As I stated on the BarCamp page, One area with endless possibilities and a great deal of local relevance in our country is Mobile. With mobile devices in more hands - literate & illeterate 80 million estimated - than any other form of communciation channel or information source, surely a lot is possible. Ranging from on-device solutions & games, to providing a simple access into enterprise intranet & solutions, to social/community network based solutions such as phone-chat and such, to many many more.

The BarCamp2 happened this past saturday. Very good response. With some prominent folks from IT industry in Bangalore and Hyderabad also attending. With the kickoff sessions from me (Ramesh Loganathan, Pramati) followed by sessions thru the day. Included, With sessions from me, Atul Chitnis, Farhan (Spokn), Sibjorg Vik (opera), Dr.Vishal (IIIT-H),Thyagarajan (Blogger/Consultant), Mohit (ICFAI), Damodar, Naresh (IIIT Research) and Pavitar Singh (Pramati). Topics ranged from why mobile devices, to exactly what is a mobiel app, to the opportunities in mobile space for India, to how wifi competes with 3G, and how mobiles can be used to control lighting, and if there was a Mobile 2.0 at all. In a break, Rajat even screened a video of a talk from Kawasaki. This was a big draw.

The schedule for the day was also very fluid. As can be seen from the schedule-board photo below.

Concluded with a panel discussion, led by Anuradha (CEO, Ocimum Bio), joined by JA Chaudary (TiE Hyderabad), Kiran (Silicon Valley Bank), Devender Surana (Surana industries) and Dr.Vishal Garg (IIIT faculty). This was a lively discussion with very active partipation from audience. Discussing whats coming in the way of more software enterprises (non services) from Hyderabad. Issues discussed included challenges in delivering mobile apps/software to the new models coming up involving solutions rather than software products.

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AP has been trying for quite some time to carve out a slice of the Textiles pie. Somehow hasnt been able to achieve much. And so the govt approached one of the largest textile export houses (with 750+ crores turnover anually). And the whole episode started with someone from the govt calling up the CEO of the company saying that the CM wants to come and meet (can you believe this?). The person, very rightfully, said that he will come down here and meet the CM. At the meeting the govt asked him on what it will take for him to setup a factory here in Hyderabad. He resisted citing the lack of textile infrastructure and the upstream and downstream eco-system. Point blank the govt officials asked him on what all would he need for him to setup a plant here. He was surprised.. and probably skeptical as well. He went back…

Then, after persistent followup from the govt he finally sent his wish-list. And within a very shorttime he gets this letter saying that the cabinet has approved all his requirements. Govt will actively support the initiative. And now he has announced setting up a factory here. Focussing on garment exports. After this news, some of the other larger players such as Gokaldas are also considering setting up textile factories here. Hopefully this may follow the IT, BT, Hardware and the Gem/Jewellery as yet another area where new industries are being wooed t o consider Hyderabad. Coming at a time where a few major players like Apple are leaving Bangalore/India, citing high cost and other challenges, this is really good news. Not surprising as Hyderabad’s exports (IT and otherwise) have been beating the national average for some years now (last years griwth was 50% compared to the indutry growth of about 30+%).

Combine this with another news in EconomicTimes this week that Indian growth story is very marginally dependant on exports, unlike other Asian economies including China (40% of GDP is exported!). We are less likely to be impacted by global events and fiscal shocks such as interest rate changes and slowdowns in economies such as US. I strongly believe that we have a huge opportunity for anything within the country. Like recently Nasscom reports show that the domestic software market is over $12billion. And growing strongly! At this pace, soon we will have a huge software ecosystem that is needed to deliver for and support this demand. And it may not be too unreasonable to expect that the domestic software consumption may be much higher than the exports. Now, here the interesting point is that most of the software products are “imported” for the domestic consumption. Here lies a serious expansion opportunity for the industry. To venture into software products in a much bigger way. (One of the very few product successes is Pramati Technologies, that is based right here in Hyderabad).

In all, we are looking at some very good things likely to happen in Hyderabad.

And now .. I met someone that has bought a house in a gated community, at the mandatory astronomical price (!) For the first time I saw someone refer to Bahadurpalli as being “not so far: from Hitec city. And this place (near Satyam Tech center) was until recently considered very very remote!

And given the huge popularity of this road, the city and HUDA are planning more such link roads. Good foir us!

Only thing worse than the water itself is to see some (many?) motor-cyclist getting splashed right-royal by a speeding 4 wheeler alongside. In this very very self centered times, guess no 4-wheeler driver (or for that matter even the 2-wheeler riders) has time to worry about a 4 feet wave of water splashed from the car wheels drenching some poor soul on the side.

Like every other year, even this year MCH officials claimed that they are keeping track of rain water logging on roads, and are doing the needful to alleviate this. While I did see MCH work and reduce the severe water-logging on certain problematic stretches, this doesnt happen until after many rains and in some cases eminently avoidable fatal accidents!

But this year though, I have seen some action on even new stretches where rain water gets logged. Saw action on the Hitech city road (ofcourse, granted that this road is not an avaerage representative road of Hyderabad. But then in the past, even this road got the same treatment as other roads with respect to rain water lakes. So hopefully, this improvement also is happening everywhere). After just a few rains, on one bad stretch, there has been fresh drains put up to drain the water out. You will be surprised to know how extensive the storm water drain network is in this city. So, even if there is no “nala” or side-walk-drain-canals in sight, the city staff can get a drain by just digging up a small stretch and linking it to the nearest sorm water mains.

