Author: @admin

 International cyclist and Ekalavya awardee Lokesh Narasimhachar of Mysuru has been appointed as the Coach (Technician) of National Cycling Team.

A 19-member cycling squad will be representing India in the upcoming Asian Mountain Bike Cycling Championship to be held in Tashkent at Uzbekistan from June 23 to 26.

Speaking to the Star of Mysore this morning, Lokesh Narasimhachar said, “It is proud moment for me to be appointed as coach of Indian Cycling Team. With 24 years of cycling and coaching experience, I will try my best to ensure maximum medals at the Championship.”

source/content: starofmysore.com (headline edited)

In the international sector, CSMIA retained the second spot as it handled 11,53,949 passengers and KIA handled 5,06,309 passengers.

The Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) has overtaken Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) to become the second busiest airport in the country for domestic passengers.

According to data from the Airports Authority of India (AAI), during the month of April, KIA handled 31,78,826 passengers whereas CSMIA handled 28,93,286 passengers.

Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport topped the domestic chart with 49,29,982 passengers. Mumbai lost the second spot as some of the domestic traffic shifted to the Navi Mumbai International Airport. The Navi Mumbai International Airport handled 5,24,594 passengers.

In the international sector, CSMIA retained the second spot as it handled 11,53,949 passengers and KIA handled 5,06,309 passengers.

Delhi continues to be the busiest with 17,22,208 passengers. In April, Delhi handled an overall 66,52,190 passengers followed by Mumbai 40,47,235 passengers and KIA 36,85,135 passengers.

During pandemic

This is not the first time KIA has overtaken CSMIA, having bagged the second spot during the COVID-19 pandemic and also in 2025 for a brief period.

In terms of domestic aircraft movement, KIA handled 20,718 aircraft during April and Mumbai handled 19,281 aircraft. The Navi Mumbai International Airport handled 4,355 aircraft.

KIA is south India’s busiest airport and the third largest in the country and the airport recently completed 18 years of operations.

It reached a significant milestone in April, 2026, surpassing 400 million cumulative passengers since its opening in 2008. The airport operates non-stop flights to over 78 domestic and 34 international destinations.

On the domestic front Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Hyderabad and Pune are the top domestic sectors. During the FY 2025–26 domestic networks saw additions to Navi Mumbai, Jaisalmer, Bidar, Silchar and Dimapur.

Phase-2 of second Terminal

The Bangalore International Airport Ltd. (BIAL), operator of the KIA, is set to commence work on the second phase of Terminal-2 in another three or four months.

“The design for the project is ready. We have already awarded the contract. The work should start in three-four months from now and should be ready by the end of 2029 or early 2030,” Hari Marar, managing director and chief executive officer, BIAL. told The Hindu.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

Mysore Quantum AI (MQA), a not-for-profit foundation and think tank dedicated to advancing Quantum Computing and Artificial Intelligence within the Mysuru ecosystem, was recently launched in the city.

An initiative by Excelsoft Technologies, the MQA is supported by Karnataka Digital Economy Mission (KDEM), TiE Mysuru, SJCE-STEP and Young Indians among others.

“The Mysore Quantum AI is focused on creating a strong local ecosystem for practical experimentation, collaborative learning and responsible adoption of Quantum Computing and AI technologies. The initiative aims to bring together students, educators, researchers, engineers, entrepreneurs and industry professionals to learn, collaborate and engage with emerging technologies through workshops, technical sessions, study circles, project sprints, showcases and community-led learning initiatives,” noted a statement here on Monday.

The launch comes at a time when Karnataka is emerging as India’s quantum technology hub. The State’s ₹1,000 crore Karnataka Quantum Mission targets a $20 billion quantum economy by 2035, with significant investments planned in infrastructure, research and talent development.

“The Mysore Quantum AI is positioned to contribute to this wider mission by building quantum awareness and capability at the grassroots level in Mysuru,” the statement said.

Founding member, Mysore Quantum AI and Chief Innovation Officer, Excelsoft Technologies, Adarsh Sundhindra said, “Quantum Computing and artificial intelligence are expected to influence the next generation of computing systems, industrial technologies and advanced research.”

“The idea behind the MQA is to make these emerging technologies more approachable and accessible through practical learning and community participation. A large part of the current conversation around Quantum and AI is still concentrated within niche circles. We want to open this to a wider audience,” he said.

Through workshops, study circles, technical sessions and collaborative learning formats, the initiative aims to help learners, developers, students and professionals engage with these technologies in a more hands-on and application-oriented manner.

As part of its initial activities, the MQA recently conducted a session titled “Save 5 Hours Every Week with AI”, focused on practical AI workflows, prompting techniques and real-world use cases that participants could directly apply within their day-to-day work environments, the statement said.

The session also enabled discussions and collaborative exchanges around how AI can be integrated into professional workflows and practical applications across industries. The platform plans to conduct more such talks and sessions involving external experts, researchers, educators and ecosystem participants working across Quantum Computing, artificial intelligence and advanced technology domains.

