Will field a party worker, instead of Vijayendra from Varuna: BSY

Jubail: Team B-Human (Jubail Unit) hosted a special felicitation ceremony at the Muzain Campus to honour Mr. Zakariya Jokatte, an ad-hoc member of the organisation and a recipient of the prestigious Karnataka Rajyotsava Award.

The event brought together the leadership of Team B-Human along with the faculty and management of Al Muzain, celebrating Mr. Jokatte’s lifelong commitment to social service and his recognition by the Karnataka state government for outstanding contributions to society.

Several prominent community leaders and philanthropists were present on the occasion, who spoke highly of Mr. Jokatte’s humanitarian work and dedication to public welfare.

Addressing the gathering, Team B-Human Founder Asif Deals outlined the organisation’s core mission and values. He urged attendees to watch a documentary highlighting Zakariya Jokatte’s inspiring life journey and achievements, describing it as a source of motivation for the younger generation.

During the ceremony, the management and trustees presented tokens of appreciation to the awardee. A memento was also presented to Team B-Human HQ President, Adv. Zeeshan, in recognition of his leadership and continued guidance.

The event reflected strong collaboration with Team Muzain, with senior management members including Deepak (General Manager), Ritesh (Planning Manager), and Cherian Thomas (Finance Manager) in attendance.

The felicitation ceremony was graced by Chairman Shareef White Stone, Trustees Yunus Manipal, Shahul Hamid, and Bashir Al Falak, and Executive Members Iqbal Buntwal, Nazir Ullal, Ibba Bajpe, Sheriff Adoor, Salim Udupi, Muqthar (Shield Sensor), and Farooq (Port Way).

The programme concluded with a collective call to continue supporting humanitarian causes, echoing the spirit of “B-Human” across both Saudi Arabia and India.

Bengaluru A 34-year-old software engineer from Mangaluru lost her life due to asphyxiation after a fire broke out in her apartment in Ramamurthy Nagar late on Saturday night.

The deceased has been identified as Sharmila, a native of Kavoor in Mangaluru. She had relocated to Bengaluru about a year ago in search of better career prospects and was residing in an apartment complex at Subramanya Layout.

The incident occurred around 11 pm when Sharmila was alone in the flat, as her roommate had travelled out of town for the weekend. Preliminary investigations suggest that the fire may have been triggered by a short circuit in one of the rooms. Within a short span, the apartment was filled with dense, toxic smoke.

As the flames spread, the power supply to the building was cut off, plunging the flat into darkness. Police believe that Sharmila, trapped inside the smoke-filled apartment and unable to find an exit or a source of ventilation, succumbed to smoke inhalation.

The fire caused extensive damage to household items, with beds, curtains and other furniture completely gutted. Personnel from the Ramamurthy Nagar police shifted the body for post-mortem examination, which has since been completed. The mortal remains were later handed over to her family.

A case has been registered, and the police have launched a detailed investigation to determine the exact cause of the suspected electrical failure.

Mangaluru: In a major step towards strengthening rural innovation, the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser (PSA) to the Government of India is supporting the establishment of RuTAGe Smart Village Centres (RSVCs) across the country through collaborations with academic institutions, civil society organisations and philanthropic partners.

As part of this national initiative, Nitte (Deemed to be University) will set up the first RSVCs in the region at Nitte GP in Udupi district and at the Nitte Health Centre, Sevanjali Trust, Farangipete, in Dakshina Kannada district. The centres will be inaugurated on January 21. In South India, the programme is being implemented by the Section Infin-8 Foundation (SI-8).

Speaking to reporters on Monday, SI-8 founder-director Vishwas US said experts from Nitte University and SI-8 would work closely with farmers, students, youth and local entrepreneurs to adapt and deploy technologies tailored to local needs.

Project head Prof Iddya Karunasagar, representing Nitte DU, said the RSVCs at Nitte and Farangipete would serve as demonstration hubs for a wide range of agriculture, energy, skill-development and assistive technologies. These include solar dryers for fruits, vegetables and crops; soil-testing solutions; power weeders and women-friendly farm tools; wind-powered devices for rural artisans; grain storage systems; grass-cutting and tree-climbing equipment; and liquid fertiliser production using cowshed waste.

SI-8 CEO Aravind C Kumar said the centres would also provide access to digital and knowledge-based platforms such as ISRO applications, government scheme portals, market linkage tools and gamified learning resources, along with assistive technologies for persons with visual impairments.

Highlighting the broader impact of the initiative, Principal Scientific Adviser Prof Ajay Kumar Sood said it demonstrated how applied research could bridge the rural–urban divide and help create self-reliant, technology-enabled villages.

The initiative has been made possible through philanthropic support from Dr NC Murthy of ACM Business Solutions, LLC, USA. Dr Sapna Poti, Director (Strategic Alliances) at the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser, said the long-term objective is to build self-sufficient, technology-driven communities capable of generating sustainable livelihoods on their own.