Suresh Paladugu : NorthAlley is on track to catapult the Indian horse racing to global standards

1. How did the development of FortisTOTE come to be?

Having worked with other Global Totalizator Systems, we saw a need to build a modern and next generation Totalizator system that can cater to the need of Asian and global markets. FortisTOTE is built for global pools at scale and near real-time data flow similar to financial systems.

With complete transparency and inclusive model to give all stakeholders including but not limited to governments, much needed confidence in the system to create regulated and safe environment for players locally and globally.

2. You mentioned that it will revolutionise horse racing in India? Can you elaborate on that?

Biggest win about National Pool is, all clubs coming together to initiate standards across the industry. We see this as a first step towards a more regulated and strong way to move forward in building player confidence and adoption. There are lot of other aspects that will need to be addressed but coming together and agreeing to join hands is a significant and historic event. We see this as a culture and revolutionary step. We are happy to be part of that journey by creating a system (FortisTOTE) that all the clubs could use and start this journey.

3. Horse racing is still extremely niche in India? How does this work towards more inclusivity?

Not just in India but Horse Racing is a niche segment globally. Certain regulated markets have created inclusivity by working closely with local authorities and people to create safe and responsible ways for all stakeholders to enjoy the sport and wagering. Education and positive marketing of the sport is necessary to create inclusivity. By coming together and creating standards is a big first step.

4. Horse racing in India is not yet at par with the international standards, what has lacked and how does NorthAlley sim to fill those gaps?

Standards across industry gives lot of benefits in terms of flexibility, confidence and improving operational efficiencies. Every industry goes through this cycle of first working in silos and systems that do not talk to each other and have different nomenclature. Over the period, knowledge is isolated and becomes a hindrance for growth. With the speed of change happening in all industries, it's time for Indian Racing Industry to embrace that change and not only be on par but lead moving forward.

With experience working in global regulated markets and constantly researching on ways to bring the best, NorthAlley has invested significantly on technology in the last 7 years to build the most futuristic system that can work on any pool based sports, specifically Horse Racing. Industry can benefit from our constant pursuit for creating a Indian Technology product that can not only serve Indian Industry but expand beyond borders.

5. What other work has been done in sports technology by NorthAlley?

Other than the Totalizator System (FortisTOTE), NorthAlley has migrated all Indian race clubs from Satellite based video distribution to IPTV based approach that enabled all clubs to distribute video content in High Definition. Players are enjoying the high definition and clubs investing in latest cameras for better picture quality which was not previously possible due to high costs of Satellite transmission. NorthAlley reduced the operational costs of video distribution by 50% along with improving the quality of distribution. We are building a comprehensive ERP system for the industry to ease operations of race club. We intend to be the 360% Technology Company for Horse Racing Industry In India and Globally.