Hyderabad Desi news — 2026-10-17
Hyderabad is featuring in three significant stories this week: a grassroots drone skilling programme has graduated 25 rural women from across Telangana, Chief Minister Revanth Reddy is actively pursuing a Hyundai car manufacturing plant investment for the city, and the annual Red Run Marathon brought the community together for health and civic engagement.
25 Rural Women Graduate from FlySakhi Drone Programme at IIT Hyderabad
Telangana Today reports that twenty-five rural women from across Telangana have graduated from the FlySakhi drone pilot programme, which is conducted at IIT Hyderabad in partnership with government and civil society organizations working on women's economic empowerment. The FlySakhi programme, designed to train women from agricultural and rural backgrounds as certified drone operators and agricultural drone service providers, is part of a broader national push to bring women into the drone sector as the technology expands its applications in precision agriculture, rural delivery, and emergency response. The graduating cohort completed a certification course covering drone operation, maintenance, flight planning, and regulatory compliance. The programme is designed to give women economic independence and viable livelihood options in the rapidly growing commercial drone industry, which is projected to generate substantial employment in India over the next decade. Graduates are eligible for drone operator certifications and can establish drone-as-a-service businesses serving farmers in their home districts. The IIT Hyderabad location gives the programme access to research expertise and technology resources that are incorporated into the curriculum, making it one of the more technically rigorous women-led drone skilling initiatives in the country. [4]
Revanth Reddy Pitches Hyderabad as Ideal Site for Hyundai Manufacturing; Red Run Marathon Held
Deccan Chronicle reports that Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy has formally pitched Hyderabad to Hyundai Motor Company as an ideal location for a major car manufacturing plant, citing the city's industrial infrastructure, skilled workforce, and logistics connectivity. Hyundai, which already operates a large manufacturing facility in Chennai, is reportedly evaluating expansion options in India as the country's automobile market continues to grow. Revanth Reddy's pitch comes alongside competing claims from other state governments, including Maharashtra — whose CM Devendra Fadnavis has also been actively recruiting Hyundai investment. For Hyderabad, landing a Hyundai plant would represent a major win for the state's industrial development strategy. Separately, Hindudayashankar reports that the State-Level Red Fest Red Run Marathon 2026 was conducted in Hyderabad, bringing together hundreds of participants from across Telangana for the health and civic engagement event. The Red Run Marathon is associated with the broader Red Fest civic initiative, which uses community events like marathons and health fairs to promote public health awareness. The event drew participants from across the city's neighborhoods and educational institutions, and was organized with support from government and community partners. Hyderabad's growing fitness and wellness community has made it one of the more active cities for community running events in South India. [5]
Sources: [4] Telangana Today · [5] Deccan Chronicle