KTR showcases Telangana growth model at Columbia Business School

HYDERABAD

BRS working president and former IT Minister K.T. Rama Rao highlighted Telangana’s rapid economic and technological transformation, describing it as the “most successful start-up State in India”, while addressing the 21st Annual India Business Conference at Columbia Business School in New York.

Speaking to students, entrepreneurs and global investors, he said that the State, born out of a prolonged struggle, had emerged as a trendsetting model of governance, innovation and economic progress under the leadership of its first Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao.

“Clarity of purpose in leadership builds credibility and accelerates progress, even in a diverse country like India. The best way to predict the future is to create it,” he said, and highlighted India’s federal structure. He stressed that the country’s rise would be driven by States leveraging their unique strengths.

“India’s growth is coming from regions playing to their strengths,” he said, adding that while national leadership draws global attention, investment decisions were ultimately made at the State level.

“Telangana’s IT exports grew from ₹57,000 crore in 2014 to ₹2.72 lakh crore by 2023, while employment in the technology sector increased from 3.23 lakh to nearly 10 lakh, KTR said.

Hyderabad hosts major campuses of multinational companies, including Amazon’s largest global campus, and companies such as Google, Apple, Meta Platforms, Salesforce, Uber and Micron Technology, have significant operations in city, he said, and highlighted Telangana’s investments in innovation infrastructure through institutions such as T-Hub, WE Hub and T-Works.

He also cited emerging Hyderabad-based unicorns such as Skyroot Aerospace, Darwinbox, Zenoti and HighRadius as examples of the State’s innovation strength. On the Life Sciences front, KTR said that Telangana produces one-third of the world’s vaccines, manufacturing nearly 10 billion doses annually, and contributes around 40% of India’s bulk drug production. Hyderabad has become a hub for digital drug discovery and biotech innovation, attracting global firms like Novartis.