Category: Uncategorized

Sakhi, a women-only auto aggregator, launched its service in Bengaluru on February 14; it has so far onboarded 50 autos, all driven by women drivers.

Vinutha, a disabled person in her thirties, has been driving an auto for the past two years for a living. A former employee at a garment factory, she chose to drive auto as a profession for the love of driving. But the experience has not always been pleasant.

“There have been times when male passengers misbehaved with me,” said Vinutha, who expressed joy at being a part of Sakhi, a newly launched aggregator which offers auto rides by women, for women.

Sakhi launched its service in Bengaluru on February 14. It has so far onboarded 50 autos, all driven by women drivers. Launched with the aim of making auto-rides more comfortable and stress-free for women, the platform takes orders only from women passengers.

A stress-free alternative

“There are many instances where I have come back home late – sometimes while doing my internship, other times after meeting friends. I always take an auto and nothing untoward has happened so far, but there is always stress and a sense of caution at the back of my mind. I always make sure someone from my family or friends tracks my live location in such instances,” said Amruta P., a law student from Bengaluru. 

She feels platforms like Sakhi could be a stress-free option for women passengers, especially during odd hours.

“Women feel that they have to stay alert whenever they are travelling. I felt it was long overdue that we get rid of that anxiety. That is why I started Sakhi,” said Krishnavi Parekh, founder of the start-up.

Women-only model

Passengers are charged ₹50 for the first 2 km and ₹20 per km after that. While all the income currently goes to the drivers, the start-up may consider taking a commission in the future, said Ms. Parekh.

While the initiative differentiates itself through the women-only model, concerns prevail about acceptance and uptake, given how most users are accustomed to existing ride-hailing platforms.

“Most of us are used to on-demand ride-hailing and existing services like Namma Yatri, Uber, and Ola. If the number of women drivers on the platform is low, the availability of drivers as and when required could be an issue. If a driver is not immediately available, most people will look for alternate options,” said Jaya Rajeev, a resident of Bengaluru.

However, Ms. Parekh pointed out that it is still early days. Confident that the numbers will rise in the coming days, she speaks of an overwhelming response on social media handles and the direct booking number.

“Changing the user behaviour was a challenge that I thought of early on. But we have been receiving a good response so far. People have reached out to us saying they want to book it on a subscription basis for two-three weeks for their commute to and from office,” she said.

Sense of empowerment

Drivers said they received close to 20 bookings per week via the platform during the pilot.

Noting that similar initiatives in cities like Gurugram received a good response, Ms. Parekh further added that many women feel a sense of empowerment and sisterhood when they are empowering other women.

“The comfort that women have with other women, I think it may be difficult to walk away from that once one experiences it,” she said.

The bookings are currently taken through the start-up’s website and a direct WhatsApp number 6361933364. The team plans to launch an app in a month.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

Pratitee Bordoloi, also representing Karnataka, secured the second position with six points, while Pranav A J finished third.

Karnataka’s Drishtee Ghosh clinched the title at the 58th BRDCA (Bangalore Rural District Chess Association) Open Category Rapid Chess Tournament-2026, with 335 players participating across various categories.

In the Open category, Drishtee Ghosh emerged champion with a commanding performance of six-and-a-half points. Pratitee Bordoloi, also representing Karnataka, secured the second position with six points, while Pranav A J finished third. Meera Singhal won the Best Female Player (above 41 years) title while Sarumathi S secured the Best Female Player (Above 21 years) title.

Among the special prize winners, Sheshasayanam G was adjudged Best Veteran (above 61), while Santhosh Kumar B S won the Best Veteran (above 51) title. Meera Singhal claimed the Best Female (above 41) prize and Sarumathi S secured the Best Female (above 21) title. Sanav Ashok and Samagnaa Shetty were recognised as the youngest boy and girl participants, respectively.

source/content: newindianexpress.com (headline edited)

Bengaluru recorded over 12 million square feet of GCC leasing in 2025, far ahead of its nearest competitors — Pune with 4.8 million square feet and Hyderabad and NCR with 4.5 million square feet.

Capturing more than one-third of the country’s total Global Capacity Centre (GCC) leasing, Bengaluru has continued to lead India’s GCC landscape maintaining a clear edge over other markets, notes the latest FICCI-ANAROCK report.  

