India on top in IT, digital tech, says Naidu

Hyderabad: No country can beat India on digital and information technology (IT) because the country has the largest number of youth, said former Chief Minister and TDP national president N Chandrababu Naidu here on Friday.

Addressing the valedictory function of the 20th anniversary celebrations of the Indian School of Business (ISB), Naidu said, "India is going to become number one on the global economy. Things are happening across the globe only because of Indians, particularly the youth. Indians are wealth creators globally and things are happening positively in the world only because of Indians and because of the youth," Naidu said and stated that of the total number of Indians who migrated to various countries for either employment or as entrepreneurs, 30 per cent are Telugus.

The elite gathering for the meeting was drawn from across the globe, all the alumni of the ISB and the faculty both in service and retired. The meeting was chaired by the founder dean of the ISB, Dr Pramanth Raj Sinha, while Naidu was the chief guest. The first passed out batch of the ISB who are now either employed in India or abroad while some turned into entrepreneurs, too were present at the meeting.

In a close interaction with Dr Pramanth Raj Sinha, Naidu shared his memories as to how he turned Gachibowli into a technological hub and how the Financial District was formed. Stating that Hyderabad initially did not figure in the list of cities where the ISB was to be set up, he recalled how he made the prestigious institute to be established here. "I convinced them to come to Hyderabad and I know pretty well that once they come to the city they cannot say that they would not set up the institute here," Naidu said.

He said that even at the recent G-20 preparatory meeting, he stressed the need to encourage technology. "My vision for 2047 is that Indians will be wealth creators globally and Indians are going to dominate the global economy and ISB is going to play a major role in this," the TDP chief said. Indians are doing extremely well in all sectors, Naidu said and wished for the ISB to be on top in the world in business schools. He wanted the ISB graduates not to be employees but "be employers and provide jobs to others," Naidu said to a standing ovation by the elite gathering.

Earlier, Naidu visited the tree that he planted in 2011 on the ISB campus. He said that the sapling that he planted has now grown into a tree and wished that the ISB and its graduates too should grow similarly.