Karnataka First

The Pulse Polio Immunisation Programme recorded a significant number on its first day in Bengaluru, with more than 10.77 lakh children vaccinated against a target of 11,34,988, an overall coverage of about 95%.

The campaign, which was launched by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, was being carried out across all five city corporations- Bengaluru Central, West, East, South, and North. On the first day, the performance ranged between 94% and 98% across the corporations, with Bengaluru East recording the highest coverage of approximately 98%.

Vaccination efforts included booth-based immunisation, house-to-house visits, and transit vaccination at public locations. Transit points alone saw over 1.04 lakh children receiving oral polio drops, while a total of 66,798 oral polio vaccines vials were administered across the city. 

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

A key highlight of the partnership is the joint development of a BTech programme in VLSI Design and Technology at RUAS, aligned with SUNY Albany’s nanoscale engineering standards.

Ramaiah University of Applied Sciences (RUAS), Bengaluru, hosted a delegation from the University at Albany — State University of New York (SUNY), led by President Dr. Havidán Rodríguez on January 16.

The visit culminated in the signing of four Memoranda of Agreement, establishing a comprehensive India–US collaboration focused on engineering education, faculty and student exchange, joint capstone projects, curriculum co-design, and translational research in semiconductors, VLSI, nanotechnology, AI, and applied sciences.

A key highlight of the partnership is the joint development of a BTech programme in VLSI Design and Technology at RUAS, aligned with SUNY Albany’s nanoscale engineering standards.

RUAS Chairperson Dr. M. R. Jayaram emphasized that the collaboration aims at ‘co-creation of curricula, talent, and translational capability’ in line with national priorities.

Dr. Rodríguez reaffirmed University of Albany’s commitment to global, mission-driven partnerships. He also inaugurated the Dassault–Ramaiah Innovation Centre, which aims to strengthen industry-integrated learning and research.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

Walks away with Rs. 50 lakh cash prize and a luxury car

Popular Kannada comedian Gilli Nata (Malavalli Nataraj) emerged as the winner of Bigg Boss Kannada Season 12.  The winner was announced by host and actor Kiccha Sudeepa last night.

As soon as the results were announced, his supporters in Malavalli and other towns burst crackers in celebration.

On the penultimate day of finale, Sudeepa had announced that the winner had received a staggering 37 crore votes considered to be an all-time record in the past 12 seasons.

Gilli walked away with a whopping Rs. 50 lakh cash prize and a brand new car.

Meanwhile, Rakshita Shetty, who emerged as the first runner-up, received a cash prize of Rs. 25 lakh and second runner-up Ashwini Gowda got Rs. 5 lakh cash prize.

Praying for Gilli’s victory several fans across the State performed special pujas at various temples. Some of the hotels had announced discounts on casting their votes to Gilli Nata.

Huge cut-outs were also placed across Mysuru and Mandya district wishing Gilli Nata to emerge victorious. Special LED screen was set up at Dadadapura, native village of Gilli in Mandya district, for the villagers to watch the telecast of the finale.

As soon as host Kiccha Sudeepa lifted Gilli’s hand as winner, the villagers jumped in joy shouting Gilli’s name and burst crackers.

Meanwhile, Bengaluru South Police had provided tight security outside Jolly Wood Studios in Bidadi as thousands of fans of Gilli and other finale contestants had assembled to cheer for their favourite contestants.

source/content: starofmysore.com (headline edited)

The newly launched ELEVATE NxT, backed by Rs 150 crore, targets deep-tech startups working in areas such as AI, quantum computing, SpaceTech, etc, offering grants of up to Rs 1 crore.

The state government on Saturday announced ELEVATE NxT and a Rs 75-crore Beyond Bengaluru Cluster Seed Fund, as a push to deepen and decentralise the state’s startup ecosystem.

The announcements were made at a felicitation ceremony for 146 startups selected under ELEVATE 2025, held as a part of National Startup Month, where the Karnataka Startup Policy 2025–2030 was also unveiled. The newly launched ELEVATE NxT, backed by Rs 150 crore, targets deep-tech startups working in areas such as AI, quantum computing, biotech, green energy and SpaceTech, offering grants of up to Rs 1 crore.

Complementing this, the Beyond Bengaluru Cluster Seed Fund aims to catalyse startup growth across emerging districts. A total grant commitment of Rs 38.85 crore was announced for the ELEVATE 2025 cohort, comprising 103 ELEVATE winners, 33 ELEVATE Unnati startups from SC/ST community, and 10 ELEVATE Minorities startups. Notably, 43% of the selected startups are women-led, while 43% are based beyond Bengaluru.

Addressing the event, IT BT Minister Priyank Kharge said the sustained success of ELEVATE lay in its mission-mode implementation. Launched in 2017, the programme provides non-dilutive grant-in-aid support of up to Rs 50 lakh per startup, along with mentorship and subsidised incubation.

