Ten prominent IT honchos, including Infosys co-founder and former CEO S.D. Shibulal, his former colleague Kris Gopalakrishnan, IBS group's Executive Chairman V.K. Mathews, have come together to promote Kerala IT in the global marketplace, it was announced on Tuesday.

At a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in Thiruvananthapuram, they decided to take the onus to promote Kerala's IT industry in the global market.

At the meeting, it was suggested that for a state-of-the-art next generation IT architecture for the state that will enable digital lifestyle for its citizens, participation from all stakeholders including major IT players/industry stakeholders, enterprises and start-ups should be allowed.

It was also decided to recommend setting up a team of senior officials to drive corporate engagements that will help promote investments in the state as well as host an IT Summit with the aim of bringing together senior IT professionals across the globe with linkages to the state.

They highlighted that the event should be utilised to showcase the opportunities in the IT and knowledge sector the state has to offer and also to enhance the brand Kerala IT.

The other participants at the meeting included Rediff.com founder-CEO Ajit Balakrishnan, Duleep Sahadevan of Software Associates, GE India CIO Anthony Thomas, TCS Vice President Dinesh Thampi, Nasscom Regional Director Ashok Pammidi, and Indian Institute of Management faculty Saji Gopinath.