Category Archives: Business & Economy

Udupi’s Shilpa Bhat selected as Google Indie Accelerator Mentor

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Shilpa oversees production of game titles at 99Games including Game Design, Development and Analytics.

Shilpa Bhat
Shilpa Bhat

Udupi :

Shilpa Bhat, Vice President – Games, 99Games is the only woman gaming expert from India chosen by Google to mentor Indies across APAC region at Google’s Indie Games Accelerator programme to be held at Singapore on September 24. The term ‘Indie’ is used to refer to promising and upcoming gaming companies across the world.

Indie Games Accelerator is a four month programme for top indie game start ups from India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam who are looking to supercharge their growth on Android.

Mentorship sessions will cover a broad variety of game topics including technical development, design, gameplay, user retention, user acquisition, monetization and team leadership.

There will be personalised mentorship from top experts from Google and the gaming industry during this programme. Shilpa will be leading five mentorship sessions around a comprehensive gaming curriculum across Game Development including design best practices, Google Platforms (Android Studio, AR Core, Firebase, Google Cloud, Instant Games), Unity.

Shilpa who hails from Ajjarakad in Udupi is a Computer Engineering (BTech) from MIT, Manipal. Participants of the programme will have access to leading game experts from Google as well as from leading game studios and institutions around the world.

Shilpa told TNIE: “Having started as an indie studio ourselves, it is my privilege to be considered as a mentor for other Indies by Google. The Indie Accelerator programme is an excellent initiative and I look forward to participating in it, interacting with upcoming indies, sharing my knowledge and learning from their experienc.” Shilpa also said her most fierce critic is her 11-year-old daughter Tanya who does not hesitate in giving her unbiased opinion on games under development.

Shilpa oversees production of game titles at 99Games including Game Design, Development and Analytics. She started her career as OpenGL developer and has 16 years of industry experience. She has led the production of stand out hits like Dhoom:3 The Game, Sultan: The Game and Star Chef. Star Chef, is the best monetised global game from an Indian developer.

Rohith Bhat, CEO of 99Games told TNIE: “9Games has created a name for itself by creating successful mobile games for female gamers across the globe. Now that mobile games are becoming popular in India as well, we are thrilled that Shilpa has been chosen by Google as the only female mentor from India to groom indie studios from across Asia.”

99Games is India’s leading developer and publisher of games of international standards for Global and Indian consumers. It takes pride in creating India’s most successfully monetised game ‘Star Chef’ and one of India’s most downloaded game ‘Dhoom:3 The Game’. 99Games has published over 22 game titles and has clocked in more than million downloads globally till date. It has a unique growth strategy of addressing the global and Indian market.

With a highly experienced and stable management team working collaboratively for over five years and a team of 85, 99Games is considered as thought leaders in the Indian gaming industry. 99Games has raised multiple rounds of investments from quality institutional investors – Dream Incubator, Kalaari Capital and Ascent Capital.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Karnataka / by Prakash Samaga, Express News Service / September 25th, 2018

Samsung opens its largest experience store in Bengaluru

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The newly opened Samsung store in Bengaluru. | Photo Credit: Reuters
The newly opened Samsung store in Bengaluru. | Photo Credit: Reuters

Renovated Opera House will showcase experiences revolving around niche technologies

The iconic ‘Opera House’ will now showcase experiences revolving around Artificial Intelligence and Internet of Things. Samsung Electronics on Tuesday opened its world’s largest mobile experience centre in Bengaluru. The Opera House on Brigade Road, which has been renovated and restored, will bring together technology, lifestyle and innovation to offer people unique experiences.

“Noida got the world’s largest mobile factory and now Bengaluru has got the world’s largest mobile experience centre,” said H.C. Hong, President and CEO, Samsung SouthWest Asia, at an event here. “Samsung has taken a leap from ‘make in India to make for India’ and now ‘make for the world’,” said Mr. Hong.

The standalone property as big as a shopping mall has been named ‘Samsung Opera House’, and will showcase experiences revolving around niche technologies.

