Karnataka First

The facility aims to provide researchers and students from institutions across India with opportunities to engage with quantum technologies and specialised experimental infrastructure that may otherwise be inaccessible due to high capital and operational requirements.

Samsung Semiconductor India Research (SSIR) and the Indian Institute of Science (IISc.) inaugurated the Quantum Research Lab in the campus of the institute in Bengaluru.

Established with CSR support from SSIR, the lab supports research across qubit characterisation, cryogenic electronics, quantum-device reliability, single-photon sources and detectors, and the integration of advanced semiconductor materials with quantum systems.

According to IISc, the lab has also catalysed research on 2D-material-based quantum devices and emerging device concepts under cryogenic conditions within IISc’s Department of Electronic Systems Engineering. A key objective of the Quantum Research Lab is to extend the benefits of this advanced infrastructure beyond IISc.

IISc added that through structured training and research exposure, the facility aims to provide researchers and students from institutions across India with opportunities to engage with quantum technologies and specialised experimental infrastructure that may otherwise be inaccessible due to high capital and operational requirements.

“This approach is designed to help build a broader national talent pool capable of contributing to India’s emerging quantum technology ecosystem,” IISc stated.

The collaboration strengthens the intersection between quantum technologies and advanced semiconductor research, creating opportunities to explore new materials, devices, and architectures that could contribute to future technology platforms.

“Semiconductors and quantum technologies are well poised to be the next wave of innovation, making talent and research capabilities in this domain critical to India’s technology ambitions. Our partnership with IISc demonstrates how industry and academia collaboration can create lasting impact by bringing together advanced infrastructure, education, and access. We are proud to see the Quantum Research Lab reach this milestone and enable our national ecosystem to engage in research that will shape our future,” Rajesh Krishnan, Managing Director, Samsung Semiconductor India Research, said.

The IISc–SSIR collaboration will also focus on selected learning modules on quantum materials and devices, cryogenic electronics, and qubit technologies as part of another skill-building programme: The India Semiconductor Workforce Development Program (ISWDP), which addresses critical gaps in semiconductor workforce capabilities across device physics, process development, modelling, simulation, characterisation, and reliability.

“Industry-academia partnerships create the greatest impact when they build lasting infrastructure while expanding access to knowledge. Samsung’s support has enabled IISc to strengthen both frontier quantum research and semiconductor workforce development. These initiatives complement IISc’s larger role in advancing national capabilities in quantum computing and next-generation semiconductor technologies,” Professor Govindan Rangarajan, Director, IISc said.

Manipal Institute of Technology launches Quantum-Hub

Manipal Institute of Technology, Bengaluru (MIT Bengaluru), has launched Manipal House of Quantum, Quantum-Hub@MAHE.

Established by Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE), an Institution of Eminence Deemed to be University, this initiative will advance quantum hardware experimentation, engineering education, and indigenous technology development in alignment with India’s National Quantum Mission.

Located in the MAHE campus in Bengaluru, Quantum facility at MIT BLRU provides students, researchers, and industry collaborators with hands-on access to advanced quantum computing infrastructure, including quantum hardware, cryogenic systems, and quantum control technologies.

MAHE stated that through an integrated academic framework, the facility will support experimentation, application development, deep-tech start-up incubation, component innovation, testing, and translational research, positioning MIT Bengaluru as an emerging centre for quantum engineering and indigenous hardware development.

The facility commenced operations with a 25-qubit open-architecture dilution refrigeration system designed for advanced training and experimentation. This marks the first phase of a structured roadmap progressing from sub-50-qubit training systems to 150-qubit proof-of-concept platforms and, ultimately, to industrial-grade quantum product systems with more than 1,000 qubits, according to the institute.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

Over 265 women from across State participate in competition at Mysuru palace.

A 63-year-old woman from Mysuru, Sarasamma, won the first prize in the State-level rangoli competition organised on the Mysuru Palace premises on Tuesday (October 13, 2026) as part of the Women and Children’s Dasara celebrations.

More than 265 women from different districts of the State participated in the competition, displaying their artistic skills through colourful and traditional rangoli designs that reflected the cultural heritage and festive spirit of Mysuru Dasara.

The competition was inaugurated by Krishnaraja MLA T.S. Srivatsa.

Speaking on the occasion, he said women had participated enthusiastically, arriving on the Palace premises early in the morning to celebrate Navaratri through their artistic expressions. The participants drew rangoli designs inspired by the Navadurga and incorporated nine varieties of grains, adding a traditional touch to the competition.

