Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala): Technopark, the Information Technology park of Kerala, owned and administered by the state government, turned thirty in July 2020. When Kerala stepped forward into the revolutionary arena of Information Technology way back in 1990, Technopark gave it a name and a pinned it on the World map.
In the wake of COVID pandemic, the park wears a deserted look -- no crowds, no engine revving sounds, no break time chit-chats and debates. Most of the air-conditioned buildings here continue to be closed and the park, which thrived with activity before COVID times, remains calm in a meditative silence now.
Kerala's Technopark has the fame of being the first in India and also the largest Information Technology Park in Asia. In 1990, the institution named Electronic Technology Parks, Kerala was registered as a Charitable Trust and started operations, led by the first Chairman of the Technopark, K P P Nambiar.
Though plans were to acquire 50 acres of land in Vaidyankunnu, Karyavattom in Kerala University premises, it was vehemently opposed by the Varsity Syndicate. Turning a deaf ear to the objection of the Syndicate, the then Industries Minister K R Gowri Amma moved forward with the land acquisition plans.
On March 31, 1991, the foundation stone was laid, when Gowri Amma was the Industries Minister and E K Nayanar was the State Chief Minister. In 1995, the then Prime Minister P V Narasimha Rao formally dedicated Technopark to the nation. K Karunakaran was the Chief Minister then.
Today, Technopark has expanded into 300 acres in the area. More than 60,000 people are presently employed directly and another 10,000 indirectly in over 250 companies working out of the vast campus. There is also an incubator system in place to support the new entrepreneurs.
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A part of the Technopark comes under the Software Technology Parks of India (STPI) laws and another part comes under the Special Economic Zone jurisdiction. Technopark has four phases currently. While the three phases are situated at Kazhakkoottam, the fourth phase named Techno City is located at Pallippuram.
Of the total software export from Kerala, Technopark contributes about 70 per cent of the export. This adds up to more than 2,000 crore. Major employment sectors here include software development, software product development, software products testing, business process, outsourcing, medical transcription, maintenance of information technology infrastructure and processes using information technology.
Besides employment in the Information Technology sector, there are jobs created in finance, management, human resources and such allied sectors.
In the technology hub which functions even on the days of hartal, many world-renowned companies have their offices. These include Oracle, Nissan, Infosys, TCS, Alliance and Ernest and Young and many more. Kerala's own companies like UST Global, IBS Software and Suntech and others have made Technopark their own space. Many other start-up companies also work out of Technopark.
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K P P Nambiar, who was Kerala State's Special advisor, industries sector, is the one who first presented the concept of an Electronic Park. The idea and concept then was to develop a technology park under Kerala University, like the ones found in Silicon Valley and Singapore Technology Park. He then presented the idea to the state government and held preliminary discussions with Dr M P Nair, N T Nair, M K Nair and M R Narayanan. Tata Consultancy Services came up with a design. Though a report was soon submitted, nothing materialised immediately.
Later, when the then Chief Minister E K Nayanar returned home after a visit to the US, the project was given a final nod. It was then that the Electronic Technology Park Kerala was registered as a charitable trust initially and started operations.
