March 2026: Liberty Shoes Limited, one of India’s well-known footwear brands, has partnered with neOwn, an app-based book rental platform for children, to encourage reading habits among young learners in Bengaluru. As part of the month-long initiative, customers shopping at 25 Liberty outlets across the city will receive a ₹500 discount voucher that can be redeemed on any neOwn subscription.
The collaboration was sparked after neOwn founder Kranti Gada appeared on the startup show IdeaBaaz, where he received encouragement from Anupam Bansal, Executive Director of Liberty Shoes. Their discussions eventually led to a partnership aimed at supporting children’s overall development.
Through this initiative, Liberty aims to go beyond retail transactions by offering parents an opportunity to support both the physical and intellectual growth of their children. While Liberty focuses on footwear that supports children’s movement and comfort, neOwn promotes early reading habits through its book rental service.
Kranti Gada said the partnership strengthens neOwn’s mission to introduce children to books at an early age and help build confidence through reading. Anupam Bansal noted that modern brands must provide meaningful value to customers, adding that combining good footwear with access to books creates a natural and impactful partnership for families.
The collaboration will also feature a joint social media campaign promoting holistic development among children. The Bengaluru initiative will serve as a pilot project, with the possibility of expanding the model to other cities across India.
Kanyathon marks 15 years with over 13,000 participants across three cities
Bengaluru, March 9: The 15th edition of Kanyathon, one of India’s largest student-led charity runs, witnessed participation from more than 13,000 people across Bengaluru, Karjat and Pilani, reaffirming its mission of supporting girls’ education and empowerment.
Nearly 10,000 runners and walkers took part in the Bengaluru event, while over 2,000 joined in Karjat and around 1,000 participants ran at Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani. Students, volunteers, corporate partners and members of the public came together to support the cause. Kanyathon is organised entirely by students from IFIM Institutions, Jagdish Sheth School of Management (JAGSoM) and Vijaybhoomi University, and has evolved over the years into a sustained social initiative aimed at addressing gender inequality through education.
Supported by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports under the Fit India Movement, the initiative began in 2011 with about 400 participants. Since then, it has grown into a nationwide movement drawing thousands of participants annually. Organisers said the 2026 edition alone has raised nearly ₹65 lakh through individual donations and corporate support. Several companies, including Wipro, HP, Timken, Biocon, Infosys, Siemens, Deutsche Bank, Brillio, Momentive, Sagility and Tech Mahindra, supported the initiative.
Speaking about the impact of the programme, Kalpana Padode, governing board member of Vijaybhoomi University, said the run represents more than just a sporting event. “Each step taken during Kanyathon symbolises a step towards education, dignity and opportunity for young girls. What began as a small campus initiative has grown into a movement that has positively impacted over three lakh girls over the past 15 years,” she said.
Through the initiative, organisers have supported NGOs, provided scholarships for students from economically weaker sections, and helped girls from marginalised communities continue their education. The programme has also facilitated the construction of sanitation facilities in government schools and established Kanyathon Shiksha Kendras to improve learning opportunities.
At present, nine Kanyathon Shiksha Kendras operate in government schools across Karnataka and Maharashtra, offering programmes in spoken English, computer literacy and health awareness to more than 1,000 students. The initiative has also supported computer labs, classroom upgrades and sanitation facilities to address infrastructure gaps in schools.
In collaboration with the Akshaya Patra Foundation, mid-day meals are provided to students attending these centres, helping maintain regular attendance. Menstrual hygiene awareness sessions are also conducted to support adolescent girls in continuing their education with dignity.
Commenting on the event at Pilani, Sudhirkumar Barai, director of BITS Pilani, said the initiative served as a meaningful way to celebrate women’s empowerment around International Women’s Day. He noted that the participation of young girls from underprivileged communities made the event particularly impactful. This year’s Kanyathon featured 3-km walkathons, 5-km and 10-km timed runs, professional runs and family runs, along with community fitness activities. Driven largely by student volunteers and supported by corporate partners, the initiative aims to reach around 1,000 more girls in the coming year while expanding its programmes in education, health and digital literacy for underserved communities.
Japan–India Mobility Summit 2026 highlights push for clean, smart and sustainable mobility
Bengaluru, March 9: The Japan–India Mobility Summit 2026 (JIMS 2026), held at the Taj West End in Bengaluru, brought together policymakers, industry leaders and technology innovators from both countries to strengthen cooperation in building the next generation of sustainable mobility solutions.
The summit was organised by Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) in partnership with the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) and the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO), in collaboration with NITI Aayog and several industry stakeholders.
More than 200 senior representatives from government agencies, automobile manufacturers, suppliers, global capability centres, research institutions and mobility start-ups participated in the event. Discussions focused on accelerating collaboration in areas such as advanced mobility technologies, energy transition, intelligent transport systems and next-generation mobility platforms.
The summit also explored opportunities in emerging areas including hydrogen mobility, smart urban transport networks and integrated multimodal infrastructure. Building on commitments made during last year’s bilateral discussions, the summit aimed to operationalise initiatives under the Next-Generation Mobility Partnership (NGMP) and the Initiative for Clean Energy Mobility and Infrastructure for Next-Generation (ICEMAN). Key themes included multi-pathway decarbonisation through electric vehicles, biofuels, green hydrogen and flexible-fuel vehicles, along with digital and smart mobility solutions such as software-defined vehicles, mobility-as-a-service platforms and collaborations between global capability centres.
Speaking at the event, Keisuke Hosonuma, Director for Automotive International Trade Policy at METI, said the shift towards carbon-neutral mobility would not follow a single path. “Different markets require different solutions depending on economic conditions, policy frameworks and consumer needs. Japan’s approach combines electrification, hybrid technologies and next-generation energy systems while strengthening global partnerships. India is a crucial partner in this transition,” he said.
