Hyderabad, March 2026: The Tourism Committee of the Federation of Telangana Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FTCCI) has announced the winners of the Tourism Junction Jewels Photo Contest, a unique initiative aimed at highlighting Hyderabad’s creatively designed traffic junctions and public art installations.

The Award Presentation Ceremony will be held on March 16, 2026 at 2:30 PM at JS Krishna Murthy Hall, Federation House, FTCCI, Hyderabad. Shri R. V. Karnan, IAS, Commissioner, Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC), will grace the event as the Chief Guest and present the awards to the winners.
The photographs submitted for the contest were evaluated by a distinguished panel of jury members and photography professionals.

 
Rajani Kanth, photographer-journalist from Namaste Telangana, won the First Prize. His winning photograph captures a sculpture of children playing located along the Narsingi–Kokapet stretch of the Outer Ring Road (ORR) in Hyderabad. The installation, created by Architect Kumara Swamy Goud, reflects the rich cultural spirit and everyday life of Telangana. The artwork symbolizes childhood joy, community life, and the vibrant cultural identity of the region.

Nomula Rajesh Reddy, photojournalist with Sakshi Telugu Newspaper, secured the Second Prize for his photograph of a monumental golden sculpture depicting a contemplative human head held between two hands along the Narsingi–Kokapet corridor. The artwork symbolizes thought, awareness, and reflection, encouraging commuters to pause and observe the surroundings. The floating head supported by hands represents the human mind in reflection, while the striking golden color gives the installation a monumental and iconic presence in the cityscape.

 
The Third Prize winner is Mogilishetty Sandhya, an amateur photographer and young mother of two, for her photograph of a vibrant art installation located near Shilpakala Vedika in Madhapur. The sculpture features stylized human figures in red, white, and green lifting a metal globe, symbolizing unity, teamwork, and the collective effort of people working together to support the world. The dynamic installation has become a notable urban landmark reflecting the collaborative spirit and modern identity of Hyderabad.
The five consolation prize winners include Abuja Srinivas (Photographer, Eenadu), G. Balaswamy (Photographer, Sakshi), Ganesan Ponnambalam, Shalini Jain (Photographer, Telangana Photographic Society), and Aavula Srinivas (Photographer, Eenadu).

Public sculptures such as these transform ordinary intersections into “Junction Jewels,” creating visual landmarks that beautify the city and promote appreciation for urban art and design.

Speaking about the initiative, Prakash Ammanabolu, Chairman, and D. Ramchandram, Co-Chairman of the FTCCI Tourism Committee, said the contest was organized to encourage citizens and photography enthusiasts to explore and capture Hyderabad’s creatively designed junctions featuring installations, fountains, sculptures, murals, statues, and beautification initiatives.

 
They added that such initiatives inspire citizens to rediscover their own city and appreciate the artistic elements present in everyday urban spaces.

The winners will receive cash prizes of ₹10,000 for the First Prize, ₹7,500 for the Second Prize, ₹5,000 for the Third Prize, and five consolation prizes of ₹1,000 each.
The event will bring together members of the FTCCI Tourism Committee, participants, photography professionals, and distinguished guests to celebrate creativity and promote awareness of Hyderabad’s urban art and tourism potential.

FTCCI invites members of the Tourism Committee, participants, and media representatives to attend the ceremony and support initiatives that highlight Hyderabad’s unique urban landscape.

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Panaji, Mar 13: The Department of Tourism, Government of Goa, marked its presence on the opening day of the Travel & Tourism Fair (TTF) Bengaluru 2026, being held from 13th to 15th March at the Bangalore Palace Grounds. The three-day travel trade exhibition has brought together tourism boards, tour operators, travel agents and hospitality stakeholders from across the country.

The Goa Tourism Pavilion is showcasing the state’s diverse tourism offerings beyond its coastline, highlighting cultural tourism, spiritual circuits, hinterland experiences, eco-tourism, wellness tourism, culinary traditions and MICE opportunities.

