Karnataka leads tableaux with Channapatna toys theme

Bangaluru, Jan 26: The first cultural tableau at the 66th Repulic day parade at Rajpath was from the state of the Karnataka, with its main theme being Channapatna toys.

Channapatna is about 60 km from Bengaluru, famously known as "toy town." The toys from this place are famous world wide for their uniqueness. The traditional toys and dolls made of special wood in colours are protected as a geographical indication (GI) under the World Trade Organisation (WTO).

The lacquerware artisans use ivory wood of a special tree grown in the old Mysore region of the state for making the toys and dolls, which are also exported worldwide.

The origins of Channapatna toys dates back to the reign of Tipu Sultan in the 18th century when he invited artisans from Persia to train the locals in making toys using ivory wood, rose wood and sandal wood.

Meanwhile, the Karnataka governmnet will gift a few Channapatna toys to the Republic day chief guest, president Obama, through the external affairs ministry.

During Obama's first visit to India in November 2010, his wife, US First Lady Michelle, bought a few Channapatna's colourful toys worth Rs.2,000 ($25 then) at the National Handicrafts and Handloom Museum in New Delhi. This inspired the state governmnet to come up with the idea of presting these toys to the high-profile guests from America.

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QR-code tips power Mangaluru's major drug bust: 25 arrested in 2 weeks

News Network

December 16,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 16: The Mangaluru City police have significantly escalated their campaign against drug trafficking, arresting 25 individuals and booking 12 cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act between November 30 and December 13. The crackdown resulted in the seizure of a substantial quantity of illicit substances, including 685.6 grams of MDMA and 1.5 kg of ganja.

The success of this recent drive has been significantly boosted by the city’s innovative, QR code-based anonymous reporting system.

"The anonymous reporting system has received an encouraging response. Several recent arrests were made based on inputs received through this system, helping police tighten the noose around drug peddlers," said the City Police Commissioner.

The latest arrests contribute to a robust year-to-date record, underscoring the police's relentless commitment to combating the drug menace.

Up to December 14 this year, the police have registered a total of 107 cases of drug peddling, leading to the arrest of 219 peddlers. Furthermore, they have booked 562 cases of drug consumption, resulting in the arrest of 671 individuals.

The scale of the seizure for the year reflects the magnitude of the problem being tackled: police have seized 320.6 kg of ganja worth ₹88.7 lakh and 1.4 kg of MDMA valued at ₹1.2 crore. Other significant seizures include hydro-weed ganja worth ₹94.7 lakh and cocaine worth ₹1.9 lakh, among others.

The Commissioner emphasized a policy of rigorous enforcement: "We ensure that peddlers are caught red-handed so that they cannot later dispute the case or claim innocence."

To counter the rising trend of substance abuse among youth, the Mangaluru City police have rolled out uniform guidelines for random drug testing across educational institutions.

As part of the drive, tests were conducted in approximately 100 institutions, screening an estimated 5,500 to 6,000 students in the first phase. 20 students tested positive for drug consumption during the initial screening.

Students who tested positive have been provided counselling and are scheduled for re-testing in the second quarter. The testing will also be expanded to students not covered in the first phase. In a move to ensure strict implementation, police personnel were deployed in mufti in some institutions. Reiterating a zero-tolerance stance, the Commissioner confirmed that random testing will continue, and colleges have also been instructed to conduct drug tests at the time of admission to deter substance abuse from an early stage.

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