forwarded to the government agencies of Denmark and Sweden. They would do the match making in consultation with GTech. We would also hard sell the State of Kerala to potential investors in both Denmark and Sweden,” he said.

A senior delegation of the government investment promotion agencies in the Nordic region had visited Technopark and Infopark recently to hold discussions with the companies and to create a structural framework for deeper engagement.

The agencies involved were Invest in Denmark, Invest in Sweden and Innovation Norway. “We hope to forge some business alliances on the return visit,” Mr. Mathews added.

According to a recent study published by NASSCOM, the IT Services market in the Nordic region is worth $10-12 billion and is growing at a compounded annual growth rate of 5 per cent.

Apart from being open to off-shoring, the other factors that favour the region include high IT adoption, easy acceptance of English and large public spending on IT. Similar to Kerala, SMEs comprise 65 per cent of the industry in the Nordic region.

GTech Delegation to visit Bavaria to explore ventures

Tvm: A delegation from IT Companies in Kerala represented by the Group of Technology Companies (GTech) would soon be visiting Bavaria to explore and enhance cooperation. Kerala and Bavaria also reinforced their economic and trade relations in Trivandrum and reverberated the need to develop stronger and deeper relations especially on the IT front.

These were the highlights of the session on Explore Bavaria: New Business Opportunities organised by GTech in partnership with the Bavarian ministry of Economic Affairs, Infrastructure, Transport and Technology at Technopark, Trivandrum today. A similar session was held at Infopark Kochi yesterday.

Making a presentation, John Kottayil, Executive Director, State of Bavaria - India Office said, “Some 65 Indian companies including TCS, HCL, iGate, Wipro and NeST (from Kerala) have already set up their offices or manufacturing units in Bavaria with an investment of more than USD 900 million. Bavaria, the largest German state, is virtually at the centre of Europe and provides a gateway for Indian businessmen to explore the EU market”. Inviting investors to the 19 manufacturing clusters in the state, all assistances were provided to potential investors. Bavaria is the heart of the hi-tech industry in Germany in the areas such as IT, electronics, aerospace, automobiles, mechanical Engineering and telecommunications.

Anoop P Ambika, Secretary, GTech said that the Kerala with its core strength in the Information Technology sector is well positioned to tap the market opportunities in the state of Bavaria. He also requested the Bavarian Authorities to facilitate partnerships and joint venture projects for the small and medium Enterprises from the state.

Friedrich Rahn, Deputy Consul General of the Federal Republic of Germany in Bangalore and Mervin Alexander, CEO, Technopark also spoke about exploring new opportunities in Bavaria and vice-versa.

Bavaria explores business opportunities from Kerala IT Cos

Kochi: As part of an initiative to help IT Companies in Kerala identify new business opportunities, the Group of Technology Companies (GTech) in partnership with the Bavarian Ministry of Economic Affairs, Infrastructure, Transport and Technology organised a session on ‘Explore Bavaria: New Business Opportunities’ at Infopark Kochi today.

The second session in this series would be organised at Technopark Trivandrum on October 15, 2010. Friedrich Rahn, Deputy Consul General of the Federal Republic of Germany in Bangalore and John Kottayil, Executive Director of Invest in Bavaris, State of Bavaria - India Office are attending these sessions. While Friedrich Rahn gave an overview of the Economic & Business scene in Germany, John Kottayil spoke about the Market Opportunities in Bavaria for IT Companies.

Talking to Kerala IT News, Binu Sankar, CEO, GTech said, “This is an initiative of GTech to promote the Small and Medium IT Companies in Kerala to a larger audience. These sessions would help the companies in Infopark and Technopark in exploring new business opportunities and joint venture projects in Bavaria.

CEO’s and representatives from 25 companies in Infopark attended the session today. “The response to the session today was very good and we had a very interactive session. We expect a similar response at Technopark also”, he added.

Bavaria ranks among the most powerful economies in Europe. Bavaria, with its gross domestic product (GDP) of 445 billion Euros, is ahead of 21 of the 27 member-countries of the EU. Bavaria, the largest state of the Federal Republic of Germany and also the No.1 high tech location in Germany, is the Technology, Engineering and Automobile hub of Europe.

Taking Wings from Kerala

A Financial Express Feature on Mr.V K Mathews

VK Mathews is a rare individual—one of the very few who dared to show off his entrepreneurial skills in Kerala. In fact, his friends thought he was nuts to leave his plush job in Dubai with Emirates where he spent more than a decade, to return to his roots and start an IT firm against all odds.

IBS, the company he founded in 1997, today is Kerala’s best known IT company and credit for that should go to this man who took a big chance with his career. “I was very happy with Emirates, where I was provided with a luxury villa, and I also had the choicest of cars with me. At that time I was just around 37 years and most people of that age would have been content,” says Mathews, who has a post-graduation in aeronautical engineering from IIT Kanpur.

It’s not that he always wanted to be an entrepreneur. But when he saw the big opportunity waiting to be tapped in the software space of the transportation industry, especially aviation, he could not resist the temptation. Today IBS is one of the world leaders in transportation software and the vast majority of global airline majors are its customers. “To be honest, I was never after amassing wealth. Even my decision to become an entrepreneur was not charged by that. But I always wanted to do my best in whatever I was doing. That led to the decision.”

