Cognizant to Build a 25,000-Employee IT Campus in Vizag; Naidu Lays Stone
Cognizant is going to invest Rs 1,583 crore to establish the IT campus in Visakhapatnam, which is expected to provide employment to 8,000 people
Visakhapatnam: The foundation for IT giant Cognizant’s upcoming campus at Kapuluppada IT Hills was laid on Friday by Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu with a projection that the unit might employ up to 25,000 persons.
The ceremony marked a significant step in the state government’s push to position Visakhapatnam as a leading technology hub in India.
The new campus, planned with state-of-the-art infrastructure, would be developed in three phases with a total investment of `1,583 crore. The project is expected to be completed by 2033.
The first phase, scheduled for completion by 2026, would see the company operating from a temporary office while construction progresses. Cognizant aims to expand its capabilities in artificial intelligence, machine learning, digital engineering and cloud solutions - sectors that the Chief Minister described as central to the future of the global knowledge economy.
Naidu highlighted the rapid evolution of Visakhapatnam’s IT ecosystem. “The city is emerging as a preferred destination for technology companies due to sustained government initiatives, improved connectivity and a growing talent pool. With AI and data centres, Visakhapatnam is becoming a major IT destination and a centre for the knowledge economy,” he said.
The CM traced Cognizant’s journey from an in-house IT unit to a global enterprise with major operations in Chennai, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Kolkata and Pune. “Some 85 per cent of the company’s workforce is Indian and its CEO is also of Indian origin. While the new campus is designed for 25,000 employees, the long-term vision is to accommodate 1,00,000 employees," he said.
He expressed confidence that Visakhapatnam could now take the lead in emerging technologies, supported by infrastructure upgrades, including the Bhogapuram international airport and proposed metro services. Visakhapatnam is one of the most livable cities, with a cost of living nearly 20 per cent lower than other metros, he said.
The city, Naidu noted, has evolved from a naval base to a tourism hub and is now transforming into a major tech destination. “Some 150 tech companies are operating in Visakhapatnam and Google is set to establish a data centre soon.”
Naidu highlighted recent investment commitments, including the `13.50 lakh crore secured through 613 MoUs at the CII Partnership Summit and an additional `8.50 lakh crore approved through SIPBs.
The Chief Minister urged Cognizant to consider establishing its global headquarters in Visakhapatnam, citing the state’s electronics and med-tech zones and the government’s innovative incentive mechanisms, including an escrow account for industry support. He said the RTIH initiative was paving the way for startups and innovations, with the state targeting a 15 per cent growth rate.
Cognizant CEO Singisetti Ravi Kumar announced that the company would create 25,000 jobs at the new campus, an increase from the originally planned 8,000 positions. “Coming to Visakhapatnam, I felt like returning home,” he said and expressed confidence in the region’s skilled workforce.
Representatives from several other companies briefed the Chief Minister on their plans to begin operations soon, signaling a broader acceleration of IT activity in the region.