It is always amazing to see public administration work efficiently. Until recently the only example I could find of extremely high efficiency in public administration was in Singapore. While we still have a very long way to go till we get to that level, Hyderabad does show signs of progress though. In that direction.

BarCamps are adhoc conferences (barcamp.org), where there are only participants and no “just audience”. Particpanation could be in the form of presentations, talks, demos, disucssions during q&a or just help with the event logistics.

Check it out- http://barcamp.org/BarCampHyderabad2. In keeping with the spirit of particpation, this time there are plans to have a lightning-sessions track (very short talks) and also an Entrepreneural track (TiE actively supports this event).

Click on the register link to register. If you have any topic in mind, do get that also in there. And if you like to speak, you are most welcome! And do spread the word around.(There is a planning meet due this saturday, 11am at Jubilee Hills Coffee Day. If interested in helping organize, do drop in).

As always, Hyderabad will rock! :-)

I started to comment on another post.. and reliased that there is more to this than just a passing comment. About cosmo/metro.. guess Metro is just a size attribute. So it may be sometime before Hyderabad becomes a Metro. But Cosmo.. guess we are anyday more cosmo than most cities.

By Cosmo I mean a truly plural society, tolerant, broad minded and relatively more intellectual (dont know abt the last one though.. atleast I see that as an essential pre-req for a cosmo env :-)).. Hyderabad is all of these. Now.. it is something esle, if one confuses Cosmopolitan with being ultra modern (as in ultra mini shorts/shirts, more liberal views. Even here.. one person’s “liberal” is another’s “loose morals”. For an ultra-conservative anything short of an 8-yard saree is being “extreme”. For a second generation city dweller, even if conservative, anything beyond a Salwar-kameez (which is considered “modern” in conservative south) may be non-acceptable.. And for fairly modern parents, sleevless tops are OK, but not showing too much of skin in the mid-riff. As you can see, this changes with time. What is acceptable, and what is extreme (”liberal”) is something that surely evolves with time.And.. always outliers fringing on the majority’s moral periopheries). Now, this is just about dress sense.

Back to Cosmo.. Hyderabad is definetely plural society. Religions. Cultures. Lanuages. MIndsets. Thinking. Intellect.

Hyderabad is a city where one can get away with chaste Hindi, the very very localized hyderabadi language- urdu+hindi+(yes.. a little telugu)+some-terms-very-hard-to-figure-where-they-came-from. And ofcourse, one can manage with telugu.. well almost. Can any city be more cosmo than this.. where the city is capital of a telugu speaking state.. and yet the biz language is hindi, more than telugu. A place where many people come here to work from other states, live here many years, and still do not need to learn the local language telugu.

Can you imagine this in Chennai.. or for that matter even in Bangalore? Other than Mumbai, can you think of any other city, where the masses in the city by and large are atleast bi-lingual, and in most cases tri+-lingual! Can you imagine any other cities where the city has atleast three religions in fairly large proportions! Yes.. we did have our riots.. but am in the camp that believe that these are more politically driven, than truly grass-roots and spontaneous. At a time when we have government sponsored religious riots, here i sHyderabad where the city administration gets more creative every year to prevent the riots in a very religiously-charged-ganesh-immersion processions. Here temples, traditional shops, modern malls and pubs.. all very peacefully co-exist. Each have their preferences. Maybe very strong. And still do not mind other’s preferences.

Isnt this the essence of being liberal? And isnt this at the core of being Cosmo? Plural. Positive. Considerative and accomodative.

Hope the city administration does something about developing the city moer equitably. That said.. Hyderabad is anyday better than Bangalore or Chennai. The pace of work is much faster here. There is a proactive city and state administration. Politicians are generally development savvy.. and proactive themselves. Just look at the pace of work on the three new flyovers in Begumpet, Somajiguda, Panjagutta stretch. Or, even the ORR road. Inspite of all the political noise around it, it is a massive project. And is just 2-3 years since the whole idea was mooted. And all along the completion date was 2007-08. And we are still on track towards that.

For now.. guess we shoul dfeel proud that Secunderabad is 200 years old! And it does have a distinct attitude, even today, when compared to it’s bigger sibling city of Hyderabad.

Anyway, finally it seems to be moving ahead. News is that the funds have already been arranged for the first phase. Nearly 40KM. And it is a access-controlled expressway.

The whole approach to this ORR project is very interesting. And far-sighted. (Sometimes, the beureucracy does “think”! :-) ). It is not seen as just a road project that links the economic hub to the new airport. It is seen (when the complete 137KM ring-road is done), as a channel for economic growth. There is a very planned integrated development planned around this ORR. There is a strict zone implemented all thru, for 1KM on either side, with different development rules. PLans are afoot to launch major realty project- integrated townships that include commercial, retail and residentia spaces in huge integrated townships.Basically, decongest the city, and at the same time get better quality of work and life.

Very neat. And very forward thinking. So far all seems to be going well. Need to see how well they execute.

Nice to see such young talent- the director Shekar K. IN The Hindu there was a feature with Shekar and Sumant (the leading actor in the movie) having a conversation. Interesting to note that both of them studied in the US, spent some years there and decided t o get back. Both of them went to Film School.. and both did something else before going to a Film School. I liked Shekar’s quote that he is quintessentially Andhra. And this reflects in his movies. How true. The culture and values reflects so well in th emovies. And in Godavari, he has added nature into the mix. As he says, the river becames an integral part of the movies’ canvass. Cant wait to see this mobvie…