JAIN University Hosts Book Fair; Gen Z Reading Culture Takes Centre Stage

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Two-Day National Book Fair Sees Strong Turnout at JAIN University

Bengaluru: A two-day National Book Fair hosted by JAIN (Deemed-to-be University) in association with the National Book Trust of India concluded on March 26 with an enthusiastic response from students, academicians, and book enthusiasts. The event was held at the university’s Knowledge Campus in the city.

The fair was inaugurated by Prof. S. R. Niranjana, Vice Chairman of the Karnataka State Higher Education Council. Delivering the keynote address, Dr. Ramesha B, senior professor at Bangalore University, spoke on “Reading Habits: The New Social Flex among Gen Z,” highlighting how reading is regaining relevance among younger generations in evolving forms.

The programme was presided over by Dr. Jitendra Kumar Mishra, Vice Chancellor (in-charge) and Registrar. Other dignitaries present included Dr. Dinesh Nilkant, Pro Vice Chancellor; Dr. Shradha Kanwar, Chief Academic Officer; and Dr. Pattipaka Mohan from NBT India’s Bengaluru office. The event was coordinated by university librarian Dr. Meeramani N.

Publishers and booksellers from across the country participated in large numbers, offering a diverse collection of academic titles, literature, and competitive exam materials. The fair witnessed steady footfall over both days, with students and faculty actively engaging with the displays.

Organisers said the event served as a platform to revive reading habits in an increasingly digital environment, while also encouraging Gen Z to view books as both an intellectual pursuit and a social marker.

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“ಕಸ ಸಂಗ್ರಹಣಾ ಕಾರ್ಮಿಕರ ಸಂಕಷ್ಟ” ವಿಮೆ – ಸುರಕ್ಷತೆಗಾಗಿ ಸಂಘಟನೆಗಳ ಆಗ್ರಹ

Posted on by City Today News (City today.media)

ಬೆಂಗಳೂರು, ಮಾ. 26: ನಗರದಲ್ಲಿ ಕಸ ಸಂಗ್ರಹಣೆ ಕಾರ್ಯದಲ್ಲಿ ತೊಡಗಿರುವ ಪೌರ ಕಾರ್ಮಿಕರಾದ ಚಾಲಕರು ಮತ್ತು ಸಹಾಯಕರಿಗೆ ಆರೋಗ್ಯ ವಿಮೆ ಹಾಗೂ ಅಗತ್ಯ ಸುರಕ್ಷತಾ ಸಾಧನಗಳನ್ನು ತಕ್ಷಣ ಒದಗಿಸಬೇಕು ಎಂದು ಇಂಡಿಯನ್ ವೆಹಿಕಲ್ ಡ್ರೈವರ್ಸ್ ಟ್ರೇಡ್ ಯೂನಿಯನ್ ಮತ್ತು ಸ್ನೇಹಜೀವಿ ಚಾಲಕರ ಟ್ರೇಡ್ ಯೂನಿಯನ್ ಒತ್ತಾಯಿಸಿವೆ.

ಈ ಕುರಿತು ಪ್ರಕಟಣೆ ನೀಡಿದ ಇಂಡಿಯನ್ ವೆಹಿಕಲ್ ಡ್ರೈವರ್ಸ್ ಟ್ರೇಡ್ ಯೂನಿಯನ್ ಅಧ್ಯಕ್ಷ ಗಂಡಸಿ ಸದಾನಂದ ಸ್ವಾಮಿ ಹಾಗೂ ಸ್ನೇಹಜೀವಿ ಚಾಲಕರ ಟ್ರೇಡ್ ಯೂನಿಯನ್ ಅಧ್ಯಕ್ಷ ಸಂತೋಷ್ ಕುಮಾರ್ ಮತ್ತು ಪ್ರಧಾನ ಕಾರ್ಯದರ್ಶಿ ರಾಜು ಕನ್ನಡಿಗ, ಬೆಂಗಳೂರು ಘನ ತ್ಯಾಜ್ಯ ನಿರ್ವಹಣಾ ವಿಭಾಗದಲ್ಲಿ ಕಾರ್ಯನಿರ್ವಹಿಸುತ್ತಿರುವ ಆಟೋ ಮತ್ತು ಲಾರಿ ಚಾಲಕರು ಹಾಗೂ ಸಹಾಯಕರ ಆರೋಗ್ಯ ದಿನೇದಿನೇ ಹದಗೆಡುತ್ತಿದೆ ಎಂದು ಆತಂಕ ವ್ಯಕ್ತಪಡಿಸಿದರು. ಸಂಬಂಧಿತ ಅಧಿಕಾರಿಗಳು ಈ ವಿಚಾರದಲ್ಲಿ ನಿರ್ಲಕ್ಷ್ಯ ತೋರಿಸುತ್ತಿದ್ದು, ಕಸ ಗುತ್ತಿಗೆದಾರರು ಸಹ ಕಾರ್ಮಿಕರ ಆರೋಗ್ಯ ರಕ್ಷಣೆಗೆ ತಕ್ಕ ಪ್ರಾಮುಖ್ಯತೆ ನೀಡುತ್ತಿಲ್ಲ ಎಂದು ಆರೋಪಿಸಿದರು.