According to “Workplaces 2025: India Commercial Real Estate Reimagined”, GCCs accounted for nearly 40% of office leasing across India’s top cities in 2025, with Bengaluru alone capturing more than one-third of the country’s total GCC leasing. 

The city recorded over 12 million square feet of GCC leasing in 2025, far ahead of its nearest competitors — Pune with 4.8 million square feet and Hyderabad and NCR with 4.5 million square feet. 

Far ahead

With the presence of 875 GCC centres, Bengaluru holds a share of more than 35% of India’s GCC leasing activity in 2025. 

“While all the other cities have witnessed steady gains, none come close to Bengaluru’s scale or consistency. With its deep technology base, diverse talent pool, and established innovation clusters along the Outer Ring Road, Whitefield, and North Bengaluru, the city remains the epicentre of India’s GCC growth story, continuing to attract the world’s top enterprises for long-term expansion,” notes the report.  

Demand drivers

The report also identified that the city saw the addition of 13.5 million square feet of new office supply in 2025 and accounted for 26% of completions across the top seven cities. Bengaluru currently has approximately 215 million square feet of Grade A office stock. 

“Bengaluru’s office absorption has grown steadily, rising from 7.7 mn sq ft in 2021 to 14.93 mn sq ft in 2025, supported by strong occupier demand. Its share among the top seven cities has largely stayed between 24% and 30%, reflecting the city’s consistent appeal through 2025 as well,” said the report. 

The demand is primarily driven by IT-ITeS sector, coworking operators and manufacturing and industrial segments. 

While IT-ITeS contributed close to 35% of the leasing activity in 2025, the share of co-working operators remained steady at 25%.  

Priyank Kharge, Minister for Electronics, IT, BT and S&T, Government of Karnataka, remarked that Karnataka’s growth as India’s leading innovation and GCC hub is the outcome of consistent policy focus, ecosystem building and execution on the ground.  

“Our emphasis has been on strengthening the startup pipeline, attracting global technology investments, and building world-class, sustainable infrastructure. The strong performance in startup funding and the continued dominance of Bengaluru in GCC-led office absorption reflect the confidence global companies and investors have in Karnataka’s vision for a future-ready, innovation-led economy,” he said. 

Congestion, slow Metro expansion flagged

The report, which identifies its startup and GCC ecosystems, strong office demand, skilled workforce, quality infrastructure and government support as strengths of Bengaluru, also highlights the city’s weaknesses.  

These include traffic congestion, high rentals in prime areas such as CBD & Outer Ring Road, infrastructure gaps such as slow Metro expansion, dependence on groundwater and erratic power supply.  

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

A nine-day national-level exhibition of the Sale of Articles of Rural Artisans Society (SARAS) will be held at Karavali Maidan in the city from February 20.

Organised by the Dakshina Kannada Zilla Panchayat in association with the Department of Skill Development, Entrepreneurship and Livelihood, the Karnataka State Livelihood Mission, and Mangaluru City Corporation, products made by select self-help groups (SHGs) of women across the country will be exhibited and sold at the fair.

The fair will remain open from 10.30 a.m. to 9.30 p.m., and the entry will be free. The exhibition will have over 100 stalls where the products will be sold, in addition to separate food stalls.

The products on sale include wooden dolls from Channapatna, Kinnala toys from Koppal, Molakalmuru sarees, Ilakal sarees, silk sarees, various attractive fabrics, bags made of fiber products, spice products, grain products, value-added coastal products, various types of Khadi products, products made from banana fiber, home decor items, Ayurvedic products, traditional items, household items, innovative design jewellery, and food products.

The ‘Akka-Cafes’ (Akka Food Courts), supported by the government, will serve dishes like Giramit/Churumari Mandakki, Jolada Khadak Bisirotti, Holige, Belgaum Kunda, Dharwad Peda, Mysore Pak, Mangaluru Neerdose, Kharbat, Kadabu, and non-vegetarian dishes like Roti with Chicken Sukka, Ragi Mudde-Chicken Kari Biryani, fresh juices, and other dishes from outside the State, a release from the zilla panchayat said.

Various training and lectures have been organised daily from 11.30 a.m. to 1.30 p.m. to support women in undertaking business activities. There will be cultural programmes in the evening.

Women SHGs in Karnataka

It said that as many as 3.05 lakh rural SHGs covering 32 lakh families and 39,000 urban SHGs covering 3.90 lakh families have been formed in the State under Karnataka State Livelihood Mission. Women are being continuously empowered by providing them with the necessary capacity building and skills training, as well as help with branding, packaging, value addition, and marketing systems.