For instance, Samsung said, one can slip into the role of a fighter pilot doing extreme aircraft stunts and experience a space battle, or a roller coaster ride, using these technologies. The other virtual experiences include kayaking or rowing as well as cycling through scenic Europe.

“From the outside, it looks like a piece of art and from the inside, a tech paradise that the people of this city… will cherish,” said Stephanie Choi, senior vice president, global head of retail, mobile division, Samsung.

The South Korean conglomerate will also showcase its full line up of smartphones and wearable devices at the experience centre alongside flagship consumer electronics products such as the QLED TV, Smart TVs, The Frame, and Family Hub refrigerators.

Startup hub

The facility aims at becoming the hub for events organized around fitness, gaming, music, movies, food, stand-up comedy and startups. The facility will also have a fully functional customer service centre and is equipped with high-speed public Wi-Fi.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Bengaluru / by Peerzada Abrar / Bengaluru – September 12th, 2018

India’s first 205 tonne dump truck by BEML launched in Mysuru

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Making history: The indigenously designed 205T Electric Drive Rear Dump Truck (Model BH 205-E)
Making history: The indigenously designed 205T Electric Drive Rear Dump Truck (Model BH 205-E)

The truck has been developed for use in the project of Northern Coalfields Limited, Singrauli

The country’s first 205T Electric Drive Rear Dump Truck (BH205-E) – designed and developed at the Mysuru plant of Bharat Earth Movers Limited (BEML) – was flagged off here on Monday.

A premier manufacturer of mining and construction equipments, BEML, a PSU under the Ministry of Defence, developed the gargantuan dump truck to reinforce the ‘Make in India’ initiative by addressing the growing demand for higher capacity equipments in the mining industry.

The dump truck has been developed for use in the project of Northern Coalfields Limited (NCL), Singrauli.

P.K. Sinha, chairman and MD, NCL; and Deepak Kumar Hota, chairman and MD, BEML, flagged off the new generation truck at an event on the BEML company campus.

After flagging off the truck, the dignitaries were taken on a drive in the campus to help them experience the vehicle’s engineering and making by the staff of BEML, one of the leading multi-technology ‘Miniratna Category 1’ company.

BEML Mysuru had recently developed and supplied 150T payload capacity dump truck (BH150-E) to the South Eastern Coalfields Limited (SECL) for its Gevra project.

Mr. Hota, after the launch, said BEML has reached another milestone in its R and D efforts by launching the dump truck. “The dump truck is a tribute to the Make in India initiative from the BEML, its officers and staff.”

In his address, Mr. Sinha said 14% of equipment used for mining operations at the NCL were from BEML. This dump truck has been suitably designed for mining operations at NCL projects. He said NCL’s annual coal production has touched 100 million tonnes from 62 million tonnes and the association with BEML will continue to meet goals.

Large-scale mining

BH205-E has been developed for large-scale mining operations. It is powered by Tier-II emission complaint modular common rail electronic engine with 2300HP. The AC drive system has been engineered to provide exceptional haul road performance with reduced maintenance, according to the BEML.

The truck weighs 335 tonnes when fully loaded but it is easily manoeuvrable with power-steering and short turning radius. It has an ergonomically designed dash board and a tiltable telescopic steering wheel. Other features include good visibility in addition to safety with provisions for emergency steering, breaking and proximity warning.

B.R. Vishwanath, Director (Mining and Construction), BEML; Gunadhara Pandey, director, NCL; H.S. Ranganath, CGM, BEML; and other officers were present.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Karnataka / by Special Correspondent / Mysuru – September 11th, 2018

Giving wings to their dreams

Business & Economy, Uncategorized
The SHG members engaged in agarbathi manufacturing and marketing in Mysuru.
The SHG members engaged in agarbathi manufacturing and marketing in Mysuru.

Specially-abled individuals working in a self-help group turn entrepreneurs

A group of specially-abled individuals have turned from employment seekers to entrepreneurs with a strong product line.

With some support from the city-based VILD Foundation, a wing of Swami Vivekananda Youth Movement (SVYM) which has been working for decades to empower rural and tribal communities, the Jeeva Jyothi Vikalanga Chethanara – an SHG from Bandipalya – is now into agarbathi manufacturing and marketing.

