Author: @admin

The event, which will be held at the IFA office in Sanjay Nagar between June 9 and 13, will consist of a series of curated walkthroughs, hands-on workshops, film screenings, and drop-in sessions, attempting to create an interest in these archives.

When the India Foundation For The Arts (IFA) turned 20, back in 2015, the team behind the Bengaluru-based NGO wanted to do something special to mark the occasion. “The former executive director of IFA, Arundhati Ghosh, with the team back then, was brainstorming on how to celebrate IFA, its legacy, and the work it had generated over the years,” recounts Dr Biswadeep Chakraborty, Archivist, IFA. At first, they thought of throwing a gala, inviting all their grantees from 1995 onwards to celebrate the occasion, till they realised that “it would be only one evening, and after that nothing would happen,” he says.

Around the same time, “a wise person” asked them if they had an archive, says Biswadeep, who joined the organisation in 2021. Arundhati, he recalls, had responded in the affirmative, explaining that IFA had a record room containing everything since 1995. This person, however, told her that record-keeping was not an archive. While the latter involves “securing everything in files for bureaucratic purposes”, the core principle of archiving is to preserve memories, explains Biswadeep. “The idea here was to document everything we have, the kind of work we have supported and the brilliant grantees and project coordinators who have worked with us throughout the years.”

So they started working towards this goal, hiring their first archivist, Dr Spandana Bhowmik, the same year. “We started working in 2015, but officially launched the archive in 2018,” he says. This was the genesis of the IFA archives, which is currently holding its ‘Date with the Archive’, a week-long celebration to mark International Archives Week.

The event, which will be held at the IFA office in Sanjay Nagar between June 9 and 13, will consist of a series of curated walkthroughs, hands-on workshops, film screenings, and drop-in sessions, attempting to create an interest in these archives. “The IFA Archive is a rich resource for artists, students, researchers, and anyone curious about the arts. We encourage visitors to explore the Archive, trace creative journeys, and discover the possibilities that an archive holds,” said Menaka Rodriguez, Executive Director, IFA. “

While, in general, the IFA archives are open through appointment, “this particular week, we thought of curating an experience to give the public a glimpse of this archive: what we hold, how it is interesting, and why it is important,” says Biswadeep. “This year’s theme for International Archives Week is #ArchivesAreAccessible, so we realised that this is the best time for us to open our archives to the public,” Biswadeep adds.

In Biswadeep’s opinion, making the archives accessible will enable the dissemination of knowledge. ”In different eras of human civilisation, knowledge is something people didn’t share freely.” That is a major reason to disseminate knowledge, Biswadeep says, going on to quote the French historian and philosopher, Michel Foucault, who argued that knowledge is power. “The idea is to make the archives’ knowledge system accessible; art and culture, in this day and age of technology, is such an important sphere to focus on.”

At the archives

At one of the curated walkthroughs at the IFA archives, groups of young people are huddled over the various exhibits, peering into computer screens, examining archival materials being digitised or flipping through some of them, with gloved hands.

According to Biswadeep, when they first started creating the archive, most of the material accumulated over the years was kept in individual grant files made of plastic, in addition to the cupboards, which were full of audio and video material, artwork and books. “We started securing all those files, creating an environment that is temperature-controlled, humidity-controlled and acid-free,” Biswadeep says, adding that nearly all the material, created between 1995 and 2021, has also been digitised.

Some of the objects on display include A Musuem of Dubious Splendours, a video game by Studio Oleomingus, which is an adaptation of a series of essays written by Gujarati poet Mir Umar Hassan; The Mapmaker of Baghdad by Anuj Malhotra, an interactive map documenting the history of Bombay’s hidden cinemas in the 1970s; a series of books investigating the history and evolution of printmaking technologies in Bengal by the visual artist, Aranya Sengupta and Nee Engey, a film by RV Ramani that delves into the puppet theatre tradition of South India.

“There are many archives throughout India that are based around one particular format. For instance, film archives in which you will see only films or textile archives where we see only textiles,” says Biswadeep, who believes that this archive is unique because it exists in so many formats, including “board games, video games, textiles, audio-visual materials, only audio materials, artwork, scrolls, art pieces.”

