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Installed in painted stainless steel and measuring 500 x 319 x 375 cm, the sculpture reflects the city’s diversity, creativity, and global outlook, said a statement from the Foundation.

‘Bengaluru’s Soul’, a sculpture by Spanish artist Jaume Plensa, was unveiled today at the Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru.

The sculpture, which has been facilitated by Biocon Foundation in collaboration with KIA, has been installed at the Arrival Forecourt of Terminal 2.

The installation was unveiled by H.E. Juan Antonio March Pujol, Ambassador of Spain to India, in the presence of Priyank Kharge, Minister for Rural Development, Panchayat Raj, and Information Technology & Biotechnology, with Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, Chairperson, Biocon Group, and Hari Marar, Managing Director & CEO, Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL), in attendance, alongside artist Jaume Plensa.

Installed in painted stainless steel and measuring 500 x 319 x 375 cm, the sculpture reflects the city’s diversity, creativity, and global outlook, said a statement from the foundation.

Ms. Mazumdar-Shaw said the installation “captures the spirit of a city where ideas, cultures, and innovation converge”. Public art humanises civic spaces and fosters a shared sense of identity, she said.

“At the Biocon Foundation, we believe building resilient cities requires not just infrastructure, but investment in culture and creativity.”

Mr. Marar remarked that Terminal 2 is envisioned as a cultural gateway, where infrastructure and artistic expression come together seamlessly and ‘Bengaluru’s Soul’ reflects this vision.

“As millions pass through the BLR Airport, our Art Programme creates memorable first and last impressions, reinforcing Bengaluru’s identity,” he added.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

A team of forest officials has launched work on restoring structures built in the British era at Belagavi’s Nagargali forest without disturbing their original charm.

Nestled in the scenic expanse of Belagavi district, Nagargali is a breathtaking blend of dense forest, rich biodiversity, and historical legacy.

Far from urban hustle and bustle, this lesser-known region stands as a sanctuary for nature and heritage. From flourishing flora and fauna to century-old structures such as bridges, temples and forest offices, Nagargali offers a unique glimpse into a harmonious coexistence between nature and mankind.

What truly sustains this hidden treasure is not just its natural wealth, but relentless efforts of the forest department staff and the unwavering support from local residents. Together, they serve as guardians of this biodiversity-rich forest.

In the Nagargali forest range, the responsibility of foresters goes far beyond their official duty. They have been working for years with dedication and often under challenging conditions. What sets them apart is their emotional bond with the forest.

Nagargali is teeming with wildlife, making it an ecologically sensitive and vibrant region. Sloth bears, wild dogs, elephants, tigers and other animals are sighted here. The region is also steeped in history. The forest guesthouse, built in 1914 during the British era, is a symbol of the region’s past. Interestingly, when it was constructed, the forest was much less dense than it is today — a testament to how conservation efforts have paid off. Other heritage structures include the old timber depot, roads and Lakadi Pool Bridge, all of which date back to the colonial times.

Chief Conservator of Forests Manjunath Chavan and Deputy Conservator of Forests NE Kranthi have launched projects to restore them, while the work on the old timber depot office and the guesthouse have been completed.

Tourism

Assistant Conservator of Forests Shivanand Magadum said Nagargali’s pristine beauty has begun attracting tourists and adventure enthusiasts. Visitors often trek through the dense forest, exploring hidden spots such as the Vajra Waterfalls and sacred sites like Handi Bhadangnath Temple.

However, the department has imposed restrictions on entry into the forest. As Nagargali is a reserved forest, there is no scope for unauthorised access. Such measures are necessary to prevent ac idents and to protect visitors as well as wildlife, he said.

Challenges

Forest staff here keep regular track of movement of animals such as elephants, sloth bears and tigers.

They face a major challenge during summer when elephants from nearby regions, including Dandeli, migrate to Nagargali in search of water and food. Their movement often leads to conflicts with local residents.