Soon after passing out of IIT Kanpur, he did something many wouldn’t. He started teaching computer science to army officers. “I found that quite tough to do. The subject was indeed new to them, and they were also more interested in warfare and artillery.” He joined the IT division of Air India in 1981. That was the start of a successful career. Mathews played a key role in the implementation of its computerized passenger services system globally. It may seem a simple thing now, but 30 years ago it was an achievement.

Shortly he got a good offer from Emirates and he decided to grab the opportunity to get the international exposure he desired. As general manager (IT) of the Emirates Group, Mathews was responsible for formulating and implementing software strategies for Emirates’ global operations. “Emirates were then a start-up company. But the chairman had great ambitions to make the airline one of the worlds best, even back then. Working with Emirates gave me all that I needed.”

That was why everyone was shocked when he decided to become an entrepreneur. “My friends did not think it was a wise decision. So I never told them that I was considering Kerala as the headquarters of my venture. If I had told them so, they would have really discouraged me. I first went to Bangalore and then Chennai.

But after I visited the Technopark in Thiruvananthapuram, I instantly took the call to set base here.”

Mathews invested Rs 1.75 crore from his pocket and then raised a few more crores to kick start his dream. Initially IBS won contracts through Mathews’ personal contacts. But he knew it was important to develop internationally acclaimed mission critical systems to compete globally.

Emirates and Swiss Air became his customers and things started to roll smoothly, till the dotcom bubble burst. Then came the tragedy of 9/11 and the aviation industry was facing its biggest crisis. His customers like Swiss Air collapsed financially and he started doubting the business potential of his venture. He had two options—one was to wind up operations and save some of the profits, or plunge into the business neck deep and take a chance. He opted for the latter.

Today he is reaping the benefits of that decision. The Kerala government is pinning its hopes on IBS becoming a global software leader and improving the image of the state. “Kerala has to develop a good physical and social infrastructure. That would be key for the development of the software industry in the state. It is now difficult to attract senior management talent from other big cities to Kerala. But the talent we have is world class and there are no worries on that count.”

The company today has revenues in the range of $80-100 million and is planning an IPO in 2012. Along the way, Mathews has gone in for a few strategic acquisitions and today IBS offers software products in areas of airline operations, airport management and airline cargo, oil and gas logistics, cruise and hospitality management along with ocean transportation. General Atlantic has invested $60 million in IBS. And that’s the biggest PE investment made into a Kerala-based company. Its new generation cargo management solution i-cargo is making waves worldwide. IBS has arrived on the international scene.

Today Mathews is an advisor to the government of Kerala in areas of IT, management and education and a member of the state’s IT advisory board. He is the president of GTECH, a strategic grouping of IT&ITES companies in Kerala, which is modeled on the lines of Nasscom.

His ambition now is to make IBS the number one company in the travel, transportation and logistics (TTL) software space globally. “By year 2020, I want to achieve that dream. I believe we have all the tools for it.”...

Kerala IT firms eye Nordic markets

BS Reporter

To help the small and medium IT enterprises in Kerala scout for business opportunities, the Group of Technology Companies (GTECH) has identified Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Finland as potential growth markets in the initial stages.

These countries face a demographic challenge and cost pressures to sustain their economic growth which is dependent on cutting edge technology and innovation, it said.

It identified the emerging sectors like clean technology, health and life sciences as thrust areas, and said Kerala IT industry could play a critical role in sustaining the competitiveness of these economies by offering cost competitiveness and quality solutions.

GTECH has drawn up a structural framework for deeper engagement with Denmark and Sweden. As a first step, government delegations from both these countries visited Technopark and Infopark recently to showcase and identify the potential business areas for the Kerala-based IT companies. The delegation mooted the idea of GTECH taking a delegation of CEOs to the Nordic countries to establish joint venture partnerships to tap buisness opportunities.

“The UK and the US markets are the current targets for the Kerala IT Industry. But with the economies of these countries slowing down, there could be a cut on the IT spend of companies located there. The need to look at newer markets has never been greater,” said Anoop Ambika, secretary, GTECH. “The Scandainavian countries present a fantastic opportunity for the SME's in Kerala to tap.”

IT sector to extend operations to Scandinavian region

Special Correspondent

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GTECH to help State's enterprises find opportunities in Sweden, Finland, Norway and Denmark.

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Thiruvananthapuram: The IT industry in Kerala is preparing to extend its footprint to the Scandinavian region of Europe for identifying fresh business opportunities and accelerating growth.

The Group of Technology Companies (GTECH) has unveiled a strategy to help small and medium enterprises (SME) in the IT sector scout for new business opportunities in Scandinavian countries.

Lull in U.K., U.S.

“The UK and the US markets are the current targets for the Kerala IT industry. But with the economies of these countries slowing down, there could be a cut on the IT spend of companies located here. The need to look at newer markets has never been greater. The Scandinavian countries present a good opportunity for the SMEs in Kerala to tap”, says Anoop Ambika, secretary, GTECH.

The strategy proposes to target Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Finland in the initial stage.

These countries face a demographic challenge and cost pressures to sustain their economic growth which is dependent on cutting edge technology and innovation.

According to GTECH, the IT industry in Kerala could play a critical role in sustaining the competitiveness of these economies by offering cost competitiveness and quality solutions. The new emerging sectors like Clean Technology, Health and Life sciences have been identified as the thrust areas.

First step

GTECH has formulated a structural framework for deeper engagement with Denmark and Sweden. As a first step, a delegation of government officials from these countries visited Technopark and Infopark recently to identify the potential business areas for the Kerala-based IT companies.

