Chikmagaluru, December 25: A person who had come to have darshan of Datta Padukas during Datta Jayanthi programme organised by the District Administration at Bababudangiri in the district on Saturday, hoisted a saffron flag at a place identified as restricted place on the premises of Bababudengiri and video of which has now gone viral.

The Datta Jayanthi programme was held peacefully on Saturday. But in the evening, a person said to be transgender wearing white churidar, hoisted the saffron flag in the restricted place at Bababudengiri. At this time, devotees in saffron attires celebrated in jubilation.

These scenes were recorded in a mobile and posted in social media. As the video has gone viral in social media, people expressed their anger against the act.

Sangha Pariwar people have been trying to disturb peace in the district. The district administration has taken all precautionary measures during Datta Jayanthi. Upset over this, Sangh Pariwar people have tried to disturb the peace through their people.

During Datta Jayanthi programme, a devotee hoisted the saffron flag on the premises of Datta Peetha. But this place is not a restricted place. It's a common issue that miscreants hoist flags on the premises. As the police have provided tight police security in the restricted place, no untoward incidents were reported. Datta Jayanthi programme was peaceful. A transgender from North Karnataka has done this. Since the place is not a restricted place, the police have registered any case against it.

- Harish Pandey, SP

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Bengaluru (PTI): US-based firm The Standard, a leading provider of insurance, retirement, and investment products, on Tuesday opened a GCC at Embassy Tech Village in Bengaluru.

The facility, inaugurated by IT Minister Priyank Kharge, marks the next phase of The Standard’s growth in India, following the launch of its India operations in November 2025, the company said.

According to a statement, the centre will support the continued expansion of capabilities across AI engineering, cloud platform development, data and analytics, digital transformation, and insurance operations, aligned with the company’s global strategy.

The inauguration also marks the opening of The Standard India’s permanent Bengaluru office, with plans for long-term expansion in software engineering, total experience, AI, and enterprise platforms.

The company said it will continue strengthening its in-house technology expertise in line with its long-term transformation roadmap.

“Karnataka, and Bengaluru in particular, continues to be the global epicentre for Global Capability Centres. The addition of The Standard’s GCC is yet another testament to the strength of our ecosystem—anchored in world-class talent, progressive policies, and a strong culture of innovation,” the IT minister said.

“We are witnessing sustained momentum in GCC investments, with global enterprises increasingly choosing Karnataka to drive high-value functions across AI, engineering, and digital transformation. Our focus is on enabling the next generation of GCCs that are innovation-led, outcome-driven, and deeply integrated with global business strategy,” he added.

Since establishing its presence in India in November last year, The Standard has strengthened its local leadership team across finance, human resources, talent acquisition, information technology, administration, and communications, the company said.

Greg Chandler, Executive Vice President of Information Technology at The Standard, said its operations in India play an increasingly important role in the company’s technology transformation.

“The launch of The Standard India strengthens our ability to fuel ongoing growth, innovate, scale technology capabilities, accelerate digital transformation, and deliver new solutions to our customers faster,” he said.

“This centre represents a long-term investment in world-class talent and reflects our confidence in India as a strategic partner in shaping the future of our business,” Chandler added.