Minister underscores the transformation of Indian ports into smart, sustainable gateways
New Delhi, October 15, 2025: Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal today inaugurated the Golden Jubilee Curtain Raiser of the New Mangalore Port Authority (NMPA) at Bharat Mandapam, launching eight key maritime projects aimed at advancing port infrastructure, logistics, and sustainability.
The new projects include a state-of-the-art cruise terminal, modern covered storage sheds, a 150-bed multi-specialty hospital, expanded truck terminals, and upgraded port access infrastructure. Sonowal also unveiled a commemorative postal stamp, a special coin, and the Golden Jubilee Anthem of NMPA.
Speaking at the event, Sonowal said the port—established in 1975—has evolved from handling a few thousand tonnes to 46.01 million tonnes of cargo last year, with a capacity of 104 million tonnes per annum. He reaffirmed that ports will play a central role in realizing the ‘Viksit Bharat 2047’ vision and India’s goal of becoming a $30 trillion economy.
Emphasizing sustainable development, Sonowal lauded NMPA’s green initiatives, stating, “The economy should not grow at the cost of ecology. NMPA has adopted sustainability as a guiding principle.”
The Minister highlighted that India’s ports are transforming into smart, green, and technology-driven gateways under initiatives like the Harit Sagar Guidelines and Green Shipping Corridors, aligned with the Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047.
The event was attended by senior officials, including R. Lakshmanan, Joint Secretary (Ports), and Dr. Venkata Ramana Akkaraju, Chairman, NMPA.
India’s first immersive light festival returns with dazzling décor and large-scale art installations, transforming the city’s Diwali celebrations
Bengaluru, October 15, 2025: Phoenix Mall of Asia, the city’s leading lifestyle and cultural destination, proudly presents the second edition of the Phoenix India Light Festival (ILF) – Sitaro Ki Diwali: The Festival of Lights, Redefined.
Launched in September to coincide with Navratri, the grand Diwali installation has transformed the central plaza into a radiant festive landmark — glowing with star-inspired sculptures, shimmering lights, and immersive art displays that capture the spirit of the season.
Following the phenomenal success of last year’s edition, which became a visual landmark for Bengaluru, ILF 2025 returns with the evocative theme “Rhythms of Reverie.” This year, the festival reimagines the mall as a luminous realm where art, design, and technology unite to create an enchanting journey through light, colour, and emotion.
At the heart of ILF 2025 lies a symphony of light — rhythmic patterns, dynamic beams, and glowing installations that create harmony between movement and stillness. Each display invites visitors to pause, reflect, and immerse themselves in moments of awe and connection.
The festival features a collection of large-scale light art environments, each offering a unique sensory story:
Echoes: A portal of shifting light inspired by the aurora, where waves of glow mirror fleeting memories. The towering frame, illuminated by animated multi-colour LEDs, serves as a gateway to a surreal, intergalactic experience.
Tunnel of Colour: A radiant walkway surrounded by layered beams and ever-changing hues, transforming each step into a living artwork. The installation’s vibrant palette invites visitors to pause, pose, and revel in its constantly evolving atmosphere.
Dreamscape: A luminous maze inspired by galaxies, featuring a woven network of lights and gradients that simulate walking through a living constellation. As visitors move through it, ripples of colour and shadow invite curiosity and rediscovery.
Chasing Stars: A breathtaking celestial archway adorned with strings of light and illuminated stars that sweep across the sky like shooting stars. Larger-than-life stars and moving projections recreate the magic of standing beneath a sky alive with wishes.
Together, these installations transform Phoenix Mall of Asia into an interactive wonderland, where creativity, technology, and human connection converge to celebrate the essence of Diwali — light, unity, and joy.
Speaking about the festival, Ritu Mehta, Centre Director – Phoenix Mall of Asia and Director of Marketing – South, said, “Phoenix India Light Festival 2025 is among the most immersive and experiential light festivals in India, seamlessly blending art, technology, and imagination into a celebration that evokes wonder. At Phoenix, our vision is to curate experiences that inspire creativity, connection, and happiness. Bengaluru’s vibrant cultural spirit provides the perfect setting for this luminous journey, and we’re thrilled to unite the city once again under the brilliance of light.”
Free and open to the public, ILF 2025 invites families, art enthusiasts, and travellers from around the world to experience a festival where art meets innovation. With its blend of accessibility, creativity, and scale, Phoenix Mall of Asia reaffirms its position as Bengaluru’s leading destination for culture, celebration, and community engagement.
Bengaluru, October 15, 2025: The 9th edition of The India Advantage Summit (TIA-2025), one of India’s leading platforms for collaboration between industry, academia, and policymakers, commenced today at The Taj West End, Bengaluru. The two-day summit, scheduled for October 15 and 16, is designed to foster meaningful partnerships and spotlight leadership in innovation, technology, and entrepreneurship.
The event was inaugurated by Shri Gaurav Gupta, IAS, Additional Chief Secretary, Department of Energy, Government of Karnataka; Shri K. Rajaraman, IAS, Chairperson, International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA); and Sanjeev Kumar Gupta, CEO, Karnataka Digital Economy Mission (KDEM).
