Bengaluru-based Katidhan, a fast-growing tech startup working at the intersection of cleantech, agri-tech and wildlife-tech has been felicitated by Government of Karnataka at an event held recently to celebrate the winners of its ELEVATE 2023 grant program. The event was graced by dignitaries like Priyank Kharge, Hon’ble Minister of Electronics, IT BT, Rural Development & Panchayat Raj, Government of Karnataka; Siddharth Pai (3one4 Capital); Prashant Prakash (Accel Partners); Anant Narayan (Mensa Brands), among others, where the Bengaluru Innovation Report 2024 was also launched. At the ceremony, Katidhan’s founder Ayan S R was bestowed the ELEVATE 2023-24 Winner Award, along with a winner’s certificate.

Notably, Katidhan, a Shark Tank India-featured startup, had won a non-dilutive grant last year through the flagship ELEVATE program wherein the Government of Karnataka supports innovative technological startups to convert their ideas to POCs and from thereon scale-up their business models. This grant has proven to be highly beneficial for Katidhan as it continues to build its advanced technological solutions to reduce crop losses in agriculture due to wildlife attacks.

Speaking about the achievement, Ayan S R, Founder & Director, Katidhan said, “We are extremely proud and elated to have won the ELEVATE Grant Award. On this august occasion, I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude and appreciation towards the Government of Karnataka for this fantastic initiative – they’re now one of the only state governments in our country to provide capital support to startups without any equity dilution. Apart from this, they are also supportive of us in providing investor connects, market access programs, tax breaks, global networks and numerous other benefits. No wonder, Bengaluru and Karnataka are undisputedly leading the way in nurturing a conducive startup ecosystem that builds world-class companies from India”.

The startup has previously won the ELEVATE Grant under Startup Karnataka, and had raised equity funding on Shark Tank India Season 3

“The ELEVATE grant has played a pivotal role for us at Katidhan to come out with a basic prototype of our ideas, which in turn indirectly helped us bag a deal on Shark Tank India. In fact, ELEVATE is that stepping stone over which we could climb and manifest bigger heights, and are now on track to launch the working prototype of our upcoming AI-enabled product,” added Ayan.

“Karnataka stands as a beacon of innovation and technological advancement, leading India’s startup ecosystem with remarkable achievements. The state, which hosts a thriving community of innovators, has cemented its reputation as a premier hub for technology and innovation”, commented Priyank Kharge, Hon’ble Minister, Department of Electronics, IT & BT, and Rural Development & Panchayat Raj, Government of Karnataka.

Notably, Katidhan was one of the top 101 startups that were awarded the ELEVATE grant in 2023, out of 15000 applicants from across Karnataka. A total of INR 60 Crore was provided to 263 startups under different programs such as ELEVATE, ELEVATE Call 2, ELEVATE Unnati and ELEVATE Amrita. ELEVATE is the brainchild of Priyank Kharge, who started it way back in 2015, and has been at the forefront of its growth, supporting over 980 startups with grant funding till date.

Earlier this year, Katidhan appeared on Shark Tank India Season 3 and successfully clinched an investment deal from OYO founder ‘Shark’ Ritesh Agarwal. The startup has grown incrementally over the last couple of years, with its innovative solutions having already reached and positively impacted around 2000 farmers across 12 Indian states as of date. Additionally, Katidhan has also established strong GTM partnerships in a bid to ensure that both its current and upcoming products are rapidly scaled across India.

Renowned costume designer Niharika Bhasin has been honored with the Best Costume Designer Award at the prestigious Nexa Streaming Awards for her exceptional work in the film Tumse Na Ho Payega. This recognition highlights her innovative approach and ability to capture the essence of modern youth culture through costume design.

A Passion Project Born from Friendship

The journey of Tumse Na Ho Payega began with a personal connection. Introduced to the project by a close friend, Niharika was immediately drawn to the film’s storyline and characters. After a captivating narration by director Abhishek Sinha, she was inspired to dive into a project that aimed to explore the new-age dynamics of Gen-Z.

Bringing Characters to Life with Unique Wardrobe Choices

Niharika’s work on the film focused on creating distinct identities for each character. The male characters’ wardrobes were highlighted by personalized tees that reflected their thoughts and personalities, serving as a vital element of their characterization.

For Mahima, who works in a celebrity agency, Niharika crafted a wardrobe that embodied the casual yet vibrant spirit of a young Bombay girl. Her costumes captured the city’s pulse and energy, adding authenticity to the film’s setting.

