February 10th will be a stepping-stone for the Kollam District. The Chief Minister of Kerala will lay the foundation stone for setting up a Technopark on a 40-acre land on the outskirts of the city. Truly in a sense the development of the park will herald a new age of inclusive development in the state. Researchers often pointed out that, two industries, which can co-exist in Kerala, are Tourism and the Knowledge Industry. This particular move from the Government can change the economic landscape of the district by providing opportunities for the youth to embark a career in the IT/ITES space. The toughest thing in the entire framework of the development of the park would be to market the park to potential investor. One plausible thing, which could lure potential investors, would be the rentals, which can come as cheap as Rs 10 per square feet. And also clubbing the IT/ITES Industry with the tourism Industry would go a long way in marketing the parks to potential investors. The proposed park can be a hub for Entrepreneurship by creating an enabling mechanism through which young Entrepreneurs are nurtured and supported by the Government with the necessary market linkages being established. And also many companies operating in Technopark can outsource a part of their operations to these new build parks. In the era economic recession and global meltdown companies keen on cutting cost can pursue this option.
Friday, January 23, 2009
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Session on Business Response to HIV/AIDS
GTECH in association with the Kerala State AIDS Control Society organised a session on Business Response to HIV/AIDS on 12th December 2008 in Technopark.
The companies in Technopark who attended the session nodded positively to the suggestion from KSACS that a module on HIV/AIDS should be included in the staff induction and training programmes
Inaugurating the meeting, Project Director of KSACS and Secretary Social Welfare Department, Government of Kerala Dr. Usha Titus IAS said that it was important to mainstream HIV through workplace initiatives and public-private partnership could go a long way in spreading the message on HIV. She also sought the active involvement of Technopark companies and its employees in forming Red Ribbon Clubs to promote voluntary blood donation.
Through workplace initiatives, KSACS is looking at forming partnerships to ensure that every organisation has a policy regarding HIV/AIDS. Such partnerships will also address issues of discrimination faced by HIV-positive persons at workplaces.
Satish Kumar Amarnath, Director, Manipal Cure and Care who led a technical session pointed out that HIV was indeed everyone’s business and that no persons or groups were free from risk.
Presentations were made on stigma reduction, challenges in implementing workplace initiatives. Those who led the sessions included Rita Cross, Joint Director (Care and Support), KSACS, K.B. Sudhir, team leader (Mainstreaming), KSACS, Binu Sankar, CEO, Group of Technopark Companies and S. K. Harikumar, consultant (Behaviour and Sexuality).
A programme protocol and work plan for the joint initiative will be discussed at the next meeting of the CEOs of Technopark companies.
The companies in Technopark who attended the session nodded positively to the suggestion from KSACS that a module on HIV/AIDS should be included in the staff induction and training programmes
Inaugurating the meeting, Project Director of KSACS and Secretary Social Welfare Department, Government of Kerala Dr. Usha Titus IAS said that it was important to mainstream HIV through workplace initiatives and public-private partnership could go a long way in spreading the message on HIV. She also sought the active involvement of Technopark companies and its employees in forming Red Ribbon Clubs to promote voluntary blood donation.
Through workplace initiatives, KSACS is looking at forming partnerships to ensure that every organisation has a policy regarding HIV/AIDS. Such partnerships will also address issues of discrimination faced by HIV-positive persons at workplaces.
Satish Kumar Amarnath, Director, Manipal Cure and Care who led a technical session pointed out that HIV was indeed everyone’s business and that no persons or groups were free from risk.
Presentations were made on stigma reduction, challenges in implementing workplace initiatives. Those who led the sessions included Rita Cross, Joint Director (Care and Support), KSACS, K.B. Sudhir, team leader (Mainstreaming), KSACS, Binu Sankar, CEO, Group of Technopark Companies and S. K. Harikumar, consultant (Behaviour and Sexuality).
A programme protocol and work plan for the joint initiative will be discussed at the next meeting of the CEOs of Technopark companies.
India @ Risk 2008
A report published by the World Economic Forum highlighted the risks that the Indian Economy is facing the near future. The report was prepared by the Global Risk Network, an arm of the World Economic Forum which is composed of an unparalleled network of Industry, risk and country experts who work with Business leaders and policy makers to create a framework for assessing and prioritising existing and emerging risks to Global business over the short and long term.
