Good morning, Bengaluru!
🌫️ Today’s weather: High: 33 ℃ | Low: 19 ℃ | Mist
🧐 Did you know? The Ulsoor Lake is spread over 123.6 acres.
📷 Nilgiris Exhibitions in Bengaluru
Two exhibitions in Bengaluru highlight the history, ecology, and communities of the Nilgiris, including a special focus on honey bees.
What’s it about? “Remembering and Reimagining,” curated by Jenny Pinto, celebrates the 200th anniversary of Ooty with over 300 photographs showcasing the region’s ancient history and indigenous tribes. The exhibition includes contributions from various researchers and features a special section on photographer Albert TW Penn. A book discussion on “The Nilgiri Hills: A Kaleidoscope of People, Culture and Nature” by Paul Hockings is scheduled for February 23.
- The second exhibition, “Honey Bees of the Nilgiris,” curated by the Keystone Foundation, focuses on the diversity of native honey bees and traditional beekeeping practices.
- It aims to raise awareness about indigenous bee species and the importance of knowing the origin of honey.
Location details: The exhibitions, running from February 23 to 26 at the Bengaluru International Centre in Domlur, offer a comprehensive look at the Nilgiris’ rich cultural and ecological heritage, as well as the crucial role of honey bees in the region’s biodiversity.
🧑🏼💼 Mega Job Fair
The Karnataka government is to host a two-day job fair ‘Yuva Samruddhi Sammelana’ from February 26, with over 500 companies and 31,000 job seekers registered.
What’s it about? The event, inaugurated by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar at Palace Grounds, aims to provide job opportunities for youths with degrees, engineering diplomas, and other job-oriented courses. The fair is organised by the Skill Development Entrepreneurship and Livelihood Department in collaboration with the private sector.
- More than 500 national and global companies will participate, offering nearly one lakh vacancies.
- Over 600 stalls will be set up to assist candidates in finding suitable job opportunities, with experts and company executives available for guidance.
Training if not selected: Ministers urge candidates to participate in large numbers and take advantage of this opportunity, with further training offered to those who may not secure jobs during the event.
🛣️ Controversy over tunnel road
The proposed tunnel road project in Bengaluru faces criticism from residents, experts, and environmentalists.
What’s it about? The Karnataka government’s plan to construct a tunnel road between Hebbal Junction and Mekhri Circle has sparked concerns. Critics argue that the project, announced by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, will not effectively address traffic congestion and may lead to environmental issues.
- Professor Ashish Verma of the Indian Institute of Science suggests that a tunnel metro would be a more efficient solution for transporting passengers.
- Civil engineer Vishwanath S warns of significant groundwater depletion and aquifer disruption due to tunnel construction.
Resident’s take: R Rajagopalan of the Bengaluru Residents Welfare Association proposes alternatives like a clover structure, citing the city’s unsuitable soil texture for tunnelling.
🛫 Non-stop flights from Bengaluru to London
The Bengaluru-London route is set to welcome non-stop flights by Air India and Virgin Atlantic from April 2024.
What’s it about? Currently, only British Airways operates non-stop flights between Bengaluru and London. With the addition of Air India and Virgin Atlantic, the frequency and options for passengers on this key route are set to increase, potentially doubling the traffic volume.
- Air India plans to connect Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) with London’s Gatwick Airport (LGW), with tentative operations starting on April 1.
- Virgin Atlantic is expected to begin its non-stop service between KIA and Heathrow Airport on April 4.
More details: Air India’s flights are scheduled to operate five days a week, with departures from Bengaluru at 14:05 IST and from Gatwick at 9:35 GMT. Virgin Atlantic is offering extra baggage allowance to UK-bound students on the KIA-Heathrow route.
📊 Today’s Poll
(Only subscribers can participate in the polls)
Is Bengaluru a safe city for women?
- Bengaluru is a safe city for women.
- Bengaluru isn’t a safe city for women.
❓ Today’s Question
(Only subscribers can submit their answers)
Which actor would you want to play the lead in your biopic?
Reply to this email with your answers.
🗞️ In other news…
- Wednesdays and Thursdays are the worst days in terms of traffic in Bengaluru.
- From 2020 to 2023, Bengaluru emerged as a key hub for Global Capability Centers (GCCs), accounting for 37% of significant leasing activity.
- Bollywood star Shahrukh Khan will attend the Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2024 opening at Bengaluru’s M Chinnaswamy Stadium on February 23.
- Bengaluru-based startup Flytant, an Influencer Marketplace, has raised a Seed round from ShuruUp.
- Electric vehicle (EV) financing company Vidyut has raised $10 million in a funding round combining equity and debt, with new investor 3one4 Capital leading the round.
🛋️ Local Lounge
Yesterday’s Poll:
- I am a single child: 35.7%
- I’m not a single child: 64.3% 🏆
That’s it for today. Have a great day!