Coimbatore and Kovaipudur are future destinations of growth, say panellists

As the country strives to meet its new destiny, the wheel of progress is being oiled by big dreamers and achievers like the emerging metro Coimbatore and Kovaipudur, which have fallen under the wings of the Coimbatore Corporation and are poised to take off with the Master Plan 2041 ready to give them a new impetus.

The series of panel discussions titled ‘Coimbatore Unlimited 3.0’ came to Kochi on Thursday (August 7), in partnership with G Square and The Hindu, and supported by FICCI, where experts from various fields opened up to a substantial gathering comprising potential investors.

The speakers at the interactive session were one in their opinion that Coimbatore is the new rage among potential investors, not only in South India but across India, with its advanced road and air connectivity and soothing climate provided by the mighty Western Ghats.

Coimbatore city is emerging as a lifestyle destination, a destination for global capability centres (GCCs) and new generation IT companies dealing in artificial intelligence and the whole spectrum of new growth opportunities.

Having its roots in the textile industry in the 1950s to the latest AI start-ups, Coimbatore has seen the entire cycle of industrialisation and is now poised to take off on a new trajectory, said Junaith Babu, chief operating officer (CEO) of G Square.

He added that the textile industry boom brought it fame as the Manchester of South India.

The city grew with small enterprises in small engineering works and is home to around 45,000 MSMEs now.

It is on these strong foundations that Coimbatore will build its future as a major investment destination of the future, Mr. Babu said confidently. He said that G Square had recently acquired around 700 acres for new development in Coimbatore, underlining the optimism triggered by the new growth promises.

Raghav, CEO of A Plus Architects, said that Coimbatore had the infrastructure for GCCs, and that the city’s growth vision had been set firmly. He underlined the fact that the new generation was catching up with the city of Coimbatore, considering the new developments.

He also said that Coimbatore had the distinction of being a self-made city without much assistance from the government.

The city grew as an entrepreneurs’ city, and its strength has never wavered in the past.

Sujatha N.A., marketing manager, Brookfields, said that Coimbatore was both modern and traditional. There is a healthy mix, and it is, therefore, a destination for shopping with its new culture of malls, which will also bring in the entertainment industry as the growth story continues.

She added that it was no longer a tier-2 city but a tier 1.5, with all the infrastructure and developments taking place all around. The textile shopping destination tag apart, Coimbatore can grow into the fashion industry, which will make it a new hub of activities because there is a healthy mix of the modern and the traditional.

Balakrishna, consulting director, PBK Business Consulting, Coimbatore, said that Coimbatore was now offering a rich culinary experience.

The vegetarian choices have grown diversely, considering that previously, non-vegetarian food was one of the strengths of the city.

With the COVID-19 pandemic, vegetarian choices have increased, drawing a lot of people to experience the new foods on offer.

The emergence of pilgrim centres will add strength to Coimbatore’s reputation.

The speakers said that Coimbatore’s fame as a healthcare destination from times of old had given it an edge, with medical tourism holding out great potential for the future.

Mr. Junaith Babu also hinted at the potential for G Square to act as a catalyst for a destination where crossborder investments could bring a new growth trajectory, providing employment and commercial opportunities.

All things considered, Coimbatore is set to go places with its geographical positioning under the gaze of the mighty Western Ghats and the temperate climatic and micro weather conditions, the speakers agreed.

K. Pradeep, former Senior Deputy Editor of The Hindu, moderated the discussions. T.A. Ansari, Senior Manager, Advertisement, The Hindu, welcomed the gathering.

Published – August 08, 2025 01:21 am IST