IT, Panchayat Raj and MAUD Minister Sri KT Rama Rao spent a busy day in Mumbai meeting top industrialists, business bigwigs and other investors and asked them to consider Telangana as destination for their establishment, expansion and investment plans.

Minister Rama Rao met Mr. Tulsi Tanti, CMD Suzlon and invited the Group to invest in Telangana. Suzlon announced to set up 3000 MW of power generation units via solar, wind & hybrid sources by putting in Rs 1200 crore. The Minister assured the Suzlon Group of all support from the Telangana Government.

The Minister later met Executive Vice Chairman and Managing Director of Kotak Mahindra Bank Sri Uday Kotak. Sri Uday promised Minister Rama Rao of more investments and jobs in State from Kotak Group. Specific details are awaited.

Sri KT Rama Rao also met Chairman and Managing Director, Mahindra Group Sri Anand Mahindra and presented the investment opportunities available in Telangana. The Minister later stated that the meeting was satisfactory and hoped that the bond between Telangana and Mahindra Group would be strengthened further.

Principal Secretary, Industries and Commerce Department Sri Arvind Kumar, Secretary, IT E&C Department Sri Jayesh Ranjan accompanied Minister in the meetings.

In a Separate event, Minister KT Rama Rao delivered keynote address at VC Circle Partners Summit in Mumbai today. Mr KT Rama Rao detailed on the investment scenario in the country and the special plans of Telangana Government vis-a-vis attracting investments into new born State of Telangana. More than 2,000 Industrialists, Investors, Funding Agencies took part in the Summit. Highlights of Minister KTR’s speech (in verbatim):

1. Capital is now gaining the upper hand. Great ideas are now coming through, and investors now have the ability to cherry pick opportunities across sectors. Investment is also going to areas where innovation is happening, not just imitation!From the venture space, where can the large yield-chasing pension funds, sovereign wealth funds etc go? There are a few pockets in the US, and maybe China, but other than that India is the only remaining opportunity of its size and scale. Long term investors with an 8-10 year horizon have a phenomenal opportunity to make returns. India will imitate, maybe localize and in some cases completely innovate.
2. These days, the government is leading initiatives, both in the centre and in the State. Telangana, we like to call this the youngest startup in the country, has had some real progress in the past couple of years, investments coming in, launching an interesting innovation ecosystem (T-Hub, which I invite all of you to visit). Even anecdotally, in Hyderabad, hotel rates going up, real estate going up, there is a real sense of vibrancy that has come back now.
3. First of its kind Accelerator Fund in India: Rs 125 Cr. fund, with the State government as the anchor Investor and T-Hub management as the primary General Partner. Unlike standard VC funds, this is a highly risk- free and economics driven engine for limited partner investors.
4. I firmly believe that leaders everywhere across the political spectrum are now realizing that FDI (and domestic investments) are a critical component, key to keep the flow of capital going, across the economic cycle and are making efforts to ensure that business can be done as smoothly as possible. With the Government, the business of governing well has to be a continuous function, politics as usual will continue forever. Real, complex, large problems to be solved which requires everyone, sometimes even competitors, to work together.
5. Inclusion and last mile connectivity is now tantamount more than ever. The next level of India’s growth will come from digitizing tier- II & III cities. Technology will play a huge role here – AgriTech, FinTech, HealthTech & EduTech platforms, customized in India, for India will be huge winners.
6. Five years ago, it was all about Bangalore for VC; Now there are clear, viable alternatives, some of them more attractive on certain parameters. I am not just talking about Hyderabad/Gurgaon/ Mumbai. Places like Pune, Kochi, and a number of tier-II metros are now seeing a lot of entrepreneurial buzz.Competitive Policy making between states within India will see the next wave of catalyzing innovation. States have begun to set the tone for newer, edgier and more competitive policy making. We are now at the beginning of a virtuous cycle. Will see some very exciting growth between now and 2025, probably even more dramatic than what happened between early 1990s and today.