Create hi-tech jobs in small towns

(File Photo)

SRIDHAR Vembu, Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Zoho Corpo-ration, stressed the need to create hi-tech jobs in small towns to retain talent produced by educational institutions in such places. Delivering the keynote address at the 3Ist convocation of SASTRA University on Saturday, Vembu said though Thanjavur had a world-class university like SASTRA, it still did not have indus-tries that could make use of the talents produced. "Around 75 per cent of graduates would migrate to metro cities in search of jobs while the rest would go abroad", Vembu said adding for every single hi-tech job created here five others were created elsewhere. Pointing out that job opportunities in places like Thanjavur was the need of the hour, Vembu said the problem of

Sridhar Vembu, Zoho Corporation CEO, awarding degree to a student at convocation of SASTRA University. R Sethuraman, Vice-Chancellor, is also seen I EXPRESS
not having job opportunities in small towns arose from our borrowing of An-glo-Saxon model which sucks out talent from rural areas and corralled them into big cities where major industries are located. Pointing out to Germany, Switzer-land and Japan, where major industries
are located in small towns, Vembu said in Germany one could find world class companies even in towns that have one lakh population. While industries in Germany were exporting equipment to towns like Thanjavur in India, in contrast we export talents. We need to create industries in towns and train local talent, he added. The education system is heavy on theory and does not offer scope for experiments, he said and urged students to think out of the box. Around 3,473 students were awarded degrees that included 46 doctorates. R Janani and Dr Manju Bhargavi were awarded the best doctoral thesis award in Sciences and Engineering respec-tively carrying cash award of 225,000 each and citation. R Madhumitha was awarded the Best Outgoing Student Award of the 2017 engineering batch. R Kandaswamy, Chancellor and other senior officials were present.
a KORN Sun, 13 August 2017 EXPRINS epaper. newindianexpress. com//c/213 06217