The IT ship drops anchor in Mangalore

Mangalore may be looking to rival Bangalore and Pune as India’s IT destination of choice. DNA reports that a conservative society and moral vigilantes mean techies aren’t loving it.

Call it the beauty of globalisation. If we are able to eat a bunch of Australian grapes sitting in Bangalore, it is also possible for a casino in Las Vegas to use software developed by a small software company working from a corner in Mangalore.

It is not just the big cities thriving in the IT boom. Even small companies in small cities like Mangalore are enjoying their tryst with the multi-billion dollar industry.

“There are over 55 small registered companies in Mangalore and their products have more commercial value in applications like gaming, airline management, mobile phone applications, financial acquisition and banking, “ says Naren K, a team leader in a leading software company in Mangalore.

While IT giant Infosys has over 6,000 software engineers in its Mangalore establishment, small companies that are growing at an appreciable speed. In all, they employ over 3,000 engineers, most of them working from home in secure network environments and others from the Software Technology Park and offices in malls and complexes across the city. Highly secretive about their products, work environment and clientele, IT professionals have no hesitation in calling Mangalore the state’s second IT hub.

“Adjusting to an ever-changing business environment and prevailing market situations is a big challenge, especially about few niche products. But we took advantage of the technology license from our principals in the US and Germany and what we have now is a total monopoly in high speed printing software,” says Joseph Miranda, who started his own company in Mangalore.

“Since our operations are small but highly targeted and regimented, there is no fear of piracy. Big companies do not share this advantage,” he added.

There are micro companies connected to the US, Germany, Italy, Japan, China, the UK and Australia that have not only outsourced their work to Mangalorean companies but also assigned them to create niche products. One of the companies has created software for robotics applications which helps a group of Chinese toymakers paint their toys.

Another company in Newcastle (England) has assigned a Mangalorean company, which has just two engineers, to create software that helps wash coal for a thermal power project in England.

“I am sure our product will be a hit among all other countries producing thermal power using this technology,” said Arun Goswamy, who is working on this technology.

With a Special Economic Zone (SEZ) coming up in Mangalore, software companies have queued up to open shop in the city. According to the industry department, 170 small software companies have applied for licences to work from Mangalore and also requested for land, power, water and other utilities. “These production facilities will be cleared on a priority basis,” said the deputy commissioner of Dakshina Kannada, Subodh Yadav.

But even though the city is home to over 15,000 IT professionals, the effect on high cost services, commodities, housing and transport has not taken place as it did in Bangalore or Pune. Being a socially conservative city, Mangalore lost some of its nightlife after the Ram Sene attacks in 2008.

“After working for 16 to 17 hours, six days a week, every week we need some form of relaxation. But in Mangalore I heard it is a crime to fraternise with boys or down a couple of beers at local hotels. I am petrified at the prospect of being beaten up in public. So I just do some shopping, eat in expensive hotels and am satisfied,” says Nimmi Ashok, a techie.

“I don’t even spend 20 per cent of my income in Mangalore. There are no places where you can freak out. So, every month, I go to Bangalore, where there are pubs and discotheques by the dozen. My Yamaha R1 takes me to Bangalore quickly and my employers give me two compensatory offs every month. I club it with two regular offs and take four days off in a month and spend quality time in Bangalore,” said Rakshit Rao, a techie from Bangalore, working in Mangalore.

“The SEZ will take care of it, we will have quality FEC’s (Family Entertainment Centres) stag clubs, bowling allies and fitness centres inside the SEZ. That will satisfy IT professionals,” said a senior official of the Mangalore SEZ commissionerate.

Dr Ravichandran of Diya Systems said, “The IT sector has started looking at Mangalore with new interest. But there is little we can offer at this point in time. This is a highly urbane industry. But we have, in Mangalore, pristine beaches and eco-tourism centres which will have to attract IT professionals in the way they want.”

Yathish Baikampady, CEO of the Panambur Beach Tourism Development Project, said: “We are planning to develop some beaches that will be extremely clean with modern watersports facilities, safe and replete with adequate facilities for fun and food. One of the beaches at Panambur is already attracting a number of IT professionals after we have introduced a few attractions.”

However, the excise department is not willing to give licences to beer taverns on the beach and a number of other bureaucratic hurdles still prevent the beaches from being user-friendly.

“The techies do not need hassles. They do not have time for anxious moments when they go out for fun. Neither are they the kind to get into arguments with the local people. That is why we have sensitised our people to be gentle and hospitable with them,” said Baikampady. “This has worked especially in the case of promoting beach tourism in Mangalore, particularly in attracting the IT crowd. But we feel it was not enough, we need help from local authorities.”