15 Years, 5 Lakh Lives: VIDYA South Zone Celebrates a Milestone of Impact

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Bengaluru: VIDYA (Vidya Integrated Development for Youth and Adults), one of India’s longstanding NGOs known for its work in education and empowerment, announced the South Zone’s 15-year milestone at a press meet held at the Press Club of Bangalore. Over the past four decades, VIDYA has directly impacted more than 8 lakh individuals and reached 24 lakh others through 300-plus projects focused on education, digital literacy, vocational training, and women’s empowerment.

Founder Smt. Rashmi Misra, reflecting on VIDYA’s journey, said, “What began as a small learning initiative for five children at my IIT Delhi home has today become a nationwide movement. Every child, youth, and woman who found confidence and new possibilities through VIDYA has contributed to this story of change. The South Zone’s 15-year journey proves that empowering one life can uplift an entire community.”

VIDYA’s footprint now spans Delhi, Gurugram, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and other regions, supported by a strong network of schools, community centres, government partnerships, and skill programmes.

In the South Zone, VIDYA has grown from supporting 150 beneficiaries in 2010 to transforming more than 5 lakh lives through education, digital empowerment, and livelihood initiatives. The organisation currently runs three Centres of Excellence in Bengaluru and Chennai, 146 active projects, and 75+ institutional collaborations, powered by a dedicated team of 125 staff members—half of them VIDYA alumni.

The 15th Year Celebration will be held on Sunday, November 23, 2025, at Town Hall, JC Road, Bengaluru, with high tea at 4:00 pm, followed by the main event from 4:30 pm to 7:30 pm. Senior leaders Rekha Srinivasan, Devika Mathur, Sunitha Menon, and Kavitha were present at the press meet.

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Ola Electric Begins Test Rides of 4680 Bharat Cell-Powered Vehicles Across India

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Bengaluru, November 16, 2025:
Ola Electric has officially started test rides of its latest range of vehicles equipped with the company’s indigenously developed 4680 Bharat Cell battery technology. The initiative has rolled out simultaneously across all Ola flagship stores in India. The S1 Pro+ (5.2 kWh) becomes the first model to feature this advanced battery pack, promising higher range, stronger performance and added safety.

The milestone comes shortly after Ola Electric received ARAI certification for its 5.2 kWh 4680 Bharat Cell configuration under the updated AIS-156 Amendment 4 safety standards issued by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.

An Ola Electric spokesperson said:
“The introduction of our 4680 Bharat Cell-powered vehicles marks a significant advancement in India’s electric mobility landscape. Customers can now personally experience this home-grown technology through test rides at our flagship stores. This reflects our continued commitment to innovation, self-reliance and driving India toward a cleaner, sustainable future.”

S1 Pro+ (5.2 kWh): Key Highlights

The S1 Pro+ comes with a 13 kW motor, delivering a rapid 0–40 km/h acceleration in just 2.1 seconds. It offers an IDC-certified range of 320 km in DIY mode. The scooter features four riding modes—Hyper, Sports, Normal and Eco. Safety has been enhanced with dual-channel ABS and front and rear disc brakes, making it one of the most secure scooters in its segment.

The model also gets several comfort and design upgrades, including a new two-tone seat, body-coloured mirrors, a die-cast aluminium grab handle, rim decals, and an expanded colour palette featuring Passion Red, Porcelain White, Industrial Silver, Jet Black, Stellar Blue and Midnight Blue.

Comprehensive Product Line-up

Ola Electric continues to expand its portfolio of S1 scooters and Roadster X motorcycles.

S1 Gen 3 Premium Range

S1 Pro+ (5.2 kWh): ₹1,90,338

S1 Pro+ (4 kWh): ₹1,70,338

S1 Pro (4 kWh): ₹1,44,999

S1 Pro (3 kWh): ₹1,24,999

Mass-Market Scooters

Gen3 S1X+ (4 kWh): ₹1,19,999

Gen3 S1X (2 kWh): ₹84,999

Gen3 S1X (3 kWh): ₹98,999

Gen3 S1X (4 kWh): ₹1,14,999

Sports Scooter Series

S1 Pro Sport (5.2 kWh & 4 kWh), both available for reservation at ₹999.

