Predicting a dominant ‘knowledge economy’ in near future, Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu asserted that temple city Tirupati, owing to its proximity to metropolitan cities such as Chennai, Bengaluru and presence of several institutes of higher education, would become an ‘IT and Knowledge Hub’.
After unveiling the Zoho Corporation’s first facility in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana here on Saturday, Mr. Naidu assured the necessary support, on behalf of the State government, to develop the company’s largest centre here.
Recollecting the initial stages of promoting the IT sector in the united Andhra Pradesh, Mr. Naidu siad they had established the Cyber Towers in Hyderabad, after holding several brainstorming sessions on where to set up the first IT company, which further led to the setting up of the Microsoft campus and several other global companies.
Mr. Naidu said Amaravati, Visakhapatnam and Anantapur would also be developed as ‘IT Hubs’ and called upon the companies to contribute their part by training the local youngsters.
Zoho Corporation CEO Sridhar Vembu recalled his interaction with Mr. Naidu (in 2017) and how, despite no intention of setting up a centre, was inspired by Mr. Naidu’s vision and came to Tirupati.
The Zoho Corporation’s temporary facility will house 150 software professionals and would soon work towards building a permanent base for the Tirupati operations. Mr. Naidu later inaugurated seven IT companies — AGS Health (medical coding and data integration services), Exafluence India, Parikar Consulting, Naes Tech Services, YIIT Consuting, ANS and InGenisis Inc., at the Designated IT Hub (Tech Hub - APEITA) on the Karakambadi road.
