What are the priorities for the new government that comes to power in Karnataka? Where does Brand Bangalore stand? What should the new government do to push Karnataka as an IT destination?
IBNLive.com organised a chat with Ramanujam Sridhar, CEO, Brand-Comm, in order to get answers to the following.
Here we reproduce the full text of the chat.
Bhuvana: The ground reality in Bangalore is that its back is broken by its own locally-elected representatives and administration. But somewhere it has gone ahead of other cities. What are the lessons to be learnt by other cities? Is there anything that Bangalore needs to learn from other cities?
Ramanujam Sridhar: I think at the risk of upsetting a few people I must say that Bangalore has grown despite the government, due to the actions, dynamism and wisdom of private enterprise. It can learn form other cities certainly. Chennai, despite its weather and everything else, is a well-organised and well-run city. I am not sure we are a well-run city or a state. I think there is a lot of scope in studying what other cities like say New York are doing.
Soumitra: Now in the age of urbanisation, though successive govts have been claiming to uplift the rural sectors, people of rural Karnataka are shifting to Bangalore for their bread and butter. Same with millions of people throughout the nation. Is it possible for any Karnataka govt to do justice to both Bangalore and rural Karnataka at the same time to meet the ever-growing demands of Bangalore? Also, while emphasising more on Bangalore, don't you feel other rural towns in Karnataka are being made scapegoats to meet the urban budget of the state govt?
Ramanujam Sridhar: Yes the urban-rural divide has not been addressed satisfactorily here and elsewhere. The problem is that it is not “either” or “or” as governments try to say. I agree with you that some other towns in Karnataka can be developed. But I guess every one wants the low hanging fruits of Bangalore. I think that development of the rural areas cannot be a mere election slogan as some of us are making it out to be.
Pramila: Bangalore has huge migrant population, I personally feel these people do not have any sense of belonging to the city and they still feel Bangalore as their second home. I feel they have to come forward. I was very disappointed with the percentage of voting done in the city, we really need their support to make our Bangalore beautiful.
Ramanujam Sridhar: I agree that the migrant population in Bangalore is a large part of the city. However any city grows on you. I have lived here for 28 years and believe that this place belongs to me. I think Bangalore has lots going for it and I share your concern about the poor voter turn-out. But is that only because of the migrants? I hope not!
Chand: If coalition government comes once again, will it impact Brand Bangalore?
Ramanujam Sridhar: Yes it must certainly impact the brand as the focus will only be on survival. Yet I still remain optimistic, someone must realise that a lot of investment, visibility and progress can happen around the building of the brand. That someone must not play to the gallery and look to the good of the city and the state and the country as Bangalore is what the world sees India as.
AKB: Just to address the space constraint in the Bangalore city the govt can look into the concept “utilization of space concept” just like the govt did in Mumbai where large sick textile mills including other sick govt companies were converted as commercial space for retail and other offices. Also Indian Railways has large land which also can be used for various profit making ventures. What do you think?
PAGE_BREAK
Ramanujam Sridhar: Yes though some of those measures might actually add to the congestion, more malls, multiplexes etc. The Army and the Railways have historically held a lot of prime land. But take the case of connectivity to the new airport, I am not sure the Railways were tapped at all. I agree with you in the sense that we can learn from others, and someone must bell the cat to get bodies who do not see eye to eye to come together for the common good.
Lakshmi Jagannathan: I personally feel that basic infrastructure is very important, and better connectivity in terms of transportation. We need a leader who can improvise on these factors.
Ramanujam Sridhar: I agree with you. Infrastructure is something that we have all lamented about and the people in power too make all the right noises. But the connectivity to the airport is a case in point. Leadership which has its priorities for the collective good- perhaps easier to talk about than for it to happen.
Ravi G R: If the coalition government comes again, what is the situation of Bangalore?
Ramanujam Sridhar: I shudder to think of what will replay itself in the next few months. I think if that were to happen, then unlike the last time around, someone will emerge as a true leader who will worry about the people and not only about himself and his immediate family.
Arun: We can make it not only Brand Bangalore but also Great Brand Bangalore, if we elect only one party. It will be greater Brand Bangalore if Yediyurappa or Krishna comes to power. If again we give a chance to Devegowda then Bangalore will become Brand Hassan. What do you say, sir?
Ramanujam Sridhar: Yes I agree with you that we must empower one party rather than the uneasy, unhealthy compromise that we have all witnessed over the last few years and the evidence of that is for all of us to see. I do hope that a single, responsible party can and will make it.
Vijay Kulkarni: Allocation of land to IT cos and shopping malls, without doing a basic research on the traffic the roads can handle.. Building the airport in a hurry and then cribbing about connectivity. Traffic and civil cops accepting bribes from street vendors and bikers. Bangalore is unclean, polluted and infrastructure is pathetic, why can’t we make the people responsible more accountable and make then pay for what they have done?
Ramanujam Sridhar: I guess some of these are the occupational hazards of being a poorly-run democracy. Of course one can take solace in the fact that some other cities are no better, but that is not the solution. I think as citizens each one of us should take ownership. Look at the poor voter turn-out in the city of Bangalore on Saturday. Some of us speak till we are blue in the face but do not even vote. I think we can all follow traffic rules better. I think we must take ownership.
Karmesh: Companies in Bangalore are hiring such huge migrant population. They should make it mandatory for their employees to commit themselves to corporate social responsibility. Be it cleaning up of roads, volunteering for traffic signals, clean up slums or fight for power and water. Unless people realise that they have to give something back to Bangalore, it isn't possible. We have taken so much from Bangalore, what do you say?
PAGE_BREAK
Ramanujam Sridhar: I agree with you .But does it make sense to force it on people? I think you are absolutely right in that we have taken more from this city than given to it. I think we should create an environment where every one of us, however small does his bit for the city.
Ratan: Many around the world have their eyes on India and am lately watching big cities like Bangalore, Chennai and Hyderabad battling it out, to be the key destination for investment. I am wondering how different is the brand strategy used by Hyderabad and Chennai to compete with Bangalore?
Ramanujam Sridhar: I think Bangalore lost its way in the marketing of itself over the last few years while Chennai particularly had a sharp focus. Bangalore still has inherent strengths, any company that wants talent can get it from Bangalore and will come here, if we make it easier and cheaper for them to come here
Bhuvana: In your view, with the slowdown on the IT front, where does Brand Bangalore fit in the large scenario?
Ramanujam Sridhar: This is a problem in the sense that Bangalore still is driven by technology unlike say Chennai which has more balanced growth. I see bio-tech as another big opportunity area, not to forget education. Bangalore could well be the knowledge capital of India and that is not only IT.
Chand: How can the new govt improve Brand Bangalore?
Ramanujam Sridhar: I think what we need more than anything else today is stability. The new government must demonstrate its keenness to recognise the importance of this city to the state and the country and not be guided by petty issues and politics that detract attention and interest in the development of the city and the state.
Anurag: Is Hyderabad a better IT spot than Bangalore now? What do you think? Can Bangalore win its old glory back?
Ramanujam Sridhar: Yes I am sure it can regain its former glory, we have certainly lost our way but the battle is not over yet. All we need is some leadership.
Rama: In your view what is meant by Brand Bengaluru?
Ramanujam Sridhar: Actually it should be Brand Bangalore and not Bengaluru as the politicians make it out to be. Brand Bangalore is about technology, software and a global outlook. It stands for that amongst western audiences, unlike any other city in India. It is sad that when we have recall and recognition for particular brand name, someone wants to tamper with it.
Comments
0 comment