A long thought...
Information Technology ,as any industry, is a complex ecosystem that needed to be built, and Bhubaneswar failed in the initial stage. And once you fail, you are out. https://twitter.com/SubrataNayak16/status/1324668986991108098
Indian IT industry has 3 distinct growth patterns-first is the growth of home grown IT outsourcing companies like Infosys, TCS, WIPRO in the 80s; then came the MNC firms including captives such as Accenture, IBMs and captive centers of say Wallmart, UBS, Citi etc in the mid-2000s
Lastly, the current phase of Indian startups such as Flipkarts, Grofers, Pepperfry.
Bhubaneswar had started well, with getting Infosys in it's portfolio back in the late 90s. However, now the future is bleak as it failed to grow home grown IT companies and failed to attract MNCs.
Bhubaneswar had started well, with getting Infosys in it's portfolio back in the late 90s. However, now the future is bleak as it failed to grow home grown IT companies and failed to attract MNCs.
There are many factors that contributed to the growth of IT in certain cities such as Pune, Bengaluru , Hyderabad and Gurugram.
First and foremost is the political will in getting land and erecting buildings that multinational companies (MNCs and Captives) wanted.
These companies are not the ones that will lease land and construct buildings. They wanted ready to use SEZ buildings.
Let's start with Hyderabad - Chandrababu Naidu transformed Hyderabad. Bringing the first few IT companies to the City. Then there were other established companies and infrastrcture that propelled the growth of services industries.
Once you get inertia and ensure the momemtum, then nothing can stop you. The state was able to literally export people to the US during the Y2K boom period.
Bengaluru and Pune did not have airports - the runways were built for military aircrafts, but what these cities had was visionary political leaders.
Pune had the advantage of leaders who knew that the next Mumbai would be Pune. Already an established educational hub, and with pleasant weather, leaders from various political parties contributed to the growth of large IT parks, in addition to brining automobile companies.
We are under estimating the power of established industries in Pune. The city back in the 80s was already surrounded by MIDC manufacturing parks - and you need to see the parks to believe them. The Hinjewadi IT park is an MIDC park.
Bengaluru branded itself to be the silicon valley of India - very similar to the growth of Pune, leaders ensured that land and buildings were provided to large IT companies. They overtook very city in India to emerge as a leader in IT services.
Then the startup culture continued to brand the city. News articles, reports, media all helped - Koramangala - to be known across India.
Gurugram had the advantage of being near Delhi - and along with the concept of NCR, the landscape changed from growing dead vegetables to being holding MNCs - mostly call centers, but now also IT.
Bhubaneswar had nothing to offer. Our politicians were happy with the MP funds.
Secondly, once your people are already in position of power, it creates an exponential effect. Looks at any company in the US - you will see a Telegu, Tamil, Marathi, Kannada, Malayalee name. You will need a microscope to find an Odiya who is at a position of power.
So, any decision on outsourcing, is always favoured to own's homecity, in most cases the capital city of a state. Very similar to how Punjabis and Gujaratis conquered businesses in Africa and UK , and later in USA, Southern States dominate the decision making positions in IT.
Third, IT demanded a different work style. Bhubaneswar was not ready to have the style. Working late hours and having a beer or sipping a whiskey was not a part of the culture. It was also not a part of Kannada or Marathi culture.
But cities like Hyderabad, Pune, Bengaluru were able to develop a culture of youth. To some extent, Chennai failed on this front, but since Tams are extremely rationalistic, they were able to grow Chennai.
In Bhubaneswar, it is unthinkable of your daughter having a drink with office collogues. Also, if such an incident happened in Bhubaneswar, the Parents would say "Chuaa madua heyi gola", but if she drinking in Bengaluru - it is "Moru jheo indepondont".
Weather is not the only factor - Chennai?
Crime free area is not a factor - despite knowing that you can be kidnapped in a van, people still work in Gurugram.
Traffic and tension free life is not-Bengaluru traffic can result in amputation of your leg, but Odias still work there.
Odias are very low end operational and low ambitioned people. Ask them to work 18 hours, they will work. Politicians are happy with 5 Cr they can siphon out of the MP fund. Business is "haraam". There is no regional feeling or for that matter any feeling.
As an example, Tams, who will never work in Odisha or anywhere else outside of their state as IT employees, are happy looting the state in mining operations. And why are they - cause Odias have created that gap.
We have no one to blame but ourselves.
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