CHENNAI: Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin on Wednesday inaugurated the ‘Innovate in TN – IP conclave’ in the city, and said that the State government was addressing skill gaps and equipping students to be industry-ready through the Naan Mudhalvan scheme.
Speaking at the conclave, Udhayanidhi said that with the efforts of the Dravidian Model Government, Tamil Nadu has emerged as the third largest software exporter in the country.
“Chennai is called the SaaS (Software as a Service) capital of India,” he added. “With the rapid expansion of major IT firms to tier-II cities like Coimbatore and Madurai, the State government is addressing skill gaps and equipping our students to be industry-ready through proactive initiatives like Naan Mudhalvan scheme.”
Referring to the 2,000 free Wi-Fi spots set up in Chennai, Tambaram, Avadi and Coimbatore Corporations, Udhayanidhi averred that TN had emerged as a leader in building a structured, state-wide innovative model since launching the iTNT Hub in May 2023. “Partnerships built between the State government and leading industries, global hubs and premier academic institutions will build strong connections and a vibrant innovation ecosystem, leading to co-creation, funding and technology transfer,” he stated. “The iTNT Hub leads these efforts with support from national and global partners, helping to move technology from universities to industries and turn research into real value. This conclave will give a clear picture of how we align our strategies with global best practices and prepare for global competition.”
State Information Technology Minister Palanivel Thiaga Rajan, vice chairman of state planning commission Jeyaranjan, chairman of National Research Development Corporation Amit Rastogi and officials of the state government also took part in the event.