Of the individuals in the SHG group, seven are visually impaired, three are orthopaedically handicapped, and one is hearing impaired. Along with their families, they got involved in the SHG’s activities and processes. The members were keen on exploring new avenues to improve their financial status.

Impressed with their desire to scale new heights, VILD Foundation decided to support them with a new entrepreneurial venture.

N. Mahadevaswamy, senior manager, VILD Foundation, stated in a release, that VILD held regular discussions with the members to chart the future course of action. The members were trained in agarbathi preparation, packing and marketing besides receiving training in management of their unit and their finances.

Aradhana agarbathi

Soon the SHG came out with its first product – Aradhana Agarbathi – and followed this up by manufacturing candles under the same brand name.

Key members of the SHG, Shambulinga and his wife Manjula, said they were languishing in the four walls of their homes.

“We were put on the road to independence by the efforts of SVYM. Now, we are able to generate income based on our own abilities and are not dependent on others, they added.

Yashashwini food

But this is only not the only one. A similar SHG-inspired entrepreneurial effort has fructified in Chunchurayana Hundi village of Mysore taluk, where 10 women entrepreneurs have come together to start ‘Yashashwini Mahila Kiru Udyamigala Sangha’.

Fast-moving food products like pickles, pappad, and confectioneries are being produced by these women.

Training in preparation

They were trained in hygiene and nutritional aspects of preparation as also on management and financial aspects. The production process has been standardised and streamlined to ensure quality while FSSAI accreditation (Food Standards and Safety Association of India) has been obtained, said Mr. Mahadevaswamy.

The products of both these entrepreneurial initiatives – Aradhana Agarbathi and Candles and Yashashwini Food – were launched in the city recently.

Officials of the Department for the Empowerment of Differently Abled and Senior Citizens; M.R. Seetharam, Executive Director, VILD Foundation; Sudarshan, Director, Vivekananda Institute for Leadership Development;, SHG members and staff of SVYM were present.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Karnataka / by Special Correspondent / Mysuru – September 03rd, 2018

Belagavi gets K-TECH Innovation Hub

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IT/BT and Heavy Industries Minister K.J. George being shown equipment in the laboratory at K-Tech Innovation Hub in Belagavi on Tuesday.
IT/BT and Heavy Industries Minister K.J. George being shown equipment in the laboratory at K-Tech Innovation Hub in Belagavi on Tuesday.

The hub provides space and infrastructure, instrumentation, prototyping, etc., under one roof

Belagavi moved a step closer to becoming a smart city by getting its own innovation hub, on Tuesday.

Minister for IT/BT and ST, Large and Medium Scale Industries, including Sugar, K.J. George inaugurated K-Tech Innovation Hub (K-TI Hubs) at Hanuman Nagar here. He went around the laboratories in the hub and interacted with resource persons.

He said that the government decided to establish these facilities in tier II cities to leverage the existing manufacturing clusters and the local human resource available in the academic and industrial bodies. “We will engage with key stakeholders in the local ecosystem for the sustainability of these facilities,” he said.

The hub provides space and infrastructure, instrumentation, prototyping facilities, business set-up support, world class innovation network and connections under one roof. The K-Tech Innovation Hub is a “Product Start-up Incubator-cum-Common Instrumentation Facility” located in an 8,000-sq ft building. The government intends to establish five such K-TI Hubs across the State. The Belagavi hub is based on the IKP EDEN (IKP Engineering, Design and Entrepreneurship Network) model set up in Bengaluru in September 2015, according to the Minister.

“The government appointed IKP Knowledge Park, a Science Park and Technology Business Incubator, to set up five innovation hubs in the State, to encourage innovations, stimulate entrepreneurship by acting as catalysts, create technology-based start-ups, provide employment and opportunities for re-skilling and fuel economic growth,” he said.

He hoped that the K-TI Hubs contribute to the goal of encouraging 6,000 product-based start-ups in the State as envisaged in the Start-up Policy 2025.

