Category: Uncategorized

Shreya Srinivasan, aged 10, a resident of Milpitas in California, USA, has been selected for U-11 USA Table Tennis National Team.

She is the daughter of former Mysuru residents Madhuri Kantur Shekar and Srinivasan Ramkumar. Madhuri was a former TT champion, who represented India at the Asian School Games and was ranked No. 2 in Karnataka for eight consecutive years.

Shreya is currently the youngest member of the 2025 USA U-11 Girls National Team. Recently, she became U-11 Girls Champion at the WTT Youth Contender San Francisco III following her third-place finish at the WTT Youth Contender San Francisco II early this year.

She has been training at the India Community Centre (ICC) Table Tennis Club in Milpitas which has produced Olympians such as Lily Zang, Kanak Jha, Amy Wang and Timothy Wang.

Shreya is coached by Kiranjoy Pushilal, a former Indian National Player. Her achievements include WTT Youth Contender San Francisco III U-11 Girls Champion; Youth Member of U-11 USA Girls National Team; Semi-finalist  in WTT Youth Contender San Francisco II U-11 Girls tournament; Runner Up in US Nationals U-11 Girls Doubles — Omnipong; Quarter-finalist in 2025 US Nationals U-11 Mixed Doubles; 3rd Place in Westchester Northeast USA TT Regionals U-11 Girls.

Shreya Srinivasan is the grand-daughter K.N. Shekar and Usha Shekar, residents of Vidyaranyapuram in Mysuru.

source/content: starofmysore.com (headline edited)

The New York Academy of Sciences and Tata Sons announced the names and awarded them in three different categories- food security, sustainability and healthcare.

The 2025 Tata Transformation Prize has been awarded to three research scholars from Bengaluru, one from the National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS) and two from the Indian Institute of Science (IIS).

The New York Academy of Sciences and Tata Sons announced the names and awarded them in three different categories- food security, sustainability and healthcare. Each winner will receive Rs 2 crore. These three winners were selected from 212 nominations from 27 states.

N Chandrasekaran, Chairman of Tata Sons, said, “The scientific advancements achieved by this year’s winners are the result of years of sacrifice. The Tata Group is proud to support the winners in their endeavour.”

Nicholas B Dirks, president and CEO of The New York Academy of Sciences, said, “The Tata Transformation Prize celebrates scientific breakthroughs with the power to address pressing societal challenges while fostering economic progress and global impact. The 2025 Winners exemplify the power of Indian science to drive meaningful global change.”

source/content: newindianexpress.com (headline edited)

Konkan Yuva, the dynamic youth wing of the Konkani community of St Mary’s Catholic Church successfully hosted the first-ever Yuva Olympics 2025 on Sunday, November 9, at Springdales School, Al Quoz, creating a historic milestone for the Konkani Catholic community in the UAE.

This landmark event brought together over 600 athletes from 18 teams, accompanied by more than 2,500 enthusiastic spectators who gathered to witness a day of spirited competition, unity, and cultural pride.

Opening ceremony and flag hoisting
The opening ceremony began with a grand procession led by Ashwin Pinto, president of Konkan Yuva, joined by guests, past presidents, executive members, and the UAE’s only Konkani Brass Band, Konkan Thaaram. Teams marched impressively in a well-coordinated march past which was followed by a heartfelt prayer song delivered by the Konkan Yuva Choir team, before the ceremonial flag hoisting.

The Konkan Yuva flag was raised by Ullas Fernandes, the first president of Konkan Yuva; the Yuva Olympics flag by chief guest Aldrin Lewis, general manager of Globelink West Star Shipping LLC; and the UAE flag by Fr Jerome Monteiro, parish priest of Our Lady of Fatima Church, Pernal.

President Ashwin Pinto welcomed all dignitaries, teams, and spectators, marking the start of a memorable sporting celebration. Fr Victor Fernandes OFM Cap, spiritual director, congratulated Konkan Yuva for pioneering the first athletic meet dedicated to the Konkani community in the UAE.

Olympic torch ceremony honours top athletes
The Olympic torch ceremony showcased five exceptional young athletes, lighting the ceremonial cauldron to officially commence the games:
? Keith Nathan Saldanha: A National-level Incline Roller Skating champion and CBSE cluster basketball U14 player.
? Nathan Mark Gomes: Bronze Medalist at the UAE School Games U15 Badminton 2024 and winner of eight badminton titles.
? Neville Glen Castelino: Gold medalist at the CBSE National Athletic meet (4x100m) and multiple-time UAE cluster champion.
? Shanelle Caillope D’Souza: Ranked first in Middle East Artistic Gymnastics and fifth at the 2025 Junior World Tennis Series.
? Melena Lobo: A multi-year champion with 12 medals in athletics and swimming.

