Karnataka Minister Patil announces job fair for PwDs, launches app
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Minister for Skill Development Sharana Prakash R Patil announced on Thursday that an exclusive job fair for PwDs will be held in August at the Kanteerava Stadium here.
The minister announced this at the launch of the "Adidvara app" -- a first-of-its-kind inclusive employment and skilling platform built with accessibility at its core -- at a ceremony in association with the AssisTech Foundation (ATF).
"Persons with disabilities (PwDs) are second to none. They are as talented as anyone else, and corporates must extend them equal opportunity and treatment during hiring," Patil said.
The Adidvara platform connects PwDs to employment opportunities, internships, and skilling and upskilling programmes, while enabling employers to post inclusive job roles and access a diverse talent pool. Its AI-powered job-candidate matching engine aligns skills, interests, and accessibility requirements with suitable roles, supporting meaningful and outcome-focused hiring, he said.
At the event, Minister Patil also unveiled the official logo for the upcoming job fair, signaling the government's commitment to building an inclusive workforce ecosystem in Karnataka.
The Adidvara job fair, scheduled for August, will be a large-scale inclusive employment and skilling festival designed to connect job-ready PwDs with employers, training partners and assistive technology startups.
The event will feature direct recruitment drives, career guidance sessions, skill pathway awareness programmes, and technology showcases, officials said in a release.
Employers from sectors, including IT, retail, manufacturing, BFSI, hospitality, and services are expected to participate. Over 3,000 job seekers with disabilities -- representing all 21 notified disability categories -- are anticipated to attend, with opportunities for both direct recruitment and structured employer-candidate interactions.
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India eye U17 Women's Asian Cup history in decisive Lebanon clash
Suzhou (China) (PTI): Having lost to two continental heavyweights, India face a must-win game against Lebanon in the AFC U17 Women's Asian Cup here on Friday, knowing that victory could seal a first-ever qualification to the knockout stage of the competition.
After losing to Australia (0-2)and Japan (0-3) in Group B, the equation for India has become clear: one final match and one final chance to make the quarter-finals.
India are alive in the race for the knockout stage as one of the two best third-placed teams.
India currently hold a superior goal difference of -5 compared to Group C sides Philippines (-13) and Chinese Taipei (-14), who face each other on the final matchday.
That means either side would require a heavy-margin victory to overtake India’s goal difference if the Young Tigresses defeat Lebanon.
Furthermore, if Thursday evening's Group A fixture between Vietnam and Myanmar ends in a draw or the latter wins by less than three goals, India will confirm their place in the last eight with a victory, irrespective of the Group C result.
For India, playing their first AFC U17 Women's Asian Cup in 21 years, progressing beyond the group stage would mark a historic achievement.
Head coach Pamela Conti expects a very different challenge against Lebanon compared to the previous two matches.
The Italian believes the contest will demand more attacking flair since both teams require a win to qualify.
The West Asians, making their debut in the tournament, opened with a 0-13 loss against Japan, followed by a sensational point in a 1-1 draw with Australia.
"I watched Lebanon's game against Australia that ended 1-1. They are a team at our level, but they have very good attacking players. We need to be careful and not open up too much, because they can hurt us on the counter-attack," said Conti.
Unlike the opening two matches, where India spent large phases defending deep against physically and technically superior opponents, the Young Tigresses now have to play with greater attacking intent.
On Wednesday, the girls had recovery sessions indoors in the gym and the swimming pool. On Thursday, they had a 90-minute official training session involving tactical and set-piece work, and small-sided games.
Conti revealed that the team had long anticipated this decisive final group-stage encounter.
"I expect the girls to continue working hard and giving everything. I trust them a lot. We have prepared for this. We knew our qualification would come down to the match against Lebanon, and now we must give it everything," she said.
The stakes are not lost on the squad.
For a generation returning India to the AFC U17 Women's Asian Cup after more than two decades, the possibility of reaching the quarter-finals would represent another milestone in what has already been a landmark year for Indian women's football across senior, U20 and U17 levels.
While the former two could not make the last eight in their respective tournaments earlier this year, the U17 now have the golden opportunity to make it happen.
"If we qualify, it will be an incredible achievement for everyone, and for the country. We are focused on giving that joy to the nation. I hope it happens for the staff, for us, and especially for the players, because they are the protagonists," Conti said.
