NATIONAL / KARNATAKA: BOEING’s LARGEST : PM Modi inaugurates Boeing’s largest campus outside US in Bengaluru

Boeing’s new campus will also serve as the hub for Indian startups and universities.

While inaugurating the Boeing India Engineering and Technology Centre (BIETC), Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Bengaluru is a city that connects aspirations with innovation and achievement.

“Bengaluru connects India’s technological capability with global demand,” said PM Modi in Bengaluru.

This is Boeing’s largest centre outside the US, built with an investment of Rs 1,600 crore which is also Boeing’s largest such investment. Modi also launched Boeing’s Sukanya Program that aims to support the entry of more girl children from across India into the country’s aviation sector. The program will provide opportunities for girls and women from across India to learn critical skills in the science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields and train for jobs in the aviation sector.

Boeing’s centre in Bengaluru will house engineering, test, research and technology teams, performing advanced high-quality aerospace engineering works. It includes support in structural and systems design, manufacturing, aircraft testing system development, and digital solutions that drive sustainability in aviation. The centre will also work in areas like Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Internet-of-Things, Cloud Solutions, Model-Based Engineering, and Additive Manufacturing to enhance quality, safety, and productivity.

Boeing’s new campus in Bengaluru will also serve as the hub for Boeing’s work with Indian startups and universities. Currently Boeing has collaborated with seven incubators, including Society for Innovation and Entrepreneurship – IIT Mumbai, Foundation for Innovation and Technology Transfer – IIT Delhi, Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center – IIT Gandhinagar, IIT Madras Incubation Cell, Society for Innovation and Development – IISC Bengaluru, T-Hub Hyderabad, and Technology Business Incubator – KIIT Bhubaneshwar. Together, they host the Boeing University Innovation Leadership and Development program (BUILD) annually in India.

The Boeing’s Sukanya Program was launched in the backdrop that India leads the world with women comprising 15 percent of all pilots, exceeding the global average of 5 percent. The Indian aviation sector is also witnessing a surging demand for pilots. More than a doubling of the current roster of 9,000 pilots will be required. Under this program Boeing is establishing Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Labs in girls’ schools, especially in tier 2 and 3 towns, to expand awareness, knowledge, and exposure to careers in aviation.

With around 150 locations planned, local program managers will engage with as many as 75,000 students through these STEM labs, with the intent of reaching 60 percent of the young girl students. The initiative will support learning through various digital products, including Virtual Procedure Trainer, Virtual Airplane, and Private Pilot License ground school courses. Boeing will also provide scholarships for training, covering aspects such as foundation, jet bridge, type rating, and more.

Besides this Boeing will have full-flight simulator capacity to support the women’s pilot program and collaborate with customers to ensure candidates are airline-ready. These investments – both hard assets, and Competency-based Training and Assessment (CBTA) courseware aim to produce a large pipeline of female pilots entering the airlines annually.

During the inauguration PM Modi was joined by the Governor of Karnataka Thaawar Chand Gehlot, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Leader of the Opposition – Karnataka Legislative Assembly R. Ashoka and Stephanie Pope Boeing’s Chief Operating Officer, along with other senior Boeing executives. 

source/content: theweek.in (headline edited)

NATIONAL / KARNATAKA: ARTS & CULTURE: 19th National Kannada Cultural Conference celebrated in Andaman

 The 19th National Kannada Cultural Conference was recently celebrated with great enthusiasm in Andaman. The event, jointly organized by the Vishnu Naik Memorial Forum, Hridaya Vahini Mangalore, Manjunath Education Trust, and Kannada Sangha Andaman, in association with the Kannada and Culture Department, took place at the S R Castle Hall in Port Blair.

Shubha Dhananjaya, president of the Karnataka Sangeeta Nritya Academy, inaugurated the conference. In her address, she highlighted the global spread of Karnataka’s art and culture and attributed this to the generosity and warmth of Kannadigas. She expressed pride in this cultural expansion and its worldwide recognition.

Dr Archana Athani, the conference president, noted the emotional connection between Karnataka and Andaman. She emphasized the importance of remembering freedom fighters like Kittur Rani Chennamma and Ullal’s Rani Abbakka, whose bravery ignites patriotism.

Dr Malayashanta Muni Shivacharya Swamiji from Shivagange Melenagavi Math, who graced the event with his presence, stressed that every Indian should visit the Andaman Jail to understand the hardships faced by freedom fighters like Veer Savarkar. He spoke about the torture endured by many freedom fighters under British rule, underscoring the need to honor their sacrifices and fuel national pride.

Distinguished guests included renowned thinker and orator Mohammad Rafi Pasha, assistant commissioner of Commercial Tax, and Dr T S Ashok Kumar, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) Andaman, who was honored by the conference committee.