Karnataka remains the first State to offer grant support to startups without taking equity. Sector-wise, the ELEVATE 2025 winners span agri-tech, biotechnology, food processing, aerospace, electronics, healthcare, IT services, education and fintech.

Under ELEVATE 2025, Rs 25.33 crore will be disbursed to the 103 selected startups. The ELEVATE Unnati cohort received Rs 9.52 crore, while ELEVATE Minorities startups were awarded Rs 3.65 crore.

Since its inception, Rs 287.85 crore has been disbursed to 1,230 startups, with 37% from beyond Bengaluru and 28% women-led. The Karnataka Startup Policy 2025–2030, with an outlay of Rs 570.6 crore, targets 25,000 new startups by 2030, positioning Karnataka as a global innovation hub.

source/content: newindianexpress.com (headline edited)

The Foundation has set a target of spending ₹4,000 crore over the next five years to build and operate a 1,000-bed charitable super-speciality and multi-organ transplant hospital in Bengaluru.

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said the Azim Premji Foundation has set a target of spending ₹4,000 crore over the next five years to build and operate a new 1,000-bed charitable super-speciality and multi-organ transplant hospital in Bengaluru.

The hospital will come up on 10 acres within the Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Chest Diseases campus in Bengaluru, which the government has agreed to lease to the Foundation for 99 years, he announced on January 17 after the Medical Education Department and the Foundation signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the construction and management of the facility.

Mr. Siddaramaiah said the State was grateful to the Foundation and to Azim Premji ‘for undertaking this noble initiative’, and for deciding to run the facility free of cost. “The Foundation will invest ₹1,000 crore on building the hospital, and around ₹400 crore every year to run the facility, amounting to over ₹4,000 crore in five years,” he said.

Over the last 25 years, the Foundation has supported teacher training, contributed ₹1.5 crore to the government’s egg distribution scheme in schools in 2024, and extended annual scholarships of ₹30,000 each to students from government colleges under the Deepika scheme, the Chief Minister added.

Public systems key

Azim Premji Foundation’s Chief Executive Officer Anurag Behar emphasised the importance of strengthening public systems, saying private initiatives cannot compensate for weak public infrastructure.

“The Foundation believes that public systems are central to a good society. Our commitment is to work with the government to strengthen them,” he said, pointing out that healthcare begins with ASHA workers, primary health centres, and preventive work in communities. “Hospitals are critical, but the first goal must be to prevent people from falling ill,” he said.

Mr. Behar praised Karnataka as ‘one of the three most proactive States’ the Foundation works with. He noted that the Foundation’s 25-year engagement in Karnataka has shown progress most visibly in grassroots work in, among other places, Surpur and Sindagi.

Transplant hub

Medical Education Minister Sharan Prakash R. Patil said the proposed hospital will provide transplant services across multiple organs, with 70% of procedures free of cost and the remaining 30% at minimal rates on the lines of the autonomous Sri Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences and Research and the Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology.

He said more than 5,000 patients in Karnataka are currently awaiting kidney transplant, and over 1,000 require liver transplant.

Dr. Patil added that the project aligns with the government’s larger roadmap to strengthen tertiary healthcare. “We have set a target of establishing one medical college, one super-speciality hospital, one trauma centre, and one cancer hospital in every district,” he said.

At present, Karnataka has 22 government medical colleges, 10 super-speciality hospitals, eight trauma centres, and eight cancer centres, and is ‘halfway through’ with the plan. He said the State intends to transition towards a universal health coverage model, as in the UK, in the coming decade.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

With Nanjangud Rasabale (Nanjangud Banana), Mysore Veelyedele (Mysore Betel Leaves) and Mysore Mallige (Mysore Jasmine), the Geographical Indicator (GI) products of Mysuru district, nearing their extinction, the ongoing Krishi Mela, at Suttur Jathra in Suttur Srikshetra, Nanjangud taluk in the district, has provided a perfect platform to conserve them for posterity.

The Krishi Mela titled ‘Krishi Brahmanda’ forming one-acre land, encourages farmers to give priority to grow such crops, with the experts providing required guidance on how to command a better price with a better market facility, along with exporting crops to foreign countries.

Banana

For example, Banana, which is one among the largely grown horticultural crops is known for varieties like; Nanjangud Rasabale, Elakki Bale, Pachch Bale (G9), which are popular among consumers too. The banana plants are prone to diseases like Panama Wilt and fungal infections, which generally come to notice only after seven months of plantation. The agricultural experts at the Mela, with the help of demonstration, educate the farmers on methods to be followed, to protect Banana plants from diseases.

Paddy varieties

As an alternative to Jyothi variety of paddy, which is more susceptible to diseases, the experts recommend the cultivation of four other paddy varieties like Sahyadri Red, KMP 220, Daksha and KMP 225, which is succinctly explained in a demonstration.

Greens rich in nutrients like- Chakramuni and Nugge and vegetables like tomato, brinjal, ladies finger and several other crops, are cultivated here as part of a demonstration.