On the opening day, Shri H. K. Patil, Hon’ble Minister for Tourism, Law, Parliamentary Affairs and Legislation, Government of Karnataka, visited the Goa Tourism Pavilion. He was welcomed by the Goa Tourism delegation led by Shri Dhiraj Wagle, Deputy Director, Department of Tourism, along with Shri Vishesh Naik, Senior Marketing Manager, Goa Tourism Development Corporation, and Shri Manoj Parab, Assistant Tourist Officer. The interaction highlighted continued engagement and collaboration with tourism stakeholders at the travel trade event.

Hon’ble Minister for Tourism Shri Rohan A. Khaunte stated “platforms such as TTF Bengaluru provide an important opportunity to engage with the travel trade and present Goa’s evolving tourism narrative.” He noted that the focus continues to be on promoting ‘Goa Beyond Beaches’ through a regenerative and sustainable tourism approach while highlighting the state’s heritage, culture, nature trails and culinary traditions.

Director of Tourism Shri Kedar Naik stated that TTF Bengaluru provides an important platform to strengthen partnerships with the domestic travel trade and showcase Goa’s expanding tourism segments.

The Goa delegation is engaging with tour operators, travel agents and industry stakeholders during the three-day exhibition to promote Goa’s diverse tourism experiences and strengthen partnerships within the domestic travel trade.

Over the decades, Chembur has been home to several iconic landmarks that once defined the suburb’s cultural, recreational and industrial identity. Today, many of these locations are gradually transforming into some of Mumbai’s most sought-after residential addresses, giving rise to a new chapter of premium housing in the micro-market. 

Chembur’s evolution mirrors the larger urban transformation seen across Mumbai where historic and industrial landmarks are being reimagined as lifestyle-driven residential destinations. Locations that were once associated with studios, factories and institutional spaces are now emerging as signature addresses, attracting leading developers and premium residential projects. 

One of the most prominent examples is the historic R. K. Studio, which for decades stood as a symbol of Indian cinema. The redevelopment of the studio land has drawn significant attention to the locality, highlighting how legacy land parcels can be repurposed to create modern residential spaces that blend heritage with contemporary living. The iconic Dukes Factory, once synonymous with Chembur’s industrial character, represents the broader shift in land use across the area. As older industrial units gradually made way for redevelopment, several such locations began attracting residential development, unlocking new possibilities for premium housing. 

Similarly, the presence of the prestigious Bombay Presidency Golf Club has played a key role in elevating Chembur’s residential appeal. Homes overlooking or located near the golf course have increasingly become aspirational addresses, offering residents rare green views and a tranquil lifestyle within Mumbai’s dense urban fabric. 

Commenting on the emergence of such landmark-driven residential pockets, Mr. Vijay Choraria, Managing Director, Crest Ventures Limited said “Globally, iconic landmarks often become anchors for premium residential development. In Chembur, locations around the Bombay Presidency Golf Club have evolved into distinctive residential enclaves because they offer a rare lifestyle proposition such as expansive permanent green views, exclusivity and proximity to key parts of the city. Over time, these locations naturally develop into signature addresses that homebuyers strongly associate with prestige and quality living.” 

Leading developers have recognized the potential of these landmark-driven locations and are increasingly investing in the micro-market. City’s Developers such as Godrej Properties, The Wadhwa Group, Rustomjee, House Of Hiranandani and Chandak Group have introduced premium residential developments that are reshaping Chembur’s skyline and elevating its reputation as an upscale residential destination. 

Redevelopment is further accelerating this shift. Many ageing buildings and industrial plots are being transformed into modern residential towers offering upgraded amenities and improved urban planning. 

A spokesperson from Chandak Group said, “Redevelopment has been a major catalyst in Chembur’s transformation. Several older structures and underutilized land parcels are now being reimagined as contemporary residential developments. This process is helping create luxury homes with modern amenities and better open spaces, turning previously industrial or legacy locations into premium residential addresses.”

 Improved connectivity has also strengthened the suburb’s attractiveness. Infrastructure projects such as the Mumbai Monorail, along with easy access to the Eastern Freeway and major arterial roads, have enhanced Chembur’s connectivity with South Mumbai, BKC and Navi Mumbai, making it a convenient residential choice for professionals and business owners. 