The four areas of focus of the report are
* Energy Security* Agriculture and Food Security* Economic Security* National Security
Under the Energy Security the report finds that the gap between demand and supply has worsened in the last years. Energy demand increases as the population grows and the country develops; energy supply has increased at a slower pace. Over one-third of the power generated fails to reach consumers. Energy subsidy schemes discourage efficient use of energy and diminish the incentives to increase the use of clean energy sources. The report further adds that the production of crude oil has been stagnant and has boosted the dependency on crude oil imports. India imports more than 70% of its oil. The government has initiated several policies to cover the increasing demand and has intensified foreign relations with world energy suppliers in South and Central Asia, Russia and the Middle East. Energy supply is vulnerable to geopolitical tensions with energy suppliers and energy transit countries. Increasing consumption and increases in oil price would add more pressure to the current account deficit. Corporations and society at large are willing to increase their energy bill to benefit from a reliable energy supply, but generation and distribution infrastructures need to be in place and extraordinary investment is required. According to the World Bank, transmission and distribution losses account for 27% of the generated power and are the highest in the world. Various government agencies report losses between 30% and 40%. Those losses are associated with technical inefficiencies and mismanagement.
Liquid petroleum gas (LPG) subsidies in India are widespread; US$ 1.7 billion was spent in the first half of the current financial year on supplying fuel to poorer households. Nearly 40% of the subsidy expenses benefit only 7% of the population. Energy subsidies encourage consumption and waste, which generate harmful effects on the environment and represent an important liability to the government budget.
Under the Agriculture and Food Security concerns, the report dwells on how rural populations are highly dependent on agriculture and pressures are increasing to transform agricultural activity into a sustainable economic sector. Almost 65% of India's population is directly or indirectly dependent on agriculture, although it only accounts for approximately 16% of GDP. Despite current self-sufficiency in food production, approximately 25% of India's population is malnourished and lives below the poverty line. Child malnutrition is responsible not only for 22% of India's disease burden, but also for 50% of the 2.3 million child deaths in India each year. Agricultural output and rural communities face risks of changing weather patterns linked to climate change and threats from water scarcity and quality. Water for agricultural use currently represents 92% of renewable water resources, compared with 3% for industry and 5% for domestic use. The report identifies the major risk involved in the Indian Agriculture which is the biggest shift in the agricultural sector has been the move to more horticultural products. Rising demand for fruit and vegetables and shorter growing cycles, which allow several harvests a year, enable farmers to spread their risk over several crops. Horticultural produce is highly perishable and requires better storage, distribution and retail conditions. These crops also place pressure on water resources.
Under the economic security the report adds that the deterioration of the global financial Environment has affected the national economy and spillover effects on the real economy are still unfolding. India remains vulnerable to the vagaries of the world currency, commodity and financial markets. The report says that the India's dependence on capital inflows to finance its current account deficit is a Macroeconomic risk and the global crisis could generate a sharp increase in capital outflows and a reduction in the availability of finance. It could also weaken the balance sheet of the financial institutions, cause a further fall in share and asset prices, and challenge the macroeconomic situation due to shrinking Global growth. India has accumulated reserves of US$ 295 billion over the last years of economic expansion,providing a cushion to overcome a potentially pessimistic economic outlook. The level of reserves has decreased recently due to imports paid in US dollars, Reserve Bank intervention and equity portfolio adjustments abroad. The recent fall in commodity prices might help decelerate inflation and could thus benefit the imports bill, while also having a positive impact on reserves.
Under the National Security risks facing the nation, the report identifies the External and Internal sources of insecurity: India's security policies must address potential threats coming from outside its borders. India's security policies will need to combine economic, diplomatic and military aspects to protect Indian society and also secure energy supply and trade routes. Radical groups organized along ethnic, far left or religious lines are gaining ground, especially in disadvantaged districts. These need to be closely monitored to prevent the spread of unrest in certain regions and deter extremist attacks.
The four areas of focus of the report are
* Energy Security* Agriculture and Food Security* Economic Security* National Security
Under the Energy Security the report finds that the gap between demand and supply has worsened in the last years. Energy demand increases as the population grows and the country develops; energy supply has increased at a slower pace. Over one-third of the power generated fails to reach consumers. Energy subsidy schemes discourage efficient use of energy and diminish the incentives to increase the use of clean energy sources. The report further adds that the production of crude oil has been stagnant and has boosted the dependency on crude oil imports. India imports more than 70% of its oil. The government has initiated several policies to cover the increasing demand and has intensified foreign relations with world energy suppliers in South and Central Asia, Russia and the Middle East. Energy supply is vulnerable to geopolitical tensions with energy suppliers and energy transit countries. Increasing consumption and increases in oil price would add more pressure to the current account deficit. Corporations and society at large are willing to increase their energy bill to benefit from a reliable energy supply, but generation and distribution infrastructures need to be in place and extraordinary investment is required. According to the World Bank, transmission and distribution losses account for 27% of the generated power and are the highest in the world. Various government agencies report losses between 30% and 40%. Those losses are associated with technical inefficiencies and mismanagement.
Liquid petroleum gas (LPG) subsidies in India are widespread; US$ 1.7 billion was spent in the first half of the current financial year on supplying fuel to poorer households. Nearly 40% of the subsidy expenses benefit only 7% of the population. Energy subsidies encourage consumption and waste, which generate harmful effects on the environment and represent an important liability to the government budget.