Equally unique is the sheer range of projects supported by the IFA grants, a deliberate decision, going by Biswadeep’s account. IFA has, from the beginning, attempted to break down cultural hegemonies, facilitating projects that may not have seen the light of day otherwise, he says.

“You will see from the kind of materials that we have that they are not particular to one community or thing or one particular idea. You will find everything here, without bias,” Biswadeep says, something, that is also reflected in the archive. “When we started this archive, we thought of creating one which would not look at hierarchies in creating a repository, representing the uniqueness of this country’s art and culture realm,” says Biswadeep. “The motto should be unity in diversity.”

To know more about the IFA archives, log in to indiaifa.org/about-us/ifa-archive.html

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

Barenya Senapati, Director (Finance), HAL, told reporters on Friday that the defence public sector undertaking will manufacture SSLVs wherein ISRO will help in transferring technology to it.

Along with manufacturing helicopters and fighter jets, the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) will for the first time build small satellite launch vehicles (SSLVs), and has signed an MoU on this with Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe), Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and New Space India Limited (NSIL) on Friday.

Barenya Senapati, Director (Finance), HAL, told reporters on Friday that the defence public sector undertaking will manufacture SSLVs wherein ISRO will help in transferring technology to it.

“We have different capabilities and teams to work on the space sector. Building fighter jets’ and satellites will be handled differently,” he said.

SSLVs delays will cost HAL, says In-Space chief

The HAL bid a Rs 511 crore tender. The payments will be done in a phased manner over two years. It was one of the firms that bid along with Alpha Design Technologies Limited and Bharat Dynamics Limited, for the project called by IN-SPACe, which is a single-window, independent, nodal agency functioning as an autonomous agency in the Department of Space (DOS), formed as part of Space sector reforms to facilitate participation of private players.

Dr Pawan Goenka, Chairman, IN-SPACe, said ISRO is not supposed to build SSLVs. It works on PSLVs. As a part of the MoU, ISRO will hand-hold HAL for the first two years to help transfer technology in building, marketing and training in making SSLVs. During these two years, HAL will build two vehicles. From the third year, HAL will have the independence to partner with private firms and change vehicle designs, while complying with the Union government’s space policy and ISRO guidelines.

Radhakrishnan Durairaj, CMD, NSIL, said the space sector and technology has changed with satellites getting miniaturised and more constellations coming up. Pertaining to the query on HAL’s delays in executing projects, including building the PSLV with L&T and the concerns earlier raised by Air Chief Marshal AP Singh on delays in delivery of fighter aircraft to the IAF, Goenka said the PSLV cannot be compared with the SSLV and tenders were invited where HAL participated. Since it was the highest bidder, the project was awarded.

From August 2027, HAL will have to start delivering independently. It will have to ensure 6-8 launches every year. The financial burden of the delays will have to be borne by HAL, he said.

NSIL to launch 15 private payload SSLVs starting from October

BENGALURU: New Space India Limited (NSIL) will launch its first small satellite launch vehicles (SSLV) in partnership with private firms in October 2025 and February 2026. After which 15 more will be launched subsequently.

Radhakrishnan Durairaj, CMD, NSIL, on Friday said these skilled launches are based on the business in hand and demand. Earlier India did not have the space and technology to launch the SSLVs and it had to be done from the launch pads of other countries, but now after the creation of the SSLV Module in LEO Experiment (SMILE) platform developed by ISRO and Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe), the launches can be done unhindered.

The SMILE platform, inspired from the PSLV Orbital Experimental Module, is a cost-effective platform for space technologies.

Durairaj said they were aiming to the launch the 15 satellites will not overlap with the ongoing works that are being done with ISRO and HAL. These works had commenced before entering into agreements with HAL.

He added that the space sector and technologies have changed with satellites getting miniaturised and more constellations are coming up. India is now making its presence more prominent in the space sector.

source/content: newindianexpress.com (headline edited)

With Artificial Intelligence being at the forefront of conversations in many fields today, Appupen says, “The space of AI is about monopoly – who is getting control…it is being given for free because otherwise its learning is capped.”

