Ananthan Ayyaswamy, the Vice President of the BJP TN Overseas Wing, is spearheading an initiative known as Startup Tenkasi which has introduced an ambitious, multi-phased Artificial Intelligence / Machine Learning Skill Building Program in the form of workshops, collaborating with various engineering colleges and Arts & Science institutions in Tenkasi District. Notable companies in the AI/ML industry, including AI Labs @ Zoho Corporation and TRUSTGRID.AI, were invited to participate in this event.
During the event, B.V. Raman, CEO and Co-Founder of TRUSTGRID.AI, shared insights on the global AI/ML and RPA talent landscape. Drawing from McKinsey Research, Raman highlighted AI’s enormous potential, projecting an economic value of nearly 25 trillion USD and the creation of 10.5 million new jobs. He stressed that India is uniquely positioned to tap into this global job market by nurturing the necessary skills. Raman also unveiled a comprehensive blueprint for AI/ML and RPA career development, tailored for engineering students, and affirmed Startup Tenkasi’s commitment to support and guide students on their career journeys.
Raisudeen Syed Gani, Engineering Manager for AI/ML Research Labs at Zoho Corporation, delivered an engaging presentation on Zoho’s AI/ML research efforts and practical applications. He underlined Zoho’s unwavering dedication to continuous AI research investment, aiming to attract top-tier AI talent. Gani provided real-world use cases within Zoho, spanning Generative AI, Computer Vision, Feature Engineering, and Prescriptive AI. He emphasized Zoho AI Labs’ substantial investments to make these cutting-edge technologies accessible to businesses of all sizes.
Startup Tenkasi’s mission seeks to transform Tenkasi District’s economic landscape and talent profile through innovative programs and collaborations. Led by Ananthan Ayyaswamy, it aims to bridge the technology gap and create new opportunities for the region.
Startup Tenkasi’s immediate objective is to attract IT/ITES companies from major cities like Bangalore, Chennai, and even the United States. Furthermore, the plan is to draw AI/ML, EV, and blockchain startups to Tenkasi, offering hope and opportunities to the unemployed and underemployed individuals in the region. A former Senior Engineering Director at Intel Corporation in the USA, Ananthan Ayyaswamy brings two decades of leadership experience in semiconductor design to this mission.
According to Ayyasamy, the primary goal of Startup Tenkasi is to transform Tenkasi District into the “Estonia of Asia”. This ambitious vision seeks to revitalize the economic landscape and talent pool of the region within the shortest possible timeframe.
Ananthan Ayyasamy has also pledged to expand skill-building boot camps on RPA and Data Engineering for engineering and college students, addressing the surging demand in these fields. RPA alone has over 400,000 job openings in India, and Data Engineering boasts more than 60,000 opportunities.
Tenkasi, home to approximately 20 lakh residents, grapples with glaring unemployment and underemployment rates ranging from 30% to 35%. With a significant population of 3-5 lakh graduates and students currently pursuing higher education, the pressing concern among families is the scarcity of suitable job opportunities. This dearth of opportunities has the potential to lead young individuals toward harmful habits such as alcohol and drug addiction.
Ananthan emphasized the critical need for initiatives like Startup Tenkasi, especially for remote rural engineering colleges that face substantial disparities compared to their urban counterparts in cities like Bangalore and Chennai. These disparities limit technology awareness, exposure to industry trends, and networking opportunities for engineering students.
Subscribe to our channels on Telegram and WhatsApp and get the best stories of the day delivered to you personally.