The foundation has also commenced regular knowledge-sharing activities through weekly educational content, introductory sessions and discussions focused on Quantum Computing and artificial intelligence. Recent published resources include introductory pieces on the circuit model, quantum gates and the physical nature of qubits.

“In the coming months, the MQA will introduce in-person learning programmes and structured courses designed to provide practical exposure and deeper engagement with emerging technologies,” the statement said.

More information about the MQA is available at www.mysorequantumai.org and those who are interested in joining the community can check the website, the statement added.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

Mysuru girl Padmapriya Ramesh Kumar has won both Singles and Doubles of Asian Tennis Federation (ATF) Under-16 Junior Ranking Tennis Tournament held at Agartala, Tripura, yesterday.

In the Finals, she beat No. 1 seeded player Niesha Enja from Telangana (6-4, 6-4).

In Semi-finals, she beat No. 7 seeded player Japji Jaur Badohal from Punjab (6-2, 6-1) and in  Quarterfinals, she beat No. 6 seeded player Prisha Nitin Patil from Maharashtra (6-2, 6-0).

She won the Doubles event with Arnavi Debnath from Assam. In Finals, they won against Avni Punaganti & Vaidehi Shinde (6-1, 6-2); in Semifinals against Krishika Gautam & Abhipsa Gogoi (6-1, 6-3) and in Quarterfinals against first seed Niesha  Enja & Bhavishya Kranti Bukkapuram (6-0, 6-3).

A student of Excel Public School, Mysuru, Padmapriya is trained by Coach Raghuveer Ponnusamy and Fitness Coaches Sagar and Dinakar.

With this win, Padmapriya is now India No. 1 (AITA ranking) and Asia No. 2 (ATF Ranking) in the Under-14 age category.

Padmapriya is the daughter of Dr. P. Ramesh Kumar, Director, Project Tiger and Dr. Malathi Priya, CCF, Chamarajanagar Circle.

source/content: starofmysore.com (headline edited)

Indian-origin entrepreneur Pooja Bavishi has transformed a simple homemade ice cream experiment into a thriving business in the United States, with her brand Malai now generating nearly $2.8 million in annual revenue.

Founded in 2015, Malai has grown into a profitable wholesale and e-commerce ice cream company with four outlets spread across New York, Philadelphia and Washington DC. The brand has gained popularity for introducing Indian-inspired flavours such as cardamom, saffron, rose and nutmeg to mainstream American consumers.

Before entering the food business, Bavishi studied urban planning at London School of Economics and worked as a civil rights project coordinator at the Equal Rights Center in Washington DC.

The idea for Malai began during a dinner gathering with friends, where Bavishi served homemade ginger-star anise ice cream. The unique flavour received an enthusiastic response, encouraging her to explore the concept further.

Determined to understand customer preferences before expanding, Bavishi spent time testing flavours and studying consumer behaviour to build a sustainable business model. Her venture later gained attention after being praised by a food writer from The New York Times.

With support from a small friends-and-family funding round in 2017, she launched pop-ups and temporary food hall outlets across New York, gradually expanding the business.

Bavishi says her goal has always been to showcase Indian flavours as globally familiar tastes rather than ‘experimental’ options. Today, Malai stands out in the American dessert market by blending traditional Indian ingredients with modern ice cream culture.

source/content: daijiworld.com (headline edited)

The record for being the fastest to complete a motorcycle expedition from Bengaluru to Ayodhya Ram Mandir was set by Ruthwick S.S (born on October 23, 2003) of Hassan, Karnataka.

He started his motorcycle expedition from Bengaluru at 5.09 a.m. on December 5, 2025. and completed it at Ram Mandir (Ram Path) in Ayodhya at 2.59 a.m. on December 7, 2025, covering a distance of 1,886.6 km, in 1 day, 21 hours and 50 minutes, as confirmed on December 25, 2025.

source/content: indiabookofrecords.in

While this will help officials to reduce their administrative burden, citizens can get details of any particular schemes or orders.

Planning to convert your agriculture land to residential layout? Are you looking for schemes for girl students in higher education or any such details pertaining to government documents? First-of-its-kind in India, the state government’s e-Governance Department is set to introduce ‘Saaramsha’, an AI-powered information extraction and summarisation platform aimed at simplifying access to government orders (GOs), circulars, notifications and policy documents.

While this will help officials to reduce their administration burden, citizens can get details of any particular schemes or orders.

To begin with, eGovernance department has chosen finance, revenue, rural development and panchayat raj, education and women and child welfare departments.

Pankaj Pandey, Principal Secretary to the government, Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms (e-Governanance), said there will be a nodal officer within each of these departments. The nodal officer will scan and upload government orders, circulars, notifications and other documents issued by their departments.

Pandey said ‘Saaramsha’ will help one get gist of any issue. “It will give us the summary along with how it is evolved. It is expected to be ready in next three months,” he said.

According to Pandey, the platform will bring thousands of official records under a unified searchable interface, enabling government officials to quickly retrieve old documents and access contextual information within seconds. He also stated that powered by AI, it will generate concise summaries of lengthy government files, helping departments reduce administrative workload and improve efficiency in policy reference and decision-making.

