Dasara Expo, CFTRI Oilseed Unit, and Ganesha Procession Row Mark Mysuru This Week
Mysuru had an active week spanning festival preparations, a scientific launch at CSIR-CFTRI, and a political flashpoint over a Ganesh Chaturthi procession. The city is now firmly in Dasara mode, with decisions on the inaugural guest still being debated.
🎉 MLC Calls on CM to Invite Supreme Court Justice BV Nagarathna to Open Dasara
MLC Dinesh Gooligowd has formally urged Chief Minister D K Shivakumar to invite Mandya-born Supreme Court Justice B V Nagarathna to preside over the inauguration of the Mysuru Dasara festivities. Gooligowd’s appeal rests on Justice Nagarathna’s regional roots in Karnataka as a meaningful reason to select her for the ceremonial role. Dasara, Mysuru’s most celebrated annual festival, draws a prominent figure to formally open the ten-day celebrations, and the choice of inaugural guest carries considerable symbolic weight for the city and state. Justice Nagarathna, who sits on India’s Supreme Court, would bring both regional distinction and judicial stature to the occasion if the Chief Minister accepts the recommendation. The suggestion comes as preparation activities for the festival are already under way across Mysuru, with civic and government bodies ramping up logistics. Whether Chief Minister Shivakumar will act on the MLC’s appeal is expected to become clear in the days leading up to the festival dates. The proposal has drawn attention from political observers tracking Congress party’s management of the culturally significant annual event. [8]
🎉 Karnataka Exhibition Authority Launches Innovative Mysuru Dasara Expo
The Karnataka Exhibition Authority has launched what it is describing as an innovative Mysuru Dasara expo ahead of the annual festival, adding a dedicated exhibition component to this year’s celebrations. The expo is positioned as part of the broader array of events and displays that accompany Dasara, one of Karnataka’s most prominent cultural and civic occasions. The authority’s move to introduce a fresh expo format signals efforts to expand the festival’s reach and engagement beyond its traditional programme. Mysuru Dasara typically draws visitors from across the state and from other parts of India, and the exhibition segment is expected to provide an additional draw for audiences interested in local heritage, commerce, and craft. Details of the expo’s specific content and structure are to be shared as the festival approaches. The launch by the Karnataka Exhibition Authority underlines the institutional push to make this year’s Dasara edition particularly notable. Local authorities have been coordinating preparations across multiple fronts to ensure the festival is staged at a scale befitting its national reputation as the “Naada Habba”, Karnataka’s state festival. [1]
🎓 CSIR-CFTRI Mysuru Opens Integrated Oilseed Processing Unit to Boost Edible Oil Research
CSIR-Central Food Technological Research Institute in Mysuru launched an Integrated Oilseed Processing Unit at its campus, marking a significant step in the institute’s effort to move research from the laboratory into practical use. The unit was inaugurated by CSIR-CFTRI Director Dr Giridhar Parvatam on the birth anniversary of Dr V Subramanian, the founding director of the institute. The facility includes an oil extraction unit with a capacity of 50 kg per hour, a filtration unit capable of handling 50 litres per hour, and a short-path molecular distillation unit processing up to 5 litres per hour. Dr Parvatam said the unit represents CSIR-CFTRI’s mission to transform scientific knowledge into technologies and products that support livelihoods and create societal impact, while promoting sustainable processing, agricultural value addition, and technology-driven entrepreneurship. He noted the unit is intended to ensure that oilseed research benefits extend to farmers, entrepreneurs, industry, and society at large. Scientists described the launch as a meaningful step toward greater efficiency in oilseed utilisation and value addition, directly supporting India’s goal of achieving greater self-sufficiency in edible oil production. [2]
🗳️ Ganesh Chaturthi Procession Row Triggers Sharp BJP-Congress Exchanges in Karnataka
A controversy erupted in Karnataka after a Mysuru police officer made remarks perceived as threatening toward organisers of a Ganesh Chaturthi procession, setting off an exchange of accusations between the BJP and the ruling Congress. The incident drew responses from senior party figures on both sides, with BJP leader R Ashoka and Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar among those cited in the dispute. The BJP alleged that the Congress-led state government was restricting or interfering with the procession, framing it as an infringement on the right to celebrate the festival. Congress pushed back against that characterisation, defending the police officer’s conduct. Ganesh Chaturthi processions in Karnataka have at times required coordination between religious organisers and law enforcement, and remarks by officers about routes or conduct near sensitive locations can attract political attention. The row underlined the sensitivity around religious processions in the state and the readiness of opposition and ruling parties alike to contest the narrative around policing and civic space for festivals. Calls for action or accountability had not been formally lodged as the dispute played out publicly. [5]
🗳️ Former CM Siddaramaiah Holds Quiet Housewarming at New Mysuru Residence
Former Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah held a low-key housewarming ceremony at his newly built residence in Mysuru, choosing a subdued occasion rather than a high-profile event. The deliberately understated gathering drew notice precisely because of its contrast with the larger functions often associated with senior political figures marking significant personal milestones. The new residence has also drawn speculation about Siddaramaiah’s intentions for the next phase of his political life, with observers watching for signals about his future role within the Congress party and Karnataka politics more broadly. Siddaramaiah served as Chief Minister of Karnataka until the party’s leadership transition and remains a central figure in state politics. His decision to establish a new home base in Mysuru is being read by analysts as potentially indicative of where he plans to concentrate his political activity going forward. The housewarming, while kept private in character, did not go unnoticed in political circles, with the choice of setting and scale prompting commentary about what it may or may not signal regarding Siddaramaiah’s ambitions and plans within the state Congress. [6]
Sources: [8] Deccan Herald · [1] The Times of India · [2] Deccan Herald · [5] Hindustan Times · [6] newindianexpress.com