Hyderabad: Former Telangana IT Minister and BRS Working President K. Tarakarama Rao (KTR) assured that if the BRS returns to power within the next three years, it will focus on further developing the state’s IT industry.
Speaking to CEOs of various IT companies on Tuesday, KTR highlighted the growing importance of Artificial Intelligence (AI). He said AI will bring major changes in the future, and India’s youth must be ready to take part in this global shift.
KTR stressed the need for strong cooperation between governments and IT companies to help young Indians compete in the AI space.
He also spoke about the current global situation, especially in the US, saying it presents new chances for small and mid-sized IT firms to open offshore centers in India. He believes these firms can benefit from India’s skilled workforce and lower operating costs.
Recalling the achievements during the BRS rule, KTR said that under Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao’s leadership, Hyderabad was transformed into a major IT hub in just nine years. He mentioned that the city saw a big jump in IT jobs from 3.23 lakh in 2014 to 10 lakh by the time the BRS left office.
He also noted that several major global tech companies chose Hyderabad to set up their largest offices outside the United States.
KTR predicted that more companies would look to India for expansion, especially in Tier-2 cities. He said the COVID-19 pandemic proved that remote work is possible from anywhere, opening new doors for smaller cities to grow as IT centers.
He shared that during the BRS government’s term, IT hubs were set up in 10 Tier-2 cities across Telangana. These hubs offered rent-free space in the first year, plug-and-play facilities, and other incentives. As an example, he pointed to NTT Data’s center in Adilabad, which now employs 500 IT professionals.
While major companies like Amazon and Google may not move to smaller cities, KTR said that small and medium IT firms can find great opportunities in Tier-2 locations due to strong road and rail links.
Quoting former US President John F. Kennedy, KTR said that infrastructure investment is key to a country’s success. He urged both the central and state governments to focus more on building such infrastructure.
He also called on investors to support India’s growth, saying that the country’s youth are eager and ready for new opportunities.
Some IT company leaders at the meeting observed that the industry’s growth has slowed recently. However, they praised the progress made during BRS’s tenure, especially for bringing IT beyond Hyderabad and showing that smaller companies can do well in India.