CS: Saaramsha will help deliver better admin

This initiative is expected to strengthen inter-departmental coordination by enabling faster and more intelligent access to official records, including documents issued several years ago.

Pandey also said the purpose is to make these available for public. “Once it is launched, one can access Saaramsha in the respective departmental portals,” he added.

Chief Secretary Shalini Rajneesh said this initiative will help for better administration. “When we can get entire history, data within a few seconds, it saves time. It will also help us while we are filing affidavits or in court cases,” she said.

Key Features

-Intelligent search and contextual information access

-AI-generated concise summaries

-Faster retrieval of legacy Government documents

-Reduction in administrative workload

source/content: newindianexpress.com (headline edited)

Gp Capt. K.K. Venugopal has become the first Indian test pilot to be elected as a Fellow of the Society of Experimental Test Pilots (SETP).

Gp Capt. Venugopal, who is the executive director and Chief Test Pilot (Fixed Wing), Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), has been involved in key indigenous programmes like the Saras LTA, LCA Mk I, HTT 40, HJT 36 and LCA Mk IA.

HAL said this honour has been conferred in recognition of his contributions as an ETP throughout his career spanning over 25 years. “The SETP represents a distinguished global community of test pilots and aerospace professionals who have made significant contributions to the advancement of flight testing. It is based in Lancaster, California, USA. Gp Capt. Venugopal’s election to this prestigious fellowship highlights his expertise and contributions to the field of aerospace testing. It also signifies recognition of the Indian aerospace sector in general and HAL as the principal entity,” the defence PSU said.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

The brand has been named after Adavi Jhenkara, the programme which was launched two years ago, aiming to involve forest dwellers in harvesting pure honey from their backyards.

The Kali Tiger Reserve in Uttara Kannada district became the first protected area in Karnataka to have its own honey brand. The brand has been named after Adavi Jhenkara, the programme which was launched two years ago, aiming to involve forest dwellers in harvesting pure honey from their backyards.

The forest department has enrolled 250 beneficiaries and has distributed 350 box colonies of honeybees to the forest dwellers living in Kali Tiger Reserve. The Reserve is now selling the 250 gm and 500 gm (Rs 200 and Rs 400) at their office counters and functions organised by the forest department. In the coming days, the reserve plans to market the brand and could post the box to the customer’s doorstep.

“The parts of Joida taluk have one of the best forest patches, and there are small hamlets with native community people dwelling over ages. The forest department had provided them an opportunity to earn money through harvesting honey at their homes which are located inside the tiger reserve. With abundance of flowering species available around these hamlets the honey collection is good. In the last few months about 600 kg of honey has been harvested through these boxes,” explained an official from the Kali Tiger Reserve.

The forest department provides the honey bee colonies for free to the beneficiaries and also pays them while buying the honey collected. A team of forest officials ensure quality checks so that there is no adulteration. The department also plans to expand the programme to other divisions as well.

Entomology experts point out that Uttara Kannada can become the hub of honey production as it has several patches of thick forests. Places like Dakshina Kannada, Kodagu and parts of Kerala state have been in forefront in harvesting the honey. Similar efforts should be duplicated in these parts of the Western Ghats, suggested the experts.

source/content: newindianexpress.com (headline edited)

Chowgule Shipyards has delivered Frisian Future, the first vessel built at its Mangaluru facility, with diesel-electric, wind-assisted propulsion system, to Boomsma Shipping of the Netherlands.

A release here said the cargo vessel delivered on Monday, , represents the future of the global shipping fleet, delivering roughly 30% lower emissions to conventional equivalents. The diesel-electric arrangement provides operational flexibility and improved efficiency across varying load conditions. Vessels of this type are increasingly being specified by European operators responding to tightening emissions regulation under IMO and EU frameworks.

Frisian Future is an 8,500 DWT foreign-going general cargo vessel built for Boomsma Shipping. Sailing under the Netherlands flag (IMO No. 1036824), the ICE class 1B vessel is classed with Lloyd’s Register and is compliant with SOLAS, MARPOL, and IMO Tier III requirements. The vessel incorporates a forward accommodation arrangement, optimising deck and hold geometry to maximise usable cargo volume, thereby enhancing efficiency in the carriage of project cargoes.

Chowgule Group managing director Arjun Chowgule said, “The delivery of Frisian Future confirms that the Mangaluru shipyard is operating as a modern facility capable of producing export-grade vessels to global standards. Mangaluru and Karnataka offer strong fundamentals for shipbuilding and we expect to build on this.”

The Mangaluru shipyard was formerly one of India’s largest private sector shipyards before entering bankruptcy. Chowgule Shipyards acquired the facility and had it recommissioned within 18 months — the fastest turnaround of a shipyard from bankruptcy anywhere in the world.

The first delivery follows three years after the acquisition closed — a timeline that includes the recommissioning of the launch facility and restoration of production infrastructure, alongside significant fresh capital expenditure to enhance capacity and productivity. The Mangaluru facility supports over 6,000 direct and indirect jobs and is positioned to contribute meaningfully to the regional industrial and maritime ecosystem as additional projects progress through the yard, the release added.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)