Women SHGs are being provided with a market for their products through village-level fairs, monthly fairs at the taluk level, district fairs, and other State and national fairs.

The release said that 23 ‘Akka-Cafes’ are already operating in the State and 39 more cafes are under construction. Steps are being taken to establish a total of 200 cafes. About five to six women from SHGs are being employed for livelihood under each Akka-Cafe.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

Music composer and songwriter Hamsalekha was honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award.

Sabar Bonda, a Marathi film, written and directed by Rohan Parashuram Kanawade, which follows a man from the city who returns to his hometown following a death in the family, and reconnects romantically with his childhood friend Balya, won the best Indian Film honour at the 17th Bengaluru International Film Festival (BIFFes) that ended on Friday. Badiger Devendra’s Vanya won the best film in the Kannada segment.

Music composer and songwriter Hamsalekha was honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award.

Speaking on the occasion, Hamsalekha said even though the film festival has come to an end, there is no end to art itself. “Art is the beginning and not an end. Cinema is a collective art form. I am very happy to receive the award today. These film festivals are a testament to the growth of cinema every day. Films like KGF and Kanthara have propelled Kannada films onto the global stage,” he said. We need to protect democracy through art, because art has the capacity and responsibility to do it, he added.

Malayalam film Moham, directed by Fazir Razak, won second place in the best Indian film category, and Malayalam film Kaadu, directed by Suneesh Vadakumbadan, was adjudged third in the segment. Other winners include Lost Land Harawatan (Japanese), Shape of Momo (Nepali), and The Deepest Space in Us (Japanese) in the Asian cinema competition. The Republic of Pipolipinas (The Philippines) won a special jury mention and Marathi film Gondhal won the FIPRESCI Award.

Badiger Devendra’s Vanya, which premiered at the 56th International Film Festival in Goa, won the best Kannada film. The film portrays a father and daughter’s emotional fight to protect their forest homeland from the corporate mafia, oppression, and political exploitation. Kannada films Nam Saali, directed by Anil Revoor and produced by senior theatre artist Shankarayya R. Ghanti and Ravana Rajyadalli Navadampatigalu, directed by Ranga, won second and third places respectively.

Actor and director Prakash Raj, brand ambassador of the festival, said, all the languages in the world are bound by emotions because the heart of every language is its emotion. “Cinema is also a language, and we celebrate every emotion through cinema. We need these film festivals to provide a platform for people to come with different stories from different parts of the world. We need cinema to bring about issues that are contemporary to the society,” he said.

Festival director P.B. Murali said the eight-day film festival witnessed a footfall of over one lakh people. “We had 30-plus restored classics, 40-plus Asian films and created a community viewing experience this year,” he said.

Minister of Health and Family Welfare Dinesh Gundu Rao, speaking on the occasion, said every film should be released without censorship. “There should be freedom of expression in art. Kannada films should be also open and talk about every issue,” he said.

The film festival, which began on January 29, saw around 300 films from 70 countries. This year’s theme, Stree Yendare Ashte Sake (Is it enough to be a woman?) revolves around women’s empowerment.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

Fresh off sealing a multi-crore deal, Vibha Harish, whose wellness brand has been acquired at an equity valuation of ₹375 crore, on turning a personal health challenge into a big win.

When a 20-something Vibha Harish started her entrepreneurial journey in 2019 after dabbling in a family arts and crafts business, she wasn’t really thinking of building a buzzy wellness brand. The idea popped up from her own experience of dealing with PCOS and understanding that when it comes to health, it cannot be treated in bits and pieces. Thus, began the building of Cosmix, a plant-based nutrition brand that an FMCG major recently acquired at an equity valuation of approximately ₹375 crore – taking a 60 per cent stake. “We were trying to reach more homes with clean ingredients. After speaking with multiple parties, we realised a strategic partner made the most sense which is how the deal came about,” says Harish.

However, the growth was never rushed. Until its majority acquisition, the brand remained bootstrapped, which, in a way, allowed space for growth without external pressure. “When you don’t have investors from day one, you’re not being told what to launch or what will sell faster. You’re forced to be mindful of spending, decisions and beliefs,” she says, adding that the slow and steady route eventually led to the partnership. “It wasn’t just money. We wanted someone who wouldn’t change our offerings.