Shanker Subramaniam, Senior Investment Manager, ‘Invest in Denmark' and Srikant Illuri, Country Head, ‘Invest in Sweden,' both investment promotion agencies of the respective countries, were part of the delegation.

The delegation mooted the idea of GTECH taking a team of CEOs from Kerala to Nordic Countries to establish joint venture partnerships and identify business opportunities. “We have plans to bring in government representatives from some more countries in the near future,” says Anoop Ambika.

GTECH looking at Nordic countries for opportunities

Kerala's IT industry could play a critical role in sustaining the competitiveness of these economies, by offering cost competitiveness and quality solutions.

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Our Bureau

Thiruvananthapuram, Aug. 16

The Group of Technology Companies (GTECH), Kerala, has unveiled a unique strategy to tap market opportunities in the Scandinavian region of Europe.

This will be part of the GTECH agenda to help small and medium (SME) IT enterprises in the State scout for business opportunities and expand their reach, an official spokesman said here.

The strategy is part of a vision to identify potential growth markets for Kerala's IT industry. This is in tune with the broad objective that GTECH has set out to achieve - accelerated growth of the IT and ITeS sectors. GTECH proposes to target Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Finland in the initial stage.

According to the spokesman, these countries face a demographic challenge and cost pressures to sustain economic growth, which is dependent on cutting-edge technology and innovation.

Kerala's IT Industry could play a critical role in sustaining the competitiveness of these economies, by offering cost competitiveness and quality solutions.

Emerging sectors such as clean technology, health and life sciences have been identified as the thrust areas, the spokesman added. The Scandinavian region has also been witnessing high ICT adoption and research and development investments on IT infrastructure, that provide a unique opportunity for the IT Industry.

GTECH has already drawn up the structural framework for deeper engagement with Denmark and Sweden.

As a first step, Government delegations from both these countries visited Technopark-Thiruvananthapuram and Infopark-Kochi recently, to identify potential business areas for resident IT companies.

The Danish Government was represented by Mr Shanker Subramaniam, Senior Investment Manager, Invest-in-Denmark, and the Sweden team by Mr Srikant Illuri, Country Head, Invest-in-Sweden.

The visiting delegation proposed the idea of GTECH taking a delegation of CEOs to the Nordic countries, to establish joint venture partnerships to tap business opportunities.

According to Mr Anoop Ambika, Secretary, GTECH, the UK and the US markets are the current targets for the Kerala IT Industry.

However, with the economies of these countries slowing down, the IT spend of companies located there could go down.

There is an urgent need to explore new markets, he said. “We propose to bring in Government representatives from some more countries in the near future,” Mr Ambika added.

Dutch IT Companies doing well in Kerala

IT Companies from the Netherlands are doing well in Technopark, Trivandrum. This was one of the revelations that came during an interactive session today in Trivandrum with Ms. Marijke van Drunen Littel, Consul General of the Netherlands, Mumbai. ARS and RickshawSoft are two of the companies that shared their experiences in Kerala and particularly, Technopark.

ARS Software is a subsidiary of ARS Traffic & Transport Technology BV, The Netherlands and has been in Technopark since 2001. ARS provides Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS), services and solutions to major traffic and transport related clients in Europe. RickshawSoft Smart Solutions, a subsidiary of RiksjaSoft BV, The Netherlands is a fairly new entrant having set up their shop about nine months back and provides Retail software, solutions and services to clients including big retail organisations in Europe.

Sharing his experiences Martijn van der Spek, MD, ARS said that doing business and working in India for the last nine years has been really good and Kerala is like a second home for him. They are very impressed with the facilities in Technopark as with the talent available here.

Wim Krämer, CEO, RickshawSoft said the availability of cheap and highly skilled manpower in Kerala is the biggest attraction for European companies to come here or to do business with IT companies here. According to him, a company can get four employees here for the cost of one in Europe. (Btw, it looks like the name of his company is truly inspired by India!)

Hugo Messer, CEO of Bridge Outsourcing BV who started Bridge India, a web development and web designing company in Kochi shared his experiences in Kerala with Kerala IT News, “For our company, the loyalty, high skills and hard working attitude of people from Kerala, bring a lot of advantages. Before starting in India, one of the sounds that we often heard was of high attrition rates in India. Since we started in 2008, not a single employee has left our company deliberately." He would certainly recommend more companies from the Netherlands to set shop here. “Kerala is a very good choice at the moment as salaries are still much lower than in the Tier 1 cities, people are very friendly and living in Kerala is a pleasure”, he added.

Earlier Ms. Marijke spoke about the immense potential that the Netherlands offer for Indian Companies. She also spoke about the various projects by the Dutch in India and specifically in Kerala.

The session was organised by the InKEL forum of Excellence in association with the NIPM Trivandrum Chapter. T Balakrishnan IAS, Principal Secretary, Department of Industries & Commerce, Govt. of Kerala; John Mathai, Chairman, Public Sector Restructuring and Internal Audit Board (RIAB); Dr. G C Gopala Pillai, MD, Infrastructures Kerala Ltd. (InKEL); Binu Sankar, CEO, GTech were among the many CEOs and top officials from companies who attended the session.

Denmark to welcome IT cos from Kerala

Denmark is all set to roll out the red carpet for IT companies from Kerala planning to set shop there. A session on ‘Market Opportunities in Denmark’ was organised by the Group of Technology Companies (GTech) and Technopark in partnership with the Invest in Denmark organisation under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark at Technopark last week.

