Kakti police have arrested three officials of Rani Channamma University in connection with an alleged financial misappropriation of more than ₹32 lakh involving employees’ Provident Fund (PF) and National Pension System (NPS) contributions.

Belagavi Police Commissioner Prakash Nikam said on Wednesday that a complaint regarding financial irregularities at the university had been filed at Kakti Police Station. Based on the complaint, police registered a case and launched an investigation into the university’s financial transactions.

The arrested accused have been identified as Assistant Registrar H.M. Murigesh, Mahesh Viresh Wali and First Division Assistant Sandeep Burli. Another accused, Ramu Hanchinal, is absconding and police are searching for him.

According to the complaint, PF amounts deducted from the salaries of employees appointed under the consolidated-pay system were allegedly not deposited into their respective accounts. Instead, the accused allegedly diverted funds to their personal bank and NPS accounts.

Under the arrangement, 10% of the employees’ salaries was deducted as their contribution, while the university was required to make an equal 10% contribution. The complaint alleges that amounts exceeding the prescribed contribution were diverted to accounts linked to the accused.

The complaint has also alleged irregularities in transactions involving various allowances and income-tax payments, resulting in financial losses to both the university and its employees.

The complaint was filed on September 8, following which Kakti police began investigating the alleged irregularities. The three arrested officials were reportedly apprehended from the Varur area near Hubballi and subsequently produced before a court, which remanded them to 14 days of judicial custody.

Police Commissioner Nikam said the investigation is continuing, with officials examining financial records, documents and transactions to establish the extent of the alleged misappropriation.

Police have also learnt that absconding accused Ramu Hanchinal is currently employed at Bagalkot University. Efforts are underway to trace and apprehend him.

The police investigation is expected to establish the total amount involved and the role of each accused in the alleged financial irregularities.

DC Mohammad Roshan directs corporation to expedite feeding zones and permanent sterilisation centre

Belagavi Municipal Corporation has been directed to establish 30 designated feeding zones for stray dogs before October 2, following a review meeting chaired by Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Roshan.

Earlier, 26 locations had been identified for feeding zones, but the number has now been increased to 30. The DC directed officials to ensure that the zones have proper feeding arrangements and display boards, and that feeding is restricted to these designated locations.

The move follows months of delay despite earlier discussions involving the municipal corporation and PETA representatives.

The DC also directed officials to inspect a site near Savgaon for establishing a permanent stray dog sterilisation centre. Officials from the Animal Husbandry and municipal construction departments inspected the site on Tuesday to assess its suitability, available space and infrastructure requirements.

The need for a permanent facility has gained urgency amid complaints regarding the temporary sterilisation centre at Hirebagewadi.

The corporation estimates that more than 22,000 stray dogs are present in the city. Rising complaints of dog attacks and concerns over rabies have further highlighted the need for systematic sterilisation, vaccination and regulated feeding.

Designated feeding zones are intended to ensure that dogs are fed at fixed locations and times, while keeping feeding away from sensitive areas such as schools, hospitals and playgrounds. The system is also expected to make it easier for authorities to identify, vaccinate and sterilise stray dogs.

Police intervene after rival groups clash at Veerabhadra Nagar Urdu school; allegations of bulk voter deletions remain contested

Tension briefly prevailed in Belagavi on Tuesday after workers of the Congress and BJP clashed over alleged irregularities in the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

The confrontation took place at an Urdu school in Veerabhadra Nagar, where Congress workers alleged that a large number of objections had been submitted seeking deletion of voters’ names, particularly those belonging to minority communities. The allegations, however, have been disputed by BJP workers, who maintained that residents have the right to object to voter entries they consider suspicious.

Youth Congress leader Aman Sait alleged that BJP leader Dr. Ravi Patil had used hospital staff to facilitate the submission of more than 200 Form 7 applications, which are used to seek deletion of names from electoral rolls.

Sait further alleged that documents had been manipulated and that some individuals had presented themselves as city corporation staff while submitting objections. He showed some of the Form 7 applications and claimed that they had been acknowledged by Booth Level Officers (BLOs).