ಕಸ ವಿಂಗಡಣೆ ವೇಳೆ ಕೈಯಿಂದಲೇ ಕೆಲಸ ನಿರ್ವಹಿಸುವ ಚಾಲಕರು ಮತ್ತು ಸಹಾಯಕರಿಗೆ ಸೂಜಿ, ಬ್ಲೇಡ್‌ ಸೇರಿದಂತೆ ಅಪಾಯಕಾರಿ ವಸ್ತುಗಳಿಂದ ಗಾಯಗಳಾಗುತ್ತಿವೆ. ದುರ್ವಾಸನೆ ಮತ್ತು ಧೂಳಿನ ಪರಿಣಾಮವಾಗಿ ಚರ್ಮ ಸಂಬಂಧಿತ ಕಾಯಿಲೆಗಳು ಹೆಚ್ಚುತ್ತಿವೆ ಎಂದು ಅವರು ವಿವರಿಸಿದರು.

ಇದರಿಂದಾಗಿ ಕಾರ್ಮಿಕರಿಗೆ ಆರೋಗ್ಯ ವಿಮೆ ಸೌಲಭ್ಯ ಕಲ್ಪಿಸುವುದರ ಜೊತೆಗೆ ಮುಖಾವರಣ, ಕೈಗವಸು, ಬೂಟುಗಳು, ಸ್ಯಾನಿಟೈಸರ್ ಹಾಗೂ ಸಮವಸ್ತ್ರವನ್ನು ಉಚಿತವಾಗಿ ನೀಡಬೇಕು ಎಂದು ಆಗ್ರಹಿಸಿದರು. ಜೊತೆಗೆ ಅಪಘಾತಗಳು ಅಥವಾ ಆರೋಗ್ಯ ಹಾನಿ ಸಂಭವಿಸಿದಲ್ಲಿ ಸಮರ್ಪಕ ಪರಿಹಾರ ನೀಡಬೇಕು ಎಂದು ತಿಳಿಸಿದರು.

ನಗರದಲ್ಲಿ ಸುಮಾರು 8 ಸಾವಿರಕ್ಕೂ ಹೆಚ್ಚು ಮಹಿಳಾ ಪೌರ ಕಾರ್ಮಿಕರು ಸೇರಿದಂತೆ ಚಾಲಕರು ಮತ್ತು ಸಹಾಯಕರು ಶ್ರಮಿಸುತ್ತಿದ್ದು, ಅವರ ಸೇವೆಯನ್ನು ಗುರುತಿಸಿ ಸರ್ಕಾರವು ‘ಸ್ವಚ್ಛತಾ ಸೇವಾರತ್ನ’ ಪ್ರಶಸ್ತಿಯನ್ನು ನೀಡಿ ಗೌರವಿಸಬೇಕು ಎಂದು ಮನವಿ ಮಾಡಿದ್ದಾರೆ.

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Ballari steps up cancer fight with awareness drive, rural outreach in focus

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Ballari hosts cancer awareness camp; 250 screened, focus on early detection

Ballari: A cancer awareness and detection camp was organised by the Sneha Lady Officers Club in Ballari on March 25, drawing significant participation from the local community. Around 250 people were screened during the initiative, which aimed to promote early detection and preventive healthcare.

Harris Sumair, Chief Executive Officer of Zilla Panchayat, Ballari, attended the camp as the chief guest. Addressing the gathering, he underscored the critical role of cancer prevention and regular screening in reducing disease burden at the district level. He highlighted ongoing initiatives under his leadership to strengthen cancer control measures and improve access to quality healthcare, particularly in rural areas. Emphasising early diagnosis, he noted that timely intervention remains key to saving lives.

