Vice President Venkaiah Naidu called on chartered accountants to marry technology to financial accounting to improve ease of doing business and to make people’s lives hassle-free. He was speaking after laying the foundation for the proposed Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) Bhawan in Kochi on Monday.
Mr. Naidu, who began his address briefly in Malayalam, said the community of accountants should stay abreast of the times and be technology-savvy.
He said qualification alone was not enough and that chartered accountants should have character and make ethical decisions. Accountants should spread financial literacy in the country, he added.
Governor Arif Mohammad Khan said accountants from India had a global reputation, and should be part of the country’s economic growth.
Union Minister of State for External Affairs V. Muraleedharan and Kerala Industries Minister P. Rajeeve were among those who spoke at the foundation laying ceremony. MPs Thomas Chazhikadan and Hibi Eden, Kochi Mayor M. Anilkumar, ICAI president Nihar N. Jambusaria, and ICAI vice president Debashis Mitra were present.
Mr. Naidu left for Hyderabad from the Naval Airport in Kochi later in the day, in a special aircraft of the Indian Navy, ending his four-day visit of Kerala and Lakshadweep. He was seen off at the airport at 5 p.m. by Mr. Khan, Mr. Rajevee, Mr. Anilkumar and Mr. Eden among others, said a communication from the Public Relations Department here.