Roadster Motorcycle Range

Roadster X+ (4.5 kWh): ₹1,29,999

Roadster X (2.5 kWh): ₹99,999

Roadster X (3.5 kWh): ₹1,09,999

Roadster X (4.5 kWh): ₹1,24,999

City Today News 9341997936

Prakash Pirgal Honoured with Prestigious “Samaj Bhushan” Title at Bengaluru Town Hall

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

Bengaluru, November 16, 2025:
In a distinguished ceremony marked by dignity and community pride, Sri.Prakash Pirgal, President of The Bangalore Wholesale Cloth Merchants Association (R), was conferred with the revered “Samaj Bhushan” title by the Akhil Bhartiya Oswal Parishad. The event, held at the historic Town Hall, drew the participation of community leaders, dignitaries, and members of the Oswal fraternity.

The felicitation was carried out by Honourable Shri P. Krishna Bhat, Former Judge of the Karnataka High Court, who delivered an inspiring address highlighting the importance of ethical leadership and dedicated social service. He commended Sri.Prakash Pirgal for his longstanding contributions to community welfare, organisational strengthening, and for championing initiatives that have positively impacted the merchant fraternity in Bengaluru.

Speaking on the occasion, members of the Parishad noted that the “Samaj Bhushan” title is awarded only to individuals who embody exceptional commitment to social upliftment, integrity, and public service—qualities that Prakash Pirgal has demonstrated consistently in his leadership journey.

The ceremony concluded with expressions of gratitude and appreciation from the organisers, acknowledging the collective efforts of the Oswal community in fostering unity, service, and cultural preservation. The gathering also celebrated the achievements of the honouree, whose work continues to inspire many within and beyond the business community.

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ಭವಿಷ್ಯಮುಖಿ ಶಿಕ್ಷಣದತ್ತ ನವೀಕೃತ ದೃಷ್ಟಿಯಿಂದ ಚಾಣಕ್ಯ ವಿಶ್ವವಿದ್ಯಾಲಯದ ಸ್ಥಾಪನಾ ದಿನಾಚರಣೆ

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

ಬೆಂಗಳೂರು, ನವೆಂಬರ್ 15, 2025:
ಭಾರತದ ನಾಗರಿಕತಾ ಮೌಲ್ಯಗಳು ಮತ್ತು ಜಾಗತಿಕ ಶಿಕ್ಷಣದ ಆಧುನಿಕ ದೃಷ್ಟಿಕೋನವನ್ನು ಸಂಯೋಜಿಸುವ ತನ್ನ ದೌತ್ಯವನ್ನು ಮರುಸ್ಥಾಪಿಸುತ್ತಾ, ಚಾಣಕ್ಯ ವಿಶ್ವವಿದ್ಯಾಲಯವು ತನ್ನ ಸ್ಥಾಪನಾ ದಿನವನ್ನು ಭವ್ಯವಾಗಿ ಆಚರಿಸಿತು. ವಿದ್ಯಾ-ದಾನದ ಆತ್ಮವನ್ನು ಆಚರಿಸಿದ ಈ ಕಾರ್ಯಕ್ರಮದಲ್ಲಿ ವಿಶ್ವವಿದ್ಯಾಲಯದ ವೇಗವಾದ ಬೆಳವಣಿಗೆ ಮತ್ತು ನೈತಿಕತೆ, ಕೌಶಲ್ಯ ಮತ್ತು ಸಂಶೋಧನಾ ಮನೋಭಾವ ಹೊಂದಿದ ಭವಿಷ್ಯದ ನಾಯಕರನ್ನು ರೂಪಿಸುವ ಬದ್ಧತೆಯನ್ನು ಮತ್ತೊಮ್ಮೆ ಹೊರಹಾಕಲಾಯಿತು.

