"Vadodara is fast emerging as a favored destination for companies looking for cost-effective operations and trained manpower. The city might not have highly skilled people available as of now, but that is bound to change as more and more firms set up operations here," said Yogesh Thakkar, CEO, Rhythm Electronics, one of the leading channel players in the city.

Over a dozen new IT and BPO companies have started operations. MNCs are also entering the city through the M&A route, CSC recently acquired a local player that provides high-end BPO services from Vadodara center. There is also InteQ IT Services India that operates out of Vadodara and provides RIM services to US clients.

Much of the companies that operate out of Vadodara are 300-500 seaters. Though the biggies are coming in a small way, as of now, TCS has a 200-seater facility in Vadodara, set up especially to work with Gujarat State Electricity Board. "There are a few call centers in the city like Fortune Infonet and others. Slowly and steadily, Vadodara is catching up as an investment destination. When Dewang Mehta was alive he used to push the city. Sadly, after his death, there was not much action," says Nilesh Kuvadia, CEO, IT Consultancy.

A Computer Savvy City
Like any other smaller city, the biggest asset of Vadodara is the workforce. Thanks to the numerous colleges like Sardar Patel University, Sigma Institute of Management Studies, Parul Institute of Engineering and Technology, and of course MS University, which ensures there is a steady stream of well-educated youth flowing into the marketplace. "Vadodaras biggest strength is its well-educated talent pool from the only English-medium University of the state and the growing private sector educational institutions. The quality of education is as good as those available at high-tech institutes like IIT Roorkee," says Indranil Deb, manager (Program), ONGC.

Naresh Kumar Garg, senior scientific officer, BARC, also underscores the same point. "To be honest, over the last many years a lot of amazing work has been done on the e-Governance front, especially the computerization of land records. This has led to high computer literacy.

Indebted to his Highness
Vadodara has a nickname, Sayaji Nagari, and it is quite an apt one. Any discussion on Vadodara cannot be completed without mentioning the name of the former ruler of the state, Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad III, who ruled the state from 1881 to 1939. The visionary ruler is responsible for all that Vadodara has to offer. He was a reformist, and on assuming power, made primary education free and compulsory, banned child marriages, encouraged fine arts, among his other achievements.

"The Maharaja was so ahead of his time that he had created a man-made reservoir in Ajwa that would take care of the water needs of the city for the next two centuries, and it is very much doing so," says Deb.

Situated some 40 minutes (air) away from Mumbai. Vadodara is an ideal location for back-office and BPO work. As of now, the real estate prices have not peaked and this makes the city an ideal location for investment. The only possible drawback is probably the prohibition policy. Other than that, it really showcases all that is good in a small town-city of India, be it culture or its warm people.

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