As iconic locations continue to be redeveloped and reimagined, Chembur is steadily transitioning into a neighbourhood defined not just by its history, but by its new identity as a cluster of signature residential addresses. The suburb’s transformation demonstrates how legacy landmarks can become the foundation for modern, premium urban living.

Bengaluru, Mar 13: Lenovo, the global technology powerhouse, today launched a new digital campaign, ‘Pixel Deficiency’, aimed at strengthening awareness of its monitor portfolio in India. The four-part film series aims to shift consumer perception beyond Lenovo’s strong association with laptops and position the brand as a credible choice in the monitors category.

 The campaign’s 45-second hero film, built around the tagline “Damn the Doubts. Damn the Odds.”, brings to life a fictional condition called ‘Pixel Deficiency’ – a humorous diagnosis for users struggling with poor display quality. Through a series of everyday scenarios, the films highlight how inadequate screen clarity and colour accuracy can impact different tasks across work, gaming, design and learning.

In the film, an analyst repeatedly squints at a spreadsheet but misses the crucial data point. A designer struggles to differentiate between shades of blue while working on a design. A gamer mistakes a bush for an opponent and fires, only to realise the error moments later. In another scenario, a student stares at a blurry lecture slide, unable to decipher the content.

Each scenario ultimately points to the same underlying problem “the user’s monitor” before introducing Lenovo’s monitor lineup as the solution. The films spotlight the brand’s display capabilities, including enhanced colour accuracy, refresh rates and visual clarity.

Designed as a digital-first initiative, the campaign will run across India from mid-March to mid-April 2026, targeting professionals, gamers and creators who rely heavily on high-performance, wide screen displays.

 Researchers break decades-old bottleneck in chemotherapy drug manufacturing 

An international team of researchers has achieved a breakthrough in the production of doxorubicin, a vital chemotherapy agent. The study identifies and resolves molecular “bottlenecks” that have limited the natural production of this drug for over 50 years. 
 
Doxorubicin is a chemotherapy drug that was first approved for medical use in the 1970s. It is a cornerstone in treating various cancers, including breast cancer, bladder cancer, lymphomas and carcinomas, with over one million patients receiving the treatment annually. However, bacteria naturally produce this important drug very inefficiently. Consequently, the pharmaceutical industry has relied on expensive, multi-step semi-synthetic processes.

“We have uncovered several independent factors that limit the formation of doxorubicin,” says Researcher, Keith Yamada, PhD, from the University of Turku in Finland, a lead scientist on the study. “By addressing these bottlenecks, we have harnessed rational strain engineering to pave the way for cost-effective manufacturing that can meet growing global demand”.

Researchers develop new strain of bacteria that enhances drug production
The study was the result of an extensive international collaboration involving a total of six research laboratories: the University of Turku in Finland, three laboratories in the United States, and two in Leiden, the Netherlands.

Together, the teams identified three primary constraints that prevent the high-yield production of doxorubicin.

Firstly, the team identified the specific natural “biological power supply” — redox partners named Fdx4 and FdR3 — that provide the necessary electron flow to power the drug-producing enzyme.

Secondly, they discovered that a protein called DnrV acts as a drug-binding “molecular sponge”. It sequesters (binds and holds) doxorubicin so the drug does not shut down the enzyme’s own production machinery.

Last, using X-ray crystallography, the team visualized the enzyme for the first time, revealing that the drug molecule sits in an unfavorable position within the enzyme, explaining the slow reaction rate.

By combining these discoveries, the researchers engineered a new strain of bacteria that produces 180% more doxorubicin than current industrial standards.

To bring these findings to the real world, the spin-out company Meta-Cells Oy was formed last year at the University of Turku. The company aims to commercialize these advanced technologies for the sustainable manufacturing of essential antibiotics and anti-cancer agents. This shift toward fully biosynthetic production promises a cleaner, more reliable supply of life-saving medicines.

The study was published in the renowned journal Nature Communications.

> Read the research article