Under the Agriculture and Food Security concerns, the report dwells on how rural populations are highly dependent on agriculture and pressures are increasing to transform agricultural activity into a sustainable economic sector. Almost 65% of India's population is directly or indirectly dependent on agriculture, although it only accounts for approximately 16% of GDP. Despite current self-sufficiency in food production, approximately 25% of India's population is malnourished and lives below the poverty line. Child malnutrition is responsible not only for 22% of India's disease burden, but also for 50% of the 2.3 million child deaths in India each year. Agricultural output and rural communities face risks of changing weather patterns linked to climate change and threats from water scarcity and quality. Water for agricultural use currently represents 92% of renewable water resources, compared with 3% for industry and 5% for domestic use. The report identifies the major risk involved in the Indian Agriculture which is the biggest shift in the agricultural sector has been the move to more horticultural products. Rising demand for fruit and vegetables and shorter growing cycles, which allow several harvests a year, enable farmers to spread their risk over several crops. Horticultural produce is highly perishable and requires better storage, distribution and retail conditions. These crops also place pressure on water resources.
Under the economic security the report adds that the deterioration of the global financial Environment has affected the national economy and spillover effects on the real economy are still unfolding. India remains vulnerable to the vagaries of the world currency, commodity and financial markets. The report says that the India's dependence on capital inflows to finance its current account deficit is a Macroeconomic risk and the global crisis could generate a sharp increase in capital outflows and a reduction in the availability of finance. It could also weaken the balance sheet of the financial institutions, cause a further fall in share and asset prices, and challenge the macroeconomic situation due to shrinking Global growth. India has accumulated reserves of US$ 295 billion over the last years of economic expansion,providing a cushion to overcome a potentially pessimistic economic outlook. The level of reserves has decreased recently due to imports paid in US dollars, Reserve Bank intervention and equity portfolio adjustments abroad. The recent fall in commodity prices might help decelerate inflation and could thus benefit the imports bill, while also having a positive impact on reserves.
Under the National Security risks facing the nation, the report identifies the External and Internal sources of insecurity: India's security policies must address potential threats coming from outside its borders. India's security policies will need to combine economic, diplomatic and military aspects to protect Indian society and also secure energy supply and trade routes. Radical groups organized along ethnic, far left or religious lines are gaining ground, especially in disadvantaged districts. These need to be closely monitored to prevent the spread of unrest in certain regions and deter extremist attacks.
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Recession and Kerala IT Industry
We, the companies of Technopark, after careful consideration of the issues facing the IT and ITES Industry of Kerala in general, and of the Technopark community in particular, would like to bring to the attention of the people of Kerala as well as the Government of Kerala the following points:
1. The IT Industry in Kerala is estimated to employ a workforce of over 60,000, which includes both highly-skilled professionals as well as non-technical personnel, with Technopark employing approximately half of this workforce.
2. The IT Industry in Kerala had an approximate annual turnover of Rs. 1500 crores last year, with Technopark contributing about Rs. 1200 crores.
3. The global economic meltdown has begun to impact Kerala's IT Industry. The magnitude of impact and its timing will vary between companies. However, the growth rate of the industry is likely to be seriously impacted for the next 1-2 years. In particular, the year 2009 is expected to be the most impacted period.
4. The industry will be forced to take a series of steps in order to tide over the slowdown. The steps that may need to be taken include reduction in operational expenses, reduction or stagnation of remuneration, reducing employee intake, and in rare cases, termination of services of personnel.
5. We affirm that these measures may only be necessary for a limited period, and that the industry will continue to contribute to the economy of Kerala in a significant manner, even during this period.
6. The world over, Governments are coming out with a slew of measures help their industries tide over the present crisis. We call upon the Government of Kerala and the Government of India to adopt supportive steps to help the IT and ITES industries cope with the economic slowdown.
7. The IT and ITES industries have to compete globally, and therefore must have parity in operational costs to retain the global competitive edge. We request that the Government of Kerala act immediately to ensure that the administrative regime in the Government-run IT parks must be enabling and competitive vis-a-vis other IT destinations in the country.
8. We request that the Government does not impose any additional taxes or duties on the industry at this time.
9. We recognize the need for socially justice and equity in personnel policies as articulated by the Chief Minister in the recent meeting with the Industry. We reiterate that large-scale termination of employment will be a last-resort action, to be adopted only when the survival of a company is in jeopardy without it.
10. We would like to point out that collectively, Technopark companies have invested many times the amount of investment made by the Technopark itself. However, the companies have no say in the administration of Technopark. We request the Government to rectify this anomaly by including representatives of Technopark companies in governance bodies such as the PIB.
