In a significant development, a prominent Artificial Intelligence company hailing from Silicon Valley has inaugurated its first office in the Indian state of Bihar, marking the initial foray of a US-based IT firm into the region. Tiger Analytics, with its corporate headquarters situated in Santa Clara, has commenced its operations in Patna, as reported this month.
Mahesh Kumar, the founder and CEO of Tiger Analytics, expressed his aspirations during an interview with PTI, stating, "We are hoping that the initial step that we are taking, can lead to a lot of progress down the road." The organisation, which already boasts a workforce of approximately 4,000 employees across India, primarily stationed in Chennai, Bangalore, and Hyderabad, is venturing into the Bihar region due to its CEO's personal connection with the state.
Kumar, a native of Bihar himself, noted that a considerable number of the company's employees relocated to Bihar during the COVID crisis, opting for remote work arrangements. He stated, "We have close to a hundred people between Bihar and Jharkhand right now. They're working remotely and they were happy there, they didn't want to come back." Kumar also emphasised the potential of the local talent pool, which was previously underutilised in Bihar, highlighting the encouraging response received on social media upon establishing the Patna office.
Kumar, who frequently collaborates with accomplished entrepreneurs from Bihar in Silicon Valley, articulated the vision of fostering a collaborative effort to stimulate the growth of a larger tech ecosystem in Bihar. Tiger Analytics specialises in consulting services related to artificial intelligence and machine learning.
Sandeep Poundrik, the Additional Chief Secretary of the Department of Industries in Bihar, echoed the sentiment of progress. He expressed optimism, stating, "We hope that taking this lead into account, many more companies will come to Bihar in the same way." A delegation of senior Bihar officials previously journeyed to Silicon Valley to engage in discussions with successful tech entrepreneurs who hail from Bihar.
Poundrik acknowledged the challenges associated with attracting investments in the IT sector to Bihar, noting, "We are trying to get IT companies to start their operations in Bihar. It's not a very easy task, especially because right now there are not many IT companies in Bihar." He pointed out two key challenges that the state faces. Firstly, he highlighted the need to improve the perception of Bihar outside of India, as it often remains unfamiliar to potential investors who predominantly consider Chennai, Bangalore, or Hyderabad for IT ventures. Secondly, Poundrik underscored the importance of creating a more expansive and interconnected local market for IT companies in Bihar, citing the development of infrastructure, including private ventures like the 12 IT towers underway in Patna's Patliputra industrial area.
Encouraged by Tiger Analytics' pioneering move, the Bihar government is now gearing up to host a Global Investors Summit in Patna on December 13 and 14. Notably, one of the key focal areas of this summit will be the promotion of the IT sector, to attract both Indian and international IT companies to explore the burgeoning opportunities and strengths within Bihar.