Art competitions will be held at schools, colleges; plan to allocate Rs 25 Cr: DCM DK Shivakumar
Bengaluru, Jun 12 (PTI): Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar said on Thursday that his government is planning to conduct art competitions at schools and colleges and Rs 25 crore has been allocated for the purpose.
He was addressing the inaugural event of the newly renovated Venkatappa Art Gallery, which was restored along with Brigade Group.
“As the minister in charge of Bengaluru city, I will conduct competitions at the school and college levels to promote art. We plan to allocate around Rs 25 crore for this and collaborate with the education department to take this forward,” said Shivakumar.
According to him, the government of Karnataka is open to suggestions from the public and is willing to consider them for the development of Bengaluru.
“The world is looking at Bengaluru and in order to make it a world class city, the government is planning an investment of Rs1 lakh crore over the next three years,” he added.
H K Patil, Karnataka's Minister for Law & Parliamentary Affairs and Legislation, and Tourism, who inaugurated the art gallery, said its renovation work is a perfect example of how private-public partnerships can help transform the city for the benefit of the people.
"It is commendable that Brigade Group has completed the renovation work and handed over Venkatappa Art Gallery to the government in only 15 months. The department of tourism is happy to consider the request of the Brigade team to name one of the newly created galleries after the Brigade Group," said Patil.
Patil said the Brigade Group has spent Rs 8-9 crore towards the renovation of the art gallery.
Speaking at the event, M R Jaishankar, Executive Chairman, Brigade Enterprises Limited said, "Art has the power to tell stories, bring people together, and shape society. We envisioned the renovated space not only as a tribute to its legacy but also as an evolving platform where emerging artists can find inspiration and recognition."
He added that together with Indian Music Experience Museum, India's first interactive music museum, his real estate group has done its bit to uphold Bengaluru's reputation as a vibrant cultural hub as well as make high-quality art experiences more accessible to the common man.
The foundation stone of Venkatappa Art Gallery was laid on November 24, 1967. It was founded mainly as a gallery to house the paintings, musical instruments and plaster of paris bas reliefs, which formed the collection of Karnataka's most famous artist, K Venkatappa, a pupil of Abanindranath Tagore.
Apart from dedicated spaces to showcase the works of Venkatappa and K K Hebbar, another celebrated artist from Karnataka, the renovated gallery will also have five mini galleries featuring rotating exhibitions. New visitor-centric spaces have been introduced to enrich engagement and art conservation efforts.
A state-of-the-art restoration room has also been established, providing conservators with essential tools to maintain and restore both contemporary and historical artworks.
Other additions include a modern cafeteria, auditorium and a sculpture park where emerging artists can display their work. Accessibility upgrades, including ramps and elevators, and upgraded public amenities are other structural changes added to the newly renovated gallery.
Rizwan Arshad, Shivaji Nagar Constituency MLA; Shalini Rajneesh, Chief Secretary of Karnataka; Salma K Fahim, Secretary to Government, Department of Tourism; and Devaraju A, Commissioner, Department of Archaeology, Museums & Heritage were also present at the inaugural event.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
3 Indians arrested in Canada for shooting outside home
Ottawa (PTI): Three Indian nationals have been arrested by Canadian police on an anti-extortion patrol and charged after bullets were fired at a home.
Harjot Singh (21), Taranveer Singh (19) and Dayajeet Singh Billing (21) face one count each of discharging a firearm, and all have been remanded in custody until Thursday, the Surrey Police Service (SPS) said in a statement on Monday.
The suspects were arrested by patrol officers after an early morning report of shots fired and a small fire outside a home in Surrey's Crescent Beach neighbourhood, the LakelandToday reported.
On February 1, 2026, the SPS members were patrolling in Surrey’s Crescent Beach neighbourhood when reports came in of shots being fired and a small fire outside a residence near Crescent Road and 132 Street.
The three accused were arrested by SPS officers a short time later, the statement said.
SPS’s Major Crime Section took over the investigation, and the three men have now been charged with Criminal Code offences, it said.
All three have been charged with one count each of discharging a firearm into a place contrary to section 244.2(1)(a) of the Criminal Code.
The investigation is ongoing, and additional charges may be forthcoming. All three have been remanded in custody until February 5, 2026.
The SPS has confirmed they are all foreign nationals and has engaged the Canada Border Services Agency, it said.
One of the suspects suffered injuries, including two black eyes, the media report said.
Surrey police Staff Sgt. Lindsey Houghton said on Monday that the suspect had refused to comply with instructions to get out of the ride-share vehicle and started to "actively resist."
"As we were trained, he was taken to the ground and safely handcuffed," said Houghton.
A second suspect with a black eye was also injured in the arrest after refusing to comply, Houghton said.
The arresting officers were part of Project Assurance, an initiative that patrols neighbourhoods that have been targeted by extortion violence.
Houghton said the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) is also involved because the men are foreign nationals, and the trio may face additional charges.
It's not clear if the men are in the country on tourist visas, a study permit, or a work permit, but Houghton said CBSA has started its own investigation into the men's status.
Surrey has seen a number of shootings at homes and businesses over the last several months, but there's been an escalation since the new year.