ಸಂಸ್ಥೆಯ ಗಣ್ಯ ಅಕಾಡೆಮಿಕ್‌ಗಳು, ಕೈಗಾರಿಕಾ ನಾಯಕರು ಮತ್ತು ನೀತಿ ರೂಪಕಾರರು ಈ ಕಾರ್ಯಕ್ರಮದಲ್ಲಿ ಭಾಗವಹಿಸಿದರು. ಕ್ಯಾಂಪಸ್‌ನಲ್ಲಿ ಹಲವು ಪ್ರಮುಖ ಸೌಲಭ್ಯಗಳ ಉದ್ಘಾಟನೆಯೂ ನಡೆಯಿತು. ರಾಕೇಶ್ ಭಾರ್ತಿ ಮಿತ್ತಲ್ ಅವರು ಭಾರತಿ ಸಭಾಭವನ ಮತ್ತು ಏರ್ಟೆಲ್ ಉಪಾಹಾರ ಭವನವನ್ನು ಉದ್ಘಾಟಿಸಿದರು. ಅದೇ ಸಂದರ್ಭದಲ್ಲಿ ಜಮುನಾ ದೇವಿ ಜಿಂದಾಲ್ ಫ್ಯಾಕಲ್ಟಿ ಹೌಸಿಂಗ್ ಬ್ಲಾಕ್, ಆಕ್ಸಿಸ್ ಬ್ಯಾಂಕ್ CSR ನೆರವಿನಿಂದ ಸ್ಥಾಪಿತ ಹೊಸ ಪ್ರಯೋಗಾಲಯಗಳು ಮತ್ತು ಸುಮನ್ ನಿರ್ಮಲ್ ಮಿಂಡಾ ಫೌಂಡೇಶನ್ ಗೆಸ್ಟ್ ಹೌಸ್‌ಗಳನ್ನೂ ಉದ್ಘಾಟಿಸಲಾಯಿತು. ಜೊತೆಗೆ, ಅಜೀಂ ಪ್ರೇಂಜಿ ಫೌಂಡೇಶನ್‌ನ ಸಿಇಒ ಅನುರಾಗ್ ಬೆಹರ್ ಅವರು ಕಂಪಸ್‌ನಲ್ಲಿ ನಿರ್ಮಾಣವಾಗಲಿರುವ ಹೊಸ CBSE ಶಾಲೆಗೆ ಶಿಲಾನ್ಯಾಸ ನೆರವೇರಿಸಿದರು.

ಈ ದಿನದ ವಿಶೇಷ ಆಕರ್ಷಣೆಯಾಗಿ “ಟ್ರೀ ಆಫ್‌ ಗ್ರಾಟಿಟ್ಯೂಡ್” ರೂಪದ ದಾನಿಗಳ ಭಿತ್ತಿಯನ್ನು ಅನಾವರಣಗೊಳಿಸಲಾಯಿತು. ವಿಶ್ವವಿದ್ಯಾಲಯದ ಬೆಳವಣಿಗೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ಮಹತ್ವದ ಪಾತ್ರ ವಹಿಸಿದ ದಾನಿಗಳಿಗೆ ಈ ಮೂಲಕ ಗೌರವ ಸಲ್ಲಿಸಲಾಯಿತು.

ನಾಲ್ಕನೇ ವರ್ಷಕ್ಕೆ ಕಾಲಿಟ್ಟಿರುವ ಚಾಣಕ್ಯ ವಿಶ್ವವಿದ್ಯಾಲಯವು ಗಮನಾರ್ಹ ವೃದ್ಧಿಯನ್ನು ಸಾಧಿಸಿದ್ದು, ಈಗ 2,400 ವಿದ್ಯಾರ್ಥಿಗಳ ಬಲ, ಆರು ಶಾಲೆಗಳು ಹಾಗೂ ಏಳು ಶ್ರೇಷ್ಠತಾ ಕೇಂದ್ರಗಳು ಕ್ಯಾಂಪಸ್‌ನಲ್ಲಿ ಕಾರ್ಯನಿರ್ವಹಿಸುತ್ತಿವೆ. ಸಮಾರಂಭವನ್ನುದ್ದೇಶಿಸಿ ಮಾತನಾಡಿದ ಕುಲಪತಿ ಪ್ರೊ. ಯಶವಂತ ಡೋಂಗ್ರೆ, ಸಂಸ್ಕೃತಿ ನಿರ್ಮಾಣ, ಕೌಶಲ್ಯಾಭಿವೃದ್ಧಿ, ಅಂತರವಿಷಯ ಶಿಕ್ಷಣ ಮತ್ತು ಸಂಶೋಧನೆ — ಇವೇ ವಿಶ್ವವಿದ್ಯಾಲಯದ ಮುಂದಿನ ಅಭಿವೃದ್ಧಿಗೆ ಮಾರ್ಗಸೂಚಿಯೆಂದು ಹೇಳಿದರು.

