Bengaluru: history, landmarks, temples, lakes and institutions
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History and how the city evolved
Bengaluru
Bengaluru, also known as Bangalore, is the capital and largest city of the southern Indian state of Karnataka. As per the 2011 census, the city had a population of 8.4 million, making it the third most populous city in India and the most populous in South India. The Bengaluru metropolitan area had a population of around 8.5 million, making it the fifth most populous urban agglomeration in the country. It is located towards the southern end of the Deccan Plateau, at an altitude of 900 m (3,000 ft) above sea level. The city is known as India's "Garden City", due to its parks and greenery.
Bengaluru is the capital city of the state of Karnataka. Bengaluru, as a city, was founded by Kempe Gowda I, who built a mud fort at the site in 1537. But the earliest evidence for the existence of a place called Bengaluru dates back to c. 890.
Lalbagh Botanical Garden or simply Lalbagh, is a botanical garden in Bengaluru, India. It was originally built by Hyder Ali in 1760, during the Sultanate of Mysore. The garden was later managed under numerous British superintendents before Indian Independence. It was responsible for the introduction and propagation of numerous ornamental plants as well as those of economic value. It also served a social function as a park and recreational space, with a central glass house dating from 1890 which was used for flower shows. In modern times, it hosts two flower shows coinciding with the week of Republic Day and Independence Day. As an urban green space along with Cubbon Park, it is also home to numerous wild species of birds and other wildlife. The garden also has a lake adjoining a large rock on which a watchtower had been constructed during the reign of Kempegowda II.
Sri Chamarajendra Park, formerly known as Cubbon Park is a landmark park in Bengaluru, located in the heart of the city in the Central Business District. Originally created in 1870 under Major General Richard Sankey, then British Chief Engineer of Mysore State, it covered an area of 100 acres (0.40 km2). Subsequent expansion has since taken place and the park's area is now reported to be 300 acres (1.2 km2). It has a rich recorded history of abundant flora and fauna plantations coupled with numerous impressive and aesthetically located buildings and statues of famous personages, in its precincts.
Bengaluru Palace is a 19th-century royal palace located in Bengaluru, Karnataka, India. It was commissioned by the Maharaja of Mysore, and was completed in 1874. The palace is open for public viewing, and in the recent years, the palace grounds have been to host various events and fairs, and is home to an amusement park.
Vidhana Soudha is a building in Bangalore, India. It serves as the seat of bicameral legislature comprising the Karnataka Legislative Assembly and the Karnataka Legislative Council. It is constructed in Neo-Dravidian style and was completed in 1956.
Tipu Sultan's Summer Palace, in Bangalore, India, is an example of Indo-Islamic architecture and was the summer residence of the Mysorean ruler Tipu Sultan. Hyder Ali commenced its construction within the walls of the Bangalore Fort in 1781, and it was completed during the reign of Tipu Sultan 10 years later in 1791. After Tipu Sultan died in the Fourth Anglo-Mysore War, the British Administration used the palace for its secretariat before moving to Attara Kacheri in 1868. Today the Archaeological Survey of India maintains the palace, which is located at the center of Old Bangalore near the Kalasipalya bus stand, as a tourist spot. Entry fee is ₹20 for Indian citizens, while for foreign visitors is ₹200 (US$2.10).
Bangalore Fort began construction in 1537 as a mud fort. The builder was Kempe Gowda I, a vassal of the Vijayanagara Empire and the founder of Bangalore. The then Sultan of Mysore Hyder Ali in 1761 replaced the mud fort with a stone fort and it was further improved by his son, Tipu Sultan in the late 18th century. Though damaged during the Anglo-Mysore war in 1791, it still remains a good example of 18th-century military fortification. The army of the British East India Company, led by Lord Cornwallis on 21 March 1791 captured the fort in the Siege of Bangalore during the Third Mysore War (1790–1792). At the time the fort was a stronghold for Tipu Sultan. Today, the fort's Delhi gate, on Krishnarajendra Road, and two bastions are the primary remains of the fort. A marble plaque commemorates the spot where the British breached the fort's wall, leading to its capture. The old fort area also includes Tipu Sultan's Summer Palace, and his armoury. The fort provided the setting for the treasure hunt in the book Riddle of the Seventh Stone.
