The Hindu Business Line : High performance computing centre — Chennai ideal location, Jayalalithaa tells Gates

The Microsoft Chairman, Mr Bill Gates, with the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, Ms Jayalalithaa, during a meeting at the Secretariat in Chennai on Friday. — V. Ganesan

Chennai , Dec. 9

THE Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, Ms Jayalalithaa, on Friday invited Microsoft Corporation to establish a high performance computing centre and an engineering product design and delivery centre in Chennai.

During a 30-minute meeting with Microsoft's Chairman, Mr Bill Gates, at the Secretariat today, the Chief Minister said Chennai was an ideal location for such a centre with its vast pool of talent.

She assured the Microsoft delegation that the Government would allot the required land and render whatever support was needed, a release issued by the State Government after the meeting said.

It said that Mr Gates indicated that he was impressed by the inherent strengths of the city and its talent pool.

He indicated that Chennai would certainly be on top of the list when Microsoft finalised its expansion plans in India.

On the occasion, the State Government and Microsoft signed an agreement for implementing `Project Siksha' as part of the `Partners in Learning Programme' of Microsoft Corporation to improve the quality of education by empowering teachers with technology.

Under the agreement, Microsoft will set up and run an information technology academy in Chennai for five years, for which the State Government has provided a building. The Chief Minister launched the training programme through video conference today.

The release said Ms Jayalalithaa also appreciated the humanitarian work of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, especially in the area of AIDS prevention.

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