AI and Emerging Technologies Redefining the Future
Recent years have witnessed remarkable progress in Artificial Intelligence (AI), revolutionizing industries, economies, and everyday interactions. Key innovations in deep learning, natural language processing, and generative AI have significantly advanced applications across sectors — from improving healthcare diagnostics and financial forecasting to enabling autonomous systems and robotics.
However, the pursuit of general-purpose AI models continues to pose challenges, particularly in ensuring data quality, ethical governance, and domain adaptability. Regulatory frameworks and multi-stakeholder collaborations are now shaping the responsible evolution of AI, ensuring its alignment with human and societal values.
At TIA-2025, these critical issues are being explored in depth, offering delegates valuable insights into the applications, implications, and potential pathways of emerging technologies. The summit also aims to strengthen India’s position as a global hub for innovation, sustainability, and investment.
Leaders and Innovators Converge at TIA-2025
Speaking at the inaugural session, Jose Jacob, Director & Curator, The India Advantage Summit, said, “TIA Summit 2025 brings together leading innovators, disruptors, and changemakers from India and across the world. The summit is dedicated to building strong collaborations between industry, academia, and policymakers to drive the next phase of technological and entrepreneurial transformation.”
Over 60 distinguished speakers and global thought leaders are participating in the summit, sharing insights and experiences across sectors such as aerospace, artificial intelligence, data analytics, finance, and global markets. Their perspectives will help define actionable strategies and guide decision-makers in navigating today’s rapidly evolving economic and technological environment.
Airbound Raises $8.65 Million Seed Funding, Partners with Narayana Health to Launch Drone Delivery Pilot
Bengaluru, October 14, 2025: Bengaluru-based autonomous logistics startup Airbound has announced that it has raised $8.65 million in seed funding and entered into a pilot partnership with Narayana Health to enable medical drone deliveries.
The funding round was led by Lachy Groom, Co-founder of Physical Intelligence, with participation from Humba Ventures, Lightspeed Venture Partners, and senior leaders from Tesla, Anduril, and Ather Energy. This investment reflects strong conviction from operators who have scaled complex hardware and autonomy programs across industries.
Under the three-month pilot program with Narayana Health, Airbound will conduct ten medical drone deliveries per day, transporting blood samples, diagnostic kits, and essential medical supplies. The initiative will serve as a proof of concept for one of the most time-sensitive and critical logistics applications in healthcare.
Founded in 2023, Airbound is building a next-generation logistics platform designed to make deliveries faster, more reliable, and cost-efficient across all terrains — urban, semi-urban, and remote. Its proprietary carbon-fibre manufacturing process enables rapid drone production, while its blended-wing-body tailsitter design merges the vertical takeoff and landing advantages of multicopters with the aerodynamic efficiency of fixed-wing aircraft. This combination overcomes the performance limitations of traditional tilt-rotor and quadplane drones.
Speaking about the milestone, Naman Pushp, Founder and CEO of Airbound, said, “We are grateful to our investors for sharing our vision to make delivery costs negligible. The healthcare sector is the ideal testing ground for our technology — it demands reliability and speed. Our partnership with Narayana Health validates that Airbound’s platform can meet critical delivery needs while proving that cost-effective drone logistics can be scaled globally.”
Lachy Groom, Co-founder of Physical Intelligence, added, “Airbound’s unique approach addresses the fundamental physics and economic challenges that have limited existing drone delivery systems. Their blended-wing-body design and in-house manufacturing capabilities position them to achieve the cost efficiencies required for large-scale deployment.”
Dr. Devi Shetty, Founder and Chairman of Narayana Health,in his statement he said, “At Narayana Health, we continuously explore technologies that enhance patient care and operational efficiency. Partnering with Airbound enables us to pilot a solution that could dramatically improve the speed and reliability of medical deliveries — a critical factor in saving lives, especially in remote or underserved areas.”
With this fresh capital, Airbound plans to scale manufacturing, expand operations beyond healthcare, and refine its technology for broader market adoption by 2026. The company aims to make delivery costs so low that geographic distance becomes irrelevant in accessing essential goods and services.
Including this round, Airbound’s total funding has crossed $10 million. Insights gained from its Narayana Health pilot will be used to further optimize logistics solutions and accelerate the rollout of drone-based delivery networks across industries.
Basic facilities razed; activists call it inhuman and undemocratic
Bengaluru, October 13: The much-publicized Brand Bengaluru project has come under sharp criticism after the Freedom Park redevelopment allegedly turned into a site of suffering for hundreds of peaceful protesters.
The Freedom Park Protection and Protest Committee has accused civic authorities of “inhuman neglect”, stating that toilets were demolished, electricity cut off, and even water connections shut down — leaving demonstrators without basic survival facilities.
Committee President Gandasi Sadananda Swamy, after inspecting the site, minced no words: “This is nothing short of cruelty. Thousands of citizens assemble here daily to raise public issues. Yet, the government has stripped them of the most basic amenities — no toilets, no water, no power. The place now reeks of neglect,” he said.
Swamy warned that the situation is especially unsafe for women protesters. “Freedom Park has become a den for drunkards and drug abusers at night. Women have no safety or privacy. Police hardly patrol the area. Is this how Bengaluru treats its citizens exercising democratic rights?” he questioned.
He demanded the immediate restoration of essential facilities or suspension of protest permissions until redevelopment is complete. “Beautification cannot come at the cost of citizens’ dignity,”Swamy asserted.
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