Infosys Ltd CEO, Mr S.D. Shibulal, who called on the Gujarat Chief Minister, Mr Narendra Modi, in Gandhinagar on Wednesday, said here that “It is quite possible that Infosys may have something in Gujarat as well.”
Replying to questions from reporters, he said he had a “good meeting” with Mr Modi, and described it as a “courtesy call.’’
Apparently, an announcement about the Gujarat Government possibly allotting land to Infosys for its proposed research centre, preferably at Gandhinagar, is likely to be made sometime later.
In July 2011, Mr N.R. Narayana Murthy, Infosys’ Chairman-Emeritus, had also met Mr Modi. The Chief Minister had urged Mr Murthy to head a world-class incubation centre in Gujarat for future entrepreneurs.
Mr Murthy had also hinted that Infosys could get land in Gujarat and that his successors — Mr K.V. Kamath (Chairman), Mr S. Gopalakrishnan (Executive Co-Chairman) and Mr S.D. Shibulal (Managing Director & CEO) would take the project forward.
The meeting between Mr Modi and Mr Shibulal was seen in this backdrop. Mr Shibulal, however, said no specific timeline could be given in this regard.
When asked about it, he only said that Infosys is now focusing to expand to Tier I and Tier II cities in India and looking at various cities for increasing the company’s infrastructure. “We just closed the Indore deal.”
About Kolkata, he said Infosys is awaiting a response from the West Bengal Government. “We want a level-playing field and, hopefully, we are positive about it.”