11. In order to sustain the current levels of Business, we call for the following specific steps to support the IT and ITES Industry:
a. We request the Government to re-examine the rental regime in the Government-run IT parks and ensure the rentals are harmonized with the recent trends in other metros. We consider that a rental reduction of about 25% is warranted to retain our competitive advantage.
b. We request that the restrictions on electricity consumption is removed and the recent tariff hike reversed, as electricity is the only and most vital raw material consumed by the industry
c. We request the Government to treat Technopark as an Essential Service, as has been done in West Bengal, so that events such as hartals and bandhs do not disrupt the functioning of companies
d. We seek clarifications as to the exact legal framework under which Technopark companies operate. Where new legislation or legal frameworks are to be created, we request that this is done with industry participation
e. While the Government retains the right to examine compliance of companies to the applicable laws, we request that a mechanism for this be instituted within Technopark itself. In particular, we request that the Government does not go public or to the media with such issues in the context of any one or more companies.
f. We request that the current policy regime of the IT Department be suitably modified so as to enable Technopark companies that possess certain minimum requirements to take up e-Governance projects for the State of Kerala and its parastatals.
g. We request that the Government of Kerala to take up with the Government of India in order to extend the STPI Scheme by 3 more years.
i. We request the concessions made to Special Economic Zones be made available to the Technopark as well.
j. We request that sales tax be withdrawn on computer software. We, the companies of Technopark, are confident that the IT and ITES industry will successfully tide over the current crisis. However, for this, we need parity in cost structures with other states and the operational flexibility and freedom to run our businesses. We request the people and the Government of Kerala to support the industry in retaining its operational viability in these difficult times so that the industry can continue to provide employment and contribute to Kerala's progress.
1. The IT Industry in Kerala is estimated to employ a workforce of over 60,000, which includes both highly-skilled professionals as well as non-technical personnel, with Technopark employing approximately half of this workforce.
2. The IT Industry in Kerala had an approximate annual turnover of Rs. 1500 crores last year, with Technopark contributing about Rs. 1200 crores.
3. The global economic meltdown has begun to impact Kerala's IT Industry. The magnitude of impact and its timing will vary between companies. However, the growth rate of the industry is likely to be seriously impacted for the next 1-2 years. In particular, the year 2009 is expected to be the most impacted period.
4. The industry will be forced to take a series of steps in order to tide over the slowdown. The steps that may need to be taken include reduction in operational expenses, reduction or stagnation of remuneration, reducing employee intake, and in rare cases, termination of services of personnel.
5. We affirm that these measures may only be necessary for a limited period, and that the industry will continue to contribute to the economy of Kerala in a significant manner, even during this period.
6. The world over, Governments are coming out with a slew of measures help their industries tide over the present crisis. We call upon the Government of Kerala and the Government of India to adopt supportive steps to help the IT and ITES industries cope with the economic slowdown.
7. The IT and ITES industries have to compete globally, and therefore must have parity in operational costs to retain the global competitive edge. We request that the Government of Kerala act immediately to ensure that the administrative regime in the Government-run IT parks must be enabling and competitive vis-a-vis other IT destinations in the country.
8. We request that the Government does not impose any additional taxes or duties on the industry at this time.
9. We recognize the need for socially justice and equity in personnel policies as articulated by the Chief Minister in the recent meeting with the Industry. We reiterate that large-scale termination of employment will be a last-resort action, to be adopted only when the survival of a company is in jeopardy without it.
10. We would like to point out that collectively, Technopark companies have invested many times the amount of investment made by the Technopark itself. However, the companies have no say in the administration of Technopark. We request the Government to rectify this anomaly by including representatives of Technopark companies in governance bodies such as the PIB.
11. In order to sustain the current levels of Business, we call for the following specific steps to support the IT and ITES Industry:
a. We request the Government to re-examine the rental regime in the Government-run IT parks and ensure the rentals are harmonized with the recent trends in other metros. We consider that a rental reduction of about 25% is warranted to retain our competitive advantage.
b. We request that the restrictions on electricity consumption is removed and the recent tariff hike reversed, as electricity is the only and most vital raw material consumed by the industry
c. We request the Government to treat Technopark as an Essential Service, as has been done in West Bengal, so that events such as hartals and bandhs do not disrupt the functioning of companies
d. We seek clarifications as to the exact legal framework under which Technopark companies operate. Where new legislation or legal frameworks are to be created, we request that this is done with industry participation
e. While the Government retains the right to examine compliance of companies to the applicable laws, we request that a mechanism for this be instituted within Technopark itself. In particular, we request that the Government does not go public or to the media with such issues in the context of any one or more companies.
f. We request that the current policy regime of the IT Department be suitably modified so as to enable Technopark companies that possess certain minimum requirements to take up e-Governance projects for the State of Kerala and its parastatals.
g. We request that the Government of Kerala to take up with the Government of India in order to extend the STPI Scheme by 3 more years.
i. We request the concessions made to Special Economic Zones be made available to the Technopark as well.
j. We request that sales tax be withdrawn on computer software. We, the companies of Technopark, are confident that the IT and ITES industry will successfully tide over the current crisis. However, for this, we need parity in cost structures with other states and the operational flexibility and freedom to run our businesses. We request the people and the Government of Kerala to support the industry in retaining its operational viability in these difficult times so that the industry can continue to provide employment and contribute to Kerala's progress.
