Bhubaneswar, 24 July (H.S.): Marking a major leap in Odisha’s industrial and technology landscape, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Friday announced the beginning of a “new tech revolution” in the state following the signing of two landmark Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with HCLTech and Sarvam AI.
The agreements were signed at the Lok Seva Bhawan Convention Centre and are expected to significantly boost technology-driven economic growth while creating large-scale employment opportunities for the state’s skilled youth.
Under the collaboration, HCLTech will establish a Global Delivery Centre in Odisha with an investment of approximately ₹730 crore. The project is expected to generate direct employment for over 6,000 highly educated and skilled youths. In addition, a state-of-the-art AI-optimised Data Centre will be set up through a joint initiative between HCLTech and Sarvam AI.
The state government will also develop a sovereign AI Park, within which the proposed data centre will be located. Overall, the two projects are projected to attract investments of around ₹15,000 crore over the next five years.
Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Minister credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Digital India’ vision for making the country tech-ready, adding that Odisha is emerging as a frontrunner in this transformation. He noted that indigenous AI platform Sarvam is now capable of competing with global technologies and will be widely deployed across sectors such as agriculture, healthcare, education, and defence.
Highlighting the state’s industrial progress, Majhi said Odisha has received investment proposals exceeding ₹20 lakh crore in the past two years, with projects worth over ₹10 lakh crore approved and more than ₹3 lakh crore already under implementation. He further stated that Odisha ranks among the top five states in the NITI Aayog Investment Friendliness Index-2026, with a target to enter the top three soon.
Electronics and IT Minister Mukesh Mahaling described the development as a proud moment for the state, stating that it will propel Odisha’s electronics and IT sectors to new heights.
HCLTech Chairperson Roshni Nadar Malhotra expressed confidence in Odisha’s investment ecosystem and announced plans to expand the company’s footprint in the state. She said the proposed AI Park would serve as a key milestone in advancing artificial intelligence capabilities.
Senior officials, including Additional Chief Secretary Vishal Kumar Dev, HCLTech CEO & MD C. Vijayakumar, and Sarvam AI CEO Pratyush Kumar, along with industry leaders and government representatives, were present at the event.
The initiative is being seen as a transformative step towards positioning Odisha as a leading technology and innovation hub in India.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Monalisa Panda
