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V. Rishi Kumar

(File picture) A view of the modern architecture of Cyber Gateway, Hitec City Pase II, in Hyderabad. - - A. Roy Chowdhury

Hyderabad , Dec. 30

AFTER about two years of general subdued sentiment in the technology sector, there are several pointers that reflect `big ticket' investments and rapid recruitment both by the domestic technology companies as also multinational corporations, particularly the latter coming up with new `captive' campuses.

The President of Hyderabad Software Exporters' Association (HYSEA) and Managing Director of ADP Wilco, Mr Shakti Sagar, told Business Line that the mood was upbeat and the year 2003 ended on a positive note.

The general upswing in the US economy has begun to rub off in the technology sector where investments have begun to happen lately. As a result, multinational corporations such as Computer Sciences Corporation, Computer Associates, Microsoft Corporation, Oracle Corporation and Kanbay Inc, have all made announcements to further expand their India operations, thereby reposing faith in the Indian talent pool as also the advantages that a captive centre brings.

Mr Sagar said, "these MNCs are seeking to develop captive campuses that means a lot for us both in terms of investments as also providing opportunity for technology professionals to work in their neighbourhood and live in the familiar environment in world class centres. This is well complimented by the expansion plans of some local IT companies."

For instance, Microsoft Corporation, which has a research and development centre in the Hitec City, is in the process of developing its own campus on a 45-acre site near the city, Oracle earlier this month laid the foundation stone to construct a 500,000 sq. ft facility that would have a capacity to host about 2,000 people.

(File picture) Mr Ratan Tata, Chairman, Tata Group, and Mr S. Ramadorai, CEO, TCS, just before the inauguration of `Deccanpark', the new facility of TCS in Hyderabad in November. -- A. Roy Chowdhury

Earlier this year, TCS, the country's largest technology company, had commissioned its major facility in Hyderabad, its single largest centre in the country.

While the Phase III of the L&T project now under ay at the Hitec City was mostly booked, the Government was in the process of initiating work on the fourth phase. While L&T completed both Phase I &II, the third phase is being handled by the Singapore firm, Ascendas.

Earlier this year, Nasscom had voted Hyderabad as one of the most favoured destination for ITES space. The State Government, which has created a separate body to address the requirement of IT ES/BPO segment in the form of AP First, has roped in the K. Raheja Group to develop an exclusive facility for ITES companies. The Rahejas have begun work on the Mindspace project and expect to complete the project over the next 18 to 24 months in phases.

The Government has since offered Rahejas to consider a proposal to develop another facility in Visakhapatnam, which is being developed as an alternative IT ES centre. Already, GE has announced plans to locate its centre in Vizag and HSBC is in the process of establishing another centre there.

According to Software Technology Parks of India, it is estimated that currently about 70,000 techies are employed in Hyderabad, both in the software services and ITES space. The way additional capacity is now being created, it points to a growth of about 30 to 35 per cent in the year 2004, Mr Sagar said.

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