The vibrant rangoli designs in the courtyard in front of the Palace attracted the attention of visitors and tourists.

Sarasamma bagged the first prize, while Savithri of Gaminahalli in Srirangapatna taluk secured the second prize. Mala, a resident of Vijayanagar in Mysuru, won the third prize.

Certificates were distributed to all participants.

Deputy Commissioner G. Lakshmikantha Reddy, Additional Deputy Commissioner R. Aishwarya, Women and Children’s Dasara Sub-Committee chairperson Chudamani, secretary R. Nagaraj and deputy special officer K.G.S. Savitha were among those present.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

Ramdas M. Pai, chancellor of the Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE), an Institution of Eminence and deemed-to-be university, has been conferred with the FICCI Legendary Institution Builder Award 2026 in recognition of his enduring contribution to education, healthcare, and institution building.

The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) Legendary Institution Builder Award recognises individuals whose vision and sustained leadership have created institutions of lasting national and global significance.

Former Union Minister Murli Manohar Joshi presented the award at the 12th FICCI Higher Education Excellence Awards presentation ceremony held during the 21st FICCI Higher Education Summit in Delhi recently. Sharath K. Rao, vice-chancellor of MAHE, accepted the award on behalf of Dr. Pai.

Beginning his professional career as medical director of Kasturba Hospital, Manipal, Dr. Pai carried this vision forward and led the expansion of the Manipal Group across academic disciplines, healthcare, and international education.

Under his leadership, the Manipal educational ecosystem expanded beyond India, with institutions established in countries including Nepal, Malaysia, the United Arab Emirates, and Antigua. His commitment to social development has also found expression through the Manipal Foundation, which supports initiatives in education, healthcare, community development, and assistance to underserved populations, a MAHE release said.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

All roads lead to Mysuru as Nada Habba returns. For next 11 days, the city will play host to events showcasing state’s culture and tradition that’ll end with the famous jamboo savari.

Nandi flag pole breaks

An untoward incident was reported at Chamundi Hills when one of the two Nandi flagpoles brought for the traditional puja broke while it was being installed near the Mahishasura statue circle. As per tradition, the Nandi flag is worshipped before the inauguration of Dasara every year. Accordingly, the team led by Udigala Mahadevappa arrived at Chamundi Hills with two Nandi flags. However, one of the flagpoles broke. Chief Minister D K Shivakumar performed puja to the other Nandi flag.

Flower show celebrates ‘Festival of Democracy’

CM DK Shivakumar inaugurated the Dasara Flower Show, organised on the theme ‘Festival of Democracy’ at Kuppanna Park in Mysuru on Sunday, He said the flower show aimed to create awareness about the right to vote. “In a democratic system, every individual has the right to vote. Recently, there have been attempts at vote theft in the country, and people have realised that democracy is under threat. The entire nation is protesting to save democracy, and the Congress is fighting to protect voters and their democratic rights,” he said.

Private durbar begins on first day of Navaratri

The private Durbar of the Mysuru royal family commenced at the Mysuru Palace on Sunday. Scion of the royal family and Mysuru-Kodagu MP Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar, dressed in traditional royal attire, participated in a series of religious rituals before ascending the gem-studded golden throne. Following the performance of homas and havanas in the morning, the Enne Shastra (oil ritual) was conducted for Yaduveer at the throne during the auspicious period between 6.12am and 7.12am.

source/content: newindianexpress.com (headline edited)

Smriti Nambiar speaks about her journey from Bengaluru and Delhi, to China.

Bengaluru-based baker Smriti Nambiar won a silver at the 48th WorldSkills Competition held in Shanghai recently. Conducted between September 22 and 27, it is one of the biggest international competitions for vocational and technical skills. Five other women represented India across five significant hospitality categories.

Along with the silver medal, Smriti has also been recognised as India’s ‘Best of the Nation’ competitor. This places her achievement high on the global stage and strongly represents her skills within and outside India. WorldSkills brought together 68 countries and regions across 64 skills in six distinct sectors. In the bakery category, 22 competitors participated from across the globe.

Smriti grew up in Bengaluru and did her schooling in Sarjapur, graduating in Hotel Management from IHM Pusa, New Delhi. She says, “I was always passionate about pastries and baking, and wanted to work in that field. Even though I didn’t know much about it while applying, through this competition, I learnt a lot about baking and was able to carry my skills forward.”