Congress leaders also alleged that the exercise was being used to target eligible minority voters through bulk objections.

BJP workers enter school, confrontation follows

The issue escalated when a group of BJP workers led by Murughendragouda Patil reached the school and confronted the Congress workers.

Patil argued that residents were within their rights to raise objections against the inclusion of names in the electoral roll if they had genuine reasons to suspect an entry.

The exchange soon turned into an altercation, prompting police personnel present at the location to intervene.

Police brought the situation under control and took members of both groups to the Market Police Station. They were advised to submit written complaints to the officials of the Belagavi City Corporation overseeing the SIR process.

Reports said some BJP workers were also taken into custody as police moved to prevent the confrontation from escalating further. An inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the disputed Form 7 applications is underway.

Allegations and counterclaims

Speaking to mediapersons, Sait alleged that BJP leaders were attempting to facilitate the deletion of minority voters through the misuse of Form 7 objections. He also alleged that staff linked to Dr. Vijaya Hospital and BJP leader Sonali Jadhav had pressured BLOs to accept the applications.

Another allegation has emerged over the signatures appearing on some of the objection forms. According to reports, Shashikant Jadhav, whose signature and phone number allegedly appeared on the forms, denied filing the objections and claimed that his signatures had been forged.

The BJP, meanwhile, has rejected the allegations of wrongdoing. BJP state vice-president Anil Benake said political parties and residents have the right to question suspicious entries in electoral rolls, while the final decision on whether a voter should remain on the rolls rests with the competent election authorities after verification.

What happens next?

The dispute comes amid the ongoing SIR exercise, under which electoral rolls are being revised and claims and objections are being processed. The official Belagavi district election portal currently provides the SIR 2026 draft roll, claims and objections information and lists of voters identified under categories including dead, duplicate, absent and shifted.

The immediate question now is whether the disputed Form 7 applications were submitted legitimately and whether the objections meet the prescribed requirements.

For voters, the episode also underlines the importance of checking their names and details in the electoral roll and raising objections through the official process if discrepancies are found.

The allegations made by the two political sides remain claims at this stage; the authenticity of the disputed applications and signatures will have to be established through the official inquiry.

The European Roller’s remarkable journey through Belagavi

There are moments in nature when an ordinary morning suddenly becomes extraordinary.

A flash of brilliant blue across an open field. A bird sitting quietly on a bare branch. Then, without warning, a sudden dive towards the ground.

For a few lucky observers around Belagavi, that flash of blue is a remarkable visitor—the European Roller (Coracias garrulus), a migratory bird that has travelled thousands of kilometres to reach the Indian subcontinent.

And it will not be here for long.

A traveller from Europe

The European Roller breeds across parts of Europe and western and central Asia. As summer ends and autumn approaches, it begins one of nature’s great journeys, leaving its breeding grounds and heading south and southeast.

Its migration takes it through Central Asia and across the Indian subcontinent, with some birds reaching parts of India before continuing towards Africa.

The countryside around Belagavi—with its agricultural fields, open spaces, grasslands and scattered trees—provides suitable stopover habitat for a passing Roller.

Here, the bird can rest, scan the ground for food and replenish its energy before continuing its journey.

Watch the perch

The European Roller is difficult to miss once you know what to look for.

It often sits upright on a prominent branch, pole or electricity wire, patiently surveying the ground below. Then comes the characteristic move—a swift plunge towards the ground to catch insects and other small prey.

Its striking blue plumage makes it particularly spectacular against the earthy browns and greens of the countryside.

But its presence here is more than just a beautiful sight.

Belagavi is only a brief chapter in a journey that spans continents.

From Europe to Africa

The bird’s southward migration can take it from Europe and Central Asia through countries such as Kazakhstan, Afghanistan and Pakistan before reaching the Indian subcontinent.

From here, the journey continues towards Africa, with birds eventually reaching areas of eastern and southern Africa. The Arabian Sea forms another major stretch of this extraordinary journey.