Shanker Subramaniam, Senior Investment Manager, Danish Trade Commission spoke on the market opportunities for IT companies from Kerala in Denmark. Taking the session, Shanker said, “Denmark is an ideal location for SME from Kerala to set up their European base (Nordic hub) as Denmark is centrally located among the European countries. The shortage of skilled labour and the less investment required to set up an office in Denmark are the points which should attract Indian companies”.

Companies can start small and smaller companies can build relationships better. Clients in Denmark are demanding but don’t change vendors once selected. He also gave a brief presentation on Visas, Work and Residence permits in Denmark. Acoustics, IT services and Logistics are the industries that offer maximum opportunities in Denmark. Over the last few years 105 Danish companies have established themselves in India.

Bahrain beckons IT Cos from Kerala

Bahrain, one of the fast growing economies significant to global firms in the Gulf market is beckoning IT companies from Kerala to set up shop there as a huge market opportunity exits for these companies. This was the highlight of a session on Investment and Market Opportunities in Bahrain organised in Technopark last week by the Group of Technology Companies in Kerala (GTech) in partnership with the Economic Development Board (EDB), Bahrain and Technopark.

The key speaker for the event was Ms. Dharmi Magdani, Country Manager - India, EDB Bahrain. EDB aims to enhance Bahrain’s economy by developing an economic growth strategy, enhancing the business environment through reforms, and promoting investment.

Bahrain offers easy and liberal visa policies along with the most liberal tax regime in the Gulf with no corporate income tax, no personal income tax and no wealth tax or tax on capital gains among other reliefs. Companies are allowed 100% foreign ownership with no ‘free zone’ restrictions. The country has an advanced legal environment based on British Common Law System. Bahrain offers a cost efficient business base and also the most educated, skilled workforce in the Gulf.

According to Binu Sankar, CEO, GTech, “There is immense opportunity for Kerala Companies in the areas of e-governance, Tourism and IT Training. Two to three companies might set up a representative office in Bahrain soon.”

According to Gartner, the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Market in Bahrain is expected to reach $ 375 million by this year which is driven by products and services from the Government and the Private sector.

Around 23 companies participated in this session chaired by S Rama Rao, former President, GTech. Mervin Alexander, CEO, Technopark and Anoop P Ambika, Secretary, GTech were among those present.

Do not reduce width of highways: GTECH

Thiruvananthapuram: The Group of Technology Companies (GTECH), a strategic grouping of software companies in the State, has proposed that Kerala use Central funds to compensate and rehabilitate the families that would be displaced for widening the National Highways to 45 metres.

A pressnote issued by GTECH here on Thursday said that reducing the width of the NHs would not be in the long-term interest of the State or its citizens. The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has approved the expansion of about 700 kms of highways, at an estimated investment of Rs.10,000 crore, over a 30-month period. However, politicians in Kerala, cutting across party lines, insist that the width of the highway should not exceed 30 m (as against the NHAI standard of 60 m), citing the impact of land acquisition on the affected people. This has put the entire project at risk and the State could lose the approved funding and a project vital to its needs.

Arguments

“Whilst rehabilitation is the most important aspect that the State government should focus on, there are also a lot of factually incorrect arguments on the impact of the expansions. The total number of people that will be affected by the land acquisition will be less than 50,000, according to the study conducted by NHAI, whereas those against the highway expansion claim that it is 25 lakh. The good thing is that there are plenty of funds already available from the Central government for acquiring land at even 2.5 times the market price,” said V.K. Mathews, president, GTECH.

Paradox

It was unfortunate and, in a way, paradoxical that when the whole country was asking for more funds for building more transportation infrastructure, in Kerala, the only topic on which both the government and the Opposition coming united was to block the infrastructure development, he said.

“What is required is a mass awareness programme to bring out the advantages of 45-m NHs to the citizenry of the State,” Anoop Ambika, secretary, GTECH said.

Need for vision

The Trivandrum Residents Apex Council (TRAC) has also opposed the all party move to reduce the proposed width of the NH road corridors and do away with the BOT route.

A pressnote quoting TRAC president Ramakrishnan Nair and secretary K.T. Roy said road development should be finalised with a long-term vision covering 20 to 30 years. “Considering the increase in vehicle density, 30 m width would be inadequate. A median of 5-m width will be needed to accommodate concrete pillars for a flyover needed for future development.”

GTech: From Technopark to Technology Companies

Tvm: GTech, the Group of Technopark Companies is undergoing a transformation from its present form to the Group of Technology Companies. This was announced by V K Mathews, President, GTech today. GTech will thus be a strategic grouping of IT & ITeS Companies from the Government IT Parks in Kerala.

The Group of Technopark Companies was founded in 2000 by the CEO’s of the companies in Technopark as a non-profit organisation. Today majority of the companies in Technopark are members of GTech. But in the last ten years the Kerala IT industry has grown beyond Technopark and in the last Annual General Meeting of GTech held in February 2010, it was decided to broaden the network and look beyond Technopark.

Briefing the media, VK said that GTech is equivalent to Nasscom in Kerala. GTech wants to be seen as an organisation complimenting and partnering with the Government and its agencies to promote not just Technopark but the entire Kerala as a preferred IT destination to companies around the world. At the same time they also want to limit their activities to companies which are based in Government owned IT Parks, namely Infopark, Cyberpark and the several new smaller IT parks at Kundara, Chertalla or Ambalapuzha. They are also expecting the companies from Technolodges to join them, as and when they start.