Speaking at the event, Dr Nadimul Hoda, Head of Oral Oncology, elaborated on the harmful effects of tobacco consumption and its direct link to oral cancers. He urged the public to adopt healthier lifestyles and seek medical advice at the earliest signs of symptoms.

Dr A S Mahantesh, senior medical officer in-charge of the CDC, stressed the importance of preventive measures and early detection in managing cancer effectively. He also briefed attendees on various government schemes available at Kidwai for cancer patients, ensuring access to affordable treatment and support.

The camp saw a team of doctors and healthcare staff conducting screenings and offering guidance, reflecting a coordinated effort to raise awareness and strengthen grassroots-level healthcare outreach in the district.

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Powerplay unveils AI agents to streamline construction operations

Posted on by City Today News (City today.media)

Powerplay unveils AI workforce platform for construction sector

Bengaluru, March 26, 2026: Construction technology firm Powerplay on Thursday announced the launch of what it describes as India’s first artificial intelligence (AI)-driven workforce platform for the construction industry, aimed at automating critical operational functions across project lifecycles.

The platform introduces five domain-specific AI agents designed to handle tasks such as estimation, procurement, supplier assessment, demand forecasting, compliance, and financial readiness. The company said these agents are trained on real-world construction data, enabling them to function within the complexities of Indian project environments rather than generic software settings.

According to the company, early deployments have shown significant efficiency gains, including a sharp reduction in estimation timelines—from weeks to minutes—and productivity improvements of up to 60% across key workflows.

The system has been developed using operational data from over 85,000 construction projects executed on its platform over the past four years. This dataset includes bills of quantities, procurement records, billing cycles, and compliance documentation, which have been used to build standardised execution models for the AI agents.

Powerplay said the platform maintains accuracy levels of up to 99% through a “human-in-the-loop” approach, where experienced professionals review AI-generated outputs before final decisions are taken. This model also enables outcome-based pricing for clients.

Speaking on the development, Iesh Dixit, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, said the construction sector, despite contributing nearly 9% to the country’s GDP, continues to face a shortage of specialised talent in areas such as estimation and procurement.

He noted that the emergence of “vertical AI”—systems trained on industry-specific workflows—marks a shift from conventional software that merely records activity to solutions capable of executing routine operational tasks. He added that the company aims to position India at the forefront of this transition.

The platform is designed to support incremental adoption, allowing firms to deploy individual AI agents while retaining human oversight in critical areas. Powerplay plans to extend its AI capabilities across the entire construction lifecycle, from initial cost estimation to final financial reconciliation.

Founded by entrepreneurs with experience in construction operations, the company began as a coordination platform addressing fragmented workflows among site, procurement, and finance teams. It has since evolved into a broader operational system used by contractors and developers managing multi-site projects.

The company expects the new platform to drive wider adoption among general contractors, infrastructure developers, including those in renewable energy and data centres, as well as project firms seeking greater predictability in timelines, costs, and financial outcomes.

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Dr. Kiran Jeevan Appointed Principal of Historic United Mission Degree College

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Bengaluru: Dr. Kiran Jeevan has been appointed as the Principal of the historic United Mission Degree College, an institution managed by the CSI Karnataka Central Diocese (KCD).

Founded as an extension of the United Mission School established in 1834 by the London Mission and the Wesleyan Mission, the college has a long-standing legacy of academic excellence and social contribution. Over the decades, it has nurtured several eminent personalities, including Sir M. Visvesvaraya, Kengal Hanumanthaiah, Mirza Ismail, poet T.T. Sharma, Puttanna Chetty, and K.C. Reddy, the former Chief Minister of Karnataka. The institution also holds historical significance, having been visited by Mahatma Gandhi in 1929.
Located in the heart of Bengaluru near the City Corporation, the college continues to play a pivotal role in shaping young minds while upholding its rich heritage and values.

The installation ceremony of Dr. Jeevan was officiated by the Bishop of the Karnataka Central Diocese.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Jeevan expressed gratitude and described the appointment as a moment of humility and responsibility, reflecting on the institution’s enduring legacy with the words, “This is the Lord’s doing; it is marvelous in our eyes.”

For appointments, Dr. Jeevan can be reached at +91 82964 94451.

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