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The Father Muller Research Center (FMRC), a pioneering hub for academic innovation under the Father Muller Charitable Institutions (FMCI), has proudly attained two significant patents, highlighting the institution’s steadfast commitment to impactful, low-cost healthcare innovation.

Patent 1: Revolutionizing Auscultation Training with Low-Cost Simulation

A transformative device for simulation-based auscultation training has been successfully patented by Dr Reena Wilma Frank, Pradeep D’Souza, Sandra Saldanha, and Dr Lulu Sherif—faculty members of FMCI. Auscultation, a vital clinical skill in medical and nursing education, often requires access to costly high-fidelity simulators.

In response to this challenge, the innovators have ingeniously repurposed a condemned stethoscope by embedding a Bluetooth earpiece into the diaphragm. The device syncs seamlessly with smartphones or tablets to deliver real-time auscultation sounds during training. Its adaptability allows integration with low-fidelity manikins or Simulated Patients (SPs), offering a cost-effective and reusable learning tool.

This homegrown innovation stands out for its accessibility and affordability—especially in resource-limited educational settings—making it an exemplary model of frugal innovation in healthcare education.

Patent 2: Biodegradable Toe Separator for Interdigital Infections

In a major advancement in dermatological care, a biodegradable toe separator designed to aid in the treatment of interdigital infections has been applied for patent and published. This innovation is the result of a collaboration between Dr Ramesh Bhat and his team from Father Muller Medical College and Srinivas University Institute of Engineering and Technology, Mukka.

Crafted using Autodesk Fusion 360 and 3D-printed with eco-friendly Polylactic Acid (PLA), the device ensures an open, ventilated interdigital space—crucial for healing and infection prevention. Anatomically tailored for the Indian population, it is particularly beneficial for diabetic patients and those in humid climates, providing comfort, durability, and orthopaedic support.

A Thriving Hub of Research Excellence

Under the dynamic leadership of Dr Ramesh Bhat, head of research & professor and unit head (department of dermatology, venereology and leprosy), FMRC continues to be a beacon of academic advancement. The centre currently oversees:

• 20 RGUHS undergraduate research projects
• 16 ICMR STS student research grants
• 4 faculty ICMR grants
• 3 IADVL grants
• 4 DERMLINK projects
• 3 DST grants
• 2 DBT grants

Annual events such as Muller Research Week, Medithon and the FMRC Research Day further bolster research culture among students and faculty, promoting interdisciplinary collaboration and patient-centered innovation.

Fr Faustine Lucas Lobo, director, FMCI, lauded the accomplishments, urging the FMRC team to continue their mission in the quest for ‘better understanding and better healing of humankind’.

Dr Antony Sylvan D’Souza, dean, Father Muller Medical College, congratulated the inventors and emphasized that such innovations bring merit and global recognition to the institution, setting new standards in education and healthcare delivery.

With these landmark achievements, the Father Muller Research Center cements its position as a forerunner in healthcare innovation, dedicated to making research work not just for academia—but for the betterment of patients across the world.

source/content: daijiworld.com (headline edited)

Says Padma Shri Dr. Prahlada Rama Rao, Architect of Akash Missile Systems.

Akash, the surface-to-air missile used in Operation Sindoor, is a true epitome of Atmanirbhar Bharat.

Dr. Prahlada Rama Rao, the Architect of Akash Missile Systems, was in Mysuru recently as the guest of honour at Mysuru Literature Festival-2025. 

Padma Shri Dr. Rao recounted a journey that began with uncertainty but ended with one of India’s proudest defence achievements in an exclusive conversation with Sujata Rajpal, on behalf of Star of Mysore.

Dr. Rao, who is currently writing a book on his experience of working on this landmark project, said: “Dr. Kalam chose the name Akash from ten team proposals, aptly symbolising the sky and capturing the project’s vision and mission.” 

Star of Mysore (SOM): Please take our readers through the journey of Akash.

Dr. Prahlada Rama Rao: The journey of Akash Missile Systems began in 1984 when I was hand-picked by Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, then the Chairman of Defence Research and Development Organisation’s (DRDO) Policy Affairs, to lead the project as its Director. The objective was to indigenously develop a surface-to-air missile system for India. Until then, India had been importing such equipment from Europe and Russia. At the time, I was only 34 and was apprehensive.

