It would be a brand event to be held every two years. The next event is likely to be held in Kochi. The event, to be inaugurated by President KR Narayanan, will comprise of three sessions. The IT Exposition will be on from November 23 to 26 at Technopark in Thiruvananthapuram. The second will be an international convention with the theme `Crafting a Knowledge in the 21st Century'. The third will be an investors' meet on November 24. Over 170 stalls will be put up at the exposition. Roadshows are being held to invite organisations from India and across the globe, according to Ms Sundararajan.

She adds that the anticipated draw is 20,000 trade visitors and 1 lakh general visitors. There will be focus pavilions that will showcase software solutions that can change the way enterprises are run today, she adds. There will also be focus on the supply chain, procurement and seller service opportunities for companies. The international convention will have speakers representing both the academia and the industry. This is expected to attract over 300 delegates, out to explore the economy in the emerging knowledge society as also the new paradigms in agriculture, industry, health, entertainment and governance models. The investor meet is intended to provide a forum for companies and entrepreneurs to meet and firm up business plans.

Besides Microsoft, Intel, Sun Microsystems, Wipro, Compaq, NRIs, and business groups from the US, West Asia, Europe and Singapore are expected to attend the meet, says Ms Sundararajan. CEOs, CFOs, educational administrators, government bodies, heads of banks, channel development managers, software technologists and consultants, fund managers, MIS managers and telecommunication managers will participate in the meet.

Ms Sundararajan said that Kerala provided high international connectivity and instant data transfer facilities. And Kerala would be tomorrow's opportunity. The meet would help prove that Kerala offered the cutting-edge advantages to the investors through its plug and play environs, according to the event organisers, Kerala Government, Nasscom, CII and the Software Technology Park of India (STPI).