Talking about the competition, she says, “The event was organised on a massive scale. Everything from crowd management to time efficiency was perfect. For the bakery section, we were provided with everything from equipment to ingredients.

Her mentor Avin Thaliath, co-founder of the Lavonne Academy, played a vital role in her training. He says, “Smriti’s silver at WorldSkills Shanghai 2026 is a landmark achievement for her and a proud moment for Indian baking. As her mentor and coach, my role was to help her develop the technical discipline, precision and confidence needed to compete at the highest level, but it was her perseverance, composure and relentless pursuit of excellence that ultimately brought her to the podium.”

Smriti trained for two years, but says the most rigorous period was the last four months before the competition. “They give us a module list of breads, and we had to practice how to prepare them. We had to create 16 modules across two days which included pain au chocolat croissant, cinnamon rolls, cream buns, baguette and two types of sourdough

For the final round, they had to prepare a showpiece product based on a theme prescribed by the organisers; this time it was Year of the Horse.

“On Day One, I had an hour to assemble the pieces to bake overnight, the final piece is prepared once all the baked segments are ready.” It took her around two hours to assemble her showpiece on the second day.

“In WorldSkills, there is a practice of exchanging badges with everyone. You can exchange a badge from your country with someone else and I ended up collecting a lot of them,” she smiles. For Smriti, this was also a chance to gain international exposure and learn from people around the world. “Now I can say that I know people from different parts of the world, which is something I could not say before.”

The 48th Edition of WorldSkills 2026 was held in Shanghai from September 22-27, 2026

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

Karnataka has been recognised for its leadership in the wind energy sector, winning the award for Highest Under-Construction Wind Power Capacity of 9 GW at the 8th edition of Windergy 2026, an event organised by the Indian Wind Turbine Manufacturers’ Association (IWTMA), at the Chennai Trade Centre on Friday.

Minister for Energy and Tourism K.J. George said, “The achievement reflects Karnataka’s sustained focus on renewable energy development and the State’s commitment to creating an enabling environment for large-scale investments in clean energy.”

Meanwhile, Gaurav Gupta, Additional Chief Secretary, Energy Department, said, “The Energy Department will continue to work closely with Karnataka Renewable Energy Development Limited and other stakeholders to facilitate timely execution of renewable energy projects and further strengthen Karnataka’s leadership in the clean energy transition.”

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

 GI-tagged Kalaburagi tur dal has made its way to the Maldives, with the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) facilitating the shipment of one metric tonne of the Karnataka specialty on September 24.

Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said the export marks an important step towards expanding international markets for India’s GI-tagged agricultural products and strengthening the participation of Farmer Producer Organisation (FPO)-led brands in agricultural exports.

The initiative is expected to provide FPOs with greater opportunities to participate in export-oriented value chains and connect local producers with international markets. It could also help create sustained market opportunities for producers and exporters from Karnataka through regular shipments to the Maldives.

Gulbarga tur dal, associated with the Kalaburagi region, received its Geographical Indication registration in 2019. Known for its distinctive taste and quality, the pulse is an important part of the region’s agricultural economy.

The consignment was exported by M/s Silken Global Exports and Imports, Mysuru, through its FPO-led brand and will be transported to the Maldives by sea.

APEDA Chairman Abhishek Dev highlighted the importance of taking India’s GI-tagged agricultural products to global markets and creating stronger market linkages for farmers.

The export is part of efforts to promote GI-tagged and other value-added agricultural products in international markets while improving value realisation for farmers and strengthening their integration with export-oriented supply chains.

source/content: daijiworld.com (headline edited)

As the Miller Museum of Anamorphic Art in Cooke Town celebrates its first anniversary, founder Cheryl Miller speaks about artist Shereen Miller’s legacy and bringing the museum to life.

“This museum is a love letter from a mother and daughter to Bengaluru,” says Cheryl Anita Miller, founder and director of the Miller Museum of Anamorphic Art. Located in a quiet neighbourhood in Cooke Town, this is perhaps the only museum in the world dedicated to anamorphic art.

Anamorphosis is an art form based on optical illusions created with geometric precision and the museum has art by Cheryl’s mother, Shereen on display. The museum was established on September 28, 2025, and Cheryl talks about her mother’s journey and the decision to open a permanent home for her art in Bengaluru.