After spending the winter in warmer parts of Africa, the Roller begins the return journey.

Interestingly, the northward route is different.

Instead of returning through India, it generally travels north through Africa and the Middle East, crossing regions around Turkey and the Black Sea before reaching Central Asia and eastern Europe—the areas from which its journey began.

A journey without borders

For anyone who watches birds, migration offers a humbling perspective.

These birds recognise no borders, passports or political boundaries. Their world is defined by seasons, food, water and suitable habitat.

Their journeys are written not on political maps, but across landscapes and skies.

And somewhere along that immense route, Belagavi becomes a temporary stopping point.

Look up—you may spot one

So, the next time you are out in the open countryside around Belagavi and notice a brilliant splash of blue among the fields, pause for a moment.

Look closely.

You may not simply be looking at a beautiful bird.

You may be looking at a traveller from another continent—resting briefly in Belagavi before continuing one of nature’s most remarkable journeys.

The European Rollers are expected to remain around for only a few more days.

If you are lucky, you may see one.

The journey in numbers

• Species: European Roller (Coracias garrulus)
• Breeding range: Europe and western/central Asia
• Europe to India: roughly 5,000–7,000 km, depending on the population and migration route
• India to Africa: the south-westward journey continues towards eastern and southern Africa
• Annual round trip: potentially 15,000–20,000 km or more, depending on the individual bird’s breeding and wintering locations

A flash of blue. A brief stop in Belagavi. And then, the journey continues.

About the Author: Dr. Rahul Sathe, a consultant dental surgeon based in Belagavi, is also an avid nature and bird enthusiast. The photographs featured in this article were captured by him during his recent observations of the European Rollers around Belagavi.

A new twist has emerged in the Chavat Galli (Dhor Galli) explosion and fire that claimed the lives of six members of the Dhamone family during Ganeshotsav.

The tragedy occurred late on September 14, when a fire broke out at the family’s small shed-like house. The initial report indicated that the fire followed a refrigerator explosion. Four members of the family died in the incident, while two others, who had sustained severe injuries, later succumbed during treatment.

However, CCTV footage from a neighbouring house has now emerged as a potential lead in the investigation. The footage reportedly shows an unidentified person approaching the Dhamone family’s house carrying a bucket. The person is seen leaving the spot approximately four to five minutes later, apparently without the bucket.

The footage was noticed during a review conducted about a week after the incident. The circumstances surrounding the person’s visit, what was carried in the bucket and why the individual approached the house shortly before the explosion are among the questions now being raised.

At this stage, there is no confirmation that the person seen in the CCTV footage had any connection with the explosion. Establishing whether the visit was related to the incident will be a matter for the police investigation.

Six members of family killed

The victims have been identified as Sharada Gajanan Dhamone, Bharati Rajaram Dhamone, Priya Gajanan Dhamone and Ganga Gajanan Dhamone, who died at the scene, while Gajanan Rajaram Dhamone and Roshan Gajanan Dhamone later died despite medical treatment.

The incident has left the family and residents of the area in deep shock. A case has been registered at the Market Police Station, and investigators are examining the circumstances surrounding the fire and explosion.

The identity of the person captured on CCTV, the purpose of the visit and the events in the minutes leading up to the explosion could become important aspects of the ongoing investigation.

BeTCA Tech Meet 2026 showcases the city’s growing technology ecosystem, launches eight products and signs MoU with Goa Technology Companies Association

What is being built in Belagavi’s technology ecosystem is no longer confined to office doors and engineering labs. The fifth edition of the BeTCA Tech Meet 2026, held at the Foundry Cluster on Saturday, brought that technology directly before the public, industry professionals and entrepreneurs — and the response suggested that many were seeing the scale of the ecosystem for the first time.

Organised by the Belagavi Technology Companies Association (BeTCA), the fifth edition was held under the theme “Engineering the Future – AI. DeepTech. Security.”

The event brought together technology companies, founders, engineers, entrepreneurs, professionals and technology enthusiasts for an evening of keynote sessions, panel discussions, product launches and an exhibition featuring BeTCA member companies.