Harish started the company at 24, with her now husband Soorya Jagadish joining the business two years later. The duo was also on Shark Tank Season 3 in 2024, returning with `1 crore for 1 per cent equity with the condition of 1 per cent royalty till the `1 crore is recouped.

Growing up around the health practises of her mother, a homoeopathic doctor, she believed that healing takes time and patience. “You can’t want good skin but not sleep on time, or want to build muscle without taking care of your gut. Health doesn’t work in silos, and no change happens overnight. So much of wellness marketing is driven by insecurity. You see quick fixes, miracle timelines and false guarantees that only make people, who are already insecure, feel worse. None of it is nourishing or honest. I felt there was a real gap for ethical communication,” she says.

Her family support played a crucial part in navigating the uncertainty of a new business amidst starting troubles and the pandemic. “When you start something new, you’re vulnerable. In those moments, you lean heavily on those around you like I did on,” she says.

Back in 2019 when she set up the fledging venture, Harish was walking down a supermarket aisle, finding that most of the beauty and nutrition-related products were focused on telling us how our bodies should be. “It was important to me to change that narrative. They come from within. And all that matters is how healthy you are. That’s what makes a difference,” Harish had said in an interview with CE in December 2019.

She hopes to continue making that difference with plans to increase the offerings with investment pouring in. “Five years from now, if people associate us with clean ingredients, that’s good enough for me,” she says.

source/content: newindianexpress.com (headline edited)

A farmer from Lakkundi village in Gadag district has fetched a record-breaking price of Rs 74,099 per quintal for his chilli crop, setting a new benchmark in the region’s agricultural markets.

The exceptional price was secured by Chandru Chabarabhavi, who attributed the achievement to the superior quality of his produce and organic farming practices.

Chandru cultivated the Kashmir dabba variety of chilli, using only cow dung as fertiliser. Chilli prices generally range between Rs 35,000 and Rs 50,000 per quintal, depending on quality. However, this year has witnessed an unprecedented surge, marking the highest price recorded in the past two years.

In January 2023, Sharanappa, a farmer from Kotumachagi, had secured Rs 70,499 per quintal, a record that has now been surpassed by Chandru’s Rs 74,099. Farmers in Lakkundi village celebrated the achievement by distributing sweets to mark the milestone.

Earlier, the highest recorded price for chilli stood at Rs 41,101 per quintal, achieved by a farmer in 2020. Market rates hovered around Rs 45,000 per quintal in November 2022, before rising sharply to Rs 70,499 in 2023, according to farmers.

The Byadgi chilli, cultivated extensively in the Haveri, Dharwad and Gadag regions, continues to command strong demand in domestic and export markets.

Expressing his joy, Chandru said, “I anticipated a good price, but I never imagined such a record-breaking amount. I have not yet decided how to use this money, but I plan to do so carefully, especially after suffering consecutive crop losses. My friends brought sweets, and we performed puja for my crop.”

source/content: daijiworld.com (headline edited)

Smriti Mandhana delivered a captain’s performance of exceptional poise and power as Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) women claimed their second Women’s Premier League (WPL) title, defeating Delhi Capitals (DC) women by six wickets in a gripping final that was decided amid high drama in the last over at the BCA Stadium here yesterday.

Chasing a challenging target of 204 in a title clash, RCB were immediately under pressure, but Mandhana responded with fearless intent. The skipper smashed 87 off just 41 balls, striking 12 fours and three sixes, and ensured the asking rate never spiralled out of control.

After the early dismissal of Grace Harris (9), Mandhana found an ideal partner in Georgia Voll, who played a measured yet authoritative innings of 79 off 54 deliveries.

The Mandhana–Georgia partnership, worth 165 runs, became the defining passage of the final, dismantling Delhi bowling attack and swinging the momentum firmly in RCB’s favour. Even after Mandhana fell in the 19th over, the chase remained alive, though the tension inside the stadium was palpable.

A decisive moment came when Radha Yadav was offered a crucial lifeline, one that later loomed large in the context of the result. Attempting to loft a full delivery from Chinelle Henry, Radha mistimed the shot and the ball ballooned towards cover, where Minnu Mani failed to hold on despite getting both hands to it. The dropped catch not only spared Radha but also allowed RCB to scramble back for two vital runs, subtly tilting the balance in a contest ultimately decided by fine margins.

