Naxalites quitting path of violence, joining mainstream of development: President Murmu
Ambikapur (Chhattisgarh) (PTI): President Droupadi Murmu on Thursday said that Naxalites across the country have been giving up the path of violence and joining the mainstream.
Coordinated efforts by the Centre and state governments will make the elimination of Left-Wing Extremism (LWE) possible, she said.
Addressing a ‘Janjatiya Gaurav Divas’ event in Ambikapur, the headquarters of Surguja district in Chhattisgarh, she said, tribal communities must move forward step by step along with other social groups.
“People (Naxalites) have been abandoning the path of Left-Wing Extremism and joining the mainstream of development in Chhattisgarh as well as across the country. With the coordinated efforts of the Central and state governments, the elimination of LWE will become possible,” the President said.
The Centre and states have been jointly taking steps to achieve this goal, she said, calling the efforts “a very satisfying change”.
More than 1,65,000 participants took part in the recently held Bastar Olympics, which was a matter of great joy, she said.
“I am confident that by following the ideals of tribal heroes, the residents of Chhattisgarh will make an invaluable contribution to building a strong, self-reliant, and Viksit Bharat (Developed India),” she said.
Murmu said, “…Women are the foundation of society, and when they progress, society moves forward…”
Recalling her recent meeting with the Indian Women's World Cup-winning cricket team at Rashtrapati Bhavan, President Murmu praised tribal cricketer Kranti Goud, saying she secured a place in the team through hard work and dedication.
She said Kranti’s journey to the national team was filled with challenges, but she emerged as an inspiring example of courage and perseverance.
“Kranti Goud has presented a revolutionary example of hard work and determination for women across the country, especially for daughters of the tribal community,” Murmu said, stressing that traditional sports must be preserved and promoted instead of letting them fade away.
The President said tribal communities have always shown deep interest and natural talent in sports and must continue to nurture this strength for future generations.
Chhattisgarh Governor Ramen Deka and Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai were present at the event.
The birth anniversary of tribal icon Birsa Munda is celebrated as ‘Janjatiya Gaurav Divas’.
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Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge met a high-level delegation from Chile, led by Chilean Foreign Minister Francisco Pérez Mackenna, at Vidhana Soudha on Thursday to discuss collaboration in emerging technologies, clean energy, and startup ecosystems, officials said.
The delegation’s visit to Bengaluru, as part of its India engagements, underscores Karnataka’s growing prominence as a preferred partner for global collaborations in technology, innovation, and startup ecosystems, officials added.
The discussions reflected strong alignment between Chile’s evolving technology-focused growth strategy and Karnataka’s established leadership in innovation and deep-tech ecosystems, according to a statement.
Both sides explored opportunities to build partnerships that move beyond traditional sectors and focus on innovation-led growth, talent exchange, and market access.
The meeting focused on opportunities in renewable energy, including green hydrogen and sustainable industrial innovation.
Other potential areas of collaboration included marine biotechnology, aquaculture technologies, and AI applications across traditional industries.
According to the state IT minister, Karnataka is now a global hub for deep-tech, AI, biotech, aerospace, and advanced research, backed by one of the world’s strongest talent pipelines.
“As partners under the global innovation alliance, we must move beyond agreements on paper to actionable collaboration,” Kharge said.
“We are keen to work with Chile on startup exchanges, market access programmes, and building joint innovation corridors, including R&D centres, incubators, and accelerators. Chile’s position as a gateway to Latin America presents a significant opportunity for our startups to scale globally,” he added.
Officials said the engagement builds on the Letter of Intent signed between the Government of Karnataka and the Government of Chile during the Bengaluru Tech Summit, which established a framework for collaboration in startups, emerging technologies, research, and skill development under the Global Innovation Alliance.
Mackenna, Chile’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, said the country is actively advancing its transition toward a knowledge- and technology-driven economy.
“Our engagement with Karnataka reflects our interest in building strong innovation partnerships that enable technology exchange, talent collaboration, and access to dynamic startup ecosystems,” he added.
“We see significant potential to work together in sectors such as clean energy, digital technologies, and emerging industries, while also strengthening Chile’s role as a bridge between India and Latin America,” he said.