The venue witnessed a packed house, while the exhibition stalls drew considerable attention throughout the event. Visitors interacted with companies and explored products and solutions being developed locally across a surprisingly wide range of sectors.

For many, the exhibition was perhaps the biggest takeaway — a realisation that companies operating from Belagavi are working on technologies spanning artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, aerospace, defence, embedded systems, engineering software, healthcare and digital platforms.

‘You don’t have to leave Belagavi to build something remarkable’

The keynote address by Deepak Shapeti, Co-Founder and CEO of Morphing Machines, focused on innovation, entrepreneurship and the ecosystem that is emerging in Belagavi.

Shapeti, a chemical engineer by training, spoke about his own entrepreneurial journey and the different domains he explored before building his current venture.

He said Belagavi today has the ecosystem needed to support innovation and help young entrepreneurs build companies from the city itself.

Speaking about entrepreneurship, Shapeti said founders need a certain willingness to take risks and act despite uncertainty. He attributed his journey in part to the broad perspective he gained from working across different fields and his willingness to not be afraid of failure.

He urged young people to remain curious, explore disciplines beyond their immediate areas and develop the confidence to experiment.

A key message from his address was that young entrepreneurs do not necessarily need to leave Belagavi to build something remarkable.

The message resonated strongly with the broader theme of the Tech Meet — that Belagavi is developing the people, companies and capabilities required to participate in the next wave of technology.

Cybersecurity: What happens when an attack begins?

Cybersecurity was one of the key areas of discussion at the Tech Meet, with a panel titled “Beyond the Firewall: How Modern Cyber Attacks Are Detected, Traced and Stopped.”

The panel brought together professionals working in digital forensics, cybersecurity and cyber-threat intelligence.

The speakers were Saleem Landur, a mobile metadata and digital forensics expert; Hitesh Dharmdasani, Founder and CEO of NetSense CyberSecurity; and Swapneel Patnekar, who works in cybersecurity and cyber-threat intelligence.

The session was moderated by Aadil Bandukwala, VP – Content Studio at HackerRank.

The discussion looked at what happens after a cyberattack — how attacks are identified, how digital evidence is traced and how organisations respond.

The panel also brought the subject beyond conventional IT security, highlighting the impact cyber incidents can have on businesses, data, money and trust.

From an idea to a market-ready product

A second panel examined one of the most difficult parts of technology entrepreneurship — converting an idea into a product that can actually reach the market.

The panel featured Murali Srinivasa, Founder and CEO of LionCircuits; Deepak Shapeti; Uma Bondada; and Tulasidas Salunkhe. The discussion was moderated by Sandeep Patil.

The conversation covered engineering, product development, manufacturing and the challenges involved in moving from an initial concept to a usable commercial product.

Murali Srinivasa brought the perspective of electronics and PCB manufacturing through his work at LionCircuits, while the other panellists brought perspectives from engineering, entrepreneurship and technology development.

The discussion highlighted that innovation does not end with an idea. Engineering, manufacturing, validation, market understanding and execution are all critical parts of taking a product from concept to customer.

Building Belagavi: The startup story

The third major discussion looked at the city’s entrepreneurial ecosystem through the panel “Building Belagavi: The Startup Story.”

The panel featured Mehmood Athani, content creator; Swathi Gururaj Kulkarni, entrepreneur and founder of Funda Hudugi; and Ian Nazareth, founder of The Foundry Podcast.

The discussion was moderated by Mili Mishra, Co-Founder of Bumshum.

The panel explored the experiences of entrepreneurs and creators building their businesses and communities from Belagavi, while also examining how the city’s startup and technology ecosystem is changing.

The conversation provided a different perspective to the engineering-heavy discussions, focusing on entrepreneurship, visibility, content and the growing ability of people to build ventures and audiences from the city.

Eight products take the stage

One of the highlights of the fifth edition was the product launch segment, where BeTCA member companies presented their latest products and concepts.

The launches reflected the diversity of the technology ecosystem being built in Belagavi.

