Kerala Tourism’s ‘Lenscape Kerala’ photo exhibition at NGMA Show features 100 frames by 10 top travel and media photographers

Encapsulating God’s Own Country’s beauty, grace and cultural vibrancy in 100 frames, Kerala Tourism’s all-India photo exhibition ‘Lenscape Kerala’ opened at National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA) here this evening.Dr Venu V, Chairperson of Kochi Biennale Foundation and former Chief Secretary of Kerala, inaugurated the exhibition, featuring an amazing array of visual splendours contributed by 10 top travelling and media photographers of India. NGMA Bengaluru Director Ms Priyanka Mary Francis was also present.Organised by NGMA in collaboration with Kerala Tourism, the show will run in the city till March 1. The gallery will be open between 11 am and 8 pm on February 28 and March 1.

The Lenscape Kerala exhibition is curated by eminent art curator and critic Uma Nair. Renowned wildlife and conservation photographer Balan Madhavan is the Director of Photography of the Lenscape Kerala project. 

 A unique initiative in tourism sector in the country, the participating photographers of Lenscape Kerala had travelled different places of the state and focused on diverse themes, chosen by each one of them.

In his message to mark the opening of the show in the city, Kerala Tourism Minister Shri P A Mohamed Riyas said this country-first project was conceived as venture to showcase the immersive experiences the state promises to visitors. We are delighted that this travelling show has come to this vibrant, cosmopolitan city that attracts people from all over India and abroad. It is all the more significant that this show is being hosted in NGMA, an institution that stands for promoting art and culture with an inclusive vision,” the Minister said.  

“Apart from the land’s verdant nature, architectural marvels that bear the imprint of its fascinating history shaped by cross-cultural encounters and art and cultural traditions, the show offers vivid glances into the harmony and togetherness that defines the true Kerala story,” the Minister said.

The Lenscape Kerala photo exhibition presents the many dimensions of Kerala in a manner that stimulates curiosity, deepens appreciation, and fosters an enduring sense of admiration. As seeing is believing, this exhibition testifies that the state is a photographer’s paradise, Dr Venu said in his inaugural address. 

More than merely captivating visual compositions, these photographs function as invitations-subtle yet evocative-emanating from Kerala’s mountains, coastlines, places of worship, fishing communities, performative traditions, and everyday social worlds, inviting the viewer not only to observe, but to engage, explore, and feel a sense of belonging,” he said.

In her presidential address, Ms Priyanka said: “At NGMA, we are committed to creating spaces where such cultural conversations flourish, and we look forward to welcoming audiences to this evocative celebration of Kerala’s visual narrative.”

The photographers who are part of the project are: H Satish, Kounteya Sinha, Shivang Mehta, Saibal Das, Umesh Gogna, Saurabh Chatterjee, Natasha Kartar Hemrajani, Aishwarya Sridhar, Amit Pasricha, Manoj Arora.According to Uma Nair, the exhibition is put together as a visual narrative threading the past and the present.Going by its scale and depth, the show stands out as an unparallelled initiative, said Balan Madhavan.

NGMA Director Ms. Priyanka and Uma Nair gifted Dr Venu two publications of NGMA celebrating Upendra Maharathi and Dhanraj Bhagat at 100 years. Both publications were authored by Uma Nair.

The participating photographers had travelled through different landscapes of Kerala for five days in last December, covering a range of themes such as nature, wildlife, heritage, rural and coastal life, architecture, festivals and spirituality.Starting from New Delhi, the show had toured Vadodara, Ahmedabad, Mumbai and Pune, before reaching Bengaluru. After enthralling viewers in the city,  the exhibition will move on to  Chennai (Mar 4-7), Hyderabad (Mar 12-14), Surat (19-21) and finally to Kolkata (March 27-29).…

 

 

Advanced Elevator Technology Enhances Passenger Safety in Namma Metro, says Bhatnagar

As Namma Metro undertakes a major expansion while placing passenger safety at the core of its growth plans, advanced elevator and escalator technologies are playing an increasingly important role in ensuring safe and seamless commuter movement, with around 500 elevators and nearly 1,000 escalators set to be deployed across the 78 km expansion, said Sumit Bhatnagar, Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (BMRCL) official said on Thursday.

Representing Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (BMRCL), Sumit Bhatnagar speaking at The 2nd Smart Lift & Mobility World 2026 in Benguluru, said the metro network, which currently spans about 96 km with 83 stations, will expand to nearly 175 km with around 127 stations over the next two years.

Addressing a stakeholders’ meet, Bhatnagar said the scale of expansion will significantly increase vertical mobility requirements across stations, particularly at major interchange hubs and high-footfall locations.As the network grows, the need for elevators, escalators and travelators will rise sharply. In the next phase, we will be operating an inventory of around 500 elevators and close to 1,000 escalators, along with travelators at select stations to improve passenger movement,” he said.Namma Metro’s expansion is not just about adding new corridors, it’s about managing passenger movement at an entirely new scale. The deployment of 500 elevators and nearly 1,000 escalators by BMRCL in the upcoming metro network reflects how integral elevators and escalators have become to the everyday commuter experience,” said Anitha Raghunath, Co-Founder & Director, Virgo Communications & Exhibitions

He noted that nearly 78 km of metro corridors are currently under construction across Bengaluru, underlining the pace at which the system is expanding. With daily ridership touching around one million, efficient movement of commuters within stations has become as important as train operations, he added.Bhatnagar also highlighted the increasing focus on Make in India in metro infrastructure. He said that while elevators and escalators were largely imported in the early years of metro construction, current projects emphasise localisation, in line with government norms requiring at least 60 per cent local content.

Local manufacturing is essential not just to meet policy requirements, but also to remain cost-competitive, given the large volumes involved in metro procurement,” he said.

He further pointed out that all new procurements now include long-term maintenance contracts, typically spanning five to ten years, ensuring sustained performance and reliability of vertical mobility systems.

Bhatnagar said forums such as the Smart Lift and Mobility World help bring together metro operators and manufacturers at a time when Indian cities are witnessing rapid transit expansion.

Following his address, the organisers invited Dr H.R. Shivkumar, Secretary of Karnataka RERA, as Guest of Honour to speak on building a future-ready real estate ecosystem with a focus on regulation and governance.