Valley of Growth

Home to facilities of hundreds of Indian and multinational firms, Genome Valley is on an accelerated growth phase amid growing demand for space, supportive government polices, and enhanced investor interest 

When Industries and IT Minister K.T.Rama Rao recently said Genome Valley is running out of space, it was less of a problem statement and more about the success story of India’s first organised cluster for Life Sciences research and development, and clean manufacturing.

Located not far from Hyderabad’s famous Outer Ring Road and well connected to the arterial road, Genome Valley has come a long way from the time it took shape at the turn of the millennium to a preferred hub for research focussed firms, both Indian and multinational of varying sizes.

Indeed, it is the nature of work that differentiates the cluster from the rest, which now is home to over 200 companies, including the facilities of globally leading vaccine makers Bharat Biotech and Biological E.

It has grown into a powerhouse of Life Sciences sector not only in India but also globally with a host of marquee companies establishing their research facilities is how Mr. Rao, who never misses an opportunity to showcase Telangana to investors, describes Genome Valley.

Not without reason either if one listens to the transformation of the sleepy hamlets and the rocky terrain of Shamirpet mandal, about 70 kms from the Rajiv Gandhi International airport and 23 kms from Secunderabad Railway Station.

When it was envisaged by the then Andhra Pradesh government, Biotechnology was in nascent stage. Bharat Biotech was the anchor client and the government identified parcels of land and sanctioned it two different parks, including the ICICI Knowledge Park that subsequently became IKP Park.

The idea was to create the physical infrastructure to foster research as well as seed lot of companies, says Shakthi Nagappan, Director (Life Sciences and Pharma), Telangana government, who in various capacities, for about 13 years now, has seen Life Sciences sector grow in the region.