‘Silicon Beach’ draws techies back to coastal K’taka

Mangaluru: Harsha Hegde's return to the city after nearly a decade working in Bengaluru and the United Kingdom is being cited by stakeholders as an early outcome of the HomeComing Platform, an initiative under the Silicon Beach Programme that aims to bring experienced technology professionals back to coastal Karnataka for local IT roles.Hegde said the platform helped him identify and secure a position in the region, enabling a move that has reduced commuting time and increased time spent with family. About two months ago, he joined OjasQuest, a product engineering services company.
"Now, I spend less time in traffic, which means more time with family and better productivity at the workplace. Also, I am able to drop my child at school. Not to forget, good seafood and weekend getaways at beaches," he said. Hegde is among nearly 20 professionals who have relocated to coastal Karnataka after spending years away, according to people associated with HomeComing Platform. The is designed to connect senior talent with companies hiring in the coastal belt, a region being promoted as the "Silicon Beach of India", and positioned as an alternative to congested metropolitan job markets. Another returnee, Guruprasad Rao K P, said he had been wanting to move back from Bengaluru for nearly two decades, but did not find suitable opportunities in the region. He said he came across the platform last Aug, applied for a role, and secured a position at Niveus Solution Pvt. Ltd (part of NTT DATA) within a month. "I feel it's a blessing and my dream has come true through this initiative. Today, my children can enjoy Yakshagana and other cultural events and at the same time bond with their relatives," he said. Divya Shetty, a native of Udupi, also returned after working abroad. She spent four years in South Africa and later worked remotely from Udupi for three years for the same employer. After becoming a mother, last Dec, she joined Trulift, an SaaS-based measurement platform headquartered in Mangaluru. 470 Jobs, 110 Companies HomeComing Platform currently has openings for more than 470 senior-level positions from over 110 companies across Mangaluru and Udupi. Since its launch, it has facilitated 19 job offers, with participating employers including Niveus Solutions, Truelift, Entrupy, OjasQuest, Sclera, Chipsy, Xpheno, and Anvation Labs. The platform's talent pool has grown to more than 2,200 experienced professionals in the region. Over the last two years, more than 40 new firms have established operations in coastal Karnataka, creating an estimated 8,000 new jobs. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Holi wishes, messages and quotes !