IBNLive Chat: 'Brand Bangalore is about IT, global outlook '

IT'S THE WAY TO BE: For the West, Brand Bangalore is all about IT, software and a global outlook, feels Ramanujam Sridhar, CEO, Brand-Comm.

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Keywords: IT , Brand Bangalore

What are the priorities for the new government that comes to power in Karnataka? Where does Brand Bangalore stand? What should the new government do to push Karnataka as an IT destination?

IBNLive.com organised a chat with Ramanujam Sridhar, CEO, Brand-Comm, in order to get answers to the following.

Here we reproduce the full text of the chat.

Bhuvana: The ground reality in Bangalore is that its back is broken by its own locally-elected representatives and administration. But somewhere it has gone ahead of other cities. What are the lessons to be learnt by other cities? Is there anything that Bangalore needs to learn from other cities?

Ramanujam Sridhar: I think at the risk of upsetting a few people I must say that Bangalore has grown despite the government, due to the actions, dynamism and wisdom of private enterprise. It can learn form other cities certainly. Chennai, despite its weather and everything else, is a well-organised and well-run city. I am not sure we are a well-run city or a state. I think there is a lot of scope in studying what other cities like say New York are doing.

Soumitra: Now in the age of urbanisation, though successive govts have been claiming to uplift the rural sectors, people of rural Karnataka are shifting to Bangalore for their bread and butter. Same with millions of people throughout the nation. Is it possible for any Karnataka govt to do justice to both Bangalore and rural Karnataka at the same time to meet the ever-growing demands of Bangalore? Also, while emphasising more on Bangalore, don't you feel other rural towns in Karnataka are being made scapegoats to meet the urban budget of the state govt?

<>Ramanujam Sridhar: Yes the urban-rural divide has not been addressed satisfactorily here and elsewhere. The problem is that it is not “either” or “or” as governments try to say. I agree with you that some other towns in Karnataka can be developed. But I guess every one wants the low hanging fruits of Bangalore. I think that development of the rural areas cannot be a mere election slogan as some of us are making it out to be.

Pramila: Bangalore has huge migrant population, I personally feel these people do not have any sense of belonging to the city and they still feel Bangalore as their second home. I feel they have to come forward. I was very disappointed with the percentage of voting done in the city, we really need their support to make our Bangalore beautiful.

Ramanujam Sridhar: I agree that the migrant population in Bangalore is a large part of the city. However any city grows on you. I have lived here for 28 years and believe that this place belongs to me. I think Bangalore has lots going for it and I share your concern about the poor voter turn-out. But is that only because of the migrants? I hope not!

Chand: If coalition government comes once again, will it impact Brand Bangalore?

Ramanujam Sridhar: Yes it must certainly impact the brand as the focus will only be on survival. Yet I still remain optimistic, someone must realise that a lot of investment, visibility and progress can happen around the building of the brand. That someone must not play to the gallery and look to the good of the city and the state and the country as Bangalore is what the world sees India as.

AKB: Just to address the space constraint in the Bangalore city the govt can look into the concept “utilization of space concept” just like the govt did in Mumbai where large sick textile mills including other sick govt companies were converted as commercial space for retail and other offices. Also Indian Railways has large land which also can be used for various profit making ventures. What do you think?