Being an artist is not an easy trade anywhere in the world, and this holds doubly true for comic authors in India. But for nearly two decades, the comic author and artist who prefers to be known as Appupen has stayed the course, his body of work placing him among the country’s more prolific cartoonists.

Among his more recent works is a graphic novel of C S Chellappa’s classic Tamil novel Vaadivaasal, with the adaptation co-authored alongside Tamil writer Perumal Murugan released in English, Tamil, Marathi, and Bangla in January this year.

This project was preceded by Dream Machine, a collaboration with French author Laurent Daudet that tackles the theme of the newfound prevalence of Artificial Intelligence or AI. Other works include Legends of Halahala, a comic universe created by Appupen that includes figures such as the politically satirical Rashtraman.

While Appupen is based in Bengaluru , he finds the city more of an enabler than an inspiration. Speaking to The Indian Express , he says, “Bangalore has allowed me the space to sit by myself and make my ideas, which Bombay did not. In Bombay, I was running to pay the rent or something, but when I came to Bangalore, I got the time to pull back and form stories, draw and write them.”

Appupen’s career in the field of art began when he was a student in Mumbai, making posters and murals for establishments including discos, with some early influence here being album art from the 1970s and 1980s. Early on, while he was a reader of comics, he never thought he would have the patience to create them. He recalls that later on, “I was making storyboards for animation, and larger ideas which would be animated in my head. I worked in Bollywood also for some time as an assistant director and art director for a couple of movies.”

As he puts it, he realised that his ideas would never be made into a movie with a budget, lacking elements such as song-and-dance numbers or action sequences. The storyboards could only come to life in the form of comics.

On the topic of influence, he says, “There are comic artists you like all the time, but influences can come from anywhere – it could be music or a book you read. I am more interested in the story or the theme rather than getting carried away with the style of art. That is just the icing on top… What is it that we have to say? Unless we have something solid to say, don’t get into this business. Say something that has not been said like that before. What we are seeing is new ways of telling stories.”

With AI being in the forefront of conversations in many fields today, Appupen notes that he had thought of it as a marketable topic for Dream Machine, adding, “Nobody knew what it was at the time – and we still don’t. People are scared or enamoured by it, but they do not really know – it is just this marketing that has been put out by the AI companies. Laurent Daudet had some very interesting perspectives on it.” He added, “The space of AI is about monopoly – who is getting control. By playing with AI you think it is coming for free, but it has come to the point that it is being given for free because otherwise its learning is capped.”

But even amid all this, comics are still not among the foremost media of consumption. Appupen says, “I don’t think I will ever stop telling people that it is not just for kids. Even educated people are thinking that it is just for children, they are not exposed to it.”

source/content: indianexpress.com (headline edited)

: A remarkable innovation by a rural student from Uppinangady has received international recognition. A model of a sewing chair designed to assist differently-abled individuals, created by Abdul Bashith, a student of the Government Model Higher Primary School, Uppinangady, has been selected for the prestigious INSPIRE Award and has now advanced to the international level. The model is currently being showcased at the international science conference ‘Sakura’ in Japan, where Bashith is already present to participate in the event.

Bashith developed this model when he was in class 8 at the Government Model Higher Primary School. He is now a class 10 student. He hails from Kadavinabagilu in Beltangady taluk and is the son of Ilyas Pasha and Sabiya. He received guidance from science teacher Krishnaveni Rai, with additional support from assistant teachers Nayana and Sujaya.

Abdul Bashith was felicitated last week and given a warm send-off to Japan by Malik Deenar Juma Masjid, Uppinangady, in recognition of his achievement.

The innovation, titled Sewing Chair for Handicaps, is specially designed for individuals with upper limb disabilities. It offers accessibility and ease of use for those who have lost their hands.

Out of 1.10 lac science models registered for the INSPIRE Awards across the state, 7,541 were shortlisted at the district level. Among these, 741 models advanced to the state level, and only 39 were selected for the national level. Bashith’s model succeeded at every stage and was eventually selected for international representation after impressing judges at the national-level competition held at the IIT Delhi campus from September 14 to 20, 2024.

source/content: daijiworld.com (headline edited)

Deputy Chief Minister and Bengaluru Development Minister D.K. Shivakumar received the official Guinness World Record certificate on behalf of Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) on Wednesday.