ವೀಡಿಯೋ ಸಂದೇಶದ ಮೂಲಕ ಮಾತನಾಡಿದ ವಿಪ್ರೊ ಸ್ಥಾಪಕರಾದ ಅಜೀಂ ಪ್ರೇಂಜಿ, ಶೈಕ್ಷಣಿಕ ಸಂಸ್ಥೆಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ದೀರ್ಘಕಾಲೀನ ದೃಷ್ಟಿಯುಳ್ಳ ಸಂಸ್ಕೃತಿಯ ಅಗತ್ಯತೆಯನ್ನು ಒತ್ತಿ ಹೇಳಿದರು. ಕೈಗಾರಿಕೆ, ವಿಜ್ಞಾನ ಮತ್ತು ಸಾರ್ವಜನಿಕ ನೀತಿ ಕ್ಷೇತ್ರದ ಗಣ್ಯರು — ಡಾ. ಕಿರಣ್ ಮಜುಂದಾರ್-ಶಾ, ಪ್ರಶಾಂತ್ ಪ್ರಕಾಶ್, ಮೊಹಂದಾಸ್ ಪೈ, ಡಾ. ಶಮಿಕಾ ರವಿ ಮತ್ತು ಕುಲಾಧಿಪತಿ ಡಾ. ಎಸ್. ಸೋಮನಾಥ್ — ಸಂಶೋಧನಾ ಸಾಮರ್ಥ್ಯ ವೃದ್ಧಿ, ನವೀನತೆಗೆ ಉತ್ತೇಜನ, AI ಆಧಾರಿತ ಕಲಿಕೆಯ ಬೆಳವಣಿಗೆ ಮತ್ತು ಭಾರತದಲ್ಲಿ ಬದಲಾಗುತ್ತಿರುವ ಶಿಕ್ಷಣ-ಕೈಗಾರಿಕಾ ಅವಶ್ಯಕತೆಗಳ ಬಗ್ಗೆ ತಮ್ಮ ನೋಟ ಹಂಚಿಕೊಂಡರು.

ಸ್ಥಾಪನಾ ದಿನಾಚರಣೆ, ಚಾಣಕ್ಯ ವಿಶ್ವವಿದ್ಯಾಲಯವನ್ನು ಸಂಶೋಧನಾ ಚಾಲಿತ, ಚೈತನ್ಯವಂತ ಮತ್ತು ಭವಿಷ್ಯಕ್ಕೆ ತಯಾರಾಗುವ ಸಂಸ್ಥೆಯನ್ನಾಗಿ ರೂಪಿಸುವ ಸಾಮೂಹಿಕ ಸಂಕಲ್ಪದೊಂದಿಗೆ ಮುಕ್ತಾಯಗೊಂಡಿತು.

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Chanakya University Celebrates Foundation Day with Renewed Push for Innovation and Research

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

Bengaluru, November 15, 2025:
Chanakya University marked its Foundation Day with a reaffirmation of its mission to blend India’s civilisational wisdom with contemporary, globally-relevant education. Celebrating the spirit of Vidyā-Dāna, the University highlighted its rapid growth and renewed commitment to nurturing ethical, skilled and research-driven leaders.

The event brought together eminent academics, industry leaders and policymakers, and featured the inauguration of several key facilities on campus. These included the Bharati Auditorium and Airtel Cafeteria inaugurated by Mr. Rakesh Bharti Mittal, the Jamuna Devi Jindal Faculty Housing Block, new labs supported by Axis Bank’s CSR programme, and the Suman Nirmal Minda Foundation Guest House. In addition, Anurag Behar, CEO of the Azim Premji Foundation, laid the foundation stone for a new CBSE school on the campus.

A special highlight of the day was the unveiling of the Donor Wall—designed as a “Tree of Gratitude”—honouring the benefactors whose support has propelled the University’s growth.

Now in its fourth year, Chanakya University has seen notable expansion. Its student strength has grown to 2,400, with six schools and seven Centres of Excellence now functioning on campus. Addressing the gathering, Vice-Chancellor Prof. Yashavantha Dongre noted that the University’s focus areas—culture building, skill development, interdisciplinary learning and research—will guide its next phase of development.

Speaking via video address, Wipro Founder Chairman Azim Premji emphasised the importance of institutional culture and long-term vision. Leaders from industry, science and public policy—including Dr. Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, Prashanth Prakash, Mohandas Pai, Dr. Shamika Ravi and Chancellor Dr. S. Somanath—shared insights on strengthening research, fostering innovation, advancing AI-driven learning, and addressing India’s evolving education–industry needs.

The Foundation Day concluded with a renewed collective commitment to shaping Chanakya University into a vibrant, research-oriented institution that prepares students to meet the challenges of a rapidly changing world.

City Today News 9341997936