Odisha assigns Sam Pitroda as Telecom and IT Advisor

BENGALURU: The State Government of Odisha has appointed IT man and technology leader Dr Sam Pitroda as the Technical Advisor to the government for the development of its struggling IT sector. Pitroda will work in the rank of a Cabinet Minister.

Bearing in mind the ‘Vision 2036 for Odisha@100’ and taking into note his immense capability to help the state achieve it, Sam Pitroda will offer his guidance in strengthening the IT sector of the State. As the State Government is making a vision document for 2036 to celebrate the hundredth year of state's formation, the role of IT will be a key factor to attribute its growth. Pitroda will help provide the essential technological blueprint to write the IT story of Odisha. The state government hopes that Pitroda would be able to bring more investments to the state’s clambering IT sector.

Pitroda was born in Titilagarh in Odisha and is regarded as the founder of India's telecom and technology revolution. He was vital in shaping the Indian telecommunication and technology sector in the 1980s. Similarly he intends to shape Odisha’s telecom, electronics, IT (information technology) and information technology enabled services (ITES) sectors. The decision has been taken post Pitroda’s consent to state Information Technology (IT) department proposal.