The main focus area of GTech remains to promote the cause of the community of IT companies in Kerala. It’s the forum where matters of common interest could be discussed and resolved while articulating the consensual views of its members to the Government, regulatory agencies, media, the general public and foreign community.

One of the new initiatives planned is be to promote the small and medium companies in the IT parks. The bigger companies can mentor these SMEs. GTech also want to provide a platform for these companies to showcase themselves so as to get VC funding or to do overseas promotion.

Another initiative is the tie-up with several professional bodies outside India which can benefit the members. The Internship programme for Management Students from Singapore is a step in this direction.

GTech is also planning to increase their activities under Corporate Social Responsibility. The conference on 'Re-Engineering the Kerala Agriculture Sector: Information and Communication Technologies in Agriculture' in January 2010 is an example of this initiative. They brought bring 55 farmers from different parts of Kerala to attend this one day conference in Technopark.

GTech now has a new team steering the activities for the next two years with V K Mathews, Chairman & CEO, IBS Group as the new President and K Nanadakumar, President & CEO, SunTec Business Solutions as the Vice President. Anoop P Ambika, CEO, Kreara solutions and Syed Ibrahim, MD, Palnar Transmedia is the Secretary and Treasurer respectively. They will have a new road map to make GTech as a catalyst in promoting and positioning Brand Kerala. They want to leverage on the global connections and the vast expertise of Mathews and Nandakumar, especially to benefit the Small and Medium companies and help them set new benchmarks.

Anil Philip

Loss of NH project will adversely affect Kerala public

Group of Technology Companies (GTECH), a strategic grouping of software companies in Kerala, is of the firm view that reducing the width of the National Highways in Kerala would not be in the long-term interest of the state or its citizens. NHAI has approved the expansion of about 700 kms of highways, at an estimated investment of Rs.10,000 cr, over a 30 months period. However, Kerala politicians cutting across party lines insist that the width of the highway should not exceed 30 meters (as against the NHAI standard of 60 meters), citing the impact of land acquisition on the affected people. This has put the entire project at risk and the state could lose the approved funding and a project vital to its needs.
Currently, the increase in vehicular traffic in Kerala stands at 12% pa and a 30-meter highway will have to operate at several times its capacity on the day it is commissioned!! In other words, the situation after completing a 30-meter highway for which some land acquisition is required will be no different from what it is now. Vehicular accidents will continue to remain high, there will be no let up in traffic congestion, fuel wastage will increase, transportation costs will continue to rise, carbon emission will shoot up and the developmental activities in the state will slow down. Contrary to the general perception, the common man will also be adversely affected by poor and inadequate connectivity.
“Whilst rehabilitation is the most important aspect that the State Government should focus on, there are also a lot of factually incorrect arguments on the impact of the expansions. The total number of people that will be affected by the land acquisition will be less than 50,000, according to the study conducted by NHAI, whereas the figure used by those against the highway expansion is 25 lacs!!! The good thing is that there are plenty of funds already available from Central Government for acquiring land at even 2.5 times the market price. We must realize that the Kerala Government, considering our financial situation and other priorities, cannot afford to acquire expensive land at all, and therefore we should use this Central funding to facilitate total and effective rehabilitation.” says Mr. V K Mathews President, GTECH
Kerala has the highest vehicle density of 1:6 in the country (one vehicle for every 6 people, which is over 4 times the national average) and the highest annual traffic growth. The state has an average of 11 deaths and 120 grievous injuries every day, due to road accidents. Pedestrian accidents account for a majority of this. The number of families, especially those belonging to the weaker sections of the society, devastated by road accidents every year is alarmingly high.
The common man is also adversely affected in several other ways. Traffic bottlenecks increase transportation costs and for a consumer state like Kerala, this will mean higher costs for essential commodities. A smooth flowing traffic is absolutely essential for crisis evacuations in case of natural disasters like tsunami or even in case of terrorist attacks. Besides, emergency transportation of people to hospitals demands decongested roads. The productivity loss and increased fuel costs on the Trivandrum-Kochi stretch of NH-47 itself, due to congestion and lower average speed, is estimated to be about Rs. 2,700 cr p a.
An overwhelming percentage of the youth in Kerala aspires to be engaged or employed in the value adding service sector like Information Technology. For this industry to grow and for new investments to come in, the state needs to have safe and efficient transportation infrastructure, especially roads and highways. It is extremely unfortunate and, in a way, paradoxical that when the whole country is asking for more funds for building more transportation infrastructure, in Kerala, the only topic on which both the Government and Opposition coming united is to block the infrastructure development.
“It is essential that adjacent services, pedestrian roads and medians of adequate dimensions are put in place. All these would require a minimum width of 45 metres. A study revealed that the total number of families affected by road accidents each year in Kerala is three times that of the number of families affected by land acquisition for the current National Highway development project. What is required is a mass awareness programme to bring out the advantages of 45 meter National Highway to the citizenry of the state” sums up Anoop Ambika, secretary GTECH.