It was a massive responsibility involving huge money, high stakes, immense technical challenges and innumerable gaps. However, once the project was set in motion, I threw myself into the work, drawing on my solid foundation in rockets and missiles.

I had completed my Master’s from IISc. Bangalore in aeronautical engineering with a specialisation in rockets and missiles, and was comfortable working across interdisciplinary domains. Before Akash, I had around ten years of experience, particularly in rockets and radar systems, and had already worked closely  with Dr. Kalam for a year. The project spanned nearly 15 years — 10 years in development and another 5 in testing.

SOM: How strong was the Akash team?

Dr. Rama Rao: We were a team of 50, a thousand scientists from across the country and 200 industries working on this arduous journey. Despite the vast collaboration, the buck stopped with me. Dr. Kalam was my greatest support, mentoring, guiding and advising me throughout.

Many thought it was impossible to build a missile system capable of intercepting multiple incoming threats. That level of coordination and precision had never been attempted in India. But I was confident, it had to work. The stakes were incredibly high. Once the missile is on the launcher and the command is given, it is out of our hands —  it either launches successfully or crashes; even the minutest of errors would set us back to the drawing board. Every glitch forced us to investigate deeply, to understand exactly what went wrong.

SOM: How did you feel when you learnt that Akash was used during Operation Sindoor?

Dr. Rama Rao: The Government had deployed the launchers across various strategic locations, but the timing of their use was unknown to us. I first learnt about it through the news on television when India had launched Operation Sindoor. I was completely frozen.

Even now, talking about it, I am getting goosebumps. I thought of Dr. Kalam. We had worked together on Akash for 15 long years; if he were alive to see this moment, he would have been proud. It wasn’t just a missile launch; it was the culmination of a vision we had nurtured through years of relentless effort. It was the happiest moment of my life. To see something you’ve built from scratch, through decades of uncertainty, finally serving the nation.

SOM: What lessons did you learn from working with Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam?

Dr. Rama Rao: Dr. Kalam had an extraordinary ability to recognise people’s strengths and assign responsibilities accordingly. He believed in recognising talent publicly, which motivated people to give their best. Despite all his achievements, he remained incredibly humble.

He wouldn’t hesitate to approach anyone, whether junior or senior, to ask for help or seek an opinion. He was a true team player. He knew how to unite people behind a shared vision. And perhaps the most powerful lesson he taught was to never lose sight of your vision. We need more Kalams in our country.

SOM: What is your advice to young scientists and aspiring innovators?

Dr. Rama Rao: Young scientists must build a strong foundation in Science. Believe in yourself even when others don’t. Always keep the bigger picture in mind. You are not just doing a job; you are solving a real-world problem, often one that impacts the nation so challenges are inevitable. Don’t let minor setbacks discourage you. Learn to work with all kinds of people — professional jealousies, ego clashes and power struggles are part of any project. Don’t let them distract you. Shed your ego, stay grounded and stay focused on the mission.

SOM: How about your family support?

Dr. Rama Rao: Nothing big has been achieved without family support. My wife and daughter have suffered the most (he laughs). In this entire journey, I have taken only one day’s leave for my daughter’s wedding, and thankfully, I’ve only one daughter (he laughs again). I have never attended any of the family functions or parent-teacher meetings, but these were the small prices to pay for the bigger mission, and my family understood it.

source/content: starofmysore.com (headline edited)

The initiative attempts to leverage behavioural science and technology to help public agencies lower emissions, reduce traffic congestion, and encourage commuters to shift from personal vehicles to shared and sustainable modes of transport.

The Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL), Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC), and the Electronics City Industries Association (ELCIA), in collaboration with Toyota Mobility Foundation (TMF) and WRI India, have announced the winners of the Station Access and Mobility Program’s (STAMP) innovation challenge.

The winners, selected from a pool of 32 applications, are CommuteVerse, Nippon Koei, Orbit Wallet, and Tummoc. They will receive a combined grant of $100,000 to demonstrate their solutions. Pilot demonstrations are set to be rolled out in August 2025 in and around Electronics City.

The initiative attempts to leverage behavioural science and technology to help public agencies lower emissions, reduce traffic congestion, and encourage commuters to shift from personal vehicles to shared and sustainable modes of transport.

Developing mobility interventions

The broader STAMP initiative was launched in 2016 by Toyota Mobility Foundation and WRI India to promote better multimodal integration with the metro.

