Here are the big stories from Karnataka today

Winners of the Infosys Prize 2026. | Photo Credit: Special arrangement

1. Six researchers win Infosys Science Foundation prizes for 2026

The Infosys Science Foundation on November 12, announced the winners of the ‘Infosys Prize 2026’ in six categories — Economics, Engineering and Computer Science, Humanities and Social Sciences, Life Sciences, Mathematical Sciences, and Physical Sciences.

Among the recipients is Riddhipratim Basu, Associate Professor at the International Centre for Theoretical Sciences of the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (ICTS-TIFR) in Bengaluru.

The prize for each category comprises a gold medal, a citation, and a prize purse of $100,000 (or its equivalent in Indian rupees). The laureates of Infosys Prize 2026 were selected by an international panel of jurors comprising renowned scholars and experts.

2. Karnataka plans app to track used cooking oil, prevent re-entry into food chain

Karnataka’s Health Department is developing a mobile application to track the collection, sale, and reuse of used cooking oil, with the objective of preventing re-entry into the food chain, Health Minister U.T. Khader said on November 12.

The application will create a digital trail from the point at which cooking oil is purchased by hotels and other food business operators to its eventual disposal or transfer to authorised agencies for industrial use, Mr. Khader said.

The initiative is aimed at addressing the illegal diversion of used cooking oil, which is sometimes collected for industrial purposes such as soap manufacturing and biodiesel production but allegedly finds its way back to small hotels and eateries for reuse.

3. Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw to flag off Goa-Mangaluru-Bengaluru Vande Bharat Express on November 13

In his first-ever visit to the region, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw will visit Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts on November 13 to launch the Goa-Mangaluru-Bengaluru (Madgaon-Yesvantpur) Vande Bharat Express at Mangaluru Junction, and to dedicate a few development projects to the nation.

Dakshina Kannada MP Captain Brijesh Chowta said he will flag off the VB Express at noon and travel by the same train till Subrahmanya Road station. En route, he would interact with passengers at Kabaka Puttur. Capt. Chowta said the new VB Express is expected to considerably reduce the Bengaluru-Mangaluru travel time, promoting business, tourism, and other commercial activities.

4. After losing parents to cancer, oncologist sets up hospital in Bengaluru with a larger purpose

For oncologist Radheshyam Naik, cancer is not just a disease he has spent nearly 35 years treating. It is also a deeply personal experience. Despite helping hundreds of patients battle the disease, the loss of both his parents to cancer remains an experience he cannot get over. Those memories, perhaps, have shaped his belief that the fight against cancer must begin much earlier than the treatment stage.

Determined to make a difference beyond clinical care, Dr. Naik ventured into a healthcare startup, setting up a small hospital in Bengaluru that gives equal importance to prevention, treatment, and support for patients and their families. He took this entrepreneurial leap after crossing 60, investing much of his savings towards establishing the 40-bed Samprada Hospital in Phase 1 of J.P. Nagar.

5. IAF helicopter lands in Haveri village, turns into centre of attraction

A large crowd of curious young men gathered around an Indian Air Force helicopter that made an emergency landing in a field in Kamanahalli village near Shiggaon in Haveri district on November 12. The field is adjacent to the Pune-Bengaluru national highway. 

“The pilot decided to land the aircraft due to some technical problem. All the six crew members are safe,” according to a local policeman. The HAL Dhruv utility vehicle, led by Captain Deepak Sharma, was going from Solur in Tamil Nadu to Belagavi.

Published - November 12, 2026 07:00 pm IST