Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru
Mangaluru, July 16: A passionate new campaign—aptly titled Come Back Tiger!—is sweeping across the coastal districts of Karnataka. But this isn’t a wildlife conservation call; it’s a rousing appeal to the kings and queens of the tech jungle—IT professionals originally from the region—to return and help spark a digital revolution back home.
Launched by a consortium of tech visionaries from Mangaluru, Udupi, and Manipal, the campaign is targeting experienced IT, Fintech, and Agritech professionals with roots in coastal Karnataka but currently working in metro cities or abroad. The aim? To transform the coastline into a thriving hub for innovation and job creation.
“Infrastructure is no longer a barrier,” says Rohit Bhat, a founding member of the Silicon Beach of India initiative. “What we now need is seasoned professionals who can lead and mentor the new generation of tech aspirants,” he added.
The campaign includes a wide-reaching survey to identify and engage industry veterans who may be open to relocating or contributing remotely. With metro cities like Bengaluru facing infrastructure fatigue, declining liveability, and skyrocketing costs, campaign organisers believe the time is ripe for coastal Karnataka to stake its claim in India’s booming digital economy.
Over the past two years, the region has quietly cultivated a fertile tech ecosystem. More than 40 startups have emerged across Mangaluru, Udupi, and Manipal, each employing between 25 and 50 professionals. Encouraged by this organic growth, multinational corporations are now eyeing the region as a potential expansion zone.
But for large firms to make serious investments, experienced leadership on the ground is key. Global players typically prefer a 50-50 mix of seasoned professionals and fresh graduates, and while coastal colleges are supplying the latter, the former remains in short supply.
“We have the talent, we have the infrastructure. What we need now is our people—those with roots here and experience out there—to bring it all together,” Bhat added.
The Come Back Tiger campaign directly addresses this need. Its goal is to create thousands of high-quality jobs by reconnecting with tech professionals who once called the coast home. The movement has already struck a chord: within days of launch, the online survey has received responses from over 2,000 professionals, with 92% expressing a willingness to return—provided the right opportunities are available.
Organisers say the results will be compiled and presented to both the Karnataka government and major tech firms by early August, showcasing the region’s readiness to host next-level investments in the IT sector.
The campaign is also in sync with a larger trend of tech decentralisation. IBM, for instance, has already validated the Tier-2 model by opening development centres in Mysuru, Coimbatore, Bhubaneswar, Lucknow, and Kochi. Industry insiders believe Mangaluru could be next—if the experienced talent base is secured.
“This is not just a feel-good homecoming campaign. It’s about building a sustainable, knowledge-driven economy that benefits the entire region,” said one of the campaign’s co-founders, who asked not to be named.
The broader vision includes strengthening the region’s startup culture, fostering incubation centres, and building partnerships between returning professionals and local institutions. Organisers are also exploring collaboration opportunities with NITK, MAHE, and local engineering colleges to create a robust talent pipeline.
Professionals currently based elsewhere in India or overseas, especially those with experience in software engineering, cybersecurity, data science, fintech innovation, or smart agriculture, are being actively encouraged to participate in the survey, which remains open until July 31.