Sarus Aerospace — Shaurya

Rahul Patil presented Shaurya, an aerospace innovation from Sarus Aerospace focused on indigenous technology for India’s defence requirements.

The product was presented under the theme “From Belagavi to the Battlefield.”

GroEDGE — AI-powered patient acquisition

Rushikesh Bhurse presented GroEDGE, an AI-powered patient acquisition system designed for clinics.

The system currently focuses on skin, aesthetic and dermatology clinics and aims to make patient acquisition and growth more predictable.

MIMO360 by ZeuronAI

Siddharth Nair and Dr Akash Gadgade presented MIMO360, a connected-care platform combining specialist care, rehabilitation and everyday support.

The platform covers areas including neurological conditions, metabolic disorders such as diabetes and women’s health, with the company working to deliver the technology from Belagavi to a wider market.

Samhita Engineering — Product Engineering Suite

Sandeep Patil presented the Product Engineering Suite (PES) from Samhita Engineering.

The platform is an AI-assisted system designed to streamline and strengthen the end-to-end development lifecycle of safety-critical systems.

Conqer AI

Rahul Hukkerikar and Rachana presented Conqer AI, which allows businesses to create websites, generate marketing posters and captions and automatically post content on social media through WhatsApp.

The product attempts to bring several digital marketing functions together through a platform familiar to businesses and users.

FIXIDU

Harshit Reddy and team presented FIXIDU, an online aggregator for handyman services.

The platform connects users with service providers across areas such as plumbing, electrical work, carpentry, masonry and appliance repairs.

Sora Labs — AI agents for business operations

Roshan Patil presented Sora Labs, which is building AI agents designed to connect conversations, integrations and business operations.

The platform aims to help businesses move from intent to action, using AI agents to connect different parts of their workflows and automate operational tasks.

Reputes — Zen Voice

Supreet Dixit presented Zen Voice, an AI-powered, all-in-one CRM suite designed to streamline sales operations.

The platform captures and evaluates sales calls, manages leads, automates WhatsApp and email nurturing, generates quotations and contracts, and provides dashboards and sales insights — bringing multiple sales functions together on a single platform.

BeTCA signs MoU with Goa Technology Companies Association

A significant development at the fifth edition was the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between BeTCA and the Goa Technology Companies Association (GTCA) to promote mutual cooperation between the two technology associations.

The agreement is aimed at creating opportunities for the technology communities in Belagavi and Goa to collaborate, exchange knowledge and explore areas of mutual interest.

The MoU is expected to provide a platform for companies and members of both associations to connect with each other and explore opportunities for industry collaboration, knowledge sharing, networking and joint initiatives.

The partnership also expands BeTCA’s engagement beyond Belagavi, connecting the city’s growing technology ecosystem with a wider regional network.

For BeTCA, the agreement marks another step in building connections for its member companies and creating avenues through which local technology firms can access new networks, partnerships and opportunities.

The stalls became a major attraction

While the stage featured discussions on the future of technology, the exhibition area provided perhaps the most tangible demonstration of what is already happening in Belagavi.

BeTCA member companies displayed their products and technologies at stalls throughout the venue, attracting visitors during the event.

The response was particularly notable because several visitors were surprised by the range of technology being developed by companies based in Belagavi.

The exhibition brought together companies working across different technology domains, providing a glimpse into an ecosystem that extends well beyond traditional software services.

AI, DeepTech, cybersecurity, aerospace, defence, embedded systems, healthcare technology and engineering solutions were among the areas represented.

For the technology community, the stalls also provided an opportunity to interact directly with fellow companies, potential collaborators, entrepreneurs and visitors.

From a small group to a growing technology community

The fifth Tech Meet also reflected the growth of BeTCA itself.

The association, which began as an effort to bring Belagavi’s technology companies together, has grown into a 90-plus-member community, with more than 50 companies working across diverse technology sectors.

The ecosystem now includes companies involved in areas such as DeepTech, embedded systems, SaaS, cybersecurity, defence technology, 3D technology and AI.

