The industry body Nasscom warned that India risks creating a technical workforce that will merely rely on artificial intelligence rather than being truly 'AI-native'. The organization emphasized the need to maintain deep engineering skills in both industry and academia to prevent this situation.
In response to these challenges, the state of Karnataka intends to establish the first state university in India specializing in artificial intelligence. This initiative confirms the state's aspiration to become a global leader in responsible AI innovation. The proposed university will play a key role in training high-caliber AI specialists, advancing research, and strengthening collaboration between the scientific community, industry, and government bodies.
Concurrently, the sentiment among global investors is showing growth. According to the latest Global Fund Manager Survey by Bank of America, investor confidence reached its highest level since February. Global investors are optimistic about economic growth and AI-related spending.
This optimism is also reflected in India. The IX fund of Elevation Capital was launched with a capital of $500 million, focusing specifically on AI startups in India. The fund plans to invest at early funding stages—Seed and Series A—aiming for early involvement and deep partnership with startups.
Furthermore, the private equity fund Avendus Group's Avendus Future Leaders Fund III has directed approximately 140 crore rupees into Parag Parikh Financial Advisory Services. This fund expects to reach its final close at around 1,800 crore rupees by the end of the current month.
In an candid interview with Shraddha Sharma, founder of YourStory and The Bharat Project, Krishna Baire Gowda, the Minister for Urban Development of Karnataka, shared his vision for the city. He stated that the priority is improving the quality of life for Bengaluru residents so that the city becomes better for the people who live there.
Krishna Baire Gowda, a six-term MLA whose constituency of Byatarayanapura is within the city, is actively present on the streets of Bengaluru. He is involved in addressing illegal sidewalk encroachments and conducting unscheduled inspections of civil works, sometimes summoning officials for poor performance. The minister aims to transform the city even before it turns 500 years old in 2037.
The state is working on updating citizen engagement tools, planning to hold more public consultations, and organizing hackathons to engage the city's technological talent in solving civic problems. The minister's vision extends beyond just infrastructure; he wants Bengaluru to support artistic, cultural, and sporting talents while remaining a city where youth feel connected to the community.
Google unveiled a broad AI strategy for India, focusing on agentic AI, secure enterprise adoption, education, healthcare, and startups. This signals a shift in focus from developing AI models themselves to ensuring reliable and large-scale AI deployment. These announcements were made at the Google I/O Connect India 2026 event in Bengaluru.
The announcements cover education, healthcare, corporate infrastructure, cybersecurity, and developer tools, reflecting the company's efforts to overcome practical hurdles for scalable AI implementation. The development underscores Google's view that the next phase of AI will be defined not only by more advanced models but also by the necessary infrastructure, security, and local partnerships for responsible technology use. Preeti Lobana, Google's Country Manager in India, noted that India has become one of the world's most significant AI markets due to its scale and ability to apply technology to solve real-world problems.
Bengaluru, the technological capital of India, despite the inscription on Vidhana Soudha stating that 'Public service is the work of God,' faces issues such as traffic jams, garbage, and damaged sidewalks. Karnataka State Minister for Greater Bengaluru, Krishna Baire Gowda, is convinced that the city can be fixed. In an interview with Shraddha Sharma, founder and CEO of YourStory and The Bharat Project, he outlined his plans and timelines.
The seriousness of the situation is illustrated by statistics provided by the minister himself. In 2016, 6.5 million vehicles were registered in Bengaluru. Today, this number has reached 12.5 million just among local registrations. Including all transport circulating on the city's roads, the total amounts to 15 million, which corresponds to a population of approximately 15 million. Gowda noted that no other city in India has grown so rapidly in the last 25 years, and this growth rate is not observed outside of China. He also predicted that the population could increase to 18 or 20 million people.
The city's strength remains its ability to attract talent, which, according to the minister, is facilitated by the openness of the Kannada residents. He emphasized that regardless of a person's background, a sense of belonging is felt in Bengaluru.
