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Entrepreneurship moves into the next orbit at ‘RISING KERALA’

by Wing commander K.Chandrasekar

When one hears of Kozhikode or Calicut, the common association of the past would be delicious halwa, the feast of non-vegetarian delicacies,a melange of secularism, a society where every religion found base and camaraderie. Kozhikode also represents a Kerala, which has not changed much and a Kerala , which is way high on the Human Development Index. But what Kozhikode witnessed in the last sixty days called ‘Rising Kerala’ a series of entrepreneurial events showcasing seven sectors.

• Wood and Furniture
• Plastics
• IT/ ITES
• Light Engineering
• Food Processing
• Building Materials
• Footwear

Spread across two months and culminating by the end of November, a series of Industry bodies including KSSIA, CIFI, and FDDC organised a seminars and exhibitions. The seminars discussed the new trends in each of these sectors and the exhibition physically displayed the ‘wares’ of these sectors. Spread across a sprawling one lakh sqft of custom created air conditioned halls, the venue itself was a marvel of the organising capability and vision of a set of dedicated entrepreneurs across all these sectors.

The MSME story especially the MSME manufacturing story is reviving Kerala on the Indian MSME map. Kerala has had tremendous progress in this sector in the last three four years and there is more to come.  The front runner in this movement has been the footwear cluster. VKC  as an organisation has done more for this sector in Kozhikode, than one can imagine. The sector itself is growing at more than 100 % , and creating an ecosystem for small entrepreneurs  to thrive.  While the competition has been and will be stuff , this is one industry which the Chinese are anxiously looking at the wave in India. With Paragon and VKC , hailing from Kerala , this industry will thrive to its fullest.

The buzz of more than 2500 entrepreneurs in these sectors not just from India but from various countries , Rising Kerala proved to the world that Kerala is getting its entrepreneurship story right. This is also not a consumption / service industry story. This is the success of young men and women who dare to manufacture in Kerala and create wealth and employment.

For the pessimists and ‘nay sayers’ in Kerala , this is the story that Kerala is becoming and is capable of. These entrepreneurs in Kozhikode have proved that it is good to get sops and incentives from the government, but frankly they will succeed with or without it. I salute the organisers of this program. As they say in Kozhikode , ‘ UsharaaayiMone ‘ (In  English we can say – It was great !  – Sorry there is no proper translation in any language). It is spirit which will transform not only Kozhikode but Kerala!