THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Executive Council members of the National Association of Software and Services Companies (NASSCOM) on Friday opined that a change in perception could bring more IT companies to the state. They were interacting with the media on the sidelines of opening a regional office of NASSCOM in Technopark. The office in Technopark was NASSCOM’s eighth office in the country and arguably its first non-metro office.NASSCOM chairman Rajendra Pawar said that in order to attract more entrepreneurs Kerala’s image must change. “Incidents such as hartal would leave a bad impression. Before visiting Kerala, we didn’t know that work days of companies in Technopark were not affected by hartal. Such perceptions must change,” Pawar said. Interestingly, three NASSCOM executive council members came forward expressing interest in starting ventures in the state. Aparup Sengupta, MD and Global CEO of Aegis, during the press meet expressed his willingness to open a company in the state. “My idea of the state changed after visiting this place,” he added. The state is famous for its green tourism, it must also be famous for IT, which is flourishing too, said Pawar. The IT bigwigs, such as NASSCOM president Som Mittal, chairman Rajendra Pawar and IBS Group chairman V K Mathews, interacted with Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, IT Minister Kunhalikutty and Additional Chief Secretary early on Friday. The two-hour interaction dealt with various aspects of the IT industry and its future prospects. Marking state’s name in the Indian Information Technology Map, the executive council of NASSCOM had met for the first time in Kerala on Thursday. NASSCOM is the premier trade body of the IT-BPO industries in India.Pawar said that the state must also arrange social infrastructure to attract employees. We cannot generate the entire man-power from within the state. The middle managers must come from other parts of the country. The state must have facilities to attract them. There must be better educational institutions for their children and other facilities for their spouses,” he said. There must be better connectivity, be it broadband or transportation.The issue of ‘hartal’ was raised during the discussions with the Chief Minister. Pawar said that companies had choices within and outside India. Hartals are not just about loosing workdays, it is about loosing trust. Once a negative image is formed, it is irreversible, he added.Setting aside the fears of recession, Pawar said that IT industry had the potential to grow for many decades. “Even during the difficult period from 2000-2010, the IT industry grew from Rs 8.2 billion to Rs 75 billion, which is almost nine times,” he added. “We would support entrepreneurs, suggest changes in higher education sectors and try to invite more entrepreneurs to the IT field,” Mittal said.NASSCOM executive council members also interacted with students of selected engineering & management institute in Mar Baselios College of Engineering & Technology on Friday.
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