Kumbakonam: Temple city without Power?

Situated in the Thanjavur district of Tamil Nadu, Kumbakonam is famously known as the temple town of South India. It is picturesquely located amid two rivers, Kaveri and Arasalar. The city is well-known for its prestigious educational institutions, including the Government College (also known as the 'Cambridge of South India').

The city has around 188 Hindu temples of various historical periods, portraying immense grandeur in architecture. The intricate artwork and the beautiful figures of the deities are purely majestic, and attract tourists and devotees alike. The city is also noted for its 'Mahamaham' festival, which is celebrated once in 12 years. Other specialties include manufacturing of high-quality betel leaves, silk, and brass vessels.

Shifting focus to the IT market of the city, it is revealed that the market has been quite dull in the past two months. It has come to light that the region is badly hit by power cuts. Says Swaminathan, CEO, Orange Infotech, "The situation of power supply is very bad here. Rampant power cuts have taken a toll on business." R Ramesh Kumar, CEO, RB Computers also acceded with Swaminathan. Citing another reason for the slow market, Abul Malik, CEO, Bismi Computers, said, "Due to the 'free laptop' scheme of the government, sales have suffered."

Talking about the growth verticals of the market, dealers say that the education, SOHO, and corporate segments do most of the business. As there a number of eminent colleges and institutions, education has always been a key vertical. Corporate sector is also catching up fast. Kumar said, "We are seeing great potential in corporate as well as banking and retail segments. There is demand for office automation and surveillance products."

Laptops lead the sales in this region as well, with Dell and Lenovo being the top-selling brands. While Swaminathan and Kumar list Dell and Lenovo as the brands high on demand, Malik says, "Other than Dell and Lenovo, Sony, Acer, and Toshiba also bring business. Besides, Intex keyboards and accessories always sell.

The city has an active association by the name of Cholamandalam Information Technology Association. The association, with more than 20 members, is active in all aspects. Kumar says, "The association conducts meeting every 2 months. Besides it also carries out training programs." The dealers also have flexible ties with the vendors in the city. All agreed towards a good relationship in unison.

Market Name: Kumbakonam

Market Location: Tamil Nadu

Surrounding Markets: Chennai, Nilgiris, Madurai, Coimbatore

Computer Association: Cholamandalam Information Technology Association (CMITA)

Prominent Dealers: Bismi Computers, RB Computers, Orange Infotech, City Computers, Vijay Systems, Rams Computers

Business Verticals: Education, SOHO, corporate

Number of Active Dealers: 20-22 (approx)