KOCHI: The state government is all set to make it big in the Information Technology (IT) sector. After unveiling the draft IT policy, the government has now constituted a high power IT committee for the development of the sector. The who’s who of the IT industry has been included in the committee chaired by S D Shibulal, former CEO of Infosys.
The other prominent names in the 12-member panel include Kris Gopalakrishnan, former CEO, Infosys, Ajith Balakrishnan, former CEO, Rediff Mail, Duleep Sahadevan, Software Associates, Anthony Thomas, CIO, GE India, V K Mathews, executive chairman, IBS Group and Dinesh Thampi, vice-president, TCS.
The other members are IT Secretary M Sivasankar,NASSCOM regional director Ashok Pammidi,IIM Kozhikode faculty Saji Gopinath, Ernst and Young director Rajesh Nair, Hrishikesh R Nair, the CEO of Technopark, Infopark and Cyberpark.
The government order in this regard was issued on March 15, 2017. It is being created upon the request of Hrishikesh Nair.
“This is a very significant development as far as Kerala IT is concerned,” said V K Mathews, Founder and Executive Chairman, IBS Group.
“Stalwarts of Indian IT have found place in the committee. The collective wisdom of the members can be used to transform the IT sector in the state,” he said.
In India, IT has been developed in cities like Bengaluru, Chennai and Hyderabad. Interestingly, a majority of the workforce in the country’s IT sector are Keralites. Unfortunately, they are not employed in their home state. Hence, Kerala has a huge potential in IT, Mathews said.
According to K C Chandrasekharan Nair, former managing director and registrar, Technopark-TBI, the high power IT committee would bring in uniformity in IT operations in the state. “Currently, it is scattered under Technopark, Infopark and Cyberpark, which was not the original vision. The committee has the capability to take Kerala IT to greater heights,” he said.