To address this issue, the department recently dug a 4.5-km trench to prevent elephants from straying into villages.

The forest department conducts regular awareness campaigns, village meetings, and collaborative activities to earn the goodwill of local residents. The department also provides employment to local people, including tribals, living in and around the forest.

source/content: newindianexpress.com (headline edited)

The service currently covers Bengaluru within a radius of about 40 km from the institute and is delivered through two dedicated teams conducting daily home visits.

Home-based palliative care services introduced by the State-run Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology (KMIO) have received a positive response, with 112 patients availing the facility since its launch on March 3.

The initiative, aimed at supporting terminally ill cancer patients unable to travel for follow-up care, is being implemented under a programme that combines home visits with telemedicine support.

M.K. Yadhuraj, who heads the Department of Pain and Palliative Medicine at Kidwai, told The Hindu that the service currently covers Bengaluru within a radius of about 40 km from the institute and is delivered through two dedicated teams conducting daily home visits. Each team comprises a palliative care physician, nurse, social worker, physiotherapist and support staff, who provide comprehensive care at patients’ doorsteps, he said.

All required medicines, drugs and consumables are supplied free of cost by the institute and delivered directly to patients during home visits. Following the visits, patients are monitored through telemedicine consultations, with subsequent home visits scheduled based on clinical need. In addition to routine consultation and symptom management, the teams are also performing procedures that were earlier largely limited to hospital settings, the doctor said.

The service, supported under Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funding, is intended for patients who have already undergone treatment at Kidwai but find it difficult to return for follow-up care.

Helplines

A helpline, ‘Neravina Kare’ (90084 41708), has been set up to facilitate access to the service, along with teleconsultation based on urgency. Patients from across the State can call this number for telemedicine support. For home-based palliative care, available only in Bengaluru as of now, patients can call 91875 90629 and register.

Dr. Yadhuraj said more than 250 patients have registered so far since March 3, reflecting the growing demand. The institute, which sees between 2,500 and 3,000 outpatients daily and admits 650 to 750 inpatients, registers around 23,000 new cancer cases every year, while over 3.7 lakh patients visit for follow-up treatment.

Nearly 20% of these patients face difficulty in travelling to the hospital, underscoring the need for such home-based care services.

Pain management 

Kidwai director (additional charge) Naveen T. said the initiative has helped improve quality of life for patients by managing pain and symptoms in a familiar environment, while also reducing the physical and emotional strain associated with repeated hospital visits. The programme is expected to ease the burden on both patients’ families and hospital infrastructure, he said.

Plans are under way to expand the service across Greater Bengaluru area by increasing the number of teams to four in the next phase, with a long-term goal of scaling up to five teams covering south, north, east, west and central zones of the city. The institute is also working on developing a dedicated mobile application to streamline access to home-based palliative care services.

The expansion, Dr. Yadhuraj said, is aimed at ensuring more equitable and accessible palliative care across the city, while strengthening continuity of care through a combination of in-person visits and telemedicine support.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

The partnership particularly focuses on regions beyond Bengaluru, including Mysuru, Mangaluru, Hubballi–Dharwad–Belagavi, Kalaburagi, Tumakuru, and Shivamogga.

The Karnataka government, through the Karnataka Innovation and Technology Society (KITS), Department of Electronics, IT & Biotechnology, has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Naukri.com to support new Global Capability Centres (GCCs) in the State with the hiring process.

The partnership, which particularly focuses on regions beyond Bengaluru, including Mysuru, Mangaluru, Hubballi–Dharwad–Belagavi, Kalaburagi, Tumakuru, and Shivamogga, will provide structured access to talent during the early stages of GCCs.

Under this collaboration, Naukri.com will extend a customised GCC Starter Package to newly established GCCs registered with KITS, offering zero-cost access for an initial period of 90 days. The package includes employer branding, assisted hiring services, and premium talent sourcing tools.