Friday, November 21, 2008
Kerala an attractive Destination for Venture Capital Community
Kerala is fastly emerging as the ideal attractive destination for the Venture Capital Community. This was reverberated during the Venture Capital Summit 2008:Financing the Knowledge Economy in Kerala organised by the Group of Technopark Companies (GTECH) in association with the Department of Information Technology, Government of Kerala, Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation (KSIDC) and Technopark. In his Inaugural address, Mr. Vinay Deshpande, CEO, Founder and Chairman of Encore Software said Venture Capital not only bring in the Financial Commitments but also networks, partnerships and market access. In his special address, Dr. Ajay Kumar said that the Kerala has an enabling Environment for creating and nurturing home grown companies.
The summit deliberated on the need for the Technology Companies in Technopark to build stronger partnerships with the Venture Capital Community. The summit had sessions on the Opportunities for Kerala in the Global Venture Capital Industry and case studies of Venture Capital funding in the IT/ITES Industry. In the various presentations at the summit Venture Capital experts identified the emerging areas of Venture Capital funding in Kerala like cloud Computing in the IT Industry and also non IT areas like Clean Energy, bio fuels, solar and wind energy. Many of the speakers felt that Venture Capital brings in increased Market awareness, enhanced Corporate Governance and access to additional funds at competitive rate. Apart from these , Venture Capitalists brings in expertise in the area of sales and operations and wide network for sales and partnerships. The Summit felt the need for a policy and mindset change to convince sceptical investors.
The speakers at the summit felt the need for creating an enabling ecosystem for Entrepreneurship. The summit also deliberated the need for the IT Industry in Kerala to build partnerships with Research and Development Centres and Venture Capital Community. This sort of trilateral relationship can transform the business landscape of the State.
Prominent speakers included Mr. Pradeep Udhas, Managing Director, Greater Pacific Capital, Mr. Kumar Shirlagi, Managing Director, NEA – Indo US Ventures, Mr. Rajeev S, Professor Corporate Strategy and Policy Area, IIM Bangalore, Mr. Ravi Narayanan, Managing Director, Mentor Partners, Mr. Natarajan Rangarajan, CFO, Helion Venture Partners, Mr. Prashanth Prakash, Partner, Accel India Venture Fund, Mr. G Vijayaraghavan, Founder CEO, Technopark, Mr. Rakesh Kumar Gupta, COO, Allianz Cornhill Information Services, Mr. Nandakumar, President and CEO, Suntec Business Solutions, Mr. Klass Oskam, Associate Director, Ernst & Young India, Mr. Joseph C Mathew, IT Advisor to the Chief Minister of Kerala, Mr. Siddhartha Bhattacharya, CEO, Infopark, Mr. N Radhakrishnan Nair, CEO, Technopark and Mr. Balaji Pasumarthy, Chief Catalyst, Buisnessgyan.
The summit deliberated on the need for the Technology Companies in Technopark to build stronger partnerships with the Venture Capital Community. The summit had sessions on the Opportunities for Kerala in the Global Venture Capital Industry and case studies of Venture Capital funding in the IT/ITES Industry. In the various presentations at the summit Venture Capital experts identified the emerging areas of Venture Capital funding in Kerala like cloud Computing in the IT Industry and also non IT areas like Clean Energy, bio fuels, solar and wind energy. Many of the speakers felt that Venture Capital brings in increased Market awareness, enhanced Corporate Governance and access to additional funds at competitive rate. Apart from these , Venture Capitalists brings in expertise in the area of sales and operations and wide network for sales and partnerships. The Summit felt the need for a policy and mindset change to convince sceptical investors.
The speakers at the summit felt the need for creating an enabling ecosystem for Entrepreneurship. The summit also deliberated the need for the IT Industry in Kerala to build partnerships with Research and Development Centres and Venture Capital Community. This sort of trilateral relationship can transform the business landscape of the State.