Girl next door

Born in 1941 to a conservative family in Benson Town, Shereen was not encouraged to pursue her passion as an artist, since, “Her parents not only considered it a male-dominated field, but also believed it wasn’t a repectable profession for a young woman to pursue,” says Cheryl.

Shereen met her husband, Paul W Miller, an American, in 1967, while on an art assignment in Kuwait. Their marriage gave her with both freedom and encouragement to pursue her passion. A chance visit to an art exhibition at the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam in 1976, gave Shereen her first glimpse of anamorphic art.

At the time, it was usually created by optical illusionists, but it piqued her interest and on her return, Shereen began studying this art form, and eventually mastered it.

Cheryl recalls, “My mother loved Bengaluru. She used to go to Koshy’s after classes at Clarence High School, and would tell me about her classmates and siblings here. We spent a greater part of my childhood abroad, but would come here almost every year for the holidays.”

Though Shereen spent most of her life out of India, in the final days of her life, she returned to Bengaluru with her daughter. Here, they jointly designed the present-day building of the Miller Museum. Unfortunately, Shereen passed away in 2023, two years before the museum’s inauguration.

About the museum

Once you enter the museum, the effect and influence of Shereen’s art is clear. A strong feminine vibe emanates from her work; the walls are mounted with her early paintings and the floor is dedicated to her anamorphic art work, with wood and plaster sculptures dotting the hall.

Each wall represents her work in each of the four continents Shereen lived on — Asia, Africa, Europe and America. One can clearly see her unique vision, anamorphic precision and philosophy embedded within each of the artworks and sculptures.

Shereen’s early works were deeply inspired by Indian traditions and women. Later, she began painting ballet dancers, women from the Middle East, and conceptual oil paintings centered on gendered experiences.

Cheryl says, “I would like for people to have a sense of pride that Shereen was from here and share her dream of returning where her story began.”

Miller Museum of Anamorphic Art is open on Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 11am to 6pm. Tickets are priced at ₹250 for adults and ₹200 for students. More details on millermuseumofanamorphicart.com

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

Pothole Reporter uses AI to detect potholes, map their locations, identify the responsible civic body and contractor, and send complaints to municipal authorities.

Over the last several months, utility and pipeline excavation by BWSSB (Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board) across Bengaluru has left roads in shambles. Vehicles parked on broken footpaths, uneven road tops, and a dozen potholes on every street have been the by-product of this ‘utility’ project that seems unending.

Like most of us, 33-year-old Gaurav Sen has had his share of driving on pothole-ridden roads, and on one such ride, the software engineer decided to do something about it. The founder of AIEngg, an upskilling platform for software engineers, Gaurav put his expertise in system design and AI to use and created an app. Aptly named Pothole Reporter, it is aimed at automatically detecting potholes a vehicle drives over. The Android beta version launched on Google Play’s testing track on September 21 with about 200 testers, and is now available to the public.

Unlike most platforms that simply detect an issue, Pothole Reporter ensures the complaint reaches the authorities | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Explaining its workings, Gaurav says the app photographs the road, either one photo at a time or continuously in ‘Drive’ mode. Unlike most platforms that simply detect an issue, Pothole Reporter ensures the complaint reaches the authorities.

“A vision model checks each frame for potholes. The app then maps the location to the responsible municipal body and matches the pothole against publicly available road contracts to identify a likely contractor,” he says, adding, “While building the complaint flow, I thought finding the tender number would be helpful to the commissioner. It took two more days to dig up data on tenders through publicly accessible records.” 

Gaurav built the app in a day using OpenAI’s Codex for coding and OpenAI vision models for pothole detection. “The basics worked in an hour and a complete model was created in about six hours. The code was published on GitHub on August 18, and it has been updated over 200 times since,” he says, adding, “I then used open-source pothole datasets to evaluate the effectiveness of the app. It is designed to detect potholes with high confidence scores only. So some potholes may be missed, but the chance of a pothole report being false is low.”

Gaurav adds that an in-house detection model is in progress to reduce running costs, and since these AI tools handle the technical heavy lifting, anyone can build a similar app without prior coding experience.

Elaborating further, Gaurav says that the app forwards the complaint details, including location, an image of the pothole, its dimensions, and the relevant tender number, to the concerned municipal commissioner via email.

“The relevant authority is expected to pick up on this and resolves the complaint. This is the biggest blocker right now,” he shares. Since August, the app has recorded 100 complaints that have been shared with the commissioners of the South, North and Central city corporations.