The Visvesvaraya Industrial and Technological Museum (VITM), Bangalore, India, a constituent unit of the National Council of Science Museums (NCSM), Ministry of Culture, Government of India, was established in memory of Sir M. Visvesvaraya. The 4,000 m2 (43,000 sq ft) building was constructed in Cubbon Park, and was inaugurated by the first Prime Minister of India, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, on July 14, 1962. The museum displays industrial products, scientific models and engines.
Bannerghatta National Park is a national park in India, located In Bengaluru and Bengaluru South District, Karnataka. It was founded in 1970 and declared as a national park in 1974. In 2002, a small portion of the park became a zoological garden, the Bannerghatta Biological Park.
Ulsoor Lake or Halasuru Lake, one of the biggest lakes in Bangalore, is located on the eastern side of the city. It derives its name from the name of the locality it is situated, namely, Halasuru, close to M G Road. It is spread over 50 ha and has several islands. Even though the lake is dated to Kempe Gowdas's time, the present lake was created by Lewin Bentham Bowring, the then Commissioner of Bangalore. A part of the lake is controlled by the Madras Engineer Group, and the rest by the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP)
Dodda Basavana Gudi is situated in Bull Temple Road, Basavanagudi, area of South Bengaluru, part of the largest city of the Indian state of Karnataka. The Hindu temple is inside a park called Bugle Rock.
Gavi Gangadhareshwara Temple, or Sri Gangaadhareshwara, also Gavipuram Cave Temple, an example of Indian rock-cut architecture, is located in Bengaluru in the state of Karnataka in India. The temple is famous for its mysterious stone discs in the forecourt and the exact planning allowing the sun to shine on the shrine during certain time of the year. It was built in the 16th century by Kempe Gowda I, the founder of the city.
ISKCON Temple Bengaluru is one of the largest Krishna-Hindu temples in the world. It is situated in Bengaluru in the Indian state of Karnataka. The temple is dedicated to Hindu deities Radha Krishna and propagates monotheism as mentioned in Chandogya Upanishad.
The Kadu Malleshwara Temple is a 17th-century A.D. Hindu temple dedicated to Shiva, located in the Malleshwaram locality of Bengaluru, Karnataka, India. The word 'Kadu' means forest, referring here to the thick greenery all around the temple.
Banashankari Devi Temple is a Hindu shrine located at Cholachagudda near Badami, in Bagalkot district, Karnataka, India. The temple is popularly called 'Shakambhari' 'Banashankari or Vanashankari' since it is located in the Tilakaaranya forest. The temple deity is also called the Shakambhari, an incarnation of the goddess Parvati.
Halasuru Someshwara Temple is a Hindu temple, located in the neighborhood of Halasuru in Bangalore, Karnataka, India. It is one of the old temples in the city, dating back to the Chola period, and it is dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva. Major additions or modifications were made during the late Vijayanagara Empire period under the rule of Hiriya Kempe Gowda II.
Sri Dakshinamukha Nandi Tirtha Kalyani Kshetra is a small temple located in front of the Gangamma temple and diagonally opposite to the Kadu Malleshwara temple on 2nd Temple Street, Malleswaram layout in the north-western area of Bangalore city, Karnataka, India.
Hebbal Lake is located in the north of Bangalore at the mouth of National Highway 7, along the junction of Bellary Road and the Outer Ring Road (ORR). Epigraphic evidence suggests that the lake is much older than commonly assumed. The presence of the Bhoopasandra inscription, dated to the 8th century CE and found near the lake, indicates human settlement and religious activity in the area around 1,300 years ago. Further insights into the region's antiquity come from the work of historian and epigraphist Dr. P. V. Krishnamurthy. In his study of the Bhoopasandra inscription, he documents a grant made to a Durga idol, originally located near the Hebbal lake bund. The inscription references individuals associated with agrarian professions and water management, suggesting the existence of organized settlements and water bodies in the area over 1,200 years ago. This evidence indicates that Hebbal Lake, or its precursor, may have been integral to the region's socio-economic fabric during that period.
Sankey tank is an artificial lake or tank situated in the western part of Bangalore in the middle of the neighbourhoods of Malleshwaram, Vyalikaval and Sadashivanagar. The lake covers an area of about 15 ha. At its widest, the tank has a width of 800 m (2,624.7 ft).