“Karnataka’s strength in the GCC ecosystem is driven by the depth of our talent pool and the strength of our innovation ecosystem. Through KATALYST, we have built a robust, end-to-end support system that enables GCCs to set up, scale, and innovate from day one. This partnership with Naukri.com adds another important layer by enabling faster and more efficient access to high-quality talent,” said Priyank Kharge, Minister for Electronics, IT & Biotechnology.

“As GCCs increasingly evolve into centres that are innovating and building for the world, our focus is to ensure they have the right talent and ecosystem to move up the value chain. At the same time, we are committed to expanding this growth beyond Bengaluru, creating strong talent hubs across Karnataka and ensuring more inclusive, distributed growth,” he added.

Manjula N., Secretary, Department of Electronics, IT & Biotechnology, noted that the insights generated through the partnership will help the government to better understand talent demand patterns across regions and align skilling initiatives and institutional partnerships more closely with industry needs, especially in emerging clusters beyond Bengaluru.

The MoU is effective for a period of two years. KITS, through the KATALYST cell, will facilitate awareness of the incentives to eligible GCCs, while Naukri.com will ensure onboarding, training, and ongoing support during the incentive period.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

The Karnataka Konkani Sahitya Academy has announced the recipients of its prestigious honorary awards and book awards for the year 2025, recognizing eminent personalities for their significant contributions to Konkani literature, art, and folklore. The award presentation ceremony will be held on April 26, at 5 pm at the Udyavar Church premises, Udupi.

Joachim Stany Alvares, president, Karnataka Konkani Sahitya Academy, addressing the press conference held on April 23 at Udupi Press Club, said, “Minister for backward classes welfare and Kannada & culture, Shivraj S Tangadagi, will inaugurate the programme. The event will be presided over by academy president Joachim Stany Alvares. Kaup MLA Suresh Shetty Gurme and Apostolic administration.

Briefing about the awards, Joachim Stany Alvares, stated, the 2025 Honorary Awards will be conferred on Ron Roche Cascia for Konkani literature, Ramadas Dattatreya Gulvady for Konkani art, and Sairu (Muralidhar) Putthu Naik for Konkani Folklore.

The Book Awards for 2025 have been announced for Andrew L D’Cunha for his poetry work “Ujwadache Vengenth”, Roshan Melki Sequeira for the essay collection “Konkani Circus”, and Richard Alvares for the short story collection “Fithuri.”

The ceremony will also feature a range of cultural programmes, including traditional dances of the Kharvi, Siddhi, and Kudubi communities, a brass band performance, and a Konkani musical evening.

The press conference was attended by Naveen Lobo, member; Prakash Noronha, Parichay Pambur Organisation; Steven Colaco, Nirantar Udyavar Organisation; Melvin Noronha, vice president, Udyavar Church and Wilfred D’Souza, secretary, Udyavar Church.

source/content: daijiworld.com (headline edited)

 In a landmark achievement for Karnataka, K S Somashekhar from Kolar district has been appointed as secretary in the Rajya Sabha secretariat, becoming the first Kannadiga to occupy the prestigious post.

Describing the position as one of immense responsibility, Somashekhar expressed gratitude for the opportunity. He told The New Indian Express that he would always remember the guidance of H Hanumanthappa in helping him prepare for the secretariat examination, and the support extended by former prime minister H D Deve Gowda throughout his career.

Somashekhar hails from Neelaturu, a small mango-growing village in Srinivasapura taluk of Kolar district. He completed his schooling at a government school in Ronur before graduating from Government College, Kolar.

He went on to earn a PhD from Kuvempu University, where he undertook a comparative study on farmers’ distress. In addition, he holds MPhil and MA (Literature) degrees and began his professional journey as a guest lecturer in Chintamani.

