Visakhapatnam-Chennai corridor will be next Silicon Valley: Chandrababu Naidu

Chennai: Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu wants to make the Visakhapatnam-Chennai corridor the next Silicon Valley of India.

While delivering the convocation address at SRM University here, Naidu said every student should not only aspire for jobs, but also launch a startup or incubation centre.

“Every student should think himself of becoming thebest entrepreneur, then only you will be in a position to provide jobs. From Visakhapatnam in AP to Chennai, I want to create one of the best ecosystems for startups and also for incubation centres. We want to make this area another Silicon Valley of India where you can start ventures, promote creativity, and launch incubation in this area,” he said.

Pointing out that he wants to make Amaravati one of the best education hubs (knowledge city) in the country, he urged SRM University to start a university in Amaravati.

“It should be better than SRM, Chennai, better than any other university in the country, that’s what I am planning. It should be on par with Stanford University or Harvard. I am planning to bring top people in the country/world, create competition so that the best will come to Amaravati,” he said.

Mr Naidu said his government would send an offer to SRM University at the earliest and the procedure would be transparent. “We will give land and facilities, we will invite top people in the country who will encourage competition and I am confident that SRM will be the first in competition,” he added.

Terming as unscientific the way combined Andhra Pradesh was bifurcated, he said he would take the challenge and convert crisis to opportunity.

“We don’t have resources, capital, educational institutions, industries, money at the same time,” he explained. Mr Naidu also said the country would get real time WiFi connectivity, with which people could see the difference as to how things happen.

Asked about Naidu’s invitation, SRM University chancellor T. R. Paarivendhar said they would look at the invitation as 20 per cent of students to SRM University come from combined AP. “We will discuss with AP government about their proposal,” he said.