Kerala to get one of India’s first university townships: Rajeev Chandrasekhar

Rajeev Chandrasekhar announced that Thiruvananthapuram will host one of India's first university townships, aiming to boost innovation, research and high-skilled jobs by integrating universities, startups, industries and the Vizhinjam Port

Thiruvananthapuram: BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar on Sunday said Thiruvananthapuram would be home to one of India’s first university townships and thanked PM Narendra Modi and Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman for backing the initiative.

In a social media post, the Nemom MLA said, “Our Thiruvananthapuram gets one of India’s first university townships.” He said he had been working since 2024 to transform Thiruvananthapuram into a world-class hub for technology, innovation and research.

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“Today, that vision has taken a major step towards reality,” Chandrasekhar said. He said the proposed university township, along with the Thiruvananthapuram Research and Innovation Cluster, would create an innovation ecosystem capable of transforming the lives of young Malayalis. “T-RIC creates innovation. The University Township creates the ecosystem to scale it. Together, they will connect our universities, research institutions, startups, industries and the Vizhinjam Port into one integrated innovation ecosystem,” he said.

He said the initiative would generate more high-paying jobs in technology, biotechnology, artificial intelligence, deep technology and research.

It would also help startups in Thiruvananthapuram grow into global companies and create greater opportunities for young Malayalis to build their future in Kerala instead of leaving the state, he added.
“This is how we build a Vikasita (developed) Keralam for all, and this is only the beginning,” Chandrasekhar said.

The announcement follows the union budget proposal to establish five university townships near major industrial and logistics hubs. Nirmala Sitharaman had announced the initiative while presenting the Budget.