Bellandur Lake is located in the suburb of Bellandur in the southeast of the city of Bengaluru. It is the largest lake in the city. It is a part of Bellandur drainage system that drains the southern and the south-eastern parts of the city. The lake is a receptor from three chains of lakes upstream, and has a catchment area of about 148 square kilometres. Water from this lake flows further east to the Varthur Lake, from where it flows down the plateau and eventually into the Pinakani river basin.
Madiwala lake is one of the biggest lakes in Bangalore, India spread over an area of 114.3 hectare. The water in the lake was fit for drinking till the early 1990s. Since then it has become unfit for drinking due to industrial waste and sewage entering the waterbody. It has gradually become polluted.
Jakkur Lake is among the biggest lakes in Bangalore, and is located on the northern side of the city. It derives its name from the name of the locality, Jakkur. It is spread around 35 ha and has several islands.
Agara lake is an 80-acre lake located in Agara, Bangalore. It is part of the Varthur lake series. Madiwala Lake is upstream while Bellandur Lake is downstream. Inter-lake connections have seen fragmentation and urbanisation.
Varthuru is a suburb situated in the Eastern periphery of Bangalore City and part of the internationally famous Whitefield township. Varthur is a Hobli and part of the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike. Varthur was a Legislative Assembly in the state of Karnataka but was split into three legislative assemblies C.V.Raman Nagar, Mahadevapura and Krishnarajapura in the year 2008. It is also one of the wards of BBMP. It is located in South-Eastern Bangalore between old Airport road and Sarjapur road. Varthur is very close to ITPB.
Bishop Cotton Boys' School is an all-boys school for boarders and day scholars in Bengaluru, India, founded in the memory of Bishop George Edward Lynch Cotton, Bishop of Calcutta.
Baldwin Boys' High School is a private boys school for boarders and day scholars. This school was founded in 1880 in Bangalore, India.The school is run by the Methodist Church in India under the chairmanship of Bishop Dr.Anilkumar John Servand.
Bishop Cotton Girls' School, or BCGS, is a private all-girls' school for boarders and day scholars in Bengaluru, Karnataka, India. It has been awarded the International School award by the British Council.
Clarence High School (CHS) is a private Christian minority school in Bangalore East for girls and boys. It is located in Richard's Town in Bangalore, Karnataka, India, and is for day scholars. It has classes from Montessori until the 12th grade and is in the Indian Certificate of Secondary Education syllabus.
St Joseph's Boys' High School is a private Catholic primary and senior secondary school located on Museum Road in Bangalore, Karnataka, India. Founded by the MEP in 1858, the school caters to boys only from kindergarten to Grade 10 and is co-educational in Grades 11 and 12.
The National Public School, Indiranagar (NPS) is a private school located in Indiranagar, Bengaluru, India. It was started in 1982 by Dr. Gopalkrishna, chairman of the National education trust.
Bangalore International School is a private international school in the city of Bengaluru, Karnataka, India. It was the first international school to be established in Bangalore. It is located in Hennur, north-eastern Bengaluru.
The Indian Institute of Science (IISc) is a public deemed research university for higher education and research in science, engineering, design, and management. It is located in Bengaluru, Karnataka. The institute was established in 1909 with active support from Jamsetji Tata and thus is also locally known as the Tata Institute. It was granted a deemed university status in 1958 and recognized as an Institute of Eminence in 2018.
The Indian Institute of Management Bangalore is a public business school in Bengaluru, Karnataka, India. Established in 1973, it is the third of the Indian Institutes of Management and was declared an Institute of National Importance under the Indian Institutes of Management Act, 2017.
International Institute of Information Technology Bangalore
The International Institute of Information Technology Bangalore is a research deemed university located in Electronics City, Bangalore, India. It is a registered not-for-profit society and one of three autonomous "International" IIITs in India — alongside IIIT Hyderabad ,IIIT Delhi and ,LNMIIT Jaipur — that operate independently of the standard government-funded or Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model used by other IIITs. As of 2024, the institute is self-funded through research, innovation, and internally generated revenues, and receives no direct government or industry grants. It is governed by a Board chaired by Kris Gopalakrishnan, co-founder of Infosys.
The National Law School of India University (NLSIU), commonly referred to as the National Law School (NLS), is a state law university in Bengaluru, Karnataka, India. Established under the Karnataka Act No. 22 of 1986, it is widely regarded as one of the most elite institutions in India for legal education and has consistently been ranked first in the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) for law.