BeTCA’s jobs initiative has also been building connections between companies and technology talent. Its jobs portal has recorded around 143 job postings, with approximately 30 job offers made and around 20 positions accepted.

Five editions later, a different Belagavi is emerging

The significance of the fifth edition was not just the number of companies or sessions on the programme. It was the visibility that the event gave to a technology ecosystem that is steadily developing within Belagavi.

For years, the city’s identity has largely been associated with traditional industries, education, manufacturing and engineering. The Tech Meet offered a different picture — one where companies are developing products in AI, cybersecurity, aerospace, defence and other emerging technology areas.

The packed venue and strong response to the exhibition showed growing public curiosity about this ecosystem.

Five editions into its journey, the BeTCA Tech Meet has evolved from a gathering of technology companies into a platform for showcasing products, exchanging ideas and building connections. With the latest edition combining product launches, an exhibition, industry discussions and the MoU with the Goa Technology Companies Association, the event also reflected an ecosystem increasingly looking beyond Belagavi while continuing to build from the city.

And perhaps the strongest message from the fifth edition was visible not on the stage, but at the stalls — Belagavi is not merely consuming technology; companies here are increasingly building it.

Around ₹75 crore new plan has been envisioned for Belagavi under the CITIIS 2.0 scheme, with projects aimed at improving solid waste management, road cleaning and citizen participation.

The key proposals include 30 mini auto-tippers for primary waste collection at a cost of ₹3.69 crore, three secondary waste transfer stations costing ₹24.85 crore, and two mechanical road sweepers at ₹3.38 crore. Each sweeper is expected to clean around 18 km of road daily.

The proposed transfer stations, each with a capacity of 100 tonnes per day, will come up at Udyambag, the CCB Garage at Sadashivnagar and Mahanteshnagar, addressing the practice of roadside dumping and secondary loading of waste.

A 50-tonne-per-day construction and demolition waste processing plant is also proposed at Alarwad and Turmuri at a cost of ₹12.92 crore. The facility is intended to address the dumping of debris on roadsides and in low-lying areas.

Another ₹4.02 crore has been proposed for a digital waste management system, integrating GPS, GIS, web, mobile and MIS platforms to monitor vehicle routing, attendance, complaints, waste collection and related operations.

At present, Belagavi has around 110 auto-tippers for primary waste collection. The CITIIS 2.0 projects are intended to strengthen the city’s waste collection, transportation, processing and monitoring systems.

KLS Institute of Management Education and Research (KLS IMER), Belagavi, celebrated its 36th Foundation Day on Wednesday with a programme focusing on entrepreneurship, workers’ welfare, social responsibility and the role of business in nation-building.

The programme began with an invocation song by KLS IMER students, followed by the welcome address by Shri Uday Kalkundrikar, Chairman, Governing Council, KLS IMER.

A floral tribute was paid to the late Shri Raosaheb B. M. Gogte. Students also presented a video profile of Shri J. D. Desai, Managing Director of J. D. Group, Belagavi.

Shri J. D. Desai was conferred the ‘Entrepreneur of the Year 2026’ award. Dr. Sumanth Desai, Assistant Professor and Coordinator, Foundation Day, read the citation.

Accepting the honour, Desai spoke about his entrepreneurial journey, recalling the challenges faced during the early years of establishing and expanding his business. He traced the growth of J. D. Group from its initial stages to its present position as a growing business organisation with a reported turnover of around ₹100 crore.

Business must contribute to society: Harish Bhatt

The chief guest, Harish Bhatt, former Brand Custodian of the Tata Group and best-selling author, stressed that businesses should look beyond profits and contribute to the welfare of workers and society.

“Prosperity is founded on the welfare of workers and society,” Bhatt said, highlighting the importance of creating businesses with a larger social purpose.

Referring to industrialist Jamsetji Tata, Bhatt spoke about his initiatives aimed at improving workers’ welfare, including accident insurance, pension schemes and provident fund provisions.