Reverse Innovation – An article from HBR by VG of GE

Imagine you're German, you need a new family car, and you have a limited budget — say, US$9,400. What can you do? Continue using public transportation? Buy a used car? Or maybe buy a brand-new Dacia Logan!
Dacia is a Romanian car manufacturer acquired in 1999 byFrench automaker Renault with the aim of designing low-cost passenger vehicles for emerging Eastern European markets. The Logan, a five-seater with a spacious trunk, was introduced in Romania in 2004 and subsequently to neighboring countries. The Logan's basic version, costing US$6,500, was revolutionary in the automotive industry well before the Tata Nano appeared on the scene. Dacia now offers pickups, vans, station wagons, and mini SUVs in emerging as well as developed markets. In Germany alone, where the car is offered starting at US$9,400, Dacia's sales jumped from about 6,000 units in 2006 to about 85,000 units in 2009 — this in a land studded with its own car brands.
To offer the car at such low prices, Renault followed a stringent design-to-cost approach. The Logan consists of fewer parts than the average Western car and is made of traditional steel in a labor-intensive assembly process in a low-cost country. To meet the needs of emerging market customers, the car has a fuel filter, increased ground clearance, and a battery that can survive extreme weather conditions. Maintenance is simple; a basic technician can do the work. Interestingly, the Logan originally was conceived at Renault's French R&D headquarters. Product development responsibility gradually shifted to the company's new R&D center in Romania.
When Dacia launched the Logan in Germany, they followed five principles that may be useful to other companies planning to bring emerging market products into developed markets.
Focus on building platforms, not products. Platforms can be scaled up or down for global markets. For the German market, Dacia scaled up the product platform with more safety features and more appealing exterior characteristics, such as metallic paint. This allowed the automaker to charge higher prices and, in turn, reap higher profit margins.
Select target customers. The company carefully chose its target customers. Typically, these customers are people who buy a Logan instead of a used car, a cheap, Asian import, or a very small European car. These customers value price, space, and reliability. Renault highlights Logan's best space-price ratio in its respective car segment. The car's exceptional reliability is highlighted via guarantees, regular checks, and customer satisfaction surveys.
Emerging market platforms must be low cost but not low quality. Dacia's marketing emphasized the fact that it's able to offer low prices without sacrificing quality and safety.
Commercial innovations are essential. The Logan is not just a product innovation, but a commercial innovation as well. Dacia employs low-cost marketing (they don't advertise on TV) and they initially sold the Logan through existing Renault dealerships.
Protect global brand. Renault introduced Dacai as a separate brand, to avoid potential negative effects on its core brand.
We may be at the cusp of a new era where breakthrough innovations happen first in poor countries and those innovations subsequently are taken to rich countries. Logan is a powerful example of suchreverse innovation.

Technopark firms lift ban on poaching

Special Correspondent
Thiruvananthapuram: The Group of Technology Companies (GTECH), a common platform for IT companies in Kerala, has decided to lift the self- imposed restriction on poaching each other's resources.
Addressing a press conference here on Tuesday, president-elect of GTECH V.K. Mathews said the decision was influenced by the need to ensure better ‘ mobility' for technology professionals to further their career prospects within the State and prevent their migration to other IT destinations like Bangalore, Chennai and Hyderabad.
Formerly the Group of Technopark Companies, GTECH's new avatar reflects its broader representation of IT companies across the State.
“The employment scenario and industry profile have undergone major changes over the last 10 years. Initially, a professional employed in a GTECH company could seek posting with another only if he produced a no-objection certificate from the first employer. That was a time when the number of employees in Technopark could be counted in thousands. But today, their number runs into tens of thousands, especially after GTECH expanded its profile,” Mr. Mathews said.
Anoop P. Ambika, secretary, said moves were on to establish a mechanism to deal with gender issues in the profession.
“It is envisaged as a platform for women employees to air their grievances and seek redressal,” he said.

GTECH outlines roadmap for IT growth

Special Correspondent
Thiruvananthapuram: The Group of Technology Companies (GTECH), a body representing the software industry in the State, has announced a slew of initiatives aimed at the accelerated growth of the IT sector. Outlining a roadmap for the revamped GTECH, president-elect V.K. Mathews said the fraternity would work closely with the government to promote Kerala as an IT destination.
The industry is eminently suitable for a State like Kerala where the availability of land is at a premium and the density of population the highest. The IT industry has one of the lowest land-to-employee ratio. It is neither polluting nor power intensive and offers huge employment opportunities, he said.
Four objectives
GTECH will pursue four main objectives during the course of 2010, which are ensuring physical security of IT parks in view of recent threats; containing costs; expanding reach and consequence by collaborating with external institutions; and enhancing collaboration among members to improve competencies of small and medium enterprises (SMEs). It will collaborate with the government on tactical actions and strategic campaigns to promote Kerala as an IT destination. It will take part in consultations on policy matters and offer support in the State's e-governance projects, besides cooperating with the Labour Department for reforms in labour laws.
Mr. Mathews said GTECH would promote and support existing IT companies, promote IT entrepreneurship and small companies and engage ‘key influencers' to mobilise public support for the IT industry. “The software sector is characterised by intense global competition, demanding global standards in quality and delivery schedules at all times, an employee-driven job market, high voluntary attrition, flexible resourcing needs and periods of recruitment spree. For the industry to grow, ‘key influencers' should understand its special nature and requirements. GTECH will work towards creating and increasing this awareness,” a press release here on Tuesday said.
Mr. Mathews said GTECH would try to propagate the key message that ‘Supporting IT is supporting people.' K. Nandakumar, vice-president, GTECH; and Binu Sankar, chief executive officer, were present.