The match then reached a dramatic climax in the final over bowled by Shree Charani, with 10 runs required from six balls. Radha Yadav and Nadine de Klerk showed admirable composure under pressure. After trading singles and reducing the equation, Radha struck two consecutive boundaries.

Brief confusion followed as a bail was dislodged at the striker’s end, prompting a pause and hurried on-field discussions, before the umpires confirmed the boundary and Bengaluru’s victory with two balls to spare. Celebrations erupted as players and support staff poured onto the field.

source/content: starofmysore.com (headline edited)

Bengaluru, VTU on Friday said it has signed an agreement with UK-based company Chiac ASI to introduce Artificial Super Intelligence, a technology considered to surpass conventional AI.

Visvesvaraya Technological University said it would be adopting ASI “for the first time as part of its efforts to prepare students for emerging technologies.”

“VTU has entered into an agreement with Chiac ASI, a company based in the United Kingdom. Chiac is the world’s first ASI research institution. At present, five major companies, including Meta and Microsoft, are engaged in research in this field,” it said in a statement.

The university said Chiac ASI has published significant research at an international conference on controlling the potentially dangerous behaviour of ASI using Indian sutras, for which it has received an award.

The academic and research agreement was signed by VTU Vice-Chancellor Dr S Vidyashankar and Chiac ASI CEO Chandrashekar Nagaraju.

Dr Vidyashankar said technology was advancing rapidly, and VTU was aligning itself with emerging trends.

“We are adopting Artificial Super Intelligence, which is expected to create a revolution by 2030, while also addressing concerns related to the rapid expansion of AI,” he said.

He added that under the agreement, Chiac ASI would offer free internships to more than 1,000 students and provide ASI textbooks to engineering college faculty for effective teaching.

“These are not ordinary books, but self-updating research textbooks that evolve as the field progresses. Workshops on ASI have also been conducted for faculty members of VTU-affiliated colleges,” he said.

Chiac ASI CEO Chandrashekar Nagaraju said that from a national security perspective, it was crucial for India to establish leadership in the field of super intelligence before 2030.

“The US and China are advancing rapidly in this area. Our goal is to develop one million engineering professionals in India to work in the ASI domain,” he said.

“As the world’s largest technological university, VTU has the potential to produce 4 lakh ASI-skilled engineers, which would be a significant contribution to the nation,” he said.

This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.

source/content: hindustantimes.com (headline edited)

The budget’s focus on developing CER has been welcomed by experts.

To strengthen urban growth, the Union Budget has proposed setting up seven City Economic Regions (CER) across India, with Bengaluru selected from Karnataka.

In the budget presented on Sunday, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said Tier 2 and 3 cities, which need modern infrastructure and basic amenities, would be granted an allocation of Rs 5,000 crore per CER over five years.

“Cities are India’s engines of growth, innovation and opportunities. We shall now focus on Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities, and even temple-towns, which need modern infrastructure and basic amenities. This Budget aims to further amplify the potential of cities to deliver the economic power of agglomerations by mapping City Economic Regions based on their specific growth drivers.

An allocation of Rs 5,000 crore per CER over five years is proposed for implementing their plans through a challenge mode with a reform-cum-results-based financing mechanism,” Sitharaman said. The budget’s focus on developing CER has been welcomed by experts.

“For industries to develop, they need to be given basic infrastructure like roads, electricity, water, communications and others. We guess a major share of the Rs 5,000 crore would be used for these in the CER,” D Rajasekhar, former director of Institute for Social and Economic Change (ISEC) said.

“CER cannot be located far from a city. While we don’t know exactly where this is going to be set up, it is expected to be near Bengaluru, like in Peenya, Ramanagara, Tumakuru, Kolar.”

He said the success of this initiative will depend on the location of the CER. “We cannot strongly say if the development will ease out the pressure on Bengaluru. All depends on the CER location and what the Rs 5,000 crore is spent on,” he said.

CREDAI Karnataka President Bhaskar T Nagendrappa, said, “Growth is where infrastructure is. The moment infrastructure expenditure increases, growth follows. CER is a welcome initiative in the budget”.

“The budget’s emphasis on Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities is a welcome and much-needed shift. Growth is no longer metro-centric, and this focus will help decentralise talent, reduce migration pressure and create sustainable employment ecosystems closer to where people live,” said Subramanyam S, CEO, Ascent HR Technologies.

source/content: newindianexpress.com (headline edited)