“The Integrated Command and Control Centre (ICCC) asked for a demo, and we met on August 24. On September 9, I took part in the Greater Bengaluru Authority citizen consultation on Sahaaya 3.0, the civic grievance portal, and requested Application Programming Interface (API) access to Sahaaya,” explains Gaurav, whose recommendations include a pothole detection app that pushes complaints to Sahaaya through an API. “Currently there is no API so the app can only draft an email. Direct integration with Sahaaya is the next step.”

The app photographs the road, either one photo at a time or continuously in ‘Drive’ mode | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

In July this year, a similar AI-powered app, NammaKasa, was created by Jyothish VM to help citizens report garbage blackspots in their localities. Now, Gaurav is looking at joining hands with Jyothish to merge the two platforms.

“Potholes and garbage are both civic complaints. They need the same things: a photo, a location, the right authority, and a record of whether it was fixed. We have discussed combining the two into a single record and observability platform for civic complaints, so citizens and officials can see every complaint on one map and track its status,” he shares, explaining that roping in representatives from other States is also on the cards.

“So far, I have received requests from West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, and Bihar to use the app in their respective States. Pothole Reporter now works across India, however, its integration with State systems would make a real-world impact.”

In the coming years, Gaurav is hopeful that such initiatives take off across India. “Government buses and garbage trucks already drive every road in the city every day. Instead of waiting for citizens to complain, complaints should flow directly into government grievance systems, and every repair should be linked back to the contract that paid for the road.”  

Pothole Reporter is now available on Google Play

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

A new keyboard that allows users to type directly in the Tulu script has been launched for Android smartphones, marking another significant step toward bringing the coastal Karnataka language into the digital space.

Named ‘Kural Tulu Touch’, the keyboard was developed by software developers Harshith Devadiga and Chaithra Poojary. It was officially launched during the Tulunada Janapada Sambhrama organised by the Karnataka Tulu Sahitya Academy in Bengaluru recently.

The keyboard is currently available to Android users via the ‘Baravu Saravu’ app. Once enabled through the “New Keyboard” option, users can type in the Tulu script across various applications, including WhatsApp, switch between Tulu and other keyboards, and even convert their typed text into shareable stickers for digital chats.

Bringing Tulu script to everyday communication

Designed with a familiar mobile keyboard layout, Kural Tulu Touch simplifies typing in the Tulu script. It supports Tulu letters, numbers, gunithakshara, and votthakshara, allowing users to accurately form words and combinations required by the script.

According to the developers, the goal was to make the Tulu script practical for everyday digital conversations rather than confining it strictly to educational or archival purposes. The team completed the keyboard’s development in about two weeks, utilizing Flutter for the application and Firebase for the backend.

The project is an extension of a Tulu learning application the team built approximately three years ago. Harshith Devadiga noted that one of the main technical challenges was accurately mapping the Tulu font to the keyboard layout, which is crucial for users to correctly identify and type characters on a small screen.

Sharath Kodavoor, a founding member of Jai Tulunad, stated that the initiative aims to bring the CIIL-approved Tulu script into the digital realm, emphasizing that correct character mapping is essential to prevent user confusion.

A comprehensive learning platform

Beyond the keyboard, the Baravu Saravu app serves as a comprehensive learning resource. It features a Tulu dictionary, basic sentences, audio-based learning materials, and heritage photographs to provide cultural context. Users can also suggest new words for the dictionary, which are reviewed before being added.

Banashri Avinash, who contributed Tulu-script learning content and videos to the app, highlighted that the platform offers practical tools for those interested in learning and practising the traditional script.

Building on Unicode recognition

The launch of the keyboard capitalizes on the recent inclusion of the Tulu-Tigalari script in the Unicode Standard. In 2024, the Unicode Consortium added 80 Tulu characters in Unicode 16, establishing the technical foundation needed for digital platforms to support the script and for developers to build fonts and keyboards.

This technological advancement—achieved through years of dedication by Tulu scholars and organisations like the Tulu Academy—allows young people, who primarily communicate via smartphones, to use their traditional script instead of relying on Kannada, English, or Latin transliteration.

While the Kural Tulu Touch keyboard is currently exclusive to Android platforms, the developers plan to release an iOS version in the future to cater to Apple device users.

source/content: daijiworld.com (headline edited)