KNOWLEDGE CITY

KNOWLEDGE CITY

The Knowledge City, proposed as a cluster of knowledge institutions in the State, may employ about 20,000 knowledge professionals and provide indirect employment to at least 2 lakh people. In his presentation to the Chief Minister on Kerala Development here on Monday, Advisor to Prime Minister Sam Pitroda said that Kerala’s knowledge city would be built on niche/ brand equity of trans-disciplinary studies. It is aimed at making Kerala take global leadership in creation of new knowledge and excellence, continuing its tradition of global leadership in equity and access. Mr. Pitroda said that the Planning Commission had been persuaded to set up a node for teraflop that helps high speed computing. This would leverage animation and gaming industry into Kerala with tremendous job potential. It would also help location of institutions for weather forecasting. The areas for trans-disciplinary studies proposed includes integrated medicine combining modern medicine with Indian systems of medicine, World institute of mathematics and its connections with contemporary knowledge, World institute of archaeo-metallurgy (given historical traditions in Kerala), genomics and synthetic biology related modelling, use of green energy based on architectural systems and study of Indian knowledge systems and contemporary global thought.

Speaking on establishing knowledge city in Kerala, R. Gopalakrishnan, member secretary, National Innovation Council, said that a knowledge city was essentially a knowledge economy cluster. Knowledge economy functioned by adding value through information and its flows, education, research and development and services. Mr. Gopalakrishnan said that Massachusetts Institute of Technology would be the global partner for the initiative, individually or in combination with Harvard. The city would require 300 acres and could be located in Kozhikode, Kochi or Thiruvananthapuram. Early start up was possible if land is available and acquired. He suggested that the Chief Minister should have road shows in the United States and Europe to canvas knowledge institutions to populate the city once location is decided.

Prof. John Kurakar