A water conservation campaign the board took up from March 21 to 28, began with Cauvery Aarti at Sankey Tank, has set a record for maximum number of pledges (5.33 Lakh) to conserve water in a week. 

Speaking at the event, Mr. Shivakumar said that the recent water hike taken up after over a decade was an attempt to reduce the losses to the board by about ₹500 crore annually. “We are still not able to break even. But we are trying to reduce losses,” he said, adding that still about 35% of the property owners are not paying bills regularly. 

He further said that the State government was planning to supply the Cauvery water to 2 crore people in the Bengaluru region. “Presently, we are now providing water to newly added areas to BBMP in 2007-08 through Cauvery V Stage. There are about 50 lakh people around the city, to whom we are now planning to provide Cauvery water,” he said, referring to Cauvery VI Stage, for which a detailed project peport (DPR) is under way. 

Mr. Shivakumar also pointed out that cities like Delhi had progressed to dual piping system, with drinking water and water for other purposes being supplied separately and said that Bengaluru should also tread the same path in the future. 

Referring to objections to Cauvery Aarti at KRS dam, the Minister said that Mandya’s farmers were not fully informed of the event and said that he would soon hold a joint meeting with the district in-charge Minister to clear the air.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL) expects District I to serve as a central platform to accelerate deep-tech entrepreneurship, enterprise-driven innovation, and the commercialisation of academic research.

The government of Karnataka, Bengaluru Airport City Limited (BACL), and ANSR have jointly announced the launch of a Global Innovation Hub, District I within the Business Park of BACL.

The Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL) said that District I will serve as a central platform to accelerate deep-tech entrepreneurship, enterprise-driven innovation, and the commercialisation of academic research.

BIAl hopes that by bringing together Global Capability Centers (GCCs), IT service providers, accelerators, corporate labs, startups, VCs, academia, and public institutions will foster an interconnected, collaborative ecosystem across industries and institutions.

With a focus on advanced technologies, such as AI, quantum computing, blockchain, and customer experience technologies, this hub will foster innovation in critical industries, including aerospace, space tech, smart cities, retail, BFSI, manufacturing, telecom, and defence — sectors where Bengaluru already leads with deep technological capabilities.

District I will be an integral part of Bengaluru Airport City’s expansive 28 million sq. ft. Business Park cluster, which is being projected as a world-class, mixed-use urban destination encompassing cutting-edge R&D hubs, a dedicated Education & Health District, a vibrant mix of hospitality, entertainment, and lifestyle offerings.

“Bengaluru has always led from the front in India’s tech journey. With the Global Innovation Hub, we are creating a platform that brings together every part of the ecosystem to collaborate, innovate, and lead globally. This is a key step toward making Bengaluru the world’s next great innovation capital,” said Ekroop Caur, secretary, Department of Electronics, IT, BT, and S&T, Government of Karnataka.

“At Bengaluru Airport City, we are proud to introduce District I, a dynamic hub created to inspire and empower the next generation of innovators. More than just a physical space, District I captures the ethos of work, play, live, learn, and create, offering startups and enterprises a vibrant ecosystem backed by world-class infrastructure. District I is central to our long-term vision of building a future-ready, innovation- led economy – one where ideas spark, collaborations thrive, and entrepreneurs drive meaningful change,” said Rao Munukutla, Executive Director & CEO, BACL.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

The total number of passengers (including men) who travelled in ordinary buses under the four corporations since Shakti scheme’s launch in 2023 stands at 801.54 crore, according to data shared by KSRTC.

Shakti, one of the five guarantee schemes of the Congress government in the state, completed two years on Wednesday, clocking a whopping 474.82 crore free rides availed by women in state-run non-premium buses across Karnataka, in that period. The total ticket price of the free rides stood at Rs 11,994 crore.

The popular scheme, which was launched on June 11, 2023, was one of the first guarantees implemented after the Congress came to power in Karnataka, and has been receiving an overwhelming response. Officials from the state-run bus corporations said Shakti has not only increased the number of women passengers, but also helped increase the intake of male passengers. Since the launch of the scheme, women across the state have been using the free travel benefit not only to travel to work, but also undertake pilgrimages and leisure tours.