Bangalore University (BU) is a collegiate public state university in Bengaluru, Karnataka, India. The university is a part of the Association of Indian Universities (AIU), Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU) and affiliated by University Grants Commission (UGC). Bangalore University is accredited by the NAAC with grade A++ in 2023. Bangalore University was trifurcated into Dr. Manmohan Singh Bengaluru City University and Bengaluru North University. It has its jurisdiction over Bengaluru Urban and Bengaluru Rural districts.
St. Joseph's University is a private aided, Jesuit University run by the Karnataka Province of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) in Bangalore, Karnataka, India. It was founded in 1882. It offers graduate, post-graduate and research education. It is one of the oldest institution of higher education in Bangalore.
Christ University, officially Christ (Deemed to be University) is an elite private, deemed, research university located in Bengaluru, Karnataka, India. Founded in 1969 by the CMI Fathers on the Dharmaram Campus, it was declared as an institution deemed to be university under section 3 of UGC Act 1956.
Mount Carmel University (MCU),officially Mount Carmel (Deemed to be University) is a private deemed university in Bengaluru, Karnataka, India. It was established by Carmelite Sisters of Saint Teresa, Kerala to empower women through education and remained a women's college for over 75 years. In 2021, it admitted male students to postgraduate courses, became fully co-educational in 2024, and was granted deemed university status in 2026.
Rashtreeya Vidyalaya College of Engineering is an autonomous private engineering college in Bengaluru, Karnataka, India. It was established in 1963 under the Rashtreeya Sikshana Samithi Trust (RSST) and was one of the earliest self-financing engineering colleges in the country. It is affiliated with the Visvesvaraya Technological University, Belagavi. In 2008, the college was given autonomous status.
People's Education Society University (PESU), is a private university in Bengaluru, India. Established in 1988, it is focused on the following educational areas: Engineering, Management, Law, Economics, Commerce, Architecture, Design, Psychology, Arts, Medicine and Life Sciences. The institution offers both foundation courses in these areas, as well as specializations, with a Bachelor's, Master's, or PhD degree. The college was established as PES University in 2013, as a private university. There are three campuses under PES University in Bangalore: Ring Road Campus located at Banashankari 3rd stage outer ring road Bangalore, Electronic City Campus located at Electronic City hosur road Bangalore, and Hanmumanth Nagar Campus located at Banashankari 1st stage Bangalore.
B.M.S. College of Engineering, or Bhusanayana Mukundadas Sreenivasaiah College of Engineering (BMSCE), is a private engineering college in Basavanagudi, Bangalore, India. It was started in 1946 by Bhusanayana Mukundadas Sreenivasaiah and is run by the B.M.S. Educational Trust. It is affiliated with Visvesvaraya Technological University and became autonomous in 2008. BMSCE is located on Bull Temple Road, Basavanagudi, diagonally opposite the famous Bull Temple. Though a private college, it is partially funded by the Government of Karnataka.
National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences
The National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro-Sciences (NIMHANS) is a medical institution in Bengaluru, India. NIMHANS serves as the apex centre for mental health education and neuroscience research in the country. It is an Institute of National Importance operating autonomously under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. NIMHANS is widely regarded as a leading institution in India for super-specialty training across psychiatry, neurology, and neurosurgery, and has been listed among Newsweek’s World’s Best Hospitals.
The Indian Space Research Organisation is the national space agency of India, headquartered in Bengaluru, Karnataka. It serves as the principal research and development arm of the Department of Space (DoS), overseen by the Prime Minister of India, with the Chairman of ISRO also working as the chief executive of the DoS. It is primarily responsible for space-based operations, space exploration, international space cooperation and the development of related technologies. The agency maintains a constellation of imaging, communications and remote sensing satellites. It operates the GAGAN and IRNSS satellite navigation systems. It has sent three missions to the Moon and one mission to Mars.
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) is an Indian public sector aerospace and defence company. Headquartered in Bengaluru, it is involved in the designing, manufacturing and overhaul of combat aircraft, helicopters, unmanned aerial vehicles, jet and turbine engines, avionics, and other hardware. HAL operates 11 dedicated research and development centres and 21 manufacturing divisions distributed across four production units. The company is majority-owned by the Indian government, and managed by a board of directors appointed by the Indian president through the Ministry of Defence.
Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) is an Indian public sector aerospace and defence electronics company, headquartered in Bengaluru. It primarily manufactures advanced electronic products for ground and aerospace applications. BEL is one of sixteen PSUs under the administration of the Ministry of Defence of India. It has been granted Navratna status by the Government of India.
The Raman Research Institute (RRI) is an institute for scientific research located in Bengaluru, India. It was founded by Nobel laureate Sir C. V. Raman in 1948. Although it began as an institute privately owned by C. V. Raman, it became an autonomous institute in 1972, receiving funds from the Department of Science and Technology of the Government of India.
The High Court of Karnataka (IAST: Karnāṭaka Ućća Nyāyālaya, commonly referred to as the Karnataka High Court and formerly known as the Mysore High Court, is the highest judicial authority of the Indian state of Karnataka. The court's principal bench is located in Bengaluru, the capital city of Karnataka, with additional benches in Hubballi-Dharwad and Kalaburagi. In Bengaluru, the High Court operates from a red-painted brick building known as the Attara Kacheri, located opposite the Vidhana Soudha, the seat of the Karnataka Legislature.
Shivaji Rao Gaikwad, known professionally as Rajinikanth, is an Indian actor who predominantly works in Tamil cinema. In a career spanning over five decades, he has appeared in 170 films, including films in Tamil, Hindi, Telugu, Kannada, Bangla, and Malayalam. He is widely regarded as one of the most successful and popular actors in the history of Indian cinema. The Government of India honoured him with the Padma Bhushan in 2000 and the Padma Vibhushan in 2016, India's third- and second-highest civilian honours, respectively, the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 2019, the highest Indian award in the field of cinema, and the IFFI Satyajit Ray Lifetime Achievement Award for his contributions to world cinema.
Shakuntala Devi was an Indian mental calculator, astrologer, and writer, popularly known as the "Human Computer". Her talent earned her a place in the 1982 edition of The Guinness Book of World Records. However, the certificate for the record was given posthumously on 30 July 2020, despite Devi achieving her world record on 18 June 1980 at Imperial College, London. Devi was a precocious child, and she demonstrated her arithmetic abilities at the University of Mysore without any formal education.
Nayanthara is an Indian actress and producer known for her work in Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam films. One of the highest-paid actresses in India, she was the only South Indian actress to be featured in Forbes India "Celebrity 100" list in 2018. With a career spanning over two decades, she has appeared in more than 75 films and has received numerous awards, including five Filmfare Awards South, three Tamil Nadu State Film Awards, a Nandi Award and seven SIIMA Awards.
Guru Dutt was an Indian film actor, director, producer, choreographer, and writer. He is regarded as one of the greatest filmmakers of Indian cinema. He was heavily influenced by Alfred Hitchcock in his initial films and later was compared with Orson Welles due to his works getting a legitimate amount of prominence amongst the cinephiles.
Chintamani Nagesa Ramachandra Rao is an Indian chemist who has worked mainly in solid-state and structural chemistry. He has honorary doctorates from 88 universities from around the world and has authored over 1,800 research publications and 58 books. He is described as a scientist who had won all possible awards in his field except the Nobel Prize.
Lindsay Gordon Anderson was an English filmmaker, theatre director, critic, and actor. He was considered a leading light of the Free Cinema movement and of the British New Wave, and a principal exponent of kitchen sink realism on both the stage and screen.
Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw is an Indian billionaire entrepreneur. She is the executive chairperson and founder of Biocon Limited and Biocon Biologics Limited, a biotechnology company based in Bangalore, India and the former chairperson of Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore. In 2014, she was awarded the Othmer Gold Medal for outstanding contributions to the progress of science and chemistry. She was on the Financial Times 2011 top 50 women in business list. In 2019, she was listed as the 68th most powerful woman in the world by Forbes. She was named EY World Entrepreneur Of The Year 2020.
Dino Morea is an Indian actor and former supermodel who has appeared in Hindi, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam, and Telugu films. Morea forged a celebrated career in fashion modeling and has been cited in the media as one of India's best supermodels, setting the benchmark for style, presence, and versatility.
