As the Goa government takes an ostrich like approach towards the IT companies in the State, many captains of the IT sector (A sector which is yet to get a status of industry) in Goa continue to do their bit for the State on their own and yes, even without an IT policy which is langushing with the Goa government. One such company – Open Destinations – is a leading Panjim-based independent software and services provider to the travel sector in Goa and the UK.
Since its inception in 1999, Open Destinations has successfully implemented their software in over 30 countries, with a system that supports in excess of 85 million searches per day. The company has a combined staff of over 425 people in Goa and about 35 in London of which, 95 per cent of its employees are Goans. The company has employees in their Goa office, which have worked for Infosys, Q-Pharma, Cognizant and Accenture in the past.
“Over the last few years, IT has not been a high priority for the Goa government. When we first set up in Goa ten years ago there was talk about an IT Park. However, this project was never completed. In the last few years we have been encouraged by discussion on the IT policy and we await the outcome of the latest version. We believe there is a big opportunity for the government to do more to support the development of the IT industry in Goa. The IT industry can provide great jobs for the graduates leaving Goan universities and encourage skilled workers who have already left to return to Goa,” Kevin O’Sullivan Founder and CEO of Open Destination told Herald.
There are a number of examples from other States in India where partnership with Government through a long-term IT policy has helped create an environment conducive to the growth of technology companies – including both startups and established players such as Open Destinations. In Goa the government could help by providing dedicated land which will allow the companies to plan their cost and effective growth. A dedicated IT park with high quality infrastructure, including Internet connectivity, transport links and power supply with other logistics, would be very helpful to growing IT companies in the State.
When asked about what plans the company has in Goa, Dev Pinto the chief financial officer said, “Our plan is simply to invest and grow. Our organisation in Goa continues to evolve and mature. We will look to expand our capability in new technologies for our customers in the travel industry and extend our range of services including outsourcing.”
When asked why the company preferred to set-up its one any only branch outside UK in Panjim, Kevin O’Sullivan said that overall he had a really positive experience in Goa. “Initially it was a challenge to find experienced software developers; however, over time we have been able to address this issue, attracting talent from out of the State of Goa. In particular, we have been able to attract Goans who had left the State to work for large IT firms to return to Goa to work for a successful IT company,” added Mr O’Sullivan.
Another positive for the company is the talent and commitment that they have found here in Goa. “A number of our employees in senior roles are Goans who have been with the company for many years. This level of commitment and consistency is a major positive for us. In addition, we have found the environment in Goa to be attractive to staff and customers who visit our office – there is plenty to do outside the office,” said Mr Pinto.
The company was recently recognised as one of eight technology companies in the 2015 Sunday Times BT Business SME Export Track 100, which ranks the top 100 small and medium-sized companies (SME) in the UK with the fastest-growing overseas sales.
Employees in the company who worked outside Goa previously have also expressed their feeling about Goa as a workplace for them. Teena Sebastian, a Senior Developer who previously worked with Infosys at Mangalore, said, “A very sorry figure of the State of IT had been cut before me when I was joining Open Destination in Goa. But I was pleasantly surprised on realizing that the company was at par with those outside Goa with respect to working environment, client expectations and challenges. It also helped me transition from one technology to another rather smoothly. And most importantly, at a more personal level, it provided me the opportunity to be with my family in Goa.”
A Developer and a graduate from Goa University, Pranav Kadkade is of the view that, “As a fresher and someone who wanted to pursue career in Goa, Open Destination was the best company that offered me this opportunity. It helped me grow technically and provided exposure to work with experienced people in various domains.”
Rupal Karande, Program Manager before moving from QPharma, New Jersey in the United States was pleasantly surprised to see a company in Goa matching up to the global standards. “When I was contemplating the move from USA to Goa, it was a pleasant surprise to learn of Open Destinations. I contacted Open Destinations from USA and they were eager to meet me. It has now been 6.5 years of working with Open Destinations and every day has been a challenging and rewarding experience. The best part is that it is innovative, niche product software development catering to the travel industry, being designed and coded right here in Goa,” said Rupal Karande.
The list of employees who are originally from Goa and wanted to work in Goa is endless. Francisco Sousa, Team Leader moved from Cognizant Technologies, Pune and Rupesh Naik, Program Manager shifted from Accenture, Pune to Goa to join Open Destination. With the growing demand it becomes imperative for Goa government to encourage the growth of IT companies in the state which will help provide job opportunities for the students graduating from the State.