After clearing the secretariat examination, he entered government service and went on to hold several key positions. These include serving as deputy resident commissioner at Karnataka Bhavan in New Delhi, joint director (administration) in the Department of Information Technology, and Officer on Special Duty (OSD) to the deputy chief minister of Karnataka during 2018–19.

Fluent in English, Hindi, Telugu and Tamil, Somashekhar noted that his bond with his mother tongue Kannada remains strong.

Looking ahead, he said he hopes to return to his native village after retirement, focus on agriculture, and engage in teaching activities for the younger generation, following in the footsteps of his father, a retired government school teacher.

He added that his wife is a railway officer, his daughter is pursuing medical education, and his son has completed a law degree.

source/content: daijiworld.com (headline edited)

A new comic book by the Indian Institute of Science and comic book publisher Amar Chitra Katha brings the former’s century-old legacy to life, making science engaging and accessible to young readers.

Standing tall in one corner of the Garden City, the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) in CV Raman Road tells a century-long story of science in the city. Now, a new comic on the institute brings alive its journey from vision to institution, tracing how its founder Jamsetji Nusserwanji Tata’s idea grew into one of India’s foremost centres for scientific research. Created in collaboration with comic book publisher Amar Chitra Katha (ACK), the book, The Crucible of Indian Science: The Story of IISc, (₹100), has been published in English, Kannada and Hindi, with the aim to make IISc’s legacy accessible to younger readers.

“The comic traces the origins of the Institute – from JN Tata seeding the idea to receiving support from the Mysore royal family to opening its doors to students in 1911,” says Kaushal Verma, dean, Division of Physical and Mathematical Sciences and Chair, Office of Communications at IISc. He further adds, “It also highlights the contributions that IISc has made towards building the nation, nurturing scientific and engineering leaders, and contributing to key scientific discoveries over the course of a century.”

But the collaboration with ACK was a deliberate choice. “It is a cultural icon that has touched several generations of Indians and readers around the world. We felt that ACK would be a powerful medium to connect with the wider public,” he explains, adding that the publishing house readily agreed to the partnership.

What sets the comic apart is its attempt to condense a vast institutional history into an engaging, visual narrative. In its more than a century-old history, IISc has stood as a hallmark of nation-building, discoveries and innovation. This rich history is not well known to all,” Verma notes, adding, “To make it accessible, especially for children and young adults, and to popularise Indian science, we have brought out this comic book.”

The project, involving faculty members, IISc Press and the Office of Communications, took over two years to complete. “Capturing this breadth within the limits of a concise narrative has been our greatest challenge,” he remembers. But at its core, the book is all about encouraging greater interest in scientific thinking.

In an increasingly digital world, where most kids are glued to screens, Verma believes comics still hold their ground irrespective of the internet boom. “Storytelling through comic books makes learning more engaging by combining narrative with visuals; it stays in their memories for longer,” he says, calling it a simple, enjoyable reading experience that continues to resonate.

(To order the book, email: office.ooc@iisc.ac.in)

source/content: newindianexpress.com (headline edited)

The Karnataka Kalashree awardees —

B. Omkar Murthy (Owner, Omkar Studio, Bengaluru), Nanjunda Rao (Art Critic, Bengaluru), D. Ashwath Kadamba (Theatre Artiste, Mysuru) and K.J. Narayana Kikkeri (Theatre Artiste, Mysuru).

With Vidu. Meenal Girish, Vidu. N. Sindhu, Mysore Ranganath, Dr. Jamunarani Mirle, Dr. Malathy, Journalist Amshi Prasanna Kumar, Karnataka Kalashree Dr. K. Kumar, theatre person Rajashekar Kadamba, Kalaimamani Dr. Sangeetha Kabilan, Vidu. Yashaswini, Rishita, Preethi and K.M. Nidhi, during the 71st International Nirantara Kalemane Festival organised by Kumar Performing Arts Centre (KPAC), Mysuru, at its Kalemane Sabhaangana in Hebbal on Apr. 19.

source/content: starofmysore.com (headline edited)

The exhibition was conceived by Shreni Sanghvi and Abhishek Kapahi. It will run till September 1.

