Gujarat, the next IT hub

The rapidly growing information technology sector is always looking for new venues for development and Gujarat is fast emerging as the next IT hub. The state has definite advantages over others -- more than 65 per cent of the population is under 35, the state has an efficient and solid infrastructure, and also an improved standard of knowledge of English. 

Gujarat, with the country's highest gross domestic product of more than 16 per cent, has a lot of achievements to boast about as well. The state has scored very high in several aspects -- rise in per capita income, industrial investment, uninterrupted power supply to industry and villages, computerisation of electricity board, investment in basic infrastructure, increased literacy ratio, water conservation and utilisation and others.

Now it is time for the state to take a plunge in to the IT and the ITES sector.

Gujarat government has already contributed to the development of the IT sector by setting up an InfoCity at Gandhinagar (one of the greenest cities in world, with 27 trees per person) and announcing a new industrial policy in 2003.

The state government, along with major private players, is in the process of setting up multiple special economic zones in Ahmedabad, Gandhinagar and Vadodara. Big players in this field include Raheja Group, Tata Consultancy Services, Ganesh Housing, the Adani Group, et cetera. 

The state will soon have a Software Technology Park of India at Rajkot, Surat and Jamnagar. In December, the government set up the Gujarat IT Meet in partnership with Nasscom.

The state government is offering land at the cheapest price possible for these projects. Gujarat has the highest tele-density and the best telecommunication facility. IT companies, therefore, are set to enter a virgin but a well known area. 
An intelligent, skilled, hard working and dedicated workforce, cheap realty prices in comparison with other developed cities like Bangalore, Hyderabad and Pune are other factors that the IT sector can fall back on.

Companies like TCS, Cybase and MphasiS have already started their activities in the state. Goes without saying that inhabited by a cosmopolitan crowd, low crime record and multiple entertainment options, people from across India will not hesitate to come to Gujarat for work.

Because of liquor prohibition in the state, night life is safe and people can freely roam around till midnight . 

Armed with the best road, rail and air connectivity, Gujarat is one of the most convenient places to stay. Ahmedabad has more than 30 trains for Mumbai and 11 trains to New Delhi. Ahmedabad-Mumbai express highway, to be completed in the coming years, will reduce Ahmedabad-Mumbai journey from nine hours to five hours by road.

Ahmedabad has some some world famous education institutes. Starting with none other than Indian Institute of Management-A, the list includes Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India, Physical Research Laboratory, Ahmedabad Management Association,Mudra Institute of Communications, Ahmedabad, Centre for Environmental Planning and Technology, National Institute of Design etc.IIT will shortly open a centre in the state.

Other education institutes like MS University, Nirma College, DA-IICT, Sardar Patel Institute of Public Administration etc also have a lot to contribute to the standard of education in the state. At present, Gujarat has 13 universities and four agricultural universities.

Recently, Gujarat won multiple recognitions which made India proud at the international level. Surat is said to be one of the fastest emerging business destinations world wide. According to India Today, Gujarat is the best place in India to invest in. The state also bagged United Nations' Sasakawa Award, Commonwealth's CAPM Gold Award, World Bank's Green Award, UNESCO's Asia-Pacific Heritage Award and India Tech Excellence Award 2005 in Power sector reforms.

Gujarat is a state with the largest number of successful entrepreneurs like Ambanis (Reliance), Aspi Godrej (Godrej), Arvind (Kasturbhai Lalbhai), Torrent, Nirma, Mafatlal, Cadila Healthcare, Ambalal Sarabhai, Jamsetji Tata (founder of Tata group), etc. The list seems endless.

The new IT biggies will add more jewels to the state's crown. 

The authors are IT professinoals.

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