He also recalled Jamsetji Tata’s contribution to establishing India’s first steel plant and spoke about the historic interaction between Jamsetji Tata and Swami Vivekananda during Vivekananda’s journey to Chicago.

According to Bhatt, their discussion included the need for scientific research in India, a vision that eventually contributed to the establishment of the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru.

The programme was presided over by Shri Ram Bhandare, Vice-President, The Karnataka Law Society, Belagavi, who delivered the presidential remarks.

Shri A. K. Tagare, Chairman, Board of Management, The Karnataka Law Society; Shri S. V. Ganachari, Secretary, KLS; and Dr. Arif Shaikh, Director, KLS IMER, were among those present.

Belagavi has been ranked 683rd among 1,000 cities globally in the 2026 Oxford Economics Global Cities Index, with an overall score of 30.9 out of 100.
The index, released by Oxford Economics, evaluates 1,000 of the world’s major urban economies across five parameters — Economics, Human Capital, Quality of Life, Environment and Governance. Each category is scored on a 0–100 scale before being combined into the overall score.

According to Oxford Economics’ city comparison data, Belagavi’s scorecard is:

The city scores 40.3 in Quality of Life and 34.4 in Economics, while Human Capital is the lowest-scoring category at 25.3.

Oxford Economics says its Human Capital assessment considers factors related to a city’s talent pool, skills, education and labour force, while the Economics category looks at factors including GDP, growth, GDP per person, employment growth, economic stability and economic diversity.

The Quality of Life category covers indicators such as life expectancy, income, income equality, housing costs, recreation and cultural amenities and internet speed. The Environment score considers factors including air quality, emissions intensity, natural disasters and climate-related indicators.

Belagavi among six Karnataka cities
The 2026 index includes six cities from Karnataka in the table being circulated:

Belagavi is therefore positioned 18 places behind Mangaluru and 24 places ahead of Hubballi-Dharwad in the global ranking

What the ranking means
The Oxford Economics index is not simply a ranking based on the size of a city’s economy. It combines the five categories to provide what Oxford Economics describes as a broader, data-driven assessment of the strengths, weaknesses and future potential of cities.

For Belagavi, the 2026 scorecard presents an interesting picture: the city’s Environment and Governance scores are substantially higher than its Economics and Human Capital scores.
Oxford Economics’ latest report also points to the increasing importance of Asian cities, particularly Indian and Chinese urban centres, in the global economic landscape.

For Belagavi, the 683rd global position provides a benchmark, while the individual category scores offer a more useful indication of where the city performs relatively strongly and where there is scope for improvement.
Source: Oxford Economics, Global Cities Index 2026.

Fifth edition to focus on AI, DeepTech and cybersecurity, with local products, company showcases and a behind-the-scenes tech tour

Belagavi’s technology community is preparing for the fifth edition of the BeTCA Tech Meet, scheduled for September 19, with a programme that goes beyond technology discussions to showcase the people, companies, and products being built in the city.

Organised by the Belagavi Technology Companies Association (BeTCA), this year’s theme is “Engineering the Future – AI. DeepTech. Security.”

For regular followers of the Tech Meet, this is the fifth chapter of a journey that began in 2022. What started as an effort to bring Belagavi’s technology companies and entrepreneurs together has grown into an annual gathering of startups, technology professionals, founders, investors and industry leaders. The 2025 edition, under the theme “Tech for Human Impact”, saw four products developed by local companies being launched at the event.

A keynote on building tomorrow’s technology

The keynote this year will be delivered by Deepak Shapeti, Co-Founder and CEO of Morphing Machines.

Shapeti describes himself as a Deep Tech Innovator and Entrepreneur, with experience in taking new technologies from concept to products. His work at Morphing Machines is focused on next-generation processors and computing technologies for areas including AI, telecom, healthcare and high-performance computing.

His recent work has also centred on the challenge of taking deep-science ideas and turning them into world-class products, making his keynote particularly relevant to this year’s theme.

PANEL 1: Cybersecurity: what happens when the attack begins?

One of the two major panel discussions will tackle a subject that affects every business and increasingly every individual — cybersecurity.