“We envision Karnataka as the innovation and technology capital of the world. Towards this end, we are creating a robust ecosystem where all stakeholders thrive from the support provided and mentorship. Disruptive technologies are the new thing in the technology-based industry. With opportunities that these technologies provide, this innovation centre is poised to help the State achieve its vision of retaining the leadership position as India’s start-up capital,” he said.

“The 2020 plan of the government is to make Belagavi a technology super-centre in five years. A tech park is planned at Belagavi. Entrepreneurs, start-ups and SMEs should be able to walk in and walk out of Belagavi as successful companies with the same ease as it is in the Silicon Valley, or Israel or our very own Bengaluru. We hope to grow not just the IT industry in Belagavi but also the manufacturing and hardware product development ecosystem here,” Mr. George said.

Deepanwita Chattopadhyay, Chairman and CEO, IKP Knowledge Park, said that the hub would focus on engineering, bio-engineering, prototyping and other sectors, depending on the needs of small and medium enterprises. “We can accommodate up to 70 start-ups. We provide mentoring, funding, infrastructure, technical support and other facilities. Entrepreneurs can walk in with an idea and walk out with a product,’’ she said.

Experienced resource persons will evaluate the idea and see its market potential. Then, the necessary technical environment would be created to help turn the idea into a design and a product. Handholding will be done at every stage, she said. She has already spoken to faculties of some local engineering colleges to attune them towards motivating students to be tech entrepreneurs. “We will also organise hackathons and tech exhibitions for engineering students,” she said.

Gaurav Gupta, Principal Secretary, Industries, IT/BT and Science and Technology, was present.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Karnataka / by Special Correspondent / Belagavi – July 18th, 2018

CMU holds 3rd India alumni meet in city

Business & Economy, Education, Records, All, World Opinion

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The Carnegie Mellon University (CMU), a private research university based in Pennsylvania, organised its third India alumni meet here.

The meet, named CMU India Conclave 2018, was themed “Future of Work”, and comprised of fireside chats,  panel discussions and networking sessions.

Most of the discussions were centred around the future of the work, with emerging technologies as the driver. “At CMU, we have a strong technology related alumni. So, that is why, in the given situation, you are seeing this theme,” Rashmi Gowda, one of the organisers of the event, said.

CMU organises biennial all-India meetings for its alumni. The first event was held in Mumbai and the second one in Delhi, which was organised on a much smaller scale.

India, which has the largest alumni base of CMU outside the US, has almost 2,000 alumnus from the university.

Devi Shetty, founder and chairman of Narayana Health, was the keynote speaker at the event.

Other panelists and speakers, which included both CMU alumnus and guest speakers, were ITC Infotech MD and CEO Sushma Rajagopalan, Mindtree CEO and MD Rostow Ravanan, Anand Anandkumar from Bugworks; Shyam Vasudevarao from Renalyx, Tushar Vasisht from Healthifyme, Amit Gupta from Yulu, Prashanth Prakash from Accel, Ravi G from Flipkart, Neeru Sharma from Infibeam, Siddhartha Agarwal, from Bhoruka group, among others.

The event also hosted child prodigy Saad Nasser as its panelist on transportation. Aged 16, Nasser dropped out of school at the age of 10 to follow his ambition of automobile engineering and co-founded Ati Motors.

“The aim of the event is to help network the alumni group and also facilitate the knowledge transfer,” Rashmi said.

Founded in 1900 by Andrew Carnegie as the Carnegie Technical Schools, the university became the Carnegie Institute of Technology in 1912 and began granting four-year degrees. In 1967, the Carnegie Institute of Technology merged with the Mellon Institute of Industrial Research to form Carnegie Mellon University.

source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> In Brief / by DH News Service, Bengaluru / July 15th, 2018

Sayõnara traffic jams: Japan to install smart signals across Bengaluru

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Project aims to reduce waiting time by 30 per cent

Tenders will be floated in September; only Japanese firms will be allowed to bid for the project which will hopefully be completed by December 2019

If the anarchy on the roads doesn’t drive you out by then, you’ll see Japanese efficiency at play in Bengaluru’s traffic signals by December 2019.

