We had announced the Kerala GTUG launch event details via group discussion forum and blog, and later started the online registration for 100 seats. Within last two weeks we got tremendous response, and we were forced to increase the number of seats from 200. We could convince Google also about the big response, and they agreed for lunch sponsorship. Initially we were planning for a half day session, and after Google’s support we modified the agenda to the following.

09:30 – 10.00 – Registration Confirmation
10:00 – 10:30 – Kerala GTUG Introduction & Launch – Sreejumon
10:30 – 11:15 – How Google Changed the Software Development Landscape – Praseed Pai
11:30 – 12:30 – Chrome Extension – Anash
12:30 – 01:30 – Lunch Break
01:30 – 02:00 – Google Tips & Tricks – Sreejumon
02:00 – 02:45 – Google Tools for Web Developers – Rajesh
02:45 – 03:00 – Closing (Feedback & Goodies)

Event Day

We had arranged the registration desk to confirm the event tickets.  Out of the 200 registrations, we got 125 members for the launch event.  Techies from different IT companies in and outside Technopark, students and tech entrepreneurs were among the participants.  The event started by Sreejumon by introducing and explaining the objectives and the proposed activities of Kerala GTUG.

There were four technical sessions on Google technologies by Anash Oommen, a Developer Programs Engineer from Google, Hyderabad; Praseed Pai, a .net Consultant and Solutions Architect from Kochi; Rajesh Varghese, a Software Engineer at Software Incubator, Trivandrum and Sreejumon who is an Architect with Nokia Bangalore.

It was also decided to have a GTUG Library, at the premises of KeLNet Communications in Technopark who volunteered to host it.  GTUG members can lend Google related books from this library.

The event was a good opportunity for the members of the Kerala GTUG to network with each other while sharing knowledge and also to increase contacts within the industry.

Our Sponsors

Thank you very much for our sponsors

UST Global – Venue, Google – Lunch & Goodies, Kerala IT News – Media partnership and live streaming, KelNet – Broadband connectivity, Indian Institute of Information Technology – Video Recording

Special mention to Google fans from MES College to volunteer the registration desk and Gopikrishnan for creating the banner.

We will have our first event on 10th April (Saturday) at Trivandrum Technopark. Detailed agenda shall be posted here shortly. Please block your calendar.

Here comes the Agenda
09:30 – 10.00 – Registration Confirmation
10:00 – 10:30 – Kerala GTUG Introduction & Launch
10:30 – 11:15 – How Google Changed the Software Development Landscape
11:30 – 12:30 – Chrome Extension
12:30 – 01:30 – Lunch Break
01:30 – 02:00 – Google Tips & Tricks
02:00 – 02:45 – Google Tools for Web Developers
02:45 – 03:00 – Closing (Feedback & Goodies)

Speakers

	Anash Oommen is a Developer Programs Engineer at Google, and works to promote Google’s APIs and technologies. He is currently engaging the international Web development community with Google AdWords API and OpenSocial API. Before Google, Anash was a senior software engineer and team lead at Compro Technologies Pvt. Ltd, New Delhi. Anash holds an MS in Software Systems from BITS, Pilani.
	Sreejumon is the founder of Kerala Google Technology User group and he is currently working with Nokia R&D Center Bangalore as an Architect. He has been working with cutting edge Technologies from 2000 and now more into Web technologies. Prior to Nokia, he was working with ABB Research Center & US Technology. He has been Microsoft MVP for past 7 years.
	Praseed Pai is a well known .net consultant and a solutions architect from Kochi,Kerala. Having started his career during the MSDOS days , he has been following the evolution of MS platforms to DOS32,Win16,Win32s,Win32,.net and Win64. His areas of interest include Enterprise software development (using C#/.net) , Engineering Software development(CAD/CAM/C++),Computer Graphics, Computational Finance,Domain specific programming languages and GNU Linux. He is a regular speaker in the .NET UG meetings,OWASP meetings and Bar Camps. His blog can be accessed from http://praseedp.blogspot.com
	Rajesh Varghese Senior Software Engineer at Software Incubator, Trivandrum, in charge of internet marketing and SEO initiatives. Possess over 5 years of business development and SEO consulting experience.

• Google Ajax APIs – maps, search, visualization, gadgets
• Google Friend Connect and Open Social
• Android – mobile development
• Google App Engine – scalable cloud computing
• Google Web Toolkit – web development platform
• Project Hosting
• Analytics and AdSense – advertising and web analytics
• Google Wave – real-time collaboration and communication
• …..