Krishna Baire Gowda, a legislator representing the Bayatarayanapura constituency, actively participates in city life, removing illegal constructions from sidewalks and conducting civil works inspections, sometimes holding officials accountable for poor execution. When Shraddha noted that challenging an established system requires courage, the minister stated his approach directly. He believes that in a position of responsibility, one cannot simply 'run away from the system,' as there are enough competent people in the government who respond to challenges given the right environment and motivation.
His goal goes beyond solving individual citizen problems. Gowda insists that the priority is fixing the system itself, since not every person facing a problem can approach him personally. He reminded citizens of their rights, asserting that they do not need to knock on anyone's door to resolve basic issues.
Regarding citizen expectations, the minister pointed to a roadmap spanning five to ten years, developed by the Chief Minister who oversaw the Bengaluru portfolio over the last three years. This plan includes expanding the Namma Metro network to nearly 500 kilometers, adding 4,500 public transport buses over the next two to three years, constructing up to 300 kilometers of suburban railway, and building 150 kilometers of flyovers integrated with two tunnel corridors running north-to-south and east-to-west.
These projects have symbolic deadlines: Bengaluru celebrates its 500th anniversary in 2037, and the minister aims to transform the city long before that date. He also staked his reputation by publicly announcing the timeline for completing the metro within the next two years. He acknowledged that he must find a way to fulfill these promises, otherwise, his authority will be at risk.
Furthermore, the government is working on updating citizen interaction tools, planning more public consultations, and organizing hackathons to involve the city's tech specialists in solving urban challenges. Gowda questioned why they cannot apply some of their global solutions to their own problems, noting that Bengaluru's civil society is one of the most active in the country.
The minister's confidence is supported by his past experience. As the Agriculture Minister of Karnataka from 2013 to 2018, he initiated the millet movement long before it became a global health trend, bringing humble grain crops from Karnataka farms to international markets and fostering the growth of agri-startups. As the Revenue Minister from 2023 to 2026, he introduced transparency into land registries using technology.
Despite the achievements, he remains modest, stating that he is simply doing his duty. He recalled a lesson from his school teacher in 1987: any job, even cleaning a railway station, should be done so well that it becomes the cleanest in the world. For him, the vision extends beyond infrastructure; he wants Bengaluru to support art, culture, and sporting talents, remaining a city where youth feel connected to the community. His concluding thesis was simple: 'If the system is improved, the benefit will go to everyone.'
The desire to start a new life and work abroad for a better salary, high standard of living, and new opportunities is a dream for many people. Every year, a large number of Indians travel to other countries. However, the experience of living abroad can lead to vastly different views on life. Anshu Sharma, a former Google employee, shared her impressions after six months abroad, which sparked active discussion on social media.
Anshu Sharma, who previously worked at companies such as Google, X, and Intuit, wrote on the social network X that in six months she learned six things she never expected. After her experience abroad, she gained a new perspective on India. According to her, it was only while abroad that she realized the multitude of opportunities available in India.
Anshu admitted that the hardest part of living abroad is being separated from loved ones. She noted that homesickness has an impact on people that often exceeds their expectations. In her opinion, no matter how good the conditions are abroad, there is always a feeling of missing family and close people.
In her post, Anshu Sharma concluded that home is defined not by a city or a country, but by people. She emphasized that even when living in the most beautiful city in the world, a person will feel a certain emptiness if their loved ones are not nearby. During her time abroad, her colleagues became her family, which contributed to her greater self-sufficiency. She stated that she became more mature in six months than she had in six years.
Anshu believes that living abroad has improved some aspects of her existence, but new difficulties have also emerged. This proves that life abroad is not limited to just a high salary or beautiful metropolises, as it is also accompanied by emotional challenges.
Anshu Sharma's post received many reactions from users. Many commentators shared similar experiences of living abroad. Some users noted that parting with relatives is not easy, while others agreed that living abroad promotes personal independence. Currently, Anshu Sharma's post is actively circulating on social media, and her six takeaways have sparked new discussions among those who dream of living abroad.