Private ban on poaching from among Kerala IT cos goes

Thiruvananthapuram, May 4
The Group of Technology Companies (GTECH), the common platform for IT companies in Kerala, has decided to annul the extant ‘gentleman's agreement' that prevented member companies from ‘poaching' each others' resources.
Announcing this, Mr V.K. Mathews, President-elect, GTECH, told newspersons here that the decision was taken with a view to affording needed ‘mobility' for technology professionals to further their career prospects within the State.
LARGER OBJECTIVE
This is a baby step towards accomplishing the larger objective of retaining precious resources, which would otherwise exit the borders seeking better prospects in the IT backyards of Bangalore, Chennai and Hyderabad.
As a matter of policy, GTECH members would, however, desist from ‘actively soliciting' resources from each other, Mr Mathews said.
Explaining, he said there has been a sea-change in the employment scenario and industry profile over the last 10 years.
Initially, a professional employed in a GTECH (then Group of Technopark Companies) company could seek posting with another only if he produced a no-objection certificate from the first employer.
“But this was a time when we could count the number of total employees on rolls in Technopark into the thousands. But today we count them in their tens of thousands, especially after the scope of GTECH has been expanded to include technology companies from all over the State,” Mr Mathews said.
EMPLOYEE FORUM
Speaking on the occasion, Mr Anoop P. Ambika, Secretary, GTECH, said a separate employee forum is being envisaged to take up labour-related issues among member-companies.
Another significant initiative would be a mechanism to deal with gender issues, which would provide a platform for women employees to air their grievances and seek redressal.
Outlining a roadmap for the revamped GTECH, Mr Mathews said that the fraternity would work for the accelerated growth of IT industry in Kerala. Mr K. Nandakumar, Vice-President, GTECH, was also present on the occasion.
The industry is eminently suitable for a State like Kerala where the availability of land is at a premium and the density of population the highest. The IT industry has one of the lowest land-to-employee ratio. It is neither polluting nor power intensive and offers huge employment opportunities. GTECH today has a membership of nearly 100 companies employing around 80 per cent of the software professionals working in the State. All large IT companies operating in Kerala are members, or are in the process of becoming one.
Nearly 70 per cent of the members are from the SME sector employing less than 50 persons each.
AGENDA SET
GTECH has decided to pursue four main objectives during the course of 2010, which include: (i) ensuring physical security of the IT parks in view of the recent threats (ii) containing costs (iii) expanding reach and consequence by collaborating with external institutions and (iv) enhancing collaboration amongst members to improve competencies of SMEs (small and medium enterprises).
It would also work very closely with the State Government to promote Kerala as an IT destination through tactical actions and strategic campaigns, consult on policy matters, support/participate in the State's e-governance projects and closely work with the labour department for timely reforms in labour laws.
The key message that GTECH would attempt to propagate is that ‘supporting IT is supporting people,' which would help mainstream the industry and its employees in the socio-economic fabric of the society.

Interns from Singapore to get a taste of Kerala IT

Special Correspondent

Initiative by GTech in association with Singapore Management University.

Thiruvananthapuram: A number of management students from Singapore will soon be doing an internship programme at Technopark. The initiative is being kick-started through a pilot project by the Group of Technopark companies (GTech) in partnership with the Singapore Management University.
GTech CEO Binu Shankar said this was part of GTech's plan to establish global linkages for the Kerala IT Industry. The two-month long pilot project is being organised at InApp Information Technologies from the first week of May.
The interns would eventually help Technopark companies in identifying business and market opportunities in the South East Asian Market. The idea was mooted during GTech's interaction with Singapore Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SICCI) held in June 2009.
Wholesome exposure
The objective of the internship programme was to provide a framework by which graduate and post-graduate students of Singapore from diverse academic backgrounds may be assigned to member-companies where their education experience can be enhanced through practical work assignments and exposure to the work of the Kerala IT Industry.
Right strategy
In a press note issued on Friday, GTech said such an initiative would reinforce the strategic relationship between Kerala and the city-state of Singapore. This is in tune with GTech's policy of developing in-depth engagements with the government and the business establishments in Singapore and other South East Asian Countries.
GTech strongly feels that these interns from different nationalities covering the ASEAN countries would act as brand ambassadors for the state IT Industry in furthering the industry's business and strategic interests.