The ceremony continued with the unveiling of the Yuva Olympics Trophy. Chief guest Aldrin Lewis then took the stage to officially declare the games open. With the competitions about to begin, the sports secretary Prajwal Lopes administered the athlete’s oath to all participants, concluding the formal ceremony segment, which was then followed by a vote of thanks from general secretary Sherul Nazareth.

The events carried on for a full day, featuring participants across multiple age categories: 18–28 years, 29–38 years, and 39 years and above. The intense schedule included a full array of track and field sports: 1500m race, 800m race, 400m race, 100m race, 200m race, the fast-paced 4 x 100m relay, long jump, and shot put. Beyond the track, the competition also featured the CrossFit obstacle challenge and the team strength contest, Tug of War.

Dignitaries and support
Several dignitaries and sponsors graced the inaugural function, highlighting wide community support. Guests included  Kevin Fernandes and Elveera Fernandes of Mika Technical Services LLC; Dinesh Correa of Falcon Trackers; James and Sobha Mendonca of Middle East Factory LLC and Reliable Industries LLC; Ronald Martis of Blue Royal Group; Dainy D’Souza of Konkan Tharan Brass Band; Ivan Fernandes of KEL; Manoj Vas and Veena Veigas of Resort Supplies General Trading LLC; Avith Dsouza of GKV Associates; Dayan Dsouza Mukamar of Daiji Dubai; and Johnson Rebeiro of Transformation Exhibition and Events Management.

Konkan Yuva’s executive committee members present included Denzil Moras, Sherul Nazareth, Bryan Lobo, Sunny Fernandes, Prajwal Lopes, Jovita Rebello, Teena D’Souza, Sushmitha Sequeira, Elvita D’Souza, Viyol Crasto, and Gwynfor Pereira.

The day’s ceremonies were hosted by MC Vernon D’Souza and MC Roshan D’Silva, with musical entertainment provided by DJ Norman and DJ Avil.

Competition results and community recognition
Competitions continued throughout the day, culminating in a lively closing ceremony and prize distribution. Twigs Super Strikers emerged as the overall champions, followed by Team Planet Air as first runners up and Team Flyway United as second runners up.

Referees for the track and field events included Amcil Fernandes, Revathy Leena, Adithya Rao, Neethu Abraham, Vijay Herekar, and Ziyad, while CrossFit challenges were conducted under the guidance of coaches Rahul, Raja, Grizel, and Abin.

Special honours were presented to Sobha Mendonca, managing director of Middle East Factory LLC, and Joseph Mathias, managing director of Merit Freight Systems LLC and coordinator of SMMC, in recognition of their dedicated service to the Konkani community.

Konkan Yuva extended heartfelt thanks to all sponsors, donors, and well-wishers for their support, with special appreciation to the Dubai Ambulance Corporation Services for ensuring safety throughout the event.

The celebration concluded with energetic DJ performances and traditional Baila dancing, adding a vibrant cultural finale to the landmark sporting day.

Through the success of the Yuva Olympics 2025, Konkan Yuva reaffirmed its commitment to promoting Konkani culture, unity, and youth empowerment under its enduring message: “Together we play, Together we rise.”

About Konkan Yuva
Konkan Yuva is the dynamic youth wing of the Konkani community of St Mary’s Catholic Church in Dubai, dedicated to preserving and promoting Konkani language, culture, and values through various social and cultural initiatives.

source/content: daijiworld.com (headline edited)

Mangaluru-born tech leader Jayshree Ullal has secured the top position in the list of India’s richest women entrepreneurs with a wealth of Rs 50,170 crore, according to the Hurun Research India Rich List 2025.

Ullal, president and CEO of the US-based computer networking giant Arista Networks since 2008, has achieved the rare distinction of leading the country’s top 10 richest self-made women. Under her leadership, Arista recorded USD 7 billion revenue last year, marking a 20% growth over the previous year.

Ullal also serves on the board of cloud computing company Snowflake, which went public five years ago. She owns nearly 3% of Arista Networks’ shares, part of which are held in the names of her two daughters, daughter-in-law and nephew. She previously worked with Cisco Systems, Advanced Micro Devices and Fairchild Semiconductor.

Belonging to the GSB Smartha Chitrapur Saraswat Brahmin community of Mangaluru, Ullal continues to be one of the most respected global business leaders of Indian origin.

