Sonia opens Infosys training centre in Mysore

MYSORE, INDIA: Infosys Technologies today announced the expansion of Infosys' Global Education Center (GEC) at its Mysore campus. Sonia Gandhi, Chairperson, UPA and President of the Indian National Congress inaugurated a world-class training facility - GEC II, created to consolidate learning activities across Infosys at its Mysore campus.

The Chief Minister of Karnataka, B. S. Yeddyurappa, and leader of the opposition, Karnataka State Legislative Assembly, Siddaramaiah, were also present on the occasion.

Sonia Gandhi said the facility is no less than a university by a corporate. "Here I get an opportunity to bunk politics," she said. The UPA chairperson lauded the hard work of the Indian for elevating the country's image and opined that one should not rest on laurels.

Chief Minister Yeddyurappa said that Karnataka is expecting foreign direct investment (FDI) in the fields of infrastructure, tourism and IT in the forthcoming investor's meet in January. He also said the state government would give incentives to IT and BPO industries.

Given its infrastructure and size of operations, Infosys' Global Education Center is the largest corporate education center in the world, Infosys said in a statement. Located in the 337-acre Infosys Mysore campus, the total capacity of the center has been enhanced to educate 14,000 (GEC I - 4,500 and GEC II - 9,500) Infoscions.

Infosys' total investment in the Mysore center is Rs. 2,055 crore of which Rs. 350 crore has been invested in construction of Software Development Blocks and related services, and Rs.1,705 crore has been invested in education and training-related infrastructure.

Speaking on the occasion, N.R. Narayana Murthy, chairman and chief mentor, Infosys Technologies Limited, said, "We are honored to have Smt. Sonia Gandhi inaugurate Infosys' new Global Education Center. The Education Center is a testimony of Infosys' commitment to building the competency of our employees.”

Murthy said in 2008-09, more than 16,000 new entrants were trained, and this financial year, around 16,000 more are expected to be trained through this program.

“In addition, special programs have been conducted at the GEC for students from Australia, Bhutan, China, Columbia, Japan, Malaysia, Mauritius, Panama, Thailand, UK and the US," he added.