After helping Cambodia, Myanmar and Thailand with its traffic systems, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) will inject approximately Rs 72 crore into building smart network signals in Bengaluru.

“Especially, in 2022, three years after the completion of this project, this new system will help reduce congestion length, currently reaching 550m at longest, by 30 per cent, at interchange facing heavy congestion, and contribute to enhancing the convenience of urban transportation and revitalising the local economy,” the Japanese embassy in New Delhi had said after its ambassador to India, Kenji Hiramatsu, had signed the MoU in December with Joint Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance, S Selvakumar.
Directorate of Urban Land Transport (DULT) will be the nodal agency for the project, which entails the following components: a) Bengaluru Traffic Information Centre (B-TIC) which will serve as the central nervous system; b) GPS probe system for BMTC buses, taxis etc which will give information to B-TIC about vehicle location and speed etc; c) Queue-length measurement sensors (QMS) which will analyse the traffic density; and d) Automatic traffic counters and classifiers which will inform B-TIC about the nature of traffic so that signals can be streamlined and made real-time.

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What’s more, only Japanese companies are eligible to bid for this process. Tenders will be issued in September and the installation will be completed by December 2019. The bidder will be responsible for the operation and maintenance of the system for five years.

An official from DULT said, “We will install the QMS along 82 junctions where it will also have the CCTV cameras installed. The QMS will measure the length and size of the vehicles and it will analyze the exact number and type of vehicles. We will install these sensors for every 50, 100 and 150 meters distance of the roads so that it can analyze the actual traffic congestion and it will update the integrated traffic management centre (BBMP, BMTC and Traffic Police). Along with this, we will also install Variable Message Signs in Silk Board, KR Puram Bridge and Trinity Metro Station where it will give a heads-up display of traffic congestion and estimated travelling time for certain destinations. It will be based on real-time inputs received at the traffic management center. Currently both BMTC and traffic police have their traffic management systems but this one will be an integrated traffic management centre that will ease congestion in the city,” he said.

JICA’s Intelligent Transport Systems have helped several cities in Southeast Asia but this is the first time that MODERATO (Management by Origin-Destination Related Adaption for Traffic Optimization) systems will be installed outside of Japan, said N Murali Krishna, Special Officer, DULT. This system will be installed at 29 junctions of MG Road, and Hosur Road and will help alleviate traffic troubles by coordinating the signals and factoring in pedestrian crossing. Basically, through its various components, this system will provide a signal-less (or green) corridor to motorists at the three stretches.

“Currently, the traffic signals installed along the roads has a fixed signal timer irrespective of the number of vehicles along the roads. But with the Japanese technology, signals will automatically change according to the number of vehicles along the road in a particular junction. For example, if there is less number of vehicles on one side and more on the other side of the road, the signal will automatically give more signal time for the road that has more vehicles and less signal timing for the road that has less number of vehicles. We have identified 12 intersections in MG Road, 9 intersections in Hosur Road and 8 intersections on as they always witness heavy vehicle movement,” Krishna said.

Now if only they could bring the cherry blossoms here.

source: http://www.bangaloremirror.indiatimes.com / Bangalore Mirror / Home> Bangalore> Cover Story / by Manoj Sharma, Bangalore Mirror Bureau / July 12th, 2018

Jackfruit makes the leap from the wild to farms

Agriculture, Business & Economy, Records, All

‘About 2,000 hectares of jackfruit orchards have come up in the State since 2010’

Jackfruit, a wild fruit that once grew naturally in the countryside, is now cultivated in orchards in Karnataka as a mono crop.

About 2,000 hectares of jackfruit orchards have come up in the State since 2010, said S.V. Hittalmani, former Additional Director of Horticulture (Fruits).

From a minimum of two hectares to a maximum of more than 10 hectares, they are concentrated mainly in Bengaluru Rural, Ramanagaram, Hassan, Tumakuru, Kolar, Chickballapur in addition to some areas in the Malnad belt. About 40 grafted jackfruit varieties are available now in nursuries in the State.

