BHUBANESWAR: In a major boost to Odisha’s IT landscape, Accenture, one of the leading technology services providers in the world, opened its advanced technology centre at Bhubaneswar on Thursday. This is the seventh MNC to set up its base in the state in last few months.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik inaugurated the technology research centre of the global professional services company, which has an employee strength of over 7.43 lakh, including over three lakh in India.
“Over the years, resurgent Odisha has scripted success stories in many spheres. The new Odisha is forging ahead towards progress, buoyed by innovation, new ideas and a strong entrepreneurial ethos. Odisha’s growth trajectory is fuelled by a robust ecosystem which will further boost entrepreneurship, technological innovation, and new age businesses,” he said.
Accenture’s expertise in these areas, the CM said, will undoubtedly add immense value to the state’s endeavours. The state-of-the-art research centre in Bhubaneswar will further strengthen the ecosystem and create employment for the youth of Odisha, he said.
Minister of State for Electronics and IT Tusharkanti Behera said Bhubaneswar has become a global hotspot for IT, ESDM and consulting companies. With the visionary policies and vibrant ecosystem, Odisha has emerged as the undisputed leader in the IT domain, shaping the future of technology, he said.
Principal secretary of E&IT department Manoj Mishra said Accenture’s advanced technology centre not only signifies their confidence in the state’s potential but also reinforces Odisha’s position as an attractive and leading destination for investment. It will bolster the state’s IT ecosystem, enhancing its vibrancy and competitiveness across the country, he added.
Located at the Odisha Technology Centre, Accenture’s new centre is currently spread over 50,000 sq ft and designed to accommodate 2,000 professionals in a hybrid work environment with potential for future expansion.
Chief strategy officer of Accenture Bhaskar Ghosh said the advanced technology centre will build transformative solutions for the company’s clients using cloud data, and AI including generative AI. “It reiterates our commitment to expand it to more locations in India,” he said.
Chairman of 5T Initiatives VK Pandian, special secretary of E&IT department Manas Panda, country managing director of Accenture-India Ajay Vij and global lead - advanced technology centres’ global network Mahesh Zurale were present.