MADURAI: Minister for Information Technology and Digital Services Palanivel Thiaga Rajan said that, despite Tamil Nadu accounting for less than 6 per cent of India's population, it contributes nearly 20-30 per cent of the top Indian-origin talent globally across all professions.
Speaking during the inauguration of the iTNT Madurai Regional Hub at Anna University campus on Friday, he said, "Demographic shifts and recent disruption in globalisation and technology have opened new opportunities for India and Tamil Nadu. With restrictions on the H1B visa in the United States, many talented professionals might stay back or return, benefiting the state."
Praising start-ups, he said that innovation can occur anywhere, and many solutions emerge from local problems, such as healthcare, mobility for the differently-abled, and other societal needs.
Appreciating women among start-ups, he said, "This was the last frontier we have been addressing in the IT department. Just as the social justice movement since 1921 has been advocating equity across gender, we want to ensure women in tech are encouraged. Their perspective is unique, and I have personally benefited from the wisdom and guidance of women mentors throughout my career."
Meanwhile, in his special address, K Hari Thiagarajan, Thiagarajar College of Engineering (TCE) chairman and correspondent, said that Tamil Nadu has been an aspirational state for many years. This initiative is a boon for entrepreneurs, researchers, and innovators. Over 90,000 IT and ITE workers are around Madurai. This might increase the number of IT professionals and IT-enabled entrepreneurs. It also prevents brain drain and creates an ecosystem in employment as well as start-ups.
Vanitha Venugopal, iTNT Hub CEO, elaborated on the purpose behind establishing a Madurai Regional Hub as part of the Government of Tamil Nadu's strategic move to democratise and strengthen the Deep & Emerging Tech innovation ecosystem beyond Chennai.
An MoU was signed between iTNT Hub and TCE for the iTNT Hub Satellite Office in Thiagarajar College of Engineering. The innovation network of iTNT Hub includes co-incubation with 26 leading deep and emerging tech incubation centres across Tamil Nadu, including the one exchanged with Thiagarajar College of Engineering - Technology Business Incubator.
K Linga Durai, Anna University regional campus Dean, expressed confidence that the iTNT Madurai Regional Hub will play a key role in the emergence of deep and emerging tech start-ups from the region, benefiting researchers as well as students with the dream to make it big.