The innovation challenge, as part of the broader initiative, was launched on April 11, 2025, inviting startups, technology firms, and solution providers to co-develop scalable mobility interventions that can increase metro ridership, especially in last-mile segments. 

It focused on solutions incorporating gamification (offering rewards and incentives for choosing low-carbon commuting options), real-time nudges (deploying contextual, time-sensitive messaging to promote shared and efficient mobility) and inclusive access (improving first- and last-mile connectivity, affordability, and safety using commuter-centric behavioural cues.)

“In this iteration of STAMP, we aim to demonstrate how behavioural science can be seamlessly integrated into transport planning to create practical commuter-first solutions that are sustainable,” said Pras Ganesh, Executive Program Director, Toyota Mobility Foundation Asia.

“Through this challenge, we have seen innovative ideas that can encourage community focused decision-making, and are excited to see these solutions piloted in a real-world setting which sets the stage for replication across Bengaluru and thereafter in other cities,” he added.

Winners

CommuteVerse BLR is a mobile-based platform designed to create a gamified commuting experience by aligning individual behaviour, employer participation, and transit system feedback, while Tummoc offers features that allow users to discover, plan, and pay for daily commutes involving buses, metro systems, suburban trains, and last-mile services through a single platform.

Orbit Wallet integrates transit, payments, and access services into a single card and mobile application. Nippon Koei Business Partners Co., Ltd. (Singapore Branch), part of ID&E Holdings, headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, collaborates with regional mobility platforms on road safety initiatives and has developed a ‘Healthy City Framework.’

Srinivas Alavilli, Fellow, Integrated Transport and Road Safety, WRI India, noted that the challenge offered a data-driven, locally relevant, and scalable model for effective public-private collaboration .

The finalists will receive tailored tools for pilot design, business model development and stakeholder engagement, access to mentors, experts, and government stakeholders, and financial support for prototype development and implementation.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

HAL emerged as the winning bidder among three shortlisted bidders; The PSU will initially make at least two SSLV rockets in two years with complete help and handholding from the ISRO, says IN-SPACe chairman Pawan Goenka.

The Hindustan Aeronautics Limited has bagged a Transfer of Technology (ToT) deal, valued at ₹511 crore, from the Indian Space Research Organisation, to build and operate Small Satellite Launch Vehicles (SSLVs).

The SSLV is a three-stage vehicle to launch satellites that weigh less than 500 kg into the Lower Earth Orbit (LEO). The Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe) on Friday announced the HAL as the winning bidder among three shortlisted bidders. The deal will enable commercialisation of SSLV launches.

Other contenders

Apart from the HAL, which had applied independently, two other technically qualified bidders were shortlisted: Alpha Design Technologies Ltd., Bengaluru, leading a consortium with Agnikul Cosmos and Walchand Industries Ltd.; and Bharat Dynamics Ltd., Hyderabad, leading a consortium with Skyroot Aerospace, Keltron and Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL). Among the three, HAL emerged as the highest bidder.

Pawan Goenka, Chairman, IN-SPACe, announced the winner. “The HAL will be giving ₹511 crore. It is a phased payment that will be done with some amount at the time of signing the contract and the remaining coming over a period of two years. The ToT phase will take two years and during these two years, the HAL will make at least two SSLV rockets with complete help and handholding from the ISRO and after two years, they will be on their own. So during the two years, they will draw all the technology and take it from there,” Dr. Goenka said.

Rigorous evaluation

IN-SPACe said the bidding process involved a rigorous eligibility and evaluation framework.

“A thorough evaluation process was followed, with various technology and financial readiness levels under review. The process, which continued for several months, culminated in the financial bid evaluation, where the HAL emerged as the highest bidder to acquire and operationalise SSLV technology,” the IN-SPACe said.

The ToT Agreement will be signed among HAL, NewSpace India Limited (NSIL), ISRO, and IN-SPACe. The agreement encompasses extensive training and handholding of HAL personnel by ISRO teams, both at ISRO and HAL facilities, for the realisation and launch of two SSLVs in the next two years.

“The launch vehicle system, being multidisciplinary in nature, would require the winning entity, HAL, to undergo rigorous handholding and training under ISRO at both ISRO’s and the entity’s facilities. This is aimed at realising the projected launch of two SSLVs from an Indian launch port,” Rajeev Jyoti, Director, Technical Directorate, IN-SPACe, said.