Kirron Anupam Kher is an Indian politician, former actress, television personality, singer, and entertainment producer known for her work in Hindi films and television. She is a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party and was a Member of Parliament in the Lok Sabha, the lower house of Indian Parliament, from Chandigarh, from 2014 to 2024. Through her film career, she is the recipient of two National Film Awards and a Lux Style Award, and has received four Filmfare Award nominations.
Asha Parekh is an Indian actress, film director and producer who has worked in more than 85 films in a career that has spanned over 40 years. In 1992, she was honoured with the Padma Shri by the Government of India for her contribution to the field of cinema and was honoured with Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 2020.
Rohan Machanda Bopanna is an Indian former tennis player who specialized in doubles. He attained the world No. 1 ranking after winning his first major men's doubles title at the 2024 Australian Open with Matthew Ebden, becoming the oldest first-time No. 1 at the age of 43.
He plays as the marquee player for SG Pipers in the Tennis Premier League.
Nicole Faria Powar is an Indian actress, model and the winner of the Miss Earth 2010 pageant. She is the brand ambassador for various brands including Clean & Clear and Swiss luxury wristwatches, Frédérique Constant. She was featured on international fashion and lifestyle magazine covers, like Elle, Vogue, Cosmopolitan, JFW, Man's World magazine and appeared on the Kingfisher Calendar in 2014. She has made significant contribution in spreading awareness about the detrimental effect of pollution on Rabindra Sarobar Lakes in Kolkata, West Bengal.
N.S. Nithya, known professionally as Nithya Menen, is an Indian actress and singer who works predominantly in Tamil, Malayalam and Telugu films. She has also acted in a few Kannada films. Having appeared in more than 50 films, she is noted for her strong portrayals. Menen is a recipient of several accolades including a National Film Award, four Filmfare Awards South and two Nandi Awards.
Feroz Khan was an Indian actor, film director, producer, screenwriter, and editor, best known for his work in Indian cinema. He appeared in over 60 films throughout his career and became one of Bollywood's popular style icons. Feroz Khan rose to prominence with Phani Majumdar's drama film Oonche Log (1965), and starred in successful Hindi films, such as Arzoo (1965), Aag (1967), Safar (1970), Mela (1971), Apradh (1972), Geeta Mera Naam (1974), Khotte Sikkay (1974), Kaala Sona (1975), Dharmatma (1975), Nagin (1976), Shankar Shambhu (1976) and Qurbani (1980). The 2007 superhit Welcome (2007), was his final film.
Ashwini Ponnappa Machimanda is an Indian badminton player who represents the country at the international badminton circuit in both the women's and mixed doubles disciplines. She had a successful partnership with Jwala Gutta as the pair has won many medals in international events including a gold medal at the Commonwealth Games and bronze medals at the Uber Cup and the Asian Badminton Championships. They were consistently ranked among the top 20 in the BWF World Ranking reaching as high as no. 10. Ponnappa and Gutta also won the bronze medal at the BWF World Championships in 2011, becoming the first Indian pair and women and only the second overall to win a medal at the World Championships.
Rhea Chakraborty is an Indian actress and VJ who primarily appears in Hindi films. She started her career as a VJ on MTV India. She made her acting debut with the 2012 Telugu film Tuneega Tuneega and later appeared in the Hindi film Mere Dad Ki Maruti (2013).
Kiran Rao is an Indian film director, film producer and screenwriter who works in Hindi cinema. She has directed the critically acclaimed films Dhobi Ghat (2011) and Laapataa Ladies (2024), both produced under Aamir Khan Productions. In 2016, Rao co-founded Paani Foundation, a non-profit organisation, and Kindling Pictures, a film production company in 2021.
Tina Desai is an Indian actress and model who works in both Indian and international projects. She debuted with the 2011 thriller Yeh Faasley, before making her foreign debut in 2012 in the comedy-drama The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel. She is also known for her main role in the Netflix series Sense8.
Anil Kumble is a former Indian cricketer, captain, coach and commentator who played Test and One Day International cricket for his national team over an international career of 18 years. A right-arm leg spin bowler, regarded as one of the greatest spin bowlers in cricket history, he took 619 wickets in Test cricket and was the third-highest wicket taker of all time at the time of his retirement in 2008.
Vasundhara Das is an Indian playback singer and former actress.
Vasundhara's acting career includes Hey Ram (Tamil/Hindi), Monsoon Wedding (English), Citizen (Tamil), Ravana Prabhu (Malayalam), Lankesh Patrike (Kannada) and several others.
