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In a recent exchange on X (formerly Twitter), Zoho CEO Sridhar Vembu responded to former Infosys CFO Mohandas Pai's criticism of the government's decision to exclude Bengaluru from the list of new AI Centres of Excellence (CoE). Pai had expressed concern over the omission of Bengaluru, a major tech hub, from the initiative, suggesting it neglected the southern region's significant contributions to India's IT industry.
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Vembu, who co-chaired the selection committee, clarified that the decision was made through a thorough evaluation process, with many committee members from the southern region and the private sector. He urged the public not to interpret the selections as politically biased, emphasizing that institutions in the south, such as IISc Bengaluru and IIT Madras, were part of the broader AI consortium.
I want to respond to this because I was the Co-chair of the apex committee that decided the 3 AI Centres of Excellence.
The committee itself had plenty of us from the South (probably the majority). Most of us came from the private sector and the Government did not tell us who we… https://t.co/yaqHdQUtie
— Sridhar Vembu (@svembu)
I want to respond to this because I was the Co-chair of the apex committee that decided the 3 AI Centres of Excellence.
The committee itself had plenty of us from the South (probably the majority). Most of us came from the private sector and the Government did not tell us who we… https://t.co/yaqHdQUtie— Sridhar Vembu (@svembu) October 17, 2024
">October 17, 2024
Pai's frustration stemmed from a perceived pattern of neglect toward Bengaluru, which he felt deserved greater investment and recognition. His concerns highlighted a call for more equitable regional development and attention to the southern IT sector.
The exchange underscores the complexities of balancing regional representation in national initiatives and the need for transparency in decision-making processes that reflect India's diverse strengths.