K P Manjunath Sagar, president of the conference committee, explained that Hridaya Vahini Karnataka has been organizing these national Kannada conferences annually since 2004, providing a platform for thousands of Kannadigas, artists, poets, and resource persons from across the country.

S Ronica, secretary of the Andaman Kannada Sangha, presided over the inaugural ceremony. Notable guests included Gona Swami, chairman of Swami Enterprises, Bengaluru; Dr E Anjaneya, chairman of Kuber Groups, Raichur; Dr Shivakumar H D, executive committee member of Kannada Sangha Andaman; and Dr D S Vishwanath, retired district commissioner. K Nagaraj, president of the Karnataka Janapada Artists Association, was also present.

A poetry session, chaired by Dr Archana Athani and Dr Prakash G Khade, featured poets such as Prof Bindiganavile Bhagavan, photojournalist Arif Kalkatta, Aarti Suresh, and Manu Mangalore presenting their works.

The cultural programme included a comedy show by TV9’s Mahadev Sattigeri, Togalu Gombe Aata (puppet show) by Yashoda Shashidhar and team, Bharatanatyam by Natyantharanga artists, and various dance performances choreographed by Guru Shubha Dhananjaya. Performers included Anjana S, Harshita H P, Mudra Dhananjay, Maya Dhananjay, Yashika J Kumar, and Krithika R.

International dance artiste Anu Anand presented a Bharatanatyam performance, while the Rang Samaj (Regd) Bengaluru troupe performed a historical play on Kittur Rani Chennamma, featuring S Tilakraj and A S Aarti Suresh. Renowned folk singers Gona Swami and Shivraj Pandeshwar entertained the audience with their melodious songs.

source/content: daijiworld.com (headline edited)

NATIONAL / KARNATAKA: SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY: IISc designs device to make infrared light visible, with diverse applications in defence and optical communications

Researchers at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) have fabricated a device to increase or up-convert the frequency of short infrared light to the visible range. This up-conversion of light has diverse applications, especially in defence and optical communications, said IISc.

“The human eye can only see light at certain frequencies (called the visible spectrum), the lowest of which constitutes red light. Infrared light, which we can’t see, has an even lower frequency than red light. IISc researchers have now fabricated a device to increase or up-convert the frequency of short infrared light to the visible range,” IISc said.

2D material used

The institute added that in a first, the IISc team used a 2D material to design what they call a non-linear optical mirror stack to achieve this up-conversion, combined with widefield imaging capability. The stack consists of multilayered gallium selenide fixed to the top of a gold reflective surface, with a silicon dioxide layer sandwiched in between.

It said that traditional infrared imaging uses exotic low-energy bandgap semiconductors or micro-bolometer arrays, which usually pick up heat or absorption signatures from the object being studied.

However, existing infrared sensors are bulky and not very efficient. They are also export-restricted because of their utility in defence. There is, therefore, a critical need to develop indigenous and efficient devices.

The method used by the IISc team involves feeding an input infrared signal along with a pump beam onto the mirror stack. The nonlinear optical properties of the material constituting the stack result in a mixing of the frequencies, leading to an output beam of increased (up-converted) frequency, but with the rest of the properties intact. Using this method, they were able to up-convert infrared light of a wavelength of around 1,550 nm to 622 nm visible light. The output light wave can be detected using traditional silicon-based cameras.

Going forward, the researchers plan to extend their work to up-convert light of longer wavelengths. They are also trying to improve the efficiency of the device by exploring other stack geometries.

Worldwide interest

“There is a lot of interest worldwide in doing infrared imaging without using infrared sensors. Our work could be a game-changer for those applications,” said Varun Raghunathan, associate professor, Department of Electrical Communication Engineering.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

NATIONAL: WIND ENERGY: Karnataka ranks 02nd in All-India Wind Power Generation

The event highlighted significant advancements and achievements in the wind energy sector across the nation.

Karnataka secured second place in the all-India wind energy generation capacity commissioned for the year 2023 -24. The state stood second after Gujarat, while Tamil Nadu ranked third, a release said on Wednesday.

Karnataka was honoured by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) as part of Global Wind Day celebrations in Delhi on June 15, with the central theme of ‘Pawan-Urja: Powering the Future of India’. The event highlighted significant advancements and achievements in the wind energy sector across the nation.

As per data from the energy department, the commissioned capacity for wind power generation for financial year 2023- 24 is 724.66MW. Gujarat’s commissioned capacity is 1743.8MW, while Tamil Nadu’s is 586.37MW. KP Rudrappaiah, managing director, Karnataka Renewable Energy Development Limited (KREDL) received the award from Minister of State for Power and New and Renewable Energy Shripad Yesso Naik and MNRE secretary Bhupinder S Bhalla.