Addressing the gathering, S. Selvakumar, Principal Secretary for Commerce and Industries, Government of Karnataka, said the state had emerged as a major hub for mobility innovation. With more than 800 research and development centres, a strong network of global capability centres and progressive policies such as the Clean Mobility Policy 2025–2030, Karnataka is building an integrated ecosystem that supports the entire mobility value chain, from design and engineering to manufacturing and deployment, he noted.
In his opening remarks, V. K. Saraswat, member of NITI Aayog, highlighted the complementary strengths of India and Japan in shaping the future of mobility. While India offers scale, a rapidly expanding market and strong capabilities in software and artificial intelligence, Japan brings deep technological expertise, engineering excellence and global leadership in safety and mobility systems, he said.
Saraswat added that the next phase of cooperation should focus on joint technology development, including hydrogen mobility, smart transport systems and integrated mobility platforms. “Mobility transformation today goes beyond a single sector. It involves a broader redesign of energy systems, infrastructure, data networks and industrial capabilities,” he said.
The summit received support from industry bodies such as the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM), Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association (JAMA), Automotive Component Manufacturers Association of India (ACMA), Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI).
Organisers said the summit sought to translate bilateral discussions into concrete projects by aligning clean energy mobility strategies with India’s rapidly growing digital and technology ecosystem, paving the way for long-term industrial cooperation between the two countries.
ಬೆಂಗಳೂರು, ಮಾರ್ಚ್ 9: ‘ಇದು ನಿಮ್ಮ ವಾಹಿನಿ ಕಲಾ ವೇದಿಕೆ (ರಿ)’ ಸಂಸ್ಥೆಯ ವತಿಯಿಂದ “ಅಪ್ಪು ಉತ್ಸವ” ಹಾಗೂ “21ನೇ ಸಾಂಸ್ಕೃತಿಕ ಸಿಂಚನ” ಕಾರ್ಯಕ್ರಮವನ್ನು ಮಾರ್ಚ್ 15, 2026ರಂದು (ಭಾನುವಾರ) ಬೆಂಗಳೂರಿನ ರಾಮಮೂರ್ತಿನಗರದಲ್ಲಿರುವ ನಾಟ್ಯಪ್ರಿಯ ಆಡಿಟೋರಿಯಮ್ನಲ್ಲಿ ಆಯೋಜಿಸಲಾಗಿದೆ.
ಈ ಉತ್ಸವಕ್ಕೆ ಚಲನಚಿತ್ರನಟ ನೆನಪಿರಲಿ ಪ್ರೇಮ್ ಅವರನ್ನು ರಾಯಭಾರಿಯಾಗಿ ಆಯ್ಕೆ ಮಾಡಲಾಗಿದೆ. ಕಾರ್ಯಕ್ರಮವು ಪತ್ರಕರ್ತ ಗಂಡಸಿ ಸದಾನಂದಸ್ವಾಮಿ ಅವರ ಅಧ್ಯಕ್ಷತೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ನಡೆಯಲಿದೆ ಎಂದು ಸಂಸ್ಥೆಯ ಪ್ರಧಾನ ಕಾರ್ಯದರ್ಶಿಕಿಶೋರ್ ಕುಮಾರ್ ಕೆ.ಎಸ್. ತಿಳಿಸಿದ್ದಾರೆ.
ಬೆಂಗಳೂರಿನ ಪ್ರೆಸ್ ಕ್ಲಬ್ನಲ್ಲಿ ನಡೆದ ಪತ್ರಿಕಾ ಗೋಷ್ಠಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ಈ ವಿಷಯವನ್ನು ಅವರು ತಿಳಿಸಿದರು. ಗೋಷ್ಠಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ನಟ ನೆನಪಿರಲಿ ಪ್ರೇಮ್, ಪತ್ರಕರ್ತ ಗಂಡಸಿ ಸದಾನಂದಸ್ವಾಮಿ ಹಾಗೂ ಪ್ರಧಾನ ಕಾರ್ಯದರ್ಶಿ ಕಿಶೋರ್ ಕುಮಾರ್ ಕೆ.ಎಸ್. ಉಪಸ್ಥಿತರಿದ್ದರು.
Danlaw Technologies India Ltd Bags National Award for V2X Innovation in Vehicle Safety
Bengaluru, March 9: Danlaw Technologies India Ltd has been recognised with the prestigious “Innovation in Vehicle Safety” award at the Build India Infra Awards 2026 under the Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) category.
The award was presented to Raju S. Dandu, Chairman of Danlaw Technologies India Ltd, by Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari during a ceremony held in New Delhi on February 24.
The recognition comes for the company’s work on a Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) based Green Corridor project designed to enhance emergency and priority mobility. The technology, successfully demonstrated in Bengaluru, enables emergency vehicles such as ambulances to receive priority signal clearance at traffic junctions, helping them reach hospitals faster and potentially saving lives. The system can also facilitate priority movement for public transport vehicles, improving traffic flow in congested areas.
Danlaw’s next-generation secure V2X platform allows vehicles to communicate with other vehicles, roadside infrastructure and traffic management systems, enhancing road safety and enabling smarter traffic operations.
Speaking recently about the future of road safety technologies, Nitin Gadkari emphasised the significance of Vehicle-to-Vehicle (V2V) communication systems, stating that the Government of India is working towards introducing such technologies in vehicles in the coming years to help reduce road accidents and strengthen road safety.
Reacting to the recognition, Raju S. Dandu said the award reflects the company’s long-standing commitment to innovation in connected vehicle technologies. “Solutions such as V2X will play a vital role in strengthening road safety, supporting intelligent transportation systems and contributing to India’s vision of safer and smarter mobility,” he said.
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