Vijayawada: Touching new heights

Formerly known as Bezawada, Vijayawada is located on the banks of the Krishna River and is the third largest city in Andhra Pradesh. The city is bounded by the Indrakiladri Hills on the West and the Budameru River on the North. Vijayawada literally translates to 'The Place of Victory' and is the

center of Andhra politics. The city is also the second biggest junction in Asia. The fact that Vijayawada is well connected through rail and road, makes it a hub of commercial activities.

True to its name, Vijayawada or 'Vidyala Wada' (Place of Education), boasts of a massive educational infrastructure. The city was also named 'The Educational Sahara' by a foreign ambassador. Notwithstanding the fact, another sector which is equally popular in the city is the IT industry. There are many software units in Vijayawada, contributing to exports accounting for millions every year. The Andhra Pradesh Government also plans to develop IT industry in the State and create necessary infrastructure (including development of IT Parks) and plas to project Vijayawada as a major IT destination. According to Rajkumar Baid of Baid Electronics, SOHO and SME are the primary growth verticals of the city at present, but once the holidays gets over, education sector will bounce back. "I believe the business sector will also flourish in the month of March," Baid said. When it comes to the vendor-dealer relationship, Baid said that he has no issues with his vendors and they are very reasonable in their dealings. Talking about the future predictions, Baid said, that he expects the markets to grow by 25 percent in comparison to the previous year.

Market Name: Vijayawada

Market Location: Andhra Pradesh

Surrounding Markets: Vizag, Hyderabad, Guntur

Computer Association: Krishna District Computer Association

Prominent Dealers: Baid Electronics, Digital World, Expert Systems & Software, Mist Computer Services, Moieen Infotech Shoppee, Rishabh Info Plaza, Srinivasa Computers

Business Verticals: SOHO, SME, education

Interview:

Murali, CEO, Expert Systems & Software

How has the market been in the last two months?

The market been doing an average business since the last two months. The OND quarter last year was good although.

What are the top selling products and brands in the city?

Samsung LED 20-inch monitor is selling like hotcakes in the city. They ofter run out of stock. The Samsung LEDs are even sold above MRP in some areas. People are crazy about them.

Do you have any computer association in Vijayawada? How active is it in solving your problem?

In Vijayawada we have the Krishna District Computer Association. It is very active in the region.

What are your market predictions for this year?

I feel the market will strongly go up. I predict a 25-30 percent growth in the current year, as many big companies are setting up their base here. Rashi, Ingram and many other Hyderabad-based dealers are setting up their branches in Vijayawada.