Shakti also piqued the interest of other states, like Andhra Pradesh, whose representatives visited KSRTC earlier this year, to learn about its operational framework and the challenges in implementing it, a KSRTC official said.

The total number of passengers (including men) who travelled in ordinary buses under the four corporations — Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC), Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC), Kalyana Karnataka Road Transport Corporation (KKRTC), and North West Karnataka Road Transport Corporation (NWKRTC) — since the launch of the Shakti scheme (June 11, 2023 up to June 10, 2025) stands at 801.54 crore, according to data shared by KSRTC.

Among the four bus corporations, BMTC had the highest women passengers at 150 crore, followed by KSRTC at 144 crore. While 111 crore women travelled in NWKRTC buses, 68 crore women availed the free travel benefit with KKRTC. In terms of total ticket value of women passengers, KSRTC topped the list at Rs 4,556 crore, followed by Rs 2,968 crore in NWRTC, Rs 2,408 crore in KKRTC, and BMTC with Rs 2,061 crore.

While the state government said it will be distributing Shakti Smart Cards to women, by linking them with their Aadhaar with local domicile, which can be produced to avail the free travel, no concrete development has taken place in this regard in the past two years.

The Guarantee in Numbers (from June 11, 2023, to June 10, 2025)

Total number of rides 801.54 crore

Total number of free rides availed 474.82 crore

Total ticket value of free rides availed D11,994 crore

BMTC had the highest women passengers with 150 crore, followed by KSRTC with 144 crore

source/content: newindianexpress.com (headline edited)

In the last year alone, Bengaluru-Karnataka has evolved from “rising star” to standing firmly among the titans of the global startup economy, the report said.

“This ranking is not just a number; it reflects the structural resilience and readiness of Karnataka’s innovation economy.” — IT/BT Minister Priyank Kharge.

Bengaluru climbed seven spots to reach the 14th place in the Global Startup Ecosystem Report (GSER) 2025, from 21st last year. Among the Indian cities ranked in the report, Bengaluru tops the chart, followed by Delhi in 29th position and Mumbai in 40th.

The report, unveiled by innovation ecosystem development consultant Startup Genome at Viva Technology 2025 — an annual technology conference held in Paris — ranks ecosystems based on performance, funding, market reach, talent and experience, knowledge and emerging AI-native strength.

Silicon Valley, New York City, and London came in the top three positions. Bengaluru was ranked number 5 among the Top 50 AI cities globally.

Maturing ecosystem

“In the last year alone, Bengaluru-Karnataka has evolved from “rising star” to standing firmly among the titans of the global startup economy,” the report said.

It cited a mix of factors such as billion-dollar exits, deep sectoral strength, government-led capital interventions, and one of the richest talent ecosystems in the world as the reason behind the city’s strong performance.

Among the examples highlighted are Swiggy’s public debut with a $12 billion valuation, which was one of the largest IPOs to come out of India, GoDigit’s $3.6 billion public listing, Indegene’s valuation at $1.3 billion and Blackbuck’s $1 billion IPO.

“These success stories weren’t anomalies; they were the results of a deep, maturing ecosystem that also saw total ecosystem value reach $136 billion in 2024. Bengaluru-Karnataka also produced 32 unicorns between 2020 and 2024, proving its capacity to consistently scale high-potential startups into global contenders,” read the report.

Proactive policies

Between 2020 and 2024, $38 billion of VC funding flowed into the region marking strong investor confidence.

The report also termed the startup policies of the State as ‘decisive’ and ‘proactive.’ The report highlighted how the state government, in its 2025 budget, announced a Fund of Funds initiative and earmarked ₹100 crore for Deep Tech development. 

“This ranking is not just a number; it reflects the structural resilience and readiness of the State’s innovation economy. Bengaluru has always been a builder’s city, and our rise in the GSER shows how our ecosystem’s potential is translating into global outcomes,” said IT-BT minister Priyank Kharge, who joined a panel discussion at the event.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)