KR Gouri Amma, a stalwart of the Communist motion in Kerala who breathed her final early Tuesday morning, is remembered probably the most for piloting a revolutionary laws that ushered land reforms within the state. But maybe, less-talked-about, is the mark she left behind within the industrial and IT sectors within the state when she dealt with the industries portfolio in successive Left governments by the 80s and early 90s.
Significant amongst her contributions is undoubtedly the beginning of Technopark, which is at the moment India’s largest IT park when it comes to developed space and residential to over 400 corporations and over 50,000 professionals. The thought for the park, positioned close to Thiruvananthapuram, was conceived in early 1990 when EK Nayanar was the chief minister and Gouri Amma the industries minister.
It bloomed throughout a go to to the US during which KPP Nambiar, a veteran technocrat and founder-director of Keltron, confirmed a delegation of Nayanar, Gouri Amma and different officers glimpses of how tech corporations functioned in Silicon Valley.
Upon returning to Kerala, Gouri Amma started efforts on constructing an industrial park close to the state capital and Nambiar was entrusted with the job of chairman of the venture board. Through Nambiar, G Vijaya Raghavan was introduced in because the ‘officer on special duty – tech parks’ who later grew to become CEO, Technopark.
Raghavan, upon Gouri Amma’s demise, recalled in a Facebook publish, “She was a person who, once she was determined to do something, would ensure it was done. We were looking for land for Technopark and many sites that we liked did not work out. We then identified land at Kariavattom university campus (of Kerala University), I told her about this possibility. She picked up the phone and called two of the syndicate members, G Sudhakaran (now a minister) and Devadas, both CPM members, and asked them to meet her at her home.”
KR Gouri Amma (Photo: Twitter/@vijayanpinarayi)
“I was also asked to join the discussion. She told them that Technopark is a very important project of the government and 50 acres of land needs to be given. She said, ‘it is your responsibility to ensure that it is done soon’. When they tried to say something, she said the decision is taken so get it done. I worked closely with them and at the next syndicate meeting, made a presentation. The syndicate approved it and then went to the senate who also approved it. District Collector Nalini Netto was asked to fix the price. We paid Rs 50 lakhs for the first 50 acres of land,” he wrote, stressing that it was Gouri Amma’s willpower that moved the normally gradual paperwork to get issues accomplished.
When the Technopark Governing Council got here into being, she grew to become its first chairperson. The basis stone of the venture was additionally laid below her tenure although the event of the buildings and infrastructure continued below successive regimes.
She stood out by declining to intervene in appointments to management posts and as a substitute entrusting the group of Nambiar and Raghavan to do the needful. “Once she called me up and said, ‘I know you wont take this person but just interview him and send him off. One of my senior party people has been continuously pestering me. I saw the person and later told her that he would not fit and she said no problem,” Raghavan wrote.
Gowri Amma, for many years, remained a continuing fixture of all Left-led governments till the early 90s, serving a various array of portfolios from income, agriculture, social welfare, business, excise, meals and public distribution to coir. (Express Photo)
When months handed by and Raghavan didn’t get his wage or arrears, Gouri Amma was livid. She known as the Industries secretary and instructed him to not come to her workplace till the problem was resolved. Raghavan’s wage, together with arrears, arrived the following day.
“She helped in terms of professionalising the public sector to an extent as the industries minister. She used to make it clear to managing directors of companies that if they didn’t have information, it was going to be a problem. They would gather information and most of the times, she would have more information than they had,” Raghavan instructed indianexpress.com over a telephone name.
“She knew what was happening in all establishments under the department. That made the difference. We talked of 5000 jobs at the time (in Technopark) and a lot of people said it won’t happen,” he mentioned, including that she studied each file as if she had an examination the following day.
“She was said to be short-tempered but I have never seen her shout at anyone for something that was not reasonable. For her, it was difficult to accept incompetence and she would scold people for that,” he wrote within the publish.
Gouri Amma, mentioned Raghavan, was particularly instrumental in persuading Ratan Tata to spend money on Kerala’s hospitality sector. “It was the beginning of the Taj investments in Kerala,” he mentioned.
