Q: So you are saying that the perception is bad?

Yes. See, for example, the perception about Bangalore is good. But the infrastructure is bad. (Laughs) Here, the situation is the reverse. The infrastructure facilities are good, but when it comes to perception, it is bad. The government system is working properly here. As for why Malayalees, especially NRIs, think negatively of coming back to the state? They are so adjusted to the lifestyle in Dubai, the US, or European countries that they can’t think of coming back to Kerala.

Q: When it comes to entrepreneurship, how do Malayalees fare compared to other states? What might be the reason?

Malayalees are afraid to take risks. They find comfort in their well-cushioned jobs. They got used to their lives in Dubai or Bangalore. They need to break that barrier. Opportunities galore in India. However, they need to find a niche. If they have a will. Look at me. I started as a startup. I hail from an agricultural family. Nobody in my family had ever done business. All I had was my skill set. And this skill set helped me to get into the vaccine field. So anybody with a good skill set can start a startup.