CHENNAI: Industries Minister Dr TRB Rajaa on Saturday announced a dedicated portal for expatriates and said Tamil Nadu’s first Expat Golf Tournament will become an annual fixture.
Speaking at the Tamil Nadu Golf Annexe in Nandanam, where more than 225 expatriates – including CEOs, CXOs and senior business leaders from multiple countries – teed off, Rajaa said the government wanted global professionals “not only to invest but to enjoy the stay here”.
The tournament, organised by Guidance Tamil Nadu, is part of a wider strategy to showcase the state’s social infrastructure alongside its economic strength.
Rajaa said TN is in talks with developers to create state-of-the-art golf courses managed by the government. “Golf is very important for Korean and Taiwanese expats,” industries secretary Arun Roy noted.
South Korean Consul General Chang Nyun Kim, whose country has some 5,000 nationals in Chennai, called the event “fantastic” and said the city is already the centre of Korean business in India. “Tamil Nadu is one of the safest states for investment but we want it to be more cosmopolitan,” he added.
Participants from a cross-section of industries cited Chennai’s safety, hospitality, schools, healthcare and connectivity as factors that ease relocation decisions. Guidance Tamil Nadu has widened its remit from investor facilitation to relocation support, lifestyle information and networking - treating ease of living as a complement to ease of doing business, said Vice-president of Guidance Paul Arun.