Prominent speakers included Mr. Pradeep Udhas, Managing Director, Greater Pacific Capital, Mr. Kumar Shirlagi, Managing Director, NEA – Indo US Ventures, Mr. Rajeev S, Professor Corporate Strategy and Policy Area, IIM Bangalore, Mr. Ravi Narayanan, Managing Director, Mentor Partners, Mr. Natarajan Rangarajan, CFO, Helion Venture Partners, Mr. Prashanth Prakash, Partner, Accel India Venture Fund, Mr. G Vijayaraghavan, Founder CEO, Technopark, Mr. Rakesh Kumar Gupta, COO, Allianz Cornhill Information Services, Mr. Nandakumar, President and CEO, Suntec Business Solutions, Mr. Klass Oskam, Associate Director, Ernst & Young India, Mr. Joseph C Mathew, IT Advisor to the Chief Minister of Kerala, Mr. Siddhartha Bhattacharya, CEO, Infopark, Mr. N Radhakrishnan Nair, CEO, Technopark and Mr. Balaji Pasumarthy, Chief Catalyst, Buisnessgyan.
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Venture Capital Summit in Kerala
Trivandrum is all set to host the Group of Technopark companies Venture Capital Summit with the theme ‘ Financing the Knowledge Economy in Kerala on 10th and 11th of November 2008.
The two-day summit, organized by the Group of Technopark Companies (GTECH) jointly with the IT Department, Government of Kerala, the Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation (KSIDC) and Technopark, aims at creating a common platform for the Industry including IT, ITES, Biotechnology, Bioinformatics, Tourism
and others to network with the leading National and International Venture Capital firms. Businessgyan, the Corporate Magazine is the Knowledge Partner for the Summit.
The summit will have session on the Opportunities for Kerala in the Global Venture Capital Industry, Session on Venture Capital Funding in the IT/ ITES Industry, A special Session on Kerala: The Road ahead to become the country's IT Hub and A holistic View of Kerala: Building Global Companies. Speakers at the Inaugural session would include Mr. Vinay L Deshapande, Chairman, CEO and Founder of Encore software and Dr. Ajay Kumar IAS, Secretary Information Technology, Government of Kerala.
Other speakers at the sessions include Mr. Pradeep Udhas, Managing Director, Greater Pacific Capital, Mr. Kumar Shirlagi, Managing Director, NEA – Indo US Ventures, Mr. Rajeev S, Professor Corporate Strategy and Policy Area, IIM Bangalore, Mr. Ravi Narayanan, Managing Director, Mentor Partners, Mr. Natarajan Rangarajan, CFO, Helion Venture Partners, Mr. Prashanth Prakash, Partner, Accel India Venture Fund, Mr. G Vijayaraghavan, Founder CEO, Technopark, Mr. Rakesh Kumar Gupta, COO, Allianz Cornhill Information Services, Mr. Nandakumar, President and CEO, Suntec Business Solutions, Mr. Klass Oskam, Associate Director, Ernst & Young India, Mr. Joseph C Mathew, IT Advisor to the Chief Minister of Kerala, Mr. Siddhartha Bhattacharya, CEO, Infopark, Mr. N Radhakrishnan Nair, CEO, Technopark and Mr. Balaji Pasumarthy, Chief Catalyst, Buisnessgyan.
The summit is organized with the aim of building positive economic perceptions of the Kerala's Industry in general, and the IT and ITES Industry in particular, as a stable and enabling destination and highlight the success stories from Kerala. It will also enable direct contact between local companies and the Venture Capital industry so as
to stimulate their growth.
The two-day summit, organized by the Group of Technopark Companies (GTECH) jointly with the IT Department, Government of Kerala, the Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation (KSIDC) and Technopark, aims at creating a common platform for the Industry including IT, ITES, Biotechnology, Bioinformatics, Tourism
and others to network with the leading National and International Venture Capital firms. Businessgyan, the Corporate Magazine is the Knowledge Partner for the Summit.
The summit will have session on the Opportunities for Kerala in the Global Venture Capital Industry, Session on Venture Capital Funding in the IT/ ITES Industry, A special Session on Kerala: The Road ahead to become the country's IT Hub and A holistic View of Kerala: Building Global Companies. Speakers at the Inaugural session would include Mr. Vinay L Deshapande, Chairman, CEO and Founder of Encore software and Dr. Ajay Kumar IAS, Secretary Information Technology, Government of Kerala.
Other speakers at the sessions include Mr. Pradeep Udhas, Managing Director, Greater Pacific Capital, Mr. Kumar Shirlagi, Managing Director, NEA – Indo US Ventures, Mr. Rajeev S, Professor Corporate Strategy and Policy Area, IIM Bangalore, Mr. Ravi Narayanan, Managing Director, Mentor Partners, Mr. Natarajan Rangarajan, CFO, Helion Venture Partners, Mr. Prashanth Prakash, Partner, Accel India Venture Fund, Mr. G Vijayaraghavan, Founder CEO, Technopark, Mr. Rakesh Kumar Gupta, COO, Allianz Cornhill Information Services, Mr. Nandakumar, President and CEO, Suntec Business Solutions, Mr. Klass Oskam, Associate Director, Ernst & Young India, Mr. Joseph C Mathew, IT Advisor to the Chief Minister of Kerala, Mr. Siddhartha Bhattacharya, CEO, Infopark, Mr. N Radhakrishnan Nair, CEO, Technopark and Mr. Balaji Pasumarthy, Chief Catalyst, Buisnessgyan.
