The Hindu Business Line : Infy can offer feedback to Govt for good of industry: Ahluwalia

Expansion plans
The company will invest Rs 1,200 crore in expansion plans at Mysore.
A 9,000-seat training facility and an additional 7,750 hostel rooms will make this facility the largest in the world.
Infosys announced the arrival of 126 US recruits in Mysore as the first batch of the global talent programme.

(From left): MR MONTEK SINGH AHLUWALIA, Deputy Chairman Planning Commission, Mr N.R. Narayana Murthy, Chief Mentor, Infosys, Mr Nandan M. Nilekani, CEO, Mr Bob Greifeld, President and CEO, The NASDAQ Stock Market, and Mr Dinesh, Director, at the ringing of the NASDAQ opening bell at its Mysore campus on Monday. — G.R.N. Somashekar

Mysore , July 31

Feedback from companies like Infosys Technologies will help the Government serve better, said Mr Montek Singh Ahluwalia, Deputy Chairman, Planning Commission, at the Global Education Centre in Mysore on Monday.

Speaking at the inauguration of the company's fourth software development block, he said, "Infosys is in a handful of companies that can advise and offer feedback to the Central and State Governments on what can be done to ensure the industry succeeds."

He felt that not enough had been done to help the manufacturing sector, which needed better infrastructure.

"We can now penetrate the manufacturing sector and compete with China — at least in displacing the Chinese imports with domestic products," said Mr Ahluwalia.

The new block, covering 4,00,000 sq ft of land, has 2,500 seats and has seen an investment of Rs 85 crore, said Mr T.V. Mohan Das Pai, member of the board, Infosys Technologies.

Mysore roadmap

Over the next year, Infosys will invest Rs 1,200 crore in expansion plans at Mysore, said Mr Pai. A 9,000-seat training facility and an additional 7,750 hostel rooms will make this facility the largest in the world, according to the company.

Once complete, the Mysore facility will be able to train 40,000 people a year. The company has invested Rs 772.4 crore till date in Mysore.

Infosys announced the arrival of 126 US recruits in Mysore as the first batch of the global talent programme.

Foreign recruits

The foreign nationals will begin their six-month, customised education programme at the Global Education Centre. Currently foreigners make up 3 per cent of the company's total workforce. The company plans to recruit 300 college graduates from the US in fiscal 2006 and extend the programme to the UK, Europe, Australia and China, said Mr Pai.

The Opening Bell ceremony, which would herald the opening of trading day at the NASDAQ stock market, was conducted in splendour here as part of Infosys' 25th anniversary celebrations.

NASDAQ opening bell

"This is a small step for NASDAQ, a giant leap for Infosys. We have demonstrated that we can be a pioneer on NASDAQ," said Mr Murthy.

With this, Infosys became the first Indian company to ring the Opening Bell from a remote location.

With the use of an 8 mbps satellite link that would be routed from Singapore via Los Angeles and then onto New York, the home of NASDAQ, the push of the electronic button would signal the opening of the stock market for trading at 9:30 a.m. EST.

A replica of the NASDAQ electronic sign-in screen has also been set-up, following the tradition of CEOs and dignitaries signing the NASDAQ podium. The sign-in on the podium captures an electronic signature and sends it after heavy encryption to New York.

"This is evidence of the fact that the world is becoming increasingly flat," said Mr Robert Greifeld, President and Chief Executive Officer, The NASDAQ Stock Market, on the occasion.

More Stories on : Software | Events | Stock Exchanges | Infosys Technologies Ltd

Article E-Mail :: Comment :: Syndication :: Printer Friendly Page