Mysore: Don't Pass Me By

The surprise of the survey. Mysore has been gaining ground over the years due to its proximity to Bangalore and availability of cheap and skilled manpower. But poor roads and erratic power supply pose a challenge to its ambitious growth plans.

Early this year, when Prashant Rao, 32, moved from Bangalore to Mysore, he did so with a lot of trepidation. Sure, the move was a step up for the project manager at Amsoft, but Rao was leaving a lot behind. His friends, the pubs, the theatres and generally, the vibrant city life. Says Rao: ''From buzz-central, I was moving to a sleepy, small town.'' Nine months into life in Mysore, Rao still hasn't been able to put together a social life worth a weekend. He's home by seven in the evening, and by the time he's showered and dressed, the shops close. There's only one pub, but few hang out there. Therefore, to kill his evenings, Rao reads, and listens to music. And he doesn't have much hope that the orthodox city-albeit, the second-largest in Karnataka-will anytime soon change its colours. In fact, Mysore's perceptual rank as a city for career growth is a lowly 21.

So, just why is a city that's all of 92 sq. km big No. 5 on the BT-Gallup survey? Courtesy big brother Bangalore, which because of its proximity has been sending corporate traffic Mysore's way. Infosys arrived here in 1999, giving legitimacy to the city's aspirations of being a software centre. Since then, a number of other it companies-including Wipro, Software Paradigm, and Mylax-have set up shop in the erstwhile princely state. The result? Software exports have soared from Rs 80 lakh in 1998-99 to Rs 35 crore in 2000-01. Says C. Ravi, Head, Infosys Development Centre, Mysore: ''The potential is immense. Highly talented engineers are available at costs lower than Bangalore's.''

That's a new makeover for the City of Demon (the word Mysore is a corruption of Mahishuru, which means the city of Mahishasura-a demon-king who is believed to have ruled over Mysore in the Puranic times). Until recently, all that it had in the name of industry was cottage businesses making traditional handicraft items, silk sarees, and sandalwood incense sticks and soaps. State-owned companies like Mysore Electric, Karnataka Silk Industries Corporation, and Mysore Soaps & Detergents Limited could never achieve the kind of clustering that Bangalore managed in software.

Fortunately for the city, code-writing is now turning it into a mini-Bangalore. Thanks to the presence of a number of engineering colleges in the city (incidentally, Infosys' head honcho N.R. Narayana Murthy is an alumni of Mysore University), sourcing skilled workforce hasn't been a problem. That apart, it has numerous central government undertakings like the Central Food Technological Research Institute, Bharat Earth Movers, and Central Sericulture Technology Development Institute. All of them have in turn encouraged development of ancillary industries-albeit, small-in and around the city.

Currently, some 30 it companies operate out of Mysore. But G.L. Prasad, officer in charge of the Software Technology Parks, expects both the number of companies and exports to double in the next three years. Says R. Guru, a big industrialist and also the Chairman of Mysore Agenda Task Force (a body set up by the administration to liaise with and monitor the civic bodies): ''Mysore has several major plus-points. The city is pollution-free, planned, and trained manpower is available at reasonable cost.''

It isn't just new economy companies that are discovering Mysore. In the recent past, Nestle has set up a manufacturing base in the Nanjangud Industrial estate, as has Reid & Taylor. RPG Telecom and Kirloskar also have operations here. New industrial estates like Hebbal Industrial Area, Belagolu Metagahalli and Hootagahalli are being promoted.

Despite the steady flow of corporates, a number of problems continue to plague the city. According to the overall perceptual ranking, power emerges as its biggest infrastructure-related problem (rank: 19). Telecommunication, transport, and healthcare are other areas where Mysore suffers. ''Erratic power supply, poorly-maintained roads and a lack of long-term vision for industrial growth have all contributed to the local companies remaining pygmies,'' rues L.K. Pai, Managing Director of Nuwires, a small wire extrusion unit.

Public transport is a nightmare. Most of the traffic is carried by either private buses or maxi-cabs, whose service is poor but fares high. Nagesh Prabhu, who runs Mylax Computers-a web-consulting firm-says that although telecom connectivity is good enough, transport links with the world outside is dismal. ''When I want to bring in my foreign collaborators, the only option is to fly them down to Bangalore and drive for the next three hours on potholed roads to reach Mysore,'' says Prabhu. The city does have an 'airport', but it is being used as a cattle-grazing ground.

On the brighter side, the state government is in the process of acquiring land for a four-lane highway between Mysore and Bangalore. ''Once that is through, the commuting time will be cut to just an hour-and-a-half,'' says Ashok Keny of Nandi Infrastructure Corridor Enterprises, which has bagged the contract for it. But finally it may be the Indian software Midas, N.R. Narayana Murthy, who makes an address in Mysore a corporate de rigueur. Apparently, when he retires, his new home will be Mysore.

Jobs@mysore

Tarun Bali, CEO, ABC Consultants
"Mysore offers low living cost and moderate climate."

Mysore today is what bangalore was eight years ago. For companies, it is promising promptness in handling all changes that usually take place when a city is growing big. The cost of living, including land and housing, is relatively low. Its moderate climate, cultural seat as the centre for music, dance and art make it an attractive location for professionals.

Currently, as per our estimates, the total turnover of industries in Mysore is in the region of $450 million (Rs 2,115 crore). There are about 100 industrial units that are doing well. Some of the better-known companies here are: TVS, Kirloskar, RPG Telecom, Nestle, Reid & Taylor, Reckitt Benckiser, Rane, HLL, and Vikrant Tyres. The state government has drawn up perspective plans, offers subsidies, incentives and tax concessions for new entrepreneurs under its industrial policy. All that should spur further development.

Mysore University, one of the oldest universities in India, has several professional and educational institutions, including engineering and medical colleges, industrial training institutes and polytechnics. Hence, due to the abundance of technical manpower, Mysore has come into focus as the second major city in the state for attracting new industries and investments.

It is now fast catching up as the electronic city, with the government having set up a Software Technology Park. ABC expects the growth in Mysore to be in the knowledge-based sectors, which can best exploit the technical manpower, good climate, and low cost of living to attract professionals.