Italian Diplomat Visits Technopark; Hails Kerala’s Rise in Technology Sector

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM:
Walter Ferrara, Consul General of Italy in Mumbai, expressed keen interest in exploring collaboration opportunities with Kerala’s rapidly advancing technology sector during his visit to Technopark on Monday.

Interacting with the Chief Executive Officer of Technopark, Col Sanjeev Nair (Retd.), Ferrara said he would facilitate interactions with officials of the Italian Chamber of Commerce and Trade Commission to showcase Kerala’s strong and conducive knowledge ecosystem.

“It would be interesting to explore the possibility of a tie-up between Italy and Kerala in the technology sector, including areas such as data sharing,” he said.

Vasanth Varada, Deputy Vice President (Marketing & Customer Relationship), and George Jacob, Senior Manager (Marketing), were also present during the interaction.

Welcoming the Consul General, Col Sanjeev Nair (Retd.) made a detailed presentation on Kerala’s strides in the technology sector, highlighting how the Thiruvananthapuram region has emerged as a strategically significant ecosystem for technology-driven enterprises.

“Kerala’s IT ecosystem is a well-connected network that seamlessly integrates academia, R&D, and industry,” Col Sanjeev Nair (Retd.) noted.

With premier space organisations such as VSSC operating in the state capital, the ecosystem has also identified the industrial potential of the space sector. He further highlighted the Kerala Space Park (K-SPACE) initiative, which aims to promote the establishment of space-tech, aviation, and defence industries in the state.

The CEO also presented an overview of Kerala’s strengths in education and healthcare, and how the state is rapidly transforming into a knowledge-driven economy.

Ferrara expressed his admiration for Kerala’s talent pool and capabilities in advanced technology. “We have traditionally associated Kerala with tourism, but the state has made impressive advancements in the technology sector. This progress deserves global recognition,” he said.

Following the discussions, the Consul General was taken on a guided tour of the state-of-the-art Phase I campus at Technopark.