Tech-tonic shift! IT takes roots in small towns in Telangana

HYDERABAD: What do Bellampalli in Mancherial district, Parakal (Hanumakonda) and Kodad (Suryapet), which are all about a couple of hundred kilometres from Hyderabad, have in common with the state capital? They are on the threshold of heralding an IT revolution in tier-4 towns beyond the confines of Hi-Tec City in Telangana.
Young entrepreneurs with a vision outside swanky cities are opening doors of a world beyond dreams for many in semi-rural and small towns, creating jobs for locals and providing technical solutions to clients as far away as Singapore, US and Mexico.
Small town no longer means dreams can't be big, and the pandemic has been a great leveller - opening people's mind to power of technology reaching beyond geographical limitations.
And how does everything work?
"It works really well for companies working in emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and data analytics as rural areas are cost-effective and we can offer jobs. We have clients as far as Mexico and Qatar," said T Ramesh, one of the founders of Kodad-based Roboxa.
They recruit engineering graduates from nearby villages and towns and then train them for the job.
Young entrepreneurs, who have taken the IT revolution to semi-rural areas in Telangana, also cater to international clients besides the domestic market.
T Ramesh, one of the founders of Kodad-based Roboxa, said: "Though we began a few years ago in Singapore, whenever I visited my village near Kodad people would ask me for jobs. This prompted me to think about setting up the unit."
Santana Analytics, which is based in Bellampalli, has reversed the perception that only Hyderabad can provides tech jobs. "We currently have about 86 employees in Bellampalli. We hire high-end coders from Hyderabad and Bengaluru to work for us in Bellampalli," said Sainath Raju, one of the three Raju brothers, who founded the company.
They aspire to be a major player in the gig economy in Telangana's small towns.
"Our e-commerce app already has 10,000 customers. We deliver food and other items up to Mancherial. The company is successful in offering business strategy solutions to Delhi-based firms," said Sainath, himself a native of Bellampalli.
Parakal-based Digiyodha now has 200 people on its rolls since its inception four years ago. "We are in the field of emerging technologies and we provide services to Fortune 500 companies," said Rakesh Kokkirala, founder of Digiyodha.
"The Covid-19 pandemic has changed the mindset of many entrepreneurs. Work on systems and data can be done from anywhere. Then why not from a place that offers low lease rates," Kokkirala pointed out.
"All we need to do is train them in communication and give them technical exposure," said Ramesh.