Radha Vembu ranks second

In second place is Radha Vembu with a net worth of Rs 46,580 crore. Vembu holds a majority stake in Zoho Corp, the privately held global SaaS company co-founded by her brother Sridhar Vembu. She is a graduate of IIT Madras in industrial management.

Falguni Nayar takes the third spot

Falguni Nayar, founder of beauty and lifestyle retail chain Nykaa, stands third with Rs 39,810 crore. After quitting her career as an investment banker, Nayar launched Nykaa in 2012, which today operates nearly 200 stores across the country.

Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw at fourth

Biocon founder Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw ranks fourth with Rs 29,330 crore. A pioneer in India’s biotech sector, she began her entrepreneurial journey from a small garage in 1978 and now heads Biocon Ltd and Biocon Biologics.

Other prominent names in the top ten

5. Ruchi Kalra – Rs 9,130 crore
   Co-founder and CEO of OfBusiness, a major B2B commerce and financing platform.
6. Juhi Chawla (and family) – Rs 7,790 crore
   The former Bollywood star has built a strong portfolio in business, real estate and sports investments. Her net worth has grown 69% since last year, placing her among the wealthiest film personalities.
7. Neha Bansal – Rs 5,640 crore
   Co-founder of Lenskart, Bansal heads the business and legal functions of the eyewear giant. She earlier founded DNS Advisors.
8. Indra Nooyi – Rs 5,130 crore
   The former PepsiCo chairperson and CEO spent 24 years with the company, doubling its revenue and steering its global transformation. She continues to serve on global advisory boards, including Amazon and Deutsche Bank.
9. Neha Narkhede (and family) – Rs 4,160 crore
   Co-founder of Confluent and co-creator of Apache Kafka, she also founded cybersecurity platform Oscilar. She was named among America’s richest self-made women by Forbes.
10. Kavita Subramanian – Rs 3,840 crore
    Co-founder of Upstox, one of India’s leading online investment platforms. She previously worked with LeapFrog Investments, Actis and SKS Microfinance.

The annual list highlights the dramatic rise of women leaders in technology, biotech, fintech, retail and entertainment, showcasing India’s growing ecosystem of powerful women entrepreneurs.

source/content: daijiworld.com (headline edited)

The work aims to make India’s transition to solar and wind energy both reliable and practical.

Researchers at the International Institute of Information Technology Bangalore (IIIT-B) are using machine learning and mathematics to tackle one of renewable energy’s toughest problems – how to generate enough clean power without driving up costs or risking grid instability.

By developing optimisation models that balance carbon reduction with affordability, their work aims to make India’s transition to solar and wind energy both reliable and practical. Their models not only forecast solar or wind power generation, but they also balance multiple objectives at once such as accuracy, cost, and reliability, helping grid operators make fairer, more transparent decisions in real time. 

Datasets from Germany

Aswin Kannan, assistant professor, IIIT-B, who led the research, along with his students, have worked on datasets from Germany (Netztransparenz, SMARD), the United States of America (NREL), and India, linking weather variables such as irradiance, temperature, and pressure to real power-output data. 

From multiple research papers, the team found that accuracy alone is not enough.

“In energy markets, over-predicting reduces reliability, while under-predicting increases operational costs. We also found that bias in data can quietly distort results. By combining optimisation with learning, we can detect these biases and build forecasts that balance cost, reliability, and fairness for real-time grid operations,” Prof. Kannan explained.

While much of his early work was in Europe, Prof. Kannan says India presents a far more dynamic challenge. “India’s renewable data quality is actually very good, sometimes better than Europe, but its variability is much higher,” he said, pointing out that unlike Germany’s uniform weather, India’s solar and wind conditions vary drastically across States and seasons.  

He also noted that in India, publicly managed transmission systems are better suited to handle such vast and diverse networks compared to Europe’s privatised model.

A transition of scale

Higher solar radiation doesn’t automatically mean higher output here. Humidity, dust, and terrain play a much bigger role. In fact, India already generates a larger share of power from renewables than many realise, he added.

According to Prof. Kannan, India’s energy transition is not difficult because of policy or unpredictable supply, but because of scale. “In Europe, the transition meant retrofitting existing pipelines for hydrogen. In India, the challenge is creating new microgrids, battery systems, and transmission lines for variable renewable power,” he said.

Prof. Kannan’s ongoing research now focuses on solar, wind, and hydro systems, and how they can work together within a joint hydrogen–electricity network. While industry tools typically aim only for accuracy, in this framework, the models weigh trade-offs between cost, bias, and risk of error. They also switch algorithms based on data quality or changing weather, an approach that makes them more resilient to sudden shifts or uncertainty. 