Celebrating the Spirit of Bombay

The film’s setting in Bombay allowed Niharika to draw inspiration from the city’s vibrant life. From office spaces to the warm kitchens of Bombay’s neighborhoods, the costumes reflected the diverse landscape of the city’s culture. The characters of Ishfaak’s mother and Anu Aunty were particularly noteworthy, portrayed in sarees that added layers of maternal warmth and ambition, respectively.

Niharika Bhasin’s award-winning work on Tumse Na Ho Payega exemplifies her ability to blend traditional elements with contemporary fashion, capturing the essence of the characters and the bustling life of Mumbai.

The rapturous tune joins the festivities. Dr CV Ranjith, the composer, seems a bit excited and enthusiastic as the moment approaches. A dental surgeon by profession, the passionate musician  from Kannur, has been striving hard, journeying through the heartlands of India, struggling against the ticking clock in the recording studios, setting and revising the tune to capture the imagination of the people through his innovative project – Vande Matharam – A feel of Patriotism– a patriotic song, looks excited as his dream project is all set to release during this Independence Day.

“I feel excited and a bit emotional to see that this musical journey has reached the final destination.  Though it was quite arduous, physically taxing and a race against time, it was also exciting and seemed like a journey of soul searching for me. I was enjoying the struggle and quite happy to see that the efforts have paid off well”, Ranjith said.

“Vande Mataram,” composed and directed by Dr. CV Ranjith, is slated to be released on 12 August ,a few days ahead of Independence Day. “Ever since the incomparable musical masterpiece of AR Rahman’s Vande Matharam, I think, no other patriotic song has come to inspire the Indians like this. This is my humble attempt in this direction as I have tried to portray the historical beauty and natural brilliance of this country through my musical production. This would surely inspire the patriotic Indians, I think”, Ranjith said. Shot in breath taking locations spanning from Kashmir to Kanyakumari, this song promises a fresh and captivating experience, he said.

Dr. CV Ranjith shared that he had dedicated a year to crafting this 6-minute-long anthem. The filming commenced in July last year, capturing diverse views of both rural and urban India, including Delhi, Agra, Amritsar, Kullu Manali, Ladakh, Kedarnath, Srinagar, Keran, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Mysuru, Hampi, Hyderabad, Guwahati, Jaipur, Ajmer, Meghalaya ,Kolkata, Varanasi, Baroda, Lucknow, Kanyakumari, Dhanushkodi, Madurai, Thiruvananthapuram, and Kannur.

Dr. CV Ranjith recalled his unforgettable experience filming in Keran, noted as India’s first village, where the borders of India and Pakistan are separated by a river.

“It was a challenge to come up with a new tune which would instil both patriotism and musical excellence as hundreds of such songs would come up during the Independence Day and Republic Day. It was a hard task to set a different track to meet the standards demanded by the aficionados. But, I believe, I have done full justice to the project”, he said. Ranjith, who also directed the video album alongside composing the tune. The lyrics for “Vande Mataram” was penned by Sumita Ayilliath, a Dubai-based radio host and lyricist, and the vocals were performed by Aslam, a singer based in Mumbai. The song’s sound mixing and production was handled by Ashwin Sivadas, while cinematography credits go to Sanil Koothuparamp, PV Ranjith, and Dr. CV Ranjith himself. Editing was done by Deepti and Nived.

The song is produced under the banner of renowned Bollywood Producer Mayur K Barot’s White Measure Entertainment, Mumbai.

Dr. CV Ranjith, known for his earlier hit “The Song of Kannur: Heaven of Tourism,” which was awarded the Babasaheb Dr. BR Ambedkar International Award, has also created songs in 20 Indian languages, including a tribute to cricketer Sachin Tendulkar.

“Vande Mataram” will be released through the renowned music label Muzik 247, aiming to resonate with the youth and inspire a renewed sense of patriotism across the nation.

“The ocean is a constantly moving fluid that houses the largest three-dimensional living space on Earth, supporting various habitats”, said Dr. Sachinanda Babu, from NASA, while inaugurating of the IEEE Geoscience and Remote Sensing (GRSS) Student chapter at Manipal Institute of Technology (MIT), Bengaluru on 26th July. He further added, “We coexist with over 8 million species on our planet, and we are currently witnessing unprecedented global-scale changes to our Earth.