Barenya Senapati, Director (Finance), HAL said that the PSU intends to build six to 12 SSLVs per year during the production phase and that it may ramp up based on demand and requirement.

Space launch liability

To a question on who will take the liability of a privately manufactured SSLV, Dr. Goenka said the state (Government of India) has the responsibility. “It is an international rule and not something India or the HAL or IN-SPACe can decide. Now, it is up to the Indian government to decide how much of that liability they keep on themselves and how much they pass on to the owner and launcher of the vehicle. As per the contract we will have, the HAL will follow whatever is the law of the land.”

“We will come out with a decision on how the launch liability will be shared between the owner of the rocket and the Government of India,” he added.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

In a move to enhance science education in rural India, 12 government schools in Raichur district, Karnataka, will be equipped with science lab stations to conduct experiments and access curated science courseware aligned with the state and NCERT syllabi.

This is part of Prayoga Institute of Education Research’s Kriya initiative, which aims to transform science learning for over 11,000 students across 77 schools in Karnataka. Prayoga’s effort in Raichur is supported by State Bank of India Foundation (SBIF), the corporate social responsibility (CSR) arm of India’s public sector bank, and the SBI Funds Management Pvt. Ltd, said Vallish Herur, Managing Trustee of Prayoga.

Kriya initiative, which is now in its 10th year, is designed for students in Classes 6 to 10, as a multi-year programme, particularly in government and rural schools, to understand the impact of experiential learning of science, added Herur. The initiative, said a press release issued by Prayoga on Thursday, also features a structured Teacher Empowerment Programme (TEP) with continuous academic mentoring for teachers.

Speaking about the collaboration, Sanjay Prakash, Managing Director of SBI Foundation, said, “This partnership is a significant step towards bridging the educational gap in rural India. By providing quality science education and the necessary resources, we are enabling students to experience science in a more practical and engaging manner.” The collaboration is a part of SBIF’s Integrated Learning Mission (ILM) project titled ‘Reimagining Science Education’, he added.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

Ila Arun mesmerises with song, dance and stories of folk roots

The two-day Mysuru Literature Festival concluded on a high note last evening, bringing together over 100 writers, subject experts, artists and cultural enthusiasts under one roof.

Organised by the Mysuru Literary Forum Charitable Trust and the Mysuru Book Clubs Charitable Trust, the ninth edition of the Festival offered a dynamic blend of discussions, performances and literary insight.

While English-language sessions were hosted at Jyothi Hall, Hotel Southern Star, Kannada-language talks were held in the open courtyard near the poolside at Gardenia, creating two parallel tracks of rich intellectual exchange. Topics ranged from art, literature, music and folk traditions to technology and contemporary issues.

Adding to the Festival’s cultural depth were 27 artists from varied disciplines and an internationally acclaimed photographer, whose participation brought an added vibrancy to the event.

Ila’s session brightens Fest

The penultimate session on Sunday evening featured acclaimed actress, TV personality and Rajasthani folk-pop singer Ila Arun, whose presence lit up Jyothi Hall. Speaking during the session titled ‘A Voice Like Earth, A Spirit Like Flame,’ Ila Arun reflected on her dual identity as a singer and actor. “I sing while I act and I act while I sing,” she said, drawing applause from the audience. Authors Anjula Bedi and Reena Pereira were also present at the session.

Sharing insights into her roots, Ila Arun remarked, “I’m from Jaipur, Rajasthan, where folk culture is a way of life.

Children must be introduced to folk stories and songs — it refines their cultural awareness.”

The session ended on a lively note as Ila Arun treated the audience to a live folk song and performed a short dance on stage.

Captivated by the performance, many in the audience spontaneously joined her, dancing and celebrating the close of the Festival in a spirit of joy and togetherness.

source/content: starofmysore.com (headline edited)

The idea of starting something of their own came up when markets were shut during the Covid-19 lockdown.

Tired of seeing the word ‘organic’ on almost every label but rarely finding anything truly natural, an IT couple working in Bengaluru quit their corporate jobs and returned to their hometown Puttur in Dakshina Kannada, to start a chocolate brand. They wanted to put Puttur on the ‘Made in India’ chocolate map, using cocoa grown on their family farmland.