Reacting to this, Energy Minister KJ George said Karnataka’s significant strides in the wind energy sector reflect its dedication to renewable energy and its vision for a sustainable and prosperous future.

Gaurav Gupta, additional chief secretary, energy department, said the achievement reflects the commitment towards sustainable energy and efforts to harness wind power.

source/content: newindianexpress.com (headline edited)

NATIONAL & KARNATAKA: SPACE: IN-SPACe launches Pre-Incubation Entrepreneurship for youngsters

Applicants should not have received any grants, funding, or monetary support from private or government schemes and all submissions must be original work to qualify.

The Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe) has launched the Pre-Incubation Entrepreneurship (PIE) Development Programme to support and nurture early-stage space startups. The programme aims to cultivate and empower the next generation of space tech innovators, providing them with the tools and guidance necessary to transform their space ambitions.

The 21-month programme will guide aspiring entrepreneurs through a comprehensive journey divided into different phases such as ideation, innovation, and prototype development. The programme will ensure that budding entrepreneurs receive structured support at each critical stage of development.

PIE aims to target students in technical courses or those with a strong interest in space technology, expected to graduate in 2024, or pursuing Master’s or Doctorate programmes and early-stage start-ups focusing on space technologies and aiming to develop entrepreneurial ventures.

Pawan Goenka, Chairman, IN-SPACe, said, “India’s space sector is poised for exponential growth, and young entrepreneurs are crucial to driving this expansion. PIE will provide them with a launch pad, equipping them not only with technical expertise but with the business acumen needed to navigate the complexities of space industry.”

Applicants should not have received any grants, funding, or monetary support from private or government schemes and all submissions must be original work to qualify.

Star-ups registered with the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade on or after July 1, 2022, are classified as early-stage start-ups.

For more details, visit www.inspace.gov.in

source/content: newindianexpress.com (headline edited)

Bengaluru-based cinematographer Nethra Gururaj selected for 2024 Oscar Academy Gold Rising Program

Nethra Gururaj, currently based in Los Angeles, has a diverse portfolio that includes short films, feature films, documentaries and music videos.

The world of cinematography is about to witness an exhilarating new talent from South India as Nethra Gururaj, a dynamic cinematographer from Bengaluru, has been selected for the prestigious 2024 Oscar Academy Gold Rising Program. This honour places her among the most promising young filmmakers and cinematographers globally, highlighting her significant achievements and potential.

Nethra Gururaj, currently based in Los Angeles, has a diverse portfolio that includes short films, feature films, documentaries, music videos, and experimental pieces. With a Master’s degree in Cinematography from the New York Film Academy, Los Angeles, she has skilfully combined her knowledge in writing, directing, and production design to create visually stunning narratives that resonate deeply with audiences.

The Oscar Academy Gold Rising Program is a two-month internship hosted by the Academy in Hollywood, Los Angeles. It offers students and recent film school graduates a unique opportunity to shadow industry professionals, network with key figures in the film industry, and connect with production and media houses. Nethra’s selection for the Cinematography production track marks a significant milestone in her career.

“It’s an incredible opportunity to take my filmmaking and cinematography career to the next level. Coming from South India, this is a platform for me to build the right networks and meet the right people to tell my stories to a global audience. I am thrilled and privileged to be part of this program, as this will accelerate my career to greater heights,” says Nethra.

Nethra’s recent short film, “Jasmine Flowers,” for which she was the Writer and Cinematographer, has already made waves in the film festival circuit. The film has been selected for six film festivals in 2024, including the California Women’s Film Festival in Los Angeles, the Nevada Women’s Film Festival in Las Vegas, the Through Women’s Eyes Film Festival in Sarasota, Florida, and the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne, Australia.

“Jasmine Flowers” explores a woman’s journey in challenging societal norms of widowhood in India, seeking belongingness and peace. Her academic background in Science has further enhanced her technical understanding of cinematography, making her a budding pioneer in her field. Nethra’s first feature film, “Lotus,” an indie production, is set to make its film festival debut soon. She is also working on an upcoming web series anticipated to be picked up by a renowned network. Beyond her achievements in filmmaking, Nethra is deeply passionate about Indian classical dance. A dedicated student of Bharatanatyam for 22 years and a teacher for 2 years, she finds a profound connection between dance and cinematography.

“Bharatanatyam has helped me in expressing meaning without dialogue. My face, body, persona, and stage presence are mere characters in a narrative effort. Much like in filmmaking; I strive for expression through composition, light, and camera movement in lieu of conversations and dialogue. Dance has set the standards for my craft,” she says.

Nethra Gururaj’s journey is an inspiring testament to her talent, dedication, and vision. Her selection for the 2024 Oscar Academy Gold Rising Program heralds the arrival of a powerful new voice in global cinema.

source/content: hindustantimes.com (headline edited)