 Bengaluru-originated community ecologist Dr. Meghna Krishnadas, from the National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS), has spent about a decade of her life studying the Western Ghats, and how fragmentation of the tropical rainforests in the region has impacted the ecosystems therein. Conceived by Shreni Sanghvi and Abhishek Kapahi, Science Gallery Bengaluru’s (SGB) new exhibition Walk Into a Fragmented Forest, which is set to run till September 17, utilises Krishnadas’ work to inform the general public about fragmentation, and the myriad ways it can occur, often inconspicuous to the common gaze.

Central to Krishnadas’ work is the phenomenon of forest fragmentation causing a loss in biodiversity and ecosystemic imbalance. If a highway cuts through a forest, for example, it essentially allows for a break in the forest canopy. This, in turn, causes a disbalance of sunlight dissipation: instead of the canopy allowing for sunlight to be dispersed evenly in flecks, there would be an open swathe of sunlight cutting through the forests. Now, instead of fair and diverse “competition” between plant species, only species that are light-hungry or light-tolerant would grow, creating what is called a monoculture. Sanghvi and Kapahi’s installation depicts this dissection – and consequent fragmentation – through light installations on the ground: within the periphery lies plurality, and outside it, homogeneity.

Krishnadas alluded to the far-reaching consequences that fragmentation can have, by alluding to the Amazon Rainforest being fragmented, which in turn is affecting the local climate there. “These systems have been large swathes with very little light. And when you fragment it, you’re suddenly changing those circumstances. 
You’re flipping things around, and you’re bringing in abiotic conditions that these species may not have experienced before. So the goal as scientists is to understand what happens if the rules are changed,” said Krishnadas, adding that while a change like what is happening in the Amazon Rainforest has not been noted yet in the Western Ghats, it is very likely to occur.

As aforementioned, both in the animal and plant kingdoms, monocultures come at the cost of diversity. Despite appearances, not all of fragmentation comes in brutal forms like highway constructions; agricultural practices that involve clearing out a patch of forest to grow a certain crop – tea or coffee, the latter of which is grown abundantly in the Western Ghats, for example – are also practices that by definition erect monocultures. While this has the image of Carbon neutrality, what is lost in the process is biodiversity. “A forest or a natural ecosystem is multi-species. Yes, you’re replacing it with plants, but the main thing is you’re probably replacing 50 species with a single one. That has consequences. There is no food anymore for all of the other organisms that depended on the eroded species. So there are some changes that are very visible and obvious, and there are other invisible changes that happen even if, you know, agriculture is just plants,” Krishnadas explained.

source/content: newindianexpress.com (headline edited)

More than 200 litres donated by 65 mothers, aiding NICUs across the city and improving outcomes for vulnerable infants.

Bangalore Baptist Hospital (BBH) marked the first anniversary of its Human Milk Bank, celebrating a milestone in strengthening newborn care in the city, addressing the critical need in ensuring access to safe donor human milk for vulnerable infants.

Over the past year, 65 mothers have donated more than 200 litres of milk, benefiting over 155 small and sick newborns, with the numbers continuing to grow. Its impact has extended beyond the hospital, supporting more than 20 Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICU) across Bengaluru.

“Human milk banks play a pivotal role in improving outcomes for preterm and low birth weight infants at heightened risk of infections and complications. Access to pasteurised donor human milk is known to reduce neonatal mortality and morbidity, aligning with global recommendations from the World Health Organisation (WHO) and national priorities set by the Indian Academy of Pediatrics (IAP)”, said Director & CEO Dr Spurgeon.

He said that any mother can donate her excess milk. This simple act can make a meaningful difference to small, sick newborns admitted to NICUs. For enquiries and donor participation contact 94831 30743.

source/content: newindianexpress.com (headline edited)