What started as small experiments with homegrown cocoa and natural sweeteners like dates and jaggery, has now grown into a full-fledged brand, with the couple also providing employment to women from rural backgrounds. In a chocolate market largely dominated by foreign brands, Swathi Kallegundi and her husband Balasubrahmanya PS (above) wanted to show what organic chocolates from India could be like. The couple now produces 300-500 kilograms of chocolate every day.

Swathi, an electronics and communication engineering graduate, and Balasubrahmanya, a software engineer, had worked for years in MNCs in Bengaluru. Like many urban professionals, they often relied on packaged foods labelled ‘organic’, but over time, found themselves questioning the quality behind the tags. The idea of starting something of their own came up when markets were shut during the Covid-19 lockdown.

Balasubrahmanya and Swathi moved to Puttur to work remotely, living on their farmland. With time and access to fresh cocoa, banana, coconut and dates, they began experimenting with small batches of chocolate, using only cocoa and natural sweeteners like jaggery, coconut sugar or date sugar. “That’s how Anuttama was born. In Sanskrit, Anuttama means ‘the finest’ or ‘none better’, and we chose the name to reflect the focus on clean chocolate made from local ingredients,” Balasubrahmanya said. Swathi said that as the brand grew, they started developing flavours inspired by familiar tastes from Karnataka.

“One of our best-known products is Spicy Tang, a dark chocolate made with jaggery, ginger and pepper. The idea came from kashaya, a traditional home remedy popular across Karnataka, made from spices like ginger and pepper and sweetened with jaggery, often given for cough and cold. Turning that into a balanced chocolate bar took several failed attempts but eventually became one of the best creations,” Swathi said. In 2021, Spicy Tang flavour won the bronze medal at the International Chocolate Awards Asia Pacific.

Another popular flavour is Bella Tharai, made with coconut milk and jaggery — a nod to the coastal region’s cooking traditions. “We didn’t want to add flavours just for variety. We wanted them to mean something and connect to what people here actually consume,” she said.

To support growing demand, the couple uses cocoa beans from their own farm as well as neighbouring ones. “We buy wet beans and handle the fermentation and drying ourselves to maintain consistency,” Balasubrahmanya said, explaining that the entire process — fermenting, drying, roasting, grinding, tempering, moulding and packaging — is done at their unit in Bettampady in Puttur.

Currently, they employ nine women from nearby villages. “The idea is to build a clean product and also create steady local employment, especially for rural women,” she added.

source/content: newindianexpress.com (headline edited)

The funds will be used to improve healthcare facilities, especially in areas related to maternal and child care.

Infosys Foundation, the CSR arm of Infosys, on Wednesday announced a partnership with Prashanthi Balamandira Trust, an organisation that provides education, healthcare, nutrition, and community service free of charge in Karnataka, to support free medical services for women and children in rural Karnataka. The foundation will provide a grant of over Rs 48 crore to Sri Sathya Sai Sarla Memorial Hospital in Chikkaballapur, which functions under the Sri Madhusudan Sai Institute of Medical Sciences and Research (SMSIMSR).

The funds will be used to improve healthcare facilities, especially in areas related to maternal and child care.

The hospital will offer services such as maternity care, pediatric treatment, gynaecological procedures, and heart-related interventions and surgeries for children.

All services will be provided free of cost.

Sri Madhusudan Sai, founder of SMSIMSR and trustee of the Prashanthi Balamandira Trust, said the support from Infosys Foundation will help improve services for women and children, who otherwise struggle to access quality healthcare. He added that the hospital, as a teaching institution, will use the new facilities to train medical and nursing students.

Infosys Foundation trustee Sunil Kumar Dhareshwar said the aim is to make essential healthcare available to people who cannot afford it.

source/content: newindianexpress.com (headline edited)

With 11 such centres spread across BBMP, the municipality aims to offer free cataract surgeries and spectacles to the poor and needy free of cost.

Deputy Chief Minister and Bangalore Urban Development Minister DK Shivakumar and Health and Family Welfare Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao inaugurated the “Ashakirana Drishti Kendra” at Dr Balagangadharanath Swamiji Multi-Speciality Hospital in Govindarajanagar M C Layout on Thursday.

This was in collaboration with the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), National Health Mission, National Blindness and Visual Impairment Control Programme and Sight Saver Swayamsevak Sanstha. With 11 such centres spread across BBMP, the municipality aims to offer free cataract surgeries and spectacles to the poor and needy free of cost.

