Mysuru: Minister for Information Technology and Biotechnology, Priyank Kharge, emphasized the Government of Karnataka’s unwavering commitment to skill development and global competitiveness at the valedictory session of the “Big-Tech Show on ‘Mysuru: The New Tech Hub on the Global Map,” an initiative by the Karnataka Digital Economy Mission, held on Friday, November 3.
The Minister said the GoK had for the first time in the country established a skill advisory council so that it can receive feedback from the industry – from agriculture to aerospace — and act upon it. Mr. Kharge said Karnataka was no longer catering only to the Bengaluru or the Indian ecosystem and market but the talent pool and human resource was catering to the entire world.
The council aims to gather industry feedback from diverse sectors, spanning agriculture to aerospace, and promptly act upon it. Minister Kharge underscored that Karnataka is no longer confined to serving just the Bengaluru or the Indian market; rather, it has evolved into a global talent pool catering to the world’s needs.
Reflecting on his recent interactions with U.S. industry leaders, Minister Kharge emphasized the soaring demand for chip designers in the United States, projecting the need for nearly one million chip designers over the next five years. He noted that the U.S. has placed its trust in India, specifically Karnataka, to meet this demand, emphasizing its preference over China for fulfilling market requirements.
Furthermore, the Government of Karnataka is actively establishing Centers of Excellence in collaboration with industries to nurture talent, foster leadership, and drive innovation in emerging technologies.
Minister Kharge disclosed that the state government is currently forging a Global Innovation Alliance that will include approximately 50 countries, with the goal of forming strategic partnerships in niche areas. This initiative will not only grant them access to the Indian market but also facilitate the exchange of ideas and technology. Additionally, the government is committed to creating an enabling environment with added incentives and subsidies to encourage industries to establish their presence beyond Bengaluru, extending to tier 2 and 3 cities. Minister Kharge concluded by stating, “We are also striving to streamline business operations in Karnataka through suitable policies.”
B.V. Naidu, CEO of KDEM, highlighted the impressive growth of the Mysuru cluster, positioning it as a leading hub for technology and electronics in the country. He said if the State was to contribute 350 billion dollars out of one trillion dollars digital economy in next few years, then Bengaluru alone will not be sufficient though it will grow. So need to go beyond Bengaluru and Mysuru can play a role, said Mr. Naidu. He further said the city was generating sufficient interest from investors and the defence offset share of Mysuru was ₹2,000 crore which was the highest among the cities in the country. Mr. Naidu said though Mysuru was being promoted as a tech-cluster since many years, the growth was visible and happening in the present times.
Naidu underlined the visible growth in Mysuru, which has been consistently promoted as a tech cluster, and emphasized the potential it holds in the present times. KDEM also signed memoranda of understanding with private entities to identify, train, and nurture talent in rural areas beyond Mysuru at the taluk levels.
The event, hosted at the Infosys campus, saw the presence of industry leaders and entrepreneurs from the region.