She won the Filmfare Award for Best Female Playback Singer – Tamil for the song, "Shakalaka Baby" from the film Mudhalvan
Kannaur Lokesh Rahul is an Indian cricketer. He plays for the Indian national cricket team. He is a former Indian cricket team captain. Rahul represents the Karnataka cricket team in Indian domestic cricket and Delhi Capitals in the Indian Premier League. He is currently the vice-captain of the Indian cricket team in the Test and ODI cricket format.
Sunitha Krishnan is an Indian social activist and chief functionary and co-founder of Prajwala, a non-governmental organization that rescues, rehabilitates and reintegrates sex-trafficked victims into society. She was awarded India's fourth highest civilian award the Padma Shri in 2016.
Pranitha Subhash is an Indian actress who appears in Kannada, Telugu, Tamil, Hindi and Malayalam films. She debuted as an actress in the 2010 Kannada film, Porki. In 2012, she starred in Bheema Theeradalli and got a break through, and appeared in several commercially hits like Baava (2010), Attarintiki Daredi (2013), Masss (2015) and Hello Guru Prema Kosame (2018).
Prakash Padukone is an Indian former badminton player. He was ranked World No. 1 in 1980 and the same year he became the first Indian to win the All England Open. He was awarded the Arjuna award in 1972 and the Padma Shri in 1982 by the Government of India. He is one of the co-founders of Olympic Gold Quest, a foundation dedicated to the promotion of Olympic sports in India.
Aditi Ashok is an Indian professional golfer. She plays on the Ladies European Tour and LPGA Tour. She made her Olympic Games debut at the 2016 Olympics. She also competed in the 2020 Olympics, where she narrowly missed the podium with a fourth-place finish.
B. Saroja Devi was an Indian actress who appeared in 200 Kannada, Tamil, Telugu and Hindi films over seven decades. She was one of the most successful actresses in the history of Indian cinema. She is regarded as the first female superstar of Kannada cinema. Posthumously, Saroja Devi became the first women to be awarded the Karnataka Ratna, the highest civilian award of the State of Karnataka.
Peter Derek Vaughan Prince was a Bible teacher whose daily radio programme, Derek Prince Legacy Radio, is broadcast around the world in various languages.
Shraddha Srinath is an Indian actress who predominantly appears in Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam and Telugu films. She is a recipient of two Filmfare Awards South and two SIIMA Award.
Salil Shetty is an Indian human rights activist who was the Secretary General of the human rights organization Amnesty International (2010–2018) till 31 July 2018. Previously, he was the director of the United Nations Millennium Campaign. Before joining the UN, he served as the Chief Executive of ActionAid. Most recently, Shetty had a short stint as the Vice President of Global Programs at the Open Society Foundations.
Lakshmi Gopalaswamy is an Indian actress from Karnataka and a classical dancer, qualified in Bharatanatyam. She has mainly acted in Malayalam films, while also appearing in few Kannada and Tamil films.
Richa Pallod is an Indian model and actress who appears in films of 5 languages, predominantly in Hindi, Telugu, and Tamil films. She has also been featured in Kannada and Malayalam language films. After appearing as a child artiste in Lamhe (1991), she appeared in Nuvve Kavali (2000), her first film in Telugu.
Anuradha T.K. is a retired Indian scientist and Program director of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), specialized communication satellites. She has worked on the launches of the satellites GSAT-12 and GSAT-10. She was the senior most female scientist at ISRO, having joined the space agency in 1982, and also the first woman to become a satellite project director at ISRO.
Swetha, professionally known as Nandita Swetha, is an Indian actress who predominantly appears in Tamil and Telugu films. Swetha also starred in the 2008 Kannada film Nanda Loves Nanditha. Later she made her acting debut in Tamil with the 2012 comedy film Attakathi. She made her Telugu debut in the 2016 horror comedy film Ekkadiki Pothavu Chinnavada.
Major-General Sir Ernest Dunlop Swinton, was a British Army officer who played a part in the development and adoption of the tank during the First World War. He was also a war correspondent and author of several short stories on military themes. He is credited, along with fellow officer Lieutenant-Colonel Walter Dally Jones, with having initiated the use of the word "tank" as a code-name for the first British, tracked, armoured fighting vehicles.