The summit is organized with the aim of building positive economic perceptions of the Kerala's Industry in general, and the IT and ITES Industry in particular, as a stable and enabling destination and highlight the success stories from Kerala. It will also enable direct contact between local companies and the Venture Capital industry so as
to stimulate their growth.
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Get the bottle, switch on TV, it's hartal again
An interesting article appeared in the Economic Times today on Hartal and Kerala. Indeed a thought provoking article. The article is copied down giving full credit to the Journalist from ET.
NEW DELHI: Hartal’s own country: Kerala’s tourism corporation may have not yet adopted this as its catchline, but the modern-day Malayali appears to be high on it. Between January 16 and August 20 this year alone, the country’s most literate state pulled out all plugs to participate in a whopping 89 hartals (strikes, sit-ins, protests and the like) for a swelter of reasons ranging from the sublime to the ridiculous, the local to the global, the petty to the pious. The extent of the success of hartals among the congenitally protest-friendly Keralite, chronicled recently in a website imaginatively titled www.harthal.com, can be gauged by two parameters: The dizzy cash register of the state beverages’ corporation and TRP ratings of TV channels even as a technicoloured rash of serials and competitions break out on a dozen regional channels or more to keep the Citizen Malayali glued to his seat. In a fell stroke, the hartals celebrate two of his best loves: Liquor and melodrama. What better way to keep him mesmerised when all activity around comes to a standstill. The website lists every nook and cranny of modern Kerala’s own version of Cuba libre. On the last hartal, some parts of the idyllic state managed to clock up sales of more chicken and liquor than even at Christmas. The state’s electorate may be polarised between CPM-led LDF and Congress-led UDF, but come bandh-time, the Malayali shows the true spirit of accommodation and celebrates camaraderie and bonhomie. And it’s not just the BJP, which has barely any seats in the state that has managed to get many strikes propelled with the jet fuel of Malayali romance with protests, but also Naxal outfits. While the former are always a grand success, even bandhs by Naxalities, who are in the periphery of the state’s political activity, get decent backing. Be it the hanging of Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussain or the Danish cartoon of the Prophet, Malayalis are the first to bring shutters down. That the bandh has become the favourite protest mode was evident when the state’s trading community organised a state-wide bandh. In the good old days, traders never participated in bandhs as it affected their profits. With all normal life is at standstill in hartal time, some enterprising Keralite entrepreneurs are understood to have even started a business of ferrying potential boozards to the jazzed up waiting bars. But while the carnival is on, the state’s only legitimate source of income, is taking a big beating. In Alleppey’s backwaters, where the Kettuvallam or Keralite version of houseboats are a big favourite with foreign tourists, the beginning of the tourist season has already hit a speedbreaker with roads, shops, airports, hotels all downing shutters to celebrate hartals.
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Venezuela and Kerala to Strengthen IT Cooperation
Venezuela and Kerala is all set to strengthen the bilateral cooperation in the IT Sector. This was reverberated during an interaction of Ms. Layla Macc Adan, Minister for State for Popular Power for the Telecommunications and Informatics, Government of Venezuela with the IT Community in Trivandrum organised by the Group of Technopark Companies (GTECH) in association with Technopark. The delegation is here in Kerala to study about the IT Industry and the evolution of Free and Open source software in Kerala. During the interaction the Minister stressed on the need for both Kerala and Venezuela to share information on the creation of Knowledge societies and the role of the IT Industry in creating an enabling environment of Growth and Equity.
During the occasion, Mr. N Radhakrishnan Nair, CEO , Technopark , said that the Kerala with its core strength in the Information Technology sector is better positioned to partner Venezuela and called for enhanced cooperation and dialogue between both the states to further strengthen the bilateral trade in the IT Sector and further added that Kerala provided the ideal investment destination for the Investors with quality education, a technologically enabled vibrant growth environment and skilled workforce.
Mr. Satish Babu, Hon. Secretary, GTECH felt that Venezuela could replicate the implementation of Software solutions for the benefit of the Society and thereby creating an economic environment that is sustainable, Inclusive and Equitable.
The delegation with the Minister comprised of experts from the IT Department of the Venezuelan Government and officials from the Embassy of Venezuela in India.
During the occasion, Mr. N Radhakrishnan Nair, CEO , Technopark , said that the Kerala with its core strength in the Information Technology sector is better positioned to partner Venezuela and called for enhanced cooperation and dialogue between both the states to further strengthen the bilateral trade in the IT Sector and further added that Kerala provided the ideal investment destination for the Investors with quality education, a technologically enabled vibrant growth environment and skilled workforce.