The research has clear implications for grid operators, policymakers, and renewable developers. Better forecasts, as per the team, can prevent costly imbalances in power markets, reduce wastage, and allow for more flexible energy pricing.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

While Bengaluru was a military cantonment in the British era, Kempe Gowda’s Bengaluru was a trading town.

Bengaluru is a city with history anywhere you care to look, from its temples to its colonial architecture, its gardens and parks. But uniquely among the city’s historians, architect and researcher Yashaswini Sharma has chosen to delve into the history of the city’s walled core, from the years of Kempe Gowda onwards–where even the names of surviving neighbourhoods and street layouts can tell you a great deal about the past. Her book on the topic, Bangalore: The Early City (2016), delves into these topics, tracing the origin of the walled pete and how it would go on to develop, influenced by its various rulers.

Sharma’s firm, Esthetique Architects, works in traditional architecture as well as restoration.

The book was also influenced by the author’s upbringing in the city. She said, “When I started my architectural studies, I invariably took a route through the pete. I could see a change in the architecture and social fabric. Even the way people gathered was different, the lifestyle, the size of the roads…..trying to understand that was the beginning of the journey.”

On the remnants of Kempe Gowda’s city that are still apparent, Sharma said, “The roads, the boundaries–they all changed their character but remained. The old fortifications have turned into roads. We know that it was very much like the first 18th-century map from 1791 during the Third Anglo-Mysore War. The historic temples remain. We have lost the palaces, but whatever was built in stone remains–the north entrance of the oval fort also still survives.”

Kempe Gowda’s Bengaluru

Sharma has also examined the character of the early city. While Bengaluru was a military cantonment in the British era, Kempe Gowda’s Bengaluru was a trading town–the hill fortress defending Kempe Gowda’s domains was atop the hill of Savanadurga.

harma said, “It is both in the layout and the circumstances that seeded the town. We have found Roman coins in two places in Bangalore, dated from the 1st century AD. This means that we had a trade route passing through. The Chola southern highway also passed through these parts…if you look at the pete, you will see that all the neighbourhoods are named after a particular commodity or product. The division of sub-petes within the pete was based on the idea of a commodity. Certain communities also associated themselves with certain areas–if you look at Thigalarpet–that is from the Thigala community. They were organised around the Dharmaraya (Yudhistira) temple.”

Sharma’s research into the town planning of the era also opened up interesting revelations. She noted that while the modern discourse of town planning often defaults to the Western concept of design, there were also Indian systems of planning that existed.

She said, “These were written in books called Shilpa Shastras, which are not part of any architectural or town planning curriculum. I had to go back and refer to these canonical treatises–in India these are quite regional with their variations. I had to find the principles behind the layouts, and I found them in the Shilpa Shastras…as far as the sacred architecture, you find influences from the Ganga and Chola times to Vijayanagara, which is Kempe Gowda’s period. You see a lot of the later Vijayanagara imprint in the pete.”

Some of the earliest sources on old Bengaluru that Sharma referred to date back to the Third Anglo-Mysore War, with drawings of the city that were made in the context of their assault on the fort and walled town.

source/content: indianexpress.com (headline edited)

According to the Swedish firm, the initiative is part of Ericsson’s broader R&D expansion in India, including the growth of ASIC (Application-Specific Integrated Circuit) development.

Ericsson, a multinational telecommunications company that offers networking and telecommunications equipment and services globally, has opened a new R&D unit to drive 5G software development in Bengaluru, on November 13.

The new R&D unit would initially focus on developing 5G and 5G Advanced features for the Ericsson 5G baseband. The work would be carried out in close collaboration with the company’s global RAN (Radio Access Network) software teams.

According to the Swedish firm, the initiative is part of Ericsson’s broader R&D expansion in India, including the growth of ASIC (Application-Specific Integrated Circuit) development. Ericsson is focused on advancing 5G, 6G and AI development across R&D centres in Bengaluru, Chennai and Gurugram.

Nitin Bansal, Managing Director, Ericsson India and Head of Network solutions, Market Area South East Asia, Oceania and India, said, “Setting up the R&D centre in India for RAN software development represents a significant step forward towards strengthening our R&D operations in India. Even as we leverage Indian software talent, we are also contributing to building the knowledge base and the telecom eco-system in the country.”

David Bjore, Head of RAN Software & Compute Platforms, Ericsson, said, “We’re building on the strong partnerships we’ve formed in Bengaluru, Chennai, and Gurugram, and for the first time, we’re developing this RAN software ourselves in India. This is a significant step, as it not only supports India’s rising tech scene but also enables us to create solutions in the country that can have a global impact.”

