J.A. Chowdary says Chief Minister Naidu’s track record andcredibility a big plus in selling the state.
AB Wire
WASHINGTON, DC: Jakkampudi Adiseshaiah Chowdary, an Adviser for IT and Special Secretary to Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, is currently in the United States to attract US investments to his state. A tech pioneer, extensive experience in both private and public sectors, he has played a major role in the growth of information technology in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, as the founding director of Software Technology Parks. Prior to joining the Andhra government in December 2015, the IIT Madras graduate was the Executive Chairman of TalentSprint, which he cofounded. In an interview with The American Bazaar on April 27, he spoke about the Andhra government’s plans to build world-class infrastructure in the state and opportunities it offers to entrepreneurs and tech leaders from the United States, among other issues. The interview has been edited for clarity.
You gave up a private sector job to serve the government of Andhra Pradesh. What was the motivation for that?
Basically, I always like the enabling role. Previously, before I got in to the private sector, I was with the federal government. I was the founding director for the Software Technology Parks of India. I was the one who started the Bangalore STPI, which started way back in ’80s; that’s when we created the initial IT wave, IT services wave in the country. Then I came to Hyderabad. We started hi-tech city, created Cyberabad and … I worked along with the then Chief Minister Mr. Chandrababu Naidu. So I liked those roles, and [accepted them] whenever I get an opportunity to get in to the enabling role, even when I was with the private sector… I was the founding president for the TiE and I was the founding person for the Hyderabad Angels. So, these are all enabling institutions to help the eco system build up. So, I like those things. That’s why I jumped in to this opportunity when our Chief Minister invited [me] to be with the government.
So it was a no-brainer for you to take up the job?
Actually, interestingly, I was in my organic farm when I got the call from the Chief Minister. He said, “Mr. Chowdary, I need your help in building the IT Infrastructure, promoting the IT, in our new state of Andhra Pradesh. So why didn’t you come and join?” I did not even think twice on this thing. I left whatever [I was doing]. I was executive Chairman of two companies. I resigned from those companies and I totally dedicated my time. This is a golden opportunity for me to really contribute something for the new state of Andhra Pradesh. When Andhra Pradesh state requires my help, I thought that’s more than… just counting money and dollars. I thought this as a golden opportunity which our honourable chief minister has given. That’s the reason, without looking at any other… thing, I jumped to this opportunity.
What does your job entail?
My job basically entails how I can create job opportunities through the information technology industry because a lot of youth are coming out of the colleges. In the state of Andhra Pradesh, there are 300 engineering colleges and several other degree colleges. So these people [are] aspiring [and] looking for working in an X Company, Y company, Z company. And, the IT industry is one industry in India which can absorb many of the youth, whether they are mechanical engineering, civil engineering, or IT, computer science or whatever. I thought it’s a great platform for me to help the state in bringing more companies, bringing more investments in IT, creating the job opportunities for the aspiring youth. That was one of the main [tasks] which our honourable chief minister has given to me — how do we get more companies and great opportunities for the youth of Andhra Pradesh.
What is the mission of your current US trip?
My mission is to interface with the companies, [mainly] technology companies, because the Silicon Valley, Washington, DC, all these areas we get lot of products of these technology companies; the companies which are working in the future technologies. We want to understand on which direction these technologies are going. Where the opportunities for investments in India particularly in our state of Andhra Pradesh? We want to invite them because ours is a new state, new start-up state. There are lot of opportunities, we are investing more than $2 billion dollars in just implementing the IT in our state, and apart from that there are other several other opportunities. [For instance,] we have one thousand kilometres of coastline and several ports are there, and port cities are being developed. Smart cities, two smart cities out of hundred smart cities in the country, they are in our state. So these are the new opportunities for technology entrepreneurs. Today, for example, some start-up companies in Silicon Valley, they got good funding, they got good product, but where is the market? The growing market [is] in the country like India, particularly our state. Our tech -savvy Chief Minister Mr. Naidu, he wants to implement the latest technologies to benefit the rural farmers and benefit the people, who are living in the rural areas. So, I thought this is a great opportunity for the technology entrepreneurs from US as well, as it’s going to benefit our state because our state is getting the new investments, new job opportunities for the youth.
Who are you targeting here in the United States? Just the Telugu Americans and Indian Americans, or the larger American companies?
No, I am targeting all the technology companies, irrespective of whether they are Andhra companies promoted by people from Andhra Pradesh, or any Indian companies, or even multi-national companies because, technology is, there is no limit for this thing, any technology company, started by X,Y,Z and all that. Those technologies are relevant for us; and we want to, for example, we are setting up a greenfield capital called Amaravathy. We want to use not today’s technologies … tomorrow’s technologies in that new capital. So that if I only had to invite entrepreneurs from Andhra Pradesh alone from America that’s not going to help my state. I want to take the best of the best technology, how I can leverage [it] to build our new capital, build our smart cities, build our cyber security platforms in the state. That’s the reason why we are not only looking at entrepreneurs who are from Andhra Pradesh but anybody I mean whether promoted by Americans, promoted by Israelis, promoted by anybody.
What is the response you are getting so far?
[The] response is quite interesting, very, very positive response. Because [of] the brand value of our Chief Minister in America; because he is the one who started the IT activities in Hyderabad and is a very credible politician today in India. Everybody knows about what he can do, what he has done earlier and because of that because of that trust factor, I am getting a lot of response from big multi-national companies, response from start-up companies, response from venture capitalists and response from people who are working in great product companies. They all wanted to do something because of the credibility associated with the leader of our state.
Do you have any permanent presence in the form of an office or staff in the United State?
Yes, we’ve just started one office in Silicon Valley, and we have appointed one person fulltime. Though she is a technology entrepreneur, she is going to help promoting the IT, Similarly, we also appointed one innovation officer from UC Berkeley. So these are the two people. Veena Gundavelli [Founder/CEO of Emagia Corporation] is the technology entrepreneur, who is going to help and she is going to be special representative, representing Andhra Pradesh for IT promotion. Similarly, Professor Solomon Darwin from UC Berkeley for the innovation. Because these are the two elements that, we are trying to improve upon in our state. On one side, the innovation and incubation, start-up eco system, how do we help the entrepreneurs. The other side, how do we attract the big IT companies, product companies to come to [Andhra Pradesh], implement the product and solutions and also create the job opportunities. So that’s the reason why we have chosen one from UC Berkeley and one from the industry for promoting our state of Andhra Pradesh.
Watch the interview: