Software Paradigms India (SPI) plans a ten-fold increase in workforce at the IT firm's Mysore facility, to 3000 by 2008. And phase-I of the company's Rs.50-crore campus, accommodating 500 employees, would be ready by 2005-end. (Deccan Herald, April 25, 2005).
Founded by Atlanta-based Sid Mookerji , 30, SPI's India manager is co-founder and retired CFTRI sceintist K K Mookerji. Being Sid's father helped KK reinvent himself in a management role after retirement. Mookerji Sr. set up the SPI Mysore centre from the scratch. In the last eight years the staff strength has gone up to 300.
This son-father venture in IT services holds out hope for Mysore, to shake off its fuddy-duddy image of being a sleepy town, peopled by retired folk with penchant for a laid-back lifestyle. K K Mookerji has shown us what retired persons can do with their 'second adulthood'. Son Sid, schooled here and driven by a burning desire to "give something back to Mysore", put his faith in this town and set up base at a time (1997) when it didn't make business sense to a lot of people to locate IT ventures here.
We could do with more such non-resident Mysoreans with the drive and mindset of Sid Mookerji. They make a difference. With their efforts Mysore can be put on the boom-town track, even before they complete doubling of the rail track.
It proves Mysore is coming out of a slumber of Lotus Eaters and this is an effort for a balanced growth of Mysore. It is just not number of employees or investment but overall developemnt of Mysore always counts. Praise the effort.
That'll drive up real estate costs in Mysore and the homeless poor will be pushed out even from the footpaths. If the money generated will bring closed sewage conduits and treatment plants + water supply + garbage disposal and provide very low cost housing for the poor, then it'll be worthwhile, but if it simply creates expensive apartments with no footpaths and garbage piled up right outside the buildings' gates, then it is not.
Mr Sid Mookerji of SPI , sharing his experience with delegates at Bangalore IT.com, held that operating from Mysore was in many ways better than being based in Bangalore – less commuting time, less pollution, cheaper real estate.
Providing comparisions and highlighting Mysore as the next destination for IT is great.. But when you look at the kind of comparisions like Real estate, pollution.. etc., Is Mysore ready for it? Everyone wants the best and still say "Mysore should not go Bangalore way".. does that mean that we can increase the number of vehicles plying in Mysore City or extend the City boundaries or broaden the roads?
All the above which I have mentioned is bound to happen if we project Mysore City as the next destination for IT/BT.. can we provide facilities to each and everybody who comes to this town? Will the nature lovers like it if the authorities cut some more tree to widen the roads.. or will the so called activists provide a clean chit to the authorities in whatever they feel is right in providing all the facilities these companies want?
We need Mysore to outgrow Bangalore in terms of infrastructure.. in terms of facilities.. unlike the present situation in Bangalore city..
Can we all work towards a better city management and join hands with people like sid mookerji and authorities as well.. in providing solutions for better infrastructure?
Software exports from Mysore is expected to cross Rs.500-crore mark this year, from Rs.317 crores in 2004-05, says director of software technology park of India (STPI), Mr B V Naidu. Mysore’s first 100 percent export oriented company, SPI, is building up 200,000 sq.ft office space to accommodate 3000 employees. First phase (20,000 sq.ft) would be ready for occupation by Jan. next, says company MD, Mr Sid Mookherji.
Making out a case for Mysore as tier-2 city, he reckoned that the average commute time in Mysore was 20 minutes, against one hour in Bangalore. Vehicle pop. here is Rs.3 lakhs (Bangalore – 25 lakhs); and population density, 385 per sq.km (Bangalore – 2978 per sq.km).
(Source: Laiqh A Khan in ‘The Hindu, Nov.12, 2005)
