Coimbatore: IT sector on the fast track
Popularly known as the Manchester of South India, Coimbatore has found a place in the national psyche as a textile hub.
Popularly known as the Manchester of South India, Coimbatore has found a place in the national psyche as a textile hub. What remains little known is the silent change that the city is undergoing in the IT sector. Today, the IT software export from Coimbatore is close to Rs 150 crore. Tamil Nadu has the maximum number of potential BPO companies in the country. Coimbatore has a host of educational institutions, a traditional yet cosmopolitan crowd and pleasant climate.
All these make the city an irresistible destination for IT companies to set up shop and they employ around 15,000 people here. To complement the need of skilled manpower, Coimbatore has around 54 engineering colleges, over 70 arts colleges, seven universities, two medical colleges and 18 polytechnics. Every year, Coimbatore produces around one lakh arts graduates and 50,000 engineering graduates. This has been one of the major reasons for big companies such as Larsen & Toubro, Robert Bosch Engineering and Business Solutions and Cognizant setting up large bases near the city.
Today Coimbatore has made giant strides in the fields of engineering, auto components, education, healthcare, motors and pumps and wet grinders. The city supplies around 60 per cent of pumps and 40 per cent of motors used in India. Tata Motors sources over 25 per cent of its components from here. The healthcare sector in Coimbatore is one of the best in the country with the presence of several hospitals and specialty clinics such as Arya Vaidya Pharmacy that provide world class services. There are nearly 750 hospitals in and around the city with a capacity of 5,000 beds. The size of the Coimbatore health care industry is estimated at Rs 1,500 crore in 2010.
The Indian textile industry contributes about a fifth of our rural industrial production, nearly one-third of total exports and provides employment to millions of people. Coimbatore textile mills have played a big role in this. The city also houses Emerald Jewel Industry India, the largest manufacturer of jewellery in SAARC countries. The city also takes pride in the 1.6 lakh-sq ft trade fair ground. Stated to be the largest in South India, the complex was built in 2001 at a cost of Rs 12 crore by CODISSIA, a trust formed by the Coimbatore District Small Scale Industries' Association.