Eco-conscious techies take to car-pooling

T. Nandakumar
Technopark's IT professionals register with a website, share cars and do their bit for nature.
Thiruvananthapuram: Last October, when Padmakumar, an IT professional and three of his colleagues in the Technopark campus decided to share a car for their daily commute from home to their workplace, they were driven solely by the larger commitment to the environment. Six months later, Mr. Padmakumar, an employee at Sigtech Wireless, feels that the carpool has more merits than cutting down on greenhouse gas emissions. “Apart from reducing our carbon footprint, this initiative also provides us an opportunity to discuss politics and technology trends during the daily commute,” he says.
IT professionals are warming up to the first major car-pool initiative in the State that was launched by the Group of Technopark companies (GTech) last year. All they have to do is log on to the car-pool website and register. “Car-pooling with some of my colleagues has made me environment conscious,” claims Firos Shamsudeen who works for Palnar Transmedia. “We have pledged to do our bit towards reducing the consumption of water and electricity,” he says.
Like Shamsudeen and Padmakumar, several others have discovered that it makes sense to share a vehicle or switch to public transport. Some claim that travelling with colleagues also feels safer at night.
Conceived as a Green Computing initiative, the car-pooling website, www.parkcarpool.in was started in April 2009 by GTech in partnership with Palnar Transmedia, a software development firm. The first such initiative in Kerala, it targeted IT professionals of Technopark and Infopark. The objective was to reduce the carbon footprint of the IT industry in Kerala.
One year after its launch, the initiative has 35 active and regular carpools with over 1,000 registered users, including women. The carpools used by Technopark employees provide connectivity with locations in the city like Vazhuthacaud, Manacaud, Pongumoodu, East Fort, Kesavadasapuram as well as suburban areas and satellite towns like Nedumangad, Balaramapuram and Attingal. During Fridays, another 20 carpools are formed for long trips to Kochi, Kottayam and Kanyakumari.
“We have taken some precautionary measures like registration using the official company e-mail id while using the website for car-pooling. We have advised women to look at car-pooling within the same company and also to meet up with car-poolers within the campus to avoid untoward incidents,” says Binu Shankar, CEO, GTech who is himself a registered user of the facility. “I have had a mindset change ever since I started using this facility. I have become more conscious about the impact of global warming and am also promoting the idea among my friends working in other industries.”
Emissions cut
According to a preliminary assessment by the Energy Management Centre (EMC), the net saving on petrol consumption for 35 active carpools with four passengers per car works out to 1,050 litres per week. This translates into a weekly reduction in carbon dioxide emission of 262.5 kg. The annual reduction in CO2 emission is calculated to be of the order of 14.4 tonnes.
According to Mervin Alexander, CEO, Technopark, the car-pooling initiative will help ease chaotic traffic conditions in front of the campus. It could also help free up parking space on the premises. Mr. Alexander said Technopark would go all out to promote car-pooling and public transport among employees. “Anything that addresses the problems of traffic congestion and parking will be encouraged. We are actively promoting the low floor air conditioned bus services introduced by the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation”.
The bus services have enjoyed good patronage by IT professionals. “We are trying to persuade KSRTC to introduce more schedules and at more regular frequencies,” Mr. Alexander said.

GTech organises health awareness week

Group of Technopark companies (GTech), in partnership with Technopark and Kerala Institute of Medical Sciences (Kims), is organising a health awareness week from Monday to Friday. Titled GTech Tech Life 2010, the programme involves a series of activities aimed at ensuring the well being of IT professionals in Technopark, according to Mr Binu Sankar, CEO, GTech. Dr G. Vijayaraghavan, renowned cardiologist, inaugurated the programme on Monday. He exhorted the Technopark community to adopt a healthy life style and strive for a work life balance. The doctors will help the IT community to cope with stress, engage in healthy eating habits and oversee sessions on how to be physically active at the workplace. Mr Mervin Alexander, CEO, Technopark, launched a website dedicated to the event. The programme will feature interaction with doctors from Kims, a session with psychologist Dr Santhosh Babu, and an entertainment programme by playback singer Karthik. — Our Bureau

Health Awareness Week at Technopark

Thiruvananthapuram: In a move to help information technology (IT) professionals cope with stress, engage in healthy eating habits and improve physical fitness, the Group of Technopark Companies (GTech) is organising a health awareness campaign from April 5 to 9 on the Technopark campus.

The programme, titled GTech Tech Life 2010, is being held in association with Technopark and the Kerala Institute of Medical Science (KIMS).

G. Vijayaraghavan, cardiologist, delivering the inaugural address of the event, exhorted the Technopark community to adopt a healthy lifestyle and strive for a work-life balance.

The programme includes interaction with doctors from KIMS, a session with Santhosh Babu, psychologist, and an entertainment programme by a Tamil playback singer, Karthik.

Each day of the programme will focus on a topic, such as heart, gastro, mind, hypertension and diabetes, and will have specialists discussing the various aspects pertaining to the topic of the day.

Mervin Alexander, Chief Executive Officer of Technopark, launched a web site, http://www.techlife.co.in, dedicated to the event.

Anoop Ambika, Secretary, GTech, spoke.

In a press note issued here, GTech said the overall objective of the event was to kick-start a healthy lifestyle movement on the campus.

Kerala IT News Coverage

V K Mathews to steer GTech; New Officials announced

The Group of Technopark Companies (GTech), has announced its new office bearers for the year 2010 - 2012. V K Mathews, Chairman & CEO, IBS Group has been nominated as the new President. GTech is a strategic Grouping of IT & ITeS Companies in Kerala.

K Nanadakumar, President & CEO, SunTec Business solutions has been nominated as the Vice President. Anoop P Ambika, CEO, Kreara solutions and Syed Ibrahim, MD, Palnar Transmedia have been nominated as the Secretary and Treasurer.

Talking to Kerala IT News, Binu Sankar, CEO, GTech said, "I hope the new office bearers will help and guide GTech to be a catalyst in promoting and positioning Brand Kerala as an IT destination. GTech wants to leverage on the global connections and the vast expertise of Mathews and Nandakumar, especially to benefit the Small and Medium companies and help them set new benchmarks."

Mathews is an Engineer with a master’s degree in aeronautical engineering from IIT Kanpur and has held important positions earlier in Government agencies, Business Organisations and Academic Institutions. Nandakumar is a technologist who has pioneered the idea of Relationship based pricing in the Financial Services Industry.