“Among the 11 Ashakirana Drishti Kendras, five centres will be provided with human resources, surgical equipment and spectacle distribution services under CSR initiatives,” said Sirajuddin Madani, Chief Health Officer (CHO), BBMP. He added these centres are part of a total of 393 designated Ashakirana Vision Centres operating in Karnataka.

The CHO also added that the facility will be available at JJR Nagar Public Hospital, Halasuru Maternity Hospital, H Siddaiah Road Maternity Hospital, Hosahalli Maternity Hospital, R C Pura Maternity Hospital, Banashankari Maternity Hospital, Gauri Palya Maternity Hospital, Rampur Hospital, Indiranagar Public Hospital, Jayanagar Public Hospital and KC General Hospital, Malleswaram. Local MLA Priya Krishna, Special Commissioner of the Health Department Suralkar Vikas Kishore, National Health Mission Director Avinash Memon Rajendran, Zonal Joint Commissioner Sangappa and other officials were present.

source/content: newindianexpress.com (headline edited)

A futuristic Bengaluru Airport City will be developed on the KIA premises over the next decade. Spread over 463 acres, it will have business parks, a global innovation hub, an education and health district, a retail dining entertainment village, a concert arena, and more. The Hindu gets an exclusive peek into what the future holds.

The Karnataka government might have set the ball rolling for a second airport for Bengaluru to meet the future demands of the city and the State, but the existing Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) at Devanahalli still has more to offer not just as a world-class airport but as an international gateway to a sustainable smart and vibrant city, say those at the helm.

Over the next decade or so, a futuristic airport city is being developed within the KIA premises, about 40 km north of the city, applying the core principles of ‘work, play, live, learn, and create’.

Sprawling area

Spread over 463 acres, the Bengaluru Airport City will have business parks, a global innovation hub, an education and health district, a retail dining entertainment (RDE) village, a concert arena, a convention and exhibition centre, a knowledge park, an hospitality area, a logistics park, and a central park.

While the business parks will occupy 241 acres of land, the hospitality area will cover 44 acres, RDE village 23 acres, and the remaining 155 acres will have logistics parks, education and health district, aerospace park, corporate retreat, etc.

Overseeing this project is Bengaluru Airport City Limited (BACL), a wholly owned subsidiary of Bangalore International Airport Limited incorporated in early 2020.

Master plan

Before the commencement of the project, BACL officials say they visited Incheon International Airport in Seoul, South Korea, Munich International Airport in Germany, and Amsterdam Airport Schiphol in the Netherlands. BACL officials say they conceived the Bengaluru Airport City master plan after examining these major airport cities.

“The aim was to identify and understand the scale at which airport cities operate, the specific land-use mix and positioning, and best practices deployed in terms of mobility and infrastructure,” officials say.

A few projects at the Bengaluru Airport City are already up and running, including the 3D technology facility and a technologically advanced central kitchen. An EV research and development (R&D) facility is being set up by Epsilon Carbon.

The 3D technology facility from Voxeljet Germany, which has come up on a one-acre plot, has been operational since July 2022, and SATS Central Kitchen, which has come up on 6.7 acres of land, has been operational since March 2024. The SATS Central Kitchen can produce up to 1,70,000 ready-to-eat meals a day.

“Bengaluru Airport City strives to be more than just an urban extension — it aims to serve as a catalyst that propels North Bengaluru into a future-ready economic powerhouse. Our vision is to create an environment that functions as a living laboratory, where R&D hubs and global capability centres operate round the clock, driving cutting-edge research, continuous progress, and breakthrough inventions,” says Rao Munukutla, executive director and CEO of BACL.

Hospitality and business park

Bengaluru Airport City will also host one of the largest hotels in the country promoted by Vivanta and Ginger. The 775-room Combo Hotel (Vivanta and Ginger), which is under construction, is expected to be operational in October 2026. The proposed hotel comprises a combination of a 450-room Vivanta (four star) and a 325-room Ginger (three star) hotels.

According to the BACL, a demand study had shown a potential to develop up to 5,200 keys (accommodation units) in total to cater to the needs within the airport city. At present, there is one five-star hotel operational within the airport, Taj Bangalore, with 370 rooms.

“Hospitality will be a big story on this campus. While we complete the airport city, we will have 5,200 keys. So technically, if you take 100 keys as a standard hotel, it is equivalent to having 52 hotels on this campus,” Munukutla says.