Bairachandra, Toobugere Red, Swarna, Lalbagh Madura and Sadananda are some of the premium varieties which are in great demand. Value addition is required for such varieties whose quality is not up to the mark. Climate change, farm labour issues, drought and dwindling water sources have made farmers to go for jackfruit cultivation as a natural option, Shree Padre, executive editor, Adike Pathrike, a farm monthly and a crusader for jackfruit and its value-added products, told The Hindu.

Shivanna of Sakharayapatna, who is from Parivarthana, an NGO in Chikkamagaluru district, and who has been making ‘Jaffe’ health drink from jackfruit seeds and pulp from the fruit, said that a farmer,

Nagendra, planted jackfruit plants on four acres in his village three months ago. The trees on the more than 10-acre orchard of Channe Gowda in Arkalgud in Hassan district began yielding from this year.

Vishwas, a farmer near Hassan, planted jackfruit as a mixed crop with mango and sapota on 10 acres, he said.

Mr. Padre said that the orchards are coming up in the State without the government’s campaign for it.

“They are coming up as a result of the farmers’ own movement.” A National Jackfruit Research Station is needed in the State, Mr. Padre said. “Promote sale and transport of peeled ready jackfruit from production area to processing centre so that both industry owners and farmers get benefited,” he said.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> State> Karnataka / by Raviprasad Kamila / Mangaluru – July 08th, 2018

One orchard, 104 varieties

Agriculture, Amazing Feats, Business & Economy, Records, All
The jackfruit orchard of Shivaprasad Varmudi near Perla on the border with Kerala. | Photo Credit: Supplied
The jackfruit orchard of Shivaprasad Varmudi near Perla on the border with Kerala. | Photo Credit: Supplied

Shivaprasad Varmudi, a farmer near Perla on the border with Kerala, has cultivated 104 varieties of jackfruit on two acres. He told The Hindu that 22 trees which are four years old began yielding from this year.

The orchard has 140 grafted plants. He said that the grafting was done after he personally tasted the fruits of different varieties in various places including in jackfruit festivals.

Mr. Varmudi’s plantation is about 4.45 km away from Perla town.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Karnataka / by Special Correspondent / Mangaluru – July 09th, 2018

Infosys Foundation to fund IRs.200 crore for metro station

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Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy and Dr. Sudha Murty, chairman, Infosys Foundation, in Bengaluru on Saturday.
Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy and Dr. Sudha Murty, chairman, Infosys Foundation, in Bengaluru on Saturday.

It will maintain the tracks and station for 30 years after completion of the project

The Infosys Foundation is looking to fund ₹200 crore for the proposed Konappanna Agrahara Metro station at Electronics City under the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited’s Phase-II project.

A memorandum of understanding between the Infosys Foundation and BMRCL will be signed on July 19, said Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy on Saturday. Infosys Foundation chairperson Sudha Murty met him at his home office Krishna. Apart from donating a huge amount to Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology, the foundation also has played a major role in the Education sector.

On the occasion, Ms. Murty said her foundation would also take up maintenance of the metro rail tracks and the station for a period of 30 years after the completion of the project.

“It is a win-win situation for the both the company and the BMRCL. A concourse from the metro station to the IT park will give a hassle-free access to the metro station,” said Ajay Seth, managing director, BMRCL. Infosys will reportedly also provide the land for the metro station.

“Linking the metro with IT corridors like Electronic City is very crucial as it will help people commuting to tech parks for work. The State government had given the green signal to raise funds for the project under the innovative financing scheme where companies reach an agreement with BMRCL to fund the project to build a the metro station near their campus,” Mr. Seth added.

In the past the BMRCL had reached an agreement with companies — such as Intel Technology India Pvt. Ltd., Embassy Group — to fund the construction of metro stations at Kadubeesanahalli and Bellandur on the ORR line (Silk Board to K.R. Puram). The companies also get naming rights, commercial and advertisement spaces at the metro station for certain period and others. However, the terms of references may differ for each company funding the project.

source:http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Bengaluru / by Special Correspondent / July 08th, 2018