Small farmers

It is intended at making small land holding farmers self-sufficient, by adopting mixed farming methods, with the aid of drip irrigation to maintain moisture of the land. The inter-cropping is another method of farming, that assures win-win  situation for farmers.

While not many take the risk of growing another crop as an inter-crop with sugarcane, the Krishi Mela encourages farmers to grow Avare, Halasande, Uddu and Hesaru Kalu. They contribute to the improvement of soil fertility and boost the yield of the main crop.

By adopting Akkadi Salu method, the land can be divided into six rows. While maize crop seeds can be sowed in four rows, thogari bele can be sown in two rows. The revenue can be generated from either of the two crops, to minimise the loss suffered from another.

source/content: starofmysore.com (headline edited)

Aparna Sharath is the first woman from the Tulunadu region of Karnataka to receive the ‘Nari Shakti Samman’ of the government of India, honoured by the Indian Embassy in Qatar, marking a historic milestone for the community.

She was felicitated as one among only 12 Indian women during the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas celebrations organised by the Embassy, in recognition of her outstanding community service and leadership.

The honour acknowledges her significant contributions towards empowering the Indian diaspora and strengthening India–Qatar relations.

This achievement has brought immense pride to the Tulunadu region of Karnataka and the wider overseas Indian community.

The felicitation under the Nari Shakti initiative highlights her role as an inspiring woman leader on an international platform.

The event was attended by diplomats, community leaders, and prominent members of the Indian community in Qatar.

source/content: daijiworld.com (headline edited)

Applications of the tool could span from disease biology to drug design, say scientists.

Researchers at the National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS), Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Bengaluru, have developed a deep-learning tool that can predict how intrinsically disordered proteins (IDP) latch on to their binding partners.

Shapeshifters, central to life

Proteins usually fold into specific shapes; However, IDPs, which are shapeshifting molecules vital to cellular communication, don’t form a fixed structure. Central to life, they guide signalling networks, help proteins move and find partners within the cell, regulate which genes are switched on or off, support protein folding and quality control, and assemble flexible cellular hubs called condensates.

But their flexibility has made it challenging to figure out how they attach to other molecules and to map them using traditional structural biology or computational tools.

On the other hand, it is crucial to understand this interaction to decode cell communication, understand disease mechanisms and design more precise treatments.

Protein language models

The tool, named Disobind and developed by the researchers, analyses the protein sequences and uses protein language models (a form of AI trained on millions of known protein sequences) to forecast which parts of a floppy, flexible protein will make contact with another protein molecule. Unlike current structure prediction methods, Disobind does not require any structural information or sequence alignments, and importantly, considers the binding partner. This is crucial because context influences interaction in the case of these floppy proteins.

Kartik Majila, lead author of the study, and his team benchmarked Disobind against predictors including AlphaFold-multimer and AlphaFold3. Disobind delivered consistently higher accuracy when tested on new protein pairs it had not seen before. When combined with AlphaFold-multimer predictions, performance improved even further.

Disease biology to drug design

“Applications span from disease biology to drug design. With Disobind, we can begin to reveal new interaction motifs linked to disease, suggest intervention points for regulating IDR-mediated interactions across the proteome, and better position disordered segments within large molecular assemblies,” said Shruthi Viswanath, who leads the Integrative Structural Biology Lab at NCBS. 

The team demonstrated Disobind’s capability across diverse biological systems from immune signalling molecules to repair proteins implicated in cancer and neurodegeneration. Disobind is open-source and freely available for researchers worldwide.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

The prestigious Karnataka Crown 2026 beauty pageant, organised by Wenz Modelling Academy under the leadership of its founder Wencita Dias, was successfully held at BMS Hotel, Mangaluru. Conducted in association with Karunya Setu Foundation, the event received an overwhelming response, with a packed audience that included celebrities and prominent political personalities.

A total of 46 contestants competed across the Teen, Miss and Mr categories. The esteemed judging panel featured Bigg Boss Season 12 contestant and Sandalwood actress Risha Gowda, SIIMA Award winner Shubha Raksha, and actor, director and model Siddharth Shetty.

The inauguration ceremony was graced by title sponsor Swasthik Arya of Karunya Setu Foundation, Dr Praveen Martis SJ, vice-chancellor of St Aloysius (Deemed to be University), along with entrepreneurs Darshan Jain and James Mendonca, and Jeswita Dias and Wencita Dias.

A special highlight of the evening was the social cause segment, where children from an orphanage delivered captivating performances, highlighting the pageant’s strong commitment to community upliftment and social responsibility.

Winners of Karnataka Crown 2026

Teen Category: Renisha D’Souza (Winner), Moksha A K (First Runner-Up), Aadhya Salyan (Second Runner-Up)

Miss Category: Iona Menezes (Winner), Adhithi Acharya (First Runner-Up), Shanvitha Sequeira (Second Runner-Up)

Mr Category: Ayush Suvarna (Winner), Vion D’Cunha (First Runner-Up), Rishon Walder (Second Runner-Up)

source/content: daijiworld.com (headline edited)