The BACL will also develop 28 million sq. ft of business parks over time, starting with the first phase of 2 million sq. ft. This will cater to the requirements of the global capability centres (GCCs), technology companies, and financial institutions. The construction for Phase 1 of 0.5 mn sq. ft has commenced.

In addition, the BACL, along with the Government of Karnataka, recently announced the establishment of the global innovation hub – District I – within the business park to bring together GCCs, IT service providers, accelerators, corporate labs, start-ups, venture capital firms, academia, and public institutions.

“In Bengaluru, start-ups are scattered across the city. There are a few in Koramangala and a few in Whitefield. There is no place like Silicon Valley, where all the start-ups are in the surrounding area of Stanford University and San Francisco. The District I fixes this issue,” Munukutla says.

An Air India Academy will also become operational by July 2026, where approximately 360 students will get trained every year.

“Airports and airport cities are socio-economic hinges. Students from Devanahalli and surrounding villages can get trained in this academy. The qualification for getting trained here is a class 10 or class 12 pass. They will be learning hands-on aircraft maintenance. Then they will get absorbed in our maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facilities. We have got an Indigo MRO here and Air India is also building a massive MRO,” Munukutla says.

Addressing vibrancy

Munukutla opines that vibrancy is missing in Bengaluru when compared with global cities. “For any city to be dynamic, vibrancy is very important. We want the airport city to be a vibrant destination,” he says.

At the Bengaluru Airport City, a Concert Arena is also being constructed, which is expected to be operational by the end of 2026. Designed to be a state-of-the-art, fully integrated, technologically advanced venue with world-class acoustics and flexible infrastructure, it will accommodate 10,000 people.

This Concert Arena is the first of its kind in an airport city in India, and it is being developed in technical collaboration with Live Nation, U.S.

“We will have a metro station. People from Bengaluru can take a train and come here for the shows at the Concert Arena. Not just people from Bengaluru but people from all over India and the neighbouring countries, East Asia, Malaysia, and Indonesia can fly to Bengaluru and stay in the hotels here, so all these make the airport city a destination by itself,” says Munukutla.

Smart, sustainable

The Airport City draws inspiration from the Singapore Smart City.

“Built environment and city management, urban mobility, energy, environment and water, and safety and security these are the five pillars on which Singapore works, from there we derived 12 solutions which are: advanced security and surveillance, PA system and AI-based video analytics, smart traffic management, smart energy management, smart streetlight, environment monitoring, waste management, transport management, smart kiosk, digital signage, public Wi-Fi, and the airport city mobile app. We are applying these solutions to our airport city,” says a BACL official.

The BACL says that the airport city’s urban design guidelines are aligned with the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals by promoting mixed use development to ensure that it becomes inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable.

In addition, the BACL and the Indian Institute for Human Settlements (IIHS) have signed a memorandum of understanding to jointly advance sustainable, energy-efficient developments, aligned with global best practices in high-performance building design at the airport city.

Through its ASSURE programme, the IIHS also aims to accelerate the development of super-efficient, high-performance real estate in line with India’s climate goals.

The BACL has also received the IGBC Green City ‘Platinum’ rating for green master plan and design and policy interventions for the entire development.

Munukutla says that 90% of the project work will be completed by 2038, and the last 10% in the subsequent years.

Will it work?

Aviation experts and urban planners have welcomed the move to establish the airport city, which they say can evolve into a central business district by itself.

“It will work because you are going to have campuses that will be very close to the airport. The new aero city is following the similarities of quite a few global airports, but newer generation airports and not older generation ones,” says aviation expert Devesh Agarwal.

He adds that if the planners are building an entertainment district or a chain of restaurants it will work as well.

“If you see, the northern Bengaluru area does not have too many food and beverage outlets beyond Jakkur. Jakkur is kind of the limit; after that, you don’t really see any concentration of restaurants and pubs. So, if a complete entertainment and hospitality district is created — a sort of what has been done in Delhi aero city where they have a mall with many restaurants inside — it will work out. I also think they will focus on what is called the meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions sector,” he adds.

Unique venture

Another expert says that when the Bengaluru Airport City comes up, it will truly be India’s first airport city. “Though Delhi has an aero city, its concentration is more on hotels and restaurants, unlike this one, where you have a mix of business and entertainment,” says an expert.

(Edited by Giridhar Narayan)

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)