Mr. Satish Babu, Hon. Secretary, GTECH felt that Venezuela could replicate the implementation of Software solutions for the benefit of the Society and thereby creating an economic environment that is sustainable, Inclusive and Equitable.
The delegation with the Minister comprised of experts from the IT Department of the Venezuelan Government and officials from the Embassy of Venezuela in India.
Venezuela and Kerala to Strengthen IT Cooperation
Venezuela and Kerala is all set to strengthen the bilateral cooperation in the IT Sector. This was reverberated during an interaction of Ms. Layla Macc Adan, Minister for State for Popular Power for the Telecommunications and Informatics, Government of Venezuela with the IT Community in Trivandrum organised by the Group of Technopark Companies (GTECH) in association with Technopark. The delegation is here in Kerala to study about the IT Industry and the evolution of Free and Open source software in Kerala. During the interaction the Minister stressed on the need for both Kerala and Venezuela to share information on the creation of Knowledge societies and the role of the IT Industry in creating an enabling environment of Growth and Equity.
During the occasion, Mr. N Radhakrishnan Nair, CEO , Technopark , said that the Kerala with its core strength in the Information Technology sector is better positioned to partner Venezuela and called for enhanced cooperation and dialogue between both the states to further strengthen the bilateral trade in the IT Sector and further added that Kerala provided the ideal investment destination for the Investors with quality education, a technologically enabled vibrant growth environment and skilled workforce.
Mr. Satish Babu, Hon. Secretary, GTECH felt that Venezuela could replicate the implementation of Software solutions for the benefit of the Society and thereby creating an economic environment that is sustainable, Inclusive and Equitable.
The delegation with the Minister comprised of experts from the IT Department of the Venezuelan Government and officials from the Embassy of Venezuela in India.
During the occasion, Mr. N Radhakrishnan Nair, CEO , Technopark , said that the Kerala with its core strength in the Information Technology sector is better positioned to partner Venezuela and called for enhanced cooperation and dialogue between both the states to further strengthen the bilateral trade in the IT Sector and further added that Kerala provided the ideal investment destination for the Investors with quality education, a technologically enabled vibrant growth environment and skilled workforce.
Mr. Satish Babu, Hon. Secretary, GTECH felt that Venezuela could replicate the implementation of Software solutions for the benefit of the Society and thereby creating an economic environment that is sustainable, Inclusive and Equitable.
The delegation with the Minister comprised of experts from the IT Department of the Venezuelan Government and officials from the Embassy of Venezuela in India.
Monday, August 11, 2008
Employ the Differently Abled
Dr. Ajay Kumar, Secretary (IT), Government of Kerala, called for increasing the employability of the differentially-abled as well as employment, in both high-tech sectors such IT and in other sectors in the economy. He was speaking at the Session on “Diversity in Workforce: Employing the Differently Abled”, organized by the Group of Technopark Companies (GTECH) at Technopark today. Dr. Ajay Kumar also explained the background of the InSight project designd and implemened by the Kerala State IT Mission and SPACE, which has successfully developed and is in the process of disseminating throughout the state an Open Source software stack that enabled visually impaired to use computers. He congratulated GTECH for highlighting this important topic among the Technopark community and Kerala's society.
There are about 70 million disabled people in the country. According to a study by NCPEDP top 100 companies, only 0.4% of their workforce comprised of People with Disabilities. If equipped with the right skills, the differentially abled can be of significant value to economy of the country.
GTECH, as a group representing Technopark companies, took the initiative of organizing this session with the objective of bringing together Corporates, NGOs, the Government and the media on a common platform to discuss issues associated with the employability of differently abled, especially within the IT sector.
Dr. Usha Titus, Secretary, Social Welfare Department, who delivered a special address on the occasion, said that there is vast pool of untapped differentially-abled human resources in the country and in Kerala, and that enabling even a part of these resources would be beneficial to the entire society.
The session also stressed on the need for the IT Industry to work closely with NGO’s and the Government in addressing the issue of employability of the differently Abled. The session showcased success stories of companies like Reuters, IBM, Infosys, Mphasis BFL etc in successfully employing the differently Abled and creating a diversity in their respective workforces.
Other speakers at the session included Ms.Rama Chari, Director, Diversity and Equal Opportunity; Mr. Binu Sankar, CEO, Group of Technopark Companies , Mr. Sebi Chacko, Head-HR (South Asia), Thomson Reuters; Mr. G Vijayaraghavan, ex-CEO, Technopark; Mr. Arun Ramachandran, Project Co-ordinator, Insight Project; Mr. S. Ashok Kumar, Project Manager, Leonard Cheshire International; Mr. Rakesh Gupta, COO, Allianz Cornhill India; and Mr. Amarnath Raja, CEO, InApp Information Technologies.
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