For instance, the North Atlantic is home to highly productive “forests” each spring, where carbon-rich phytoplankton blooms fuel the fisheries of New England. The clear waters around Florida host productive coral reefs and fisheries, but are at times affected by toxic phytoplankton. While today’s satellites can measure the quantity of phytoplankton at the ocean surface, they are unable to detect the diversity of species. The recently launched NASA PACE’s mission will, for the first time, help us predict the “boom or bust” of fisheries and sidentify marine hazards such as harmful algal blooms”. He encouraged students to explore these space-based observations which offers a comprehensive perspective on Earth’s resources, encompassing the atmosphere, and oceans.

 The event hosted by GRSS and ECE Department, MIT BLR aims to empower students in Geoscience and Remote Sensing. Dr. Sachidananda Babu, Technology Program Manager at the Earth Science Technology Office of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in the USA was the chief guest at the event. Dr. Babu discussed NASA’s technology development efforts to support future remote sensing missions during the inaugural function.

 He said, “We are excited to officially open the MIT Bengaluru IEEE Geoscience and Remote Sensing Student Chapter. This will act as a link between theoretical knowledge and real-world application by giving students exclusive chances to take part in research initiatives, and create ground-breaking answers to urgent problems. I urge every student to explore how Earth Observation data can be used to prepare for climate change and mitigate, adapt and respond to environmental challenges across the country”.

 “The establishment of our institution’s IEEE Geoscience and Remote Sensing (GRSS) Student Chapter is a significant step toward enhancing our students’ academic experiences. They will have an unmatched opportunity to learn about the cutting edge of remote sensing technology, encourage creativity, and dig into the intriguing field of geosciences with this chapter. I am eager to see how this program encourages our students to break new ground in their fields and help address global issues”, said Dr. Madhu Veeraraghavan, Pro Vice Chancellor, MAHE BLR. 

 Dr. Ujjwal Verma, the Head of the Department of Electronics and Communication Engg who is also the Faculty Advisor for the IEEE GRSS Student branch, mentioned that IEEE GRSS is a technical society of IEEE, USA, providing a platform for researchers and practitioners to collaborate and design tools to understand the interactions with Earth’s ecosystems, monitor environments, oceans, and ice caps, and characterize potential risks. He highlighted that the student branch at MIT BLR will organize various events on geoscience and remote sensing, including workshops/ lectures by ISRO, NASA, and ESA experts, and field visits to ISRO and DRDO facilities.

 Dr. Jagannath Korody Director, MIT BLR and Dr. Balachandra Achar, IEEE SB Advisor, MIT BLR along with other dignitaries were present at the inaugural ceremony.

Turkish Airlines, the airline that flies to more countries than any other, has revealed the details of its brand-new state-of-the-art Business Class suite at the Farnborough International Airshow 2024 in Hampshire, UK. 

The new Crystal Business Class suite marks a new era for luxury air travel for business passengers and is the first from Turkish Airlines to feature an adjustable suite door and privacy panel for enhanced in-flight privacy. New seats feature a generous 23-inch seat width boasting increased footwell space with direct aisle access for all guests with every window suite possessing full visibility. In line with company’s “Flow” brand identity, new suites feature lighter and warmer colors, marble-style table and rose gold finishes. 

The suite continues to provide the very best amenities Turkish Airlines is known for to elevate guest experience, including adjustable ambient and reading lights, universal and Type C power outlets, wireless charger, noise cancelling audio jack, adjustable mirror, closed stowage ergonomic seat cushion and a 22-inch IFE screen.

The airline’s new seats have been developed by its subsidiary, TCI Aircraft Interiors, to create a bespoke product unique to the airline and features elements with plush leathers and fabrics all sourced from Türkiye to emphasize flag carrier’s roots.

 On the new Business class offerings of the company, Turkish Airlines Chairman of The Board and Executive Committee Prof. Ahmet Bolat stated: “Our new Crystal Business Class suite will add a new chapter for our long-haul luxury travel and will carry the airline into the future with a new level of comfort and privacy across our extensive global network. The specially created design will complement our award-winning in-flight dining options for us to keep providing an unparalleled experience above the clouds for our guests.” 

The new seats, set to be featured on the carrier’s transcontinental flights, will be gradually installed on airline’s Airbus A350s on order, as well as planned to be retrofitted on its fleet of Boeing 777 aircraft.

 Turkish Airlines has a two-story 300m² chalet area at the Farnborough International Airshow from 22-26 July 2024. The chalet showcases a selection of Turkish Airlines’ in-flight products, as well as digital screens allowing guests to discover the flag carrier’s extensive global network.