KTR is a Master of Energy, Innovation: CP Gurnani

HYDERABAD: Politicians in high positions often receive effusive praise on public platforms so much so that they treat it either as a mere form of courtesy or flattery. But a few exceptions to this are witnessed, rarely though, when the leader receives a compliment that touches his heart and leaves him truly delighted.

The first annual Convocation 2022 of the Mahindra University here on Saturday unveiled one such occasion. Telangana Minister and TRS Working President Kalvakuntla Taraka Rama Rao, who attended the event as the chief guest, was at the centre of some words of high adulation. And showering him with this heap of praise was CP Gurnani, CEO and MD of Tech Mahindra.

"Minister KTR is a master of energy, innovation, inspiration and a master creator of new Telangana."

This was how Gurnani, in his speech, summed up the Telangana minister and his unflinching efforts in positioning Hyderabad as a tech hub on the world map.

Buttressing his point as to why he called the minister the master of energy and innovation, Gurnani came up with an interesting anecdote of his first interaction with KTR, which had everyone listening in rapt attention.

"Most of you know our chief guest (KTR) for his witty answers during interviews on television channels. You know him as a visionary and a tireless soldier as the working president of the party (TRS). I will share with you how I got to know him and why I consider him to be the master of energy, innovation, inspiration and, in a lot of ways, the master creator of the new Telangana. I did speak to you about the excellent conversation I had with Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao over a cup of tea in 2014.

"But a week prior to that KTR, as the Minister for IT, spoke to me over phone. I did not expect the informality that he showed when he asked me to address him as only 'Ram' and not as the 'honourable minister'. When we wanted to meet, to my surprise, he said he himself would come down to my office, and he did. Honestly, that was the first time it happened to me in my entire career where a minister came calling (on me)", said Gurnani. This had the entire auditorium erupting in applause and KTR getting visibly overwhelmed by this did not go unnoticed either.

The Tech Mahindra top honcho went on to add: "The important part was not just the minister coming calling. He was prepared. He said 'what do you think of IIIT?' and he said 'what can we do to make Hyderabad the innovation capital of the world?'. And that's where his vision is."

Gurnani also credited KTR for the creation of T-Hub and for what it is today. "Why T-Hub is different today is, not because the government has created it. He (KTR) actually empowered five of us, along with Jayesh Ranjan (Principal Secretary, IT, Telangana) to create it. What you see (of Hyderabad) as the innovation capital, AI capital, and in a lot of ways, the Metaverse capital of the world, and the recently inaugurated T-Hub with its Rs 350-crore campus, that is all because KTR is a master of innovation," he added.

Significantly, the Tech Mahindra CEO's speech had a pragmatic touch to it as his words find a heartening resonance with the recent accolades that Telangana received in the realm of innovation. The India Innovation Index 2021 report anointed Telangana as the top performer state in the country in innovation while rating it as the second best in overall rankings, based on 77 indicators.

What a better 'GiftASmile' to KTR on the eve of his birthday than no less a person than Gurnani himself waxing eloquent. That too, rightly, so.