Kerala: India’s Next IT Frontier?

Mukund Krishna
As Founder/CEO of the Suyati Group of Companies, Mukund Krishna is currently heading a global product and services team that aims to deliver unique IT solutions to companies by (a) helping them extend into India profitably for talent and delivery and (b) improving their top-line by engaging with customers successfully online. With over 20 years of experience, Mukund has directly managed people and relationships across continents to deliver flagship projects for various companies. His network of trust relationships with leaders, executives, professionals and suppliers across the United States, Europe, Asia Pac, and the Gulf Region is extensive. He is an internationally seasoned entrepreneurial leader with hands-on experience in delivering global Information Technology (IT) solutions for his clients.

The development of IT industry has topped Kerala state’s agenda for quite some time now. The shift to being an IT savvy state started when the State enacted the Information Technology Act of year 2000. Famous for its high levels of achievement in education, healthcare and social justice, is Kerala all geared up to conquer the IT world and be India’s next IT frontier?
The development of the IT industry in Kerala is evident from the set up of a number of IT parks within the state. Technopark in Trivandrum is the first and the largest IT Park in the country. Home to more than 265 companies and 38,000 professionals, Technopark has spearheaded Kerala’s mission to become a prominent IT destination. Another important domino in Kerala’s IT expedition is the Infopark located in Kakkanad, Kochi. This expanding IT Park has attracted more than 100 companies since its setup in 2004. With big brands like TCS, Cognizant, Wipro and Ernst & Young, Infopark has become one of India’s major centers for IT and Innovation. Many small and medium size but specialty companies like Arbitron and Suyati Technologies, also thrive in this Park. The SmartCity project, which is under development in Kochi will provide job opportunities to more than 1, 00,000 people upon completion. Cyberpark in Calicut, Technopark in Kollam, and Kinfrapark in Kochi are other major IT hubs in Kerala. Smaller tier cities in Kerala like Koratty and Cherthala are also becoming minor centers of IT around bigger city hubs like Kochi.
Kerala’s venture into Information Technology is not restricted to its flourishing IT parks. The government is practicing what it is preaching. The Government of Kerala has made a significant investment in terms of money, resource and power towards the rapid development of IT industry.
The Kerala State IT Mission’s various initiatives include Akshaya – e-literacy and educational programs, digitization of government records, e-krishi, e-district, Malayalam computing, Kerala Innovation foundation and various other programs. The State Data Centre set up in Trivandrum is the country’s first state of the art Data centre built exclusively for E-governance. To add to an already impressive list of strategic initiatives aimed at IT development, the Government, along with private sector companies, is promoting innovation and IT development in the state by providing individuals with funds and incubation facilities through its Startup Village program.
Kerala is already reaping the benefits of having a developed IT sector and a Government that is working for its “e-development”. With the efforts being put into making the state more IT oriented, Kerala has started emerging as the next key destination for IT in India.