Titled “Beyond the Firewall: How Modern Cyber Attacks Are Detected, Traced and Stopped”, the panel will bring together three specialists to explain, in practical terms, how cyber attacks are identified, investigated and tackled.

The panel features Saleem Landur, a mobile metadata and digital forensics expert; Hitesh Dharmdasani, founder and CEO of NetSense CyberSecurity; and Swapneel Patnekar, who works in cybersecurity and cyber-threat intelligence. The discussion will be moderated by Aadil Bandukwala, VP – Content Studio at HackerRank.

The objective is to make cybersecurity easier to understand — not just as an IT issue, but as something that affects businesses, data, money and trust.

PANEL 2: From ideas to products

The second panel will look at another important part of technology that is often less visible — how an idea becomes a product.

The session will feature Murali Srinivasa, Deepak Shapeti and Tulasidas Salunkhe, and will be moderated by Sandeep Patil.

Murali Srinivasa is the founder and CEO of LionCircuits, which works to make electronics and PCB manufacturing more accessible to product companies in India.

Tulasidas Salunkhe, CEO and MD of Electrosal, has more than 13 years of experience in embedded product development and works across electronics, robotics, communication and IoT. Electrosal’s products and solutions are used not just in India but across more than 25 countries.

The discussion is expected to look at engineering, product development, manufacturing and the challenges involved in taking technology from an idea to something that can actually be used in the market.

PANEL 3: Building Belagavi – The Startup Story

A key panel at BeTCA Tech Meet 2026 will explore “Building Belagavi: The Startup Story”, focusing on entrepreneurship and the evolving startup ecosystem in the city.

The panel features Mehmood Athani (Content Creator), Swathi Gururaj Kulkarni (Entrepreneur, Funda Hudugi) and Ian Nazareth (Founder, The Foundry Podcast), moderated by Mili Mishra, Co-Founder, Bumshum.

Product Launches by BeTCA Members

The BeTCA Tech Meet 2026 will also feature product launches by BeTCA member companies, providing a platform for local technology firms to unveil their latest products, solutions and innovations before industry leaders, entrepreneurs and the wider tech community.

See Belagavi’s technology companies

A major part of Tech Meet 2026 will be the stalls by BeTCA member companies, allowing attendees to see the products and services being developed locally.

BeTCA will also present a complete database of products and services offered by its member companies, giving businesses an opportunity to discover technology solutions available within Belagavi itself.

Another local product developed by a BeTCA member company will also be launched at the event.

A bus ride into Belagavi’s tech ecosystem

In a new addition, invited guests will get an opportunity to go behind the scenes through the BeTCA Tech Meet Bus Tour.

The tour will take participants to startups and technology companies to get a first-hand look at Belagavi’s deep-tech and product-development ecosystem.

The idea is simple: instead of only talking about Belagavi’s technology sector, show people what is actually being built here.

A masterclass for BeTCA members

For members and invitees, Reetam D., Growth Strategist & Revenue Architect, will conduct a masterclass titled:

“How well do you really know your competition – and are you turning that intelligence into revenue?”

The session will focus on understanding competitors, finding market opportunities and using competitive intelligence to improve business growth.

Five years of Tech Meet

The significance of this year’s event is also its continuity. From the first gathering in 2022, the BeTCA Tech Meet has steadily moved from connecting the technology community to building a stronger ecosystem, encouraging innovation and showcasing products emerging from Belagavi. The 2023 edition also saw the formal launch of BeTCA, while the 2024 and 2025 editions expanded the conversation around startups, innovation, DeepTech and global opportunities.

This year, the message is perhaps even simpler: Belagavi is not just talking about technology. It is building it.

BeTCA Tech Meet 2026

Theme: Engineering the Future – AI. DeepTech. Security.
Date: September 19, 2026
Time: 4:00 PM onwards
Venue: The Belgaum Foundry Cluster, Survey No. 670 (Part), Special Plot No. 1, Angol Industrial Area, Udyambag, Belagavi

Registrations: betca.org