Wipro opens modern Chennai centre

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI, DEC. 9. Indian IT major, Wipro, today expanded its presence in Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry in both hardware and software segments. Facilities to expand its Chennai software development operations and upgrade its manufacturing facility in the Union Territory of Pondicherry, both of which were inaugurated by the respective Chief Ministers today, come as a part of the company's longer term strategy for its India operations.

The Chennai software development centre, located at Sholinganallur, about 30 km from here, in a 15-acre spread, is planned to house nearly 2,700 software personnel. The upgraded manufacturing facility in Pondicherry, located in a 10-acre complex, is aimed at a daily production of 1000 PCs against its present capacity of 360 PCs per day. The upgraded facility was inaugurated by the Pondicherry Chief Minister, Mr. P. Shanmugam, this morning, a company release said.

Inaugurating the Chennai software development centre, the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, Mr. M. Karunanidhi, lauded the company's efforts and said the State Government was currently developing ``another large IT park of over 1,000 acres'' on the outskirts of Chennai. The success of the State government's policies for the IT sector, he said, ``strongly support'' organisations that contribute to rapid development.

The Sholinganallur facility, which would ultimately involve an investment of Rs. 150 crores, spread over two phases, would house nearly 3,000 software professionals in the years ahead. Currently 500 professionals are employed at its existing software development centre in the city. The two facilities would ultimately employ nearly 10 per cent of the company's software personnel. The operations at the Chennai focus on leading edge technologies, cutting across a wide range including web-based applications development, e-communication, portal development, Internet protocols, networking protocols, portal development and embedded systems.

Mr. Azim Premji, Chairman, Wipro, emphasising the importance of infrastructure facilities, said providing various basic facilities, especially housing and education, near the location of such software centres, was ``critical'' for transforming the area into a cyber-corridor. On the available IT talent, Mr. Premji termed the State as a ``fountainhead of talent''. The company planned to have a geographical spread of its software development centres for achieving growth, he said.

India - the best value proposition

Later replying to questions from reporters, Mr. Premji said the U.S. accounted for nearly 65 per cent of the company's overseas software earnings, followed by Europe and Japan.

As for future plans, Mr. Premji said there were no immediate plans to set shop outside India in software development. ``India offers the best value proposition globally'', he added.

Asked about any acquisition plans, Mr. Premji said there were no major plans for the moment, and pointed out that acquisitions were difficult in view of the ``complex challenges involved.''

On plans for the Wipro group, Mr. Premji, widely-acclaimed as the richest Indian, said 95 per cent of the group's profit came from the IT sector. Expressing a ``strong sentimental attachment'' to the consumer care and lighting group, which had ``funded' the company's entry into the IT sector, he said it would continue to remain within the group.

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