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

All working women aged 18–52 in permanent, contractual and outsourced jobs in Karnataka will now be entitled to one day of menstrual leave per month, as per a Government Order issued on November 12.

“Employers have been directed to provide 12 paid leaves per year to all women employees aged 18–52 in establishments coming under the Factories Act, 1948; Karnataka Shops and Commercial Establishments Act, 1961; Plantation Workers Act, 1951; Beedi Cigar Workers (Condition of Employment) Act, 1966; and Motor Vehicle Workers Act, 1961,” the order stated.

The Shops and Commercial Establishments Act also covers IT and ITES companies, ensuring women in these sectors benefit from the policy. The Government Order comes a month after the state Cabinet cleared the Menstrual Leave Policy 2025, which provides 12 menstrual leaves per year—one leave per month.

The policy was formulated by an 18-member committee headed by Dr Sapna S of Christ (Deemed-to-be University). It initially recommended six menstrual leaves per year, but the labour department later upgraded the provision to 12 before submitting it to the government.

According to the government order, women employees must use the menstrual leave in the same month it is allotted and cannot carry over the leave to the next month.

The order also specifies that women do not need to submit any medical certificate while availing themselves of the menstrual leave.

source/content: daijiworld.com (headline edited)

Karnataka Cashew Manufacturers’ Association (KCMA) will organise a cashew expo during the three-day ‘Kaju Centennial Summit – 2025’, which begins at TMA Pai International Convention Centre in Mangaluru from November 14, according to Kalbavi Prakash Rao, convener of the Summit and a former president of KCMA.

Addressing the press here on Friday, he said that there will be 120 stalls which will showcase cutting-edge cashew processing technology, machinery from India and Vietnam, and innovative product lines.

Mr. Kalbavi said that about 300 cashew processing units in Karnataka have provided employment to 70,000 labourers, mainly women. “The units did not retrench employees when going for mechanisation, which involved switching from manual processing to automation,” he said.

“Seven labourers were required to process one bag (80 kg) of cashew manually. With automation, one labourer was enough to process one bag of cashew. Yet we (cashew manufacturers) did not remove workers from their jobs. Even after automation, the same number of workers are continuing in the units. However, new labourers are not joining the units since many youngsters are now choosing IT and other jobs,” Mr. Kalbavi added.

He further said that cashew units, along with beedi and tiles factories, were the traditional industries that provided employment to many persons in the coastal region. Cashew units in Karnataka now process about five lakh tonnes of cashew.

Demand for split kernels

He said that there is growing demand from consumers for split cashew kernels instead of whole kernels. But India does not have surplus cashew production to increase exports, which now stand at about 50,000 tonnes per annum.

Conference themes

Mr. Kalbavi said that experts at the summit will deliberate on emerging global market trends, shifting demand from traditional trade to e-commerce and quick commerce, marketing strategies to boost domestic consumption growth from 7-8% to 12-13% annually, and achieving 2.5 million tonnes of production by 2030.

Distribution of seedlings

A.K. Rao, president, KCMA, said that the KCMA in association with Shree Kshetra Dharmasthala Rural Development Project (SKDRDP), Vijayalaxmi Foundation, and Udupi Pejawar Mutt, distributed 13 lakh grafted cashew seedlings to farmers free of cost over the last nine years under the ‘Vriksha Raksha Vishwa Raksha’ project. “They are worth about ₹6 crore,” he said, adding that the survival rate of those seedlings was at 80% to 85%. Another two lakh seedlings will be distributed this year.

“It has been proposed to plant about 2.5 million to three lakh million cashew saplings in Karnataka by 2030 under the project, adding 20,000 tonnes of raw cashew production to the State,” Mr. Rao added.

The summit will be held to celebrate 100 years of cashew processing in Mangaluru.

The conference featured 65 student delegates from 5 RMSs and 3 Army Public Schools, debating issues such as state-sponsored terrorism and lethal autonomous weapons.

In a showcase of diplomacy, public speaking, and critical thinking, Rashtriya Military School (RMS), Bengaluru clinched the Best Delegation Trophy at the Rashtriya Military School Model United Nations Conference 2025 held on October 31 and November 1 in Bengaluru. 

RMS Chail was the runner-up.

Brigadier Ranjeet Alva S. M., who inaugurated the event, emphasized the importance of dialogue, empathy, and leadership in today’s global landscape.

The conference featured 65 student delegates from 5 RMSs and 3 Army Public Schools, debating issues such as state-sponsored terrorism and lethal autonomous weapons.

Former ambassador N. Parthasarathi, who attended the closing ceremony, lauded the defence authorities and The Dais for empowering youth through such platforms.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)