The availability of quality manpower talent in India has enabled UST Global to expand on a massive scale in the Asian sub-continent. UST Global is currently the biggest software employer in the ‘God’s Own Country’ and has aptly set up its Indian headquarters at Technopark in Thiruvananthapuram.
The California-based IT major provides end-to-end IT services and business process outsourcing solutions for Global 2000 companies. UST, which primarily caters to the US and European markets, plans to set up centres across tier-II and tier-III towns of Kerala and Tamil Nadu. With nearly 5,500 employees, mostly in India, UST Global is keen on increasing its headcount in the country. Last year, UST Global was ranked second in the top 20 Outsourced Software Testing & QA Vendors.
Part of the $6-billion Comfro Group, UST’s goal is to become a $1-billion company by 2010. In an exclusive interview to Sify.com, Arun Narayanan, Joint Chief Operating Officer of UST, shares the company’s growth plans.
It was a fine morning. What was not quite so fine was myself. I was a bit late that day. So i didn’t care to climb the hill to reach the office, but waited for our very own ‘Tech-xpress’, commonly known as the Technopark express(though it has got a stop every 100 metres and a speed one-fourth of that). I almost reached the bus stop near the traffic island when i saw a big gathering there as if waiting for receiving somebody.
By the time the xpress arrived and everyone headed to it. Then i came to know that these people were waiting for the xpress and there was not any other big issue. I felt a bit proud of myself, as i’m late for just this one day, unlike these travellers. To my wonder, I could see another crowd (almost the double of those waiting to board it) inside the bus. I could figure some of my collegues hanging from its door (well, that was their secret in keeping themselves fit..!!)
I was almost sure that some of us would not be able to board it. So I kept myself very near to the door through the rush. But feeling sympathy for someone smaller than me, I gave some space and was pushed away from the door. And what happened atlast..? When the bus left, I was still there in the stop, but not alone. Most of those from the fairer sex couldn’t board it. I was a bit tired and my shirt was full of wrinkles. But that didn’t pain me much than knowing the next xpress is after an hour. After all this what i gained was the wrinkles in my shirt, loss of time and lot of sweat in the morning itself (sweating for nothing..!!). We the defeated, climbed the hill and reached the office late. Here I was received by a ‘professional glare’ from my PL. I understood its meaning only when i reached before the mirror in the washroom. It was not only wrinkles, but the dirt in my attire added to the ‘brightness’ of his glare at me. Being totally ‘out’ in the morning itself, it was a bad day for me.
That was the last day I tried for this adventure. I wonder how the regular travellers can be regular with this journey.
I wonder if the authorities could have provided an additional bus, atleast during these peak hours. After all, its not just for profit an authority is there. I pray proper measures would be taken to rectify this issue in the near future itself, giving a good meaning to the word, ‘welfare’.
Students from engineering colleges across the country will vie for top honours at the third edition of TechTop 2008, a competition for the best engineering project to be held at the Technopark campus here in August. The two-day event, beginning on August 18, will be organised by Technopark and the Indian arm of the US-based Degree Controls Inc. and supported by the Institution of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) and Executive Knowledge Lines.
Check out the interview with the COO of UST Global below. Arun Narayanan speaks about acquisition plans, attrition and global strategies. He also speaks about women empowerment and the green initiative by the company.
Click here for the interview
