
Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], July 31 (ANI): Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Thursday announced that Bengaluru is poised to become the ‘Quantum Capital’ of India, as the state government moves forward with plans to establish a dedicated quantum technology cluster.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of the inaugural edition of Quantum India Bengaluru 2025, Shivakumar stated, “I am delighted to be here at this event, which is heralding the frontier of technology. Karnataka has rich human resources. Our state is not competing with other states in the country; we are competing at a global level.”
The Deputy Chief Minister highlighted the historical groundwork that paved the way for Bengaluru’s leadership in the tech sector. “We have laid a strong foundation for Bengaluru to become a global leader in technology. Our government is committed to providing all the support needed for it to become a leader in quantum technology too. When I was a minister in S M Krishna’s government, we brought in the IT policy that led to the growth of Bengaluru as we see it today,” he said.
Shivakumar encouraged the tech industry to expand into Karnataka’s tier-two and tier-three cities, noting their untapped potential and robust infrastructure. “The tech industry must look at those cities too for setting up their offices. Our state has over 300 colleges, and our legacy in tech education goes back a century to the founding of IISc. Jawaharlal Nehru’s public sector industrialisation also played a key role in Bengaluru’s development.”
Calling quantum technology a “frontier technology,” he urged stakeholders to embrace its potential boldly. “I hope that quantum technology will also contribute to the greater good of society. Our government will provide all possible support for the quantum technology revolution. Let’s create another revolution in Bengaluru and Karnataka.”
Meanwhile, to address the employability gap among graduates in smaller cities, the Karnataka government is launching a structured, assessment-led initiative aimed at evaluating and developing job readiness among youth.
Minister for Rural Development and Panchayat Raj and Kalaburagi district in-charge, Priyank Kharge, announced the first phase of the program under Nipuna Karnataka, the state’s flagship reskilling and upskilling initiative. The program will take place in Kalaburagi on August 9 and 10 and will target 2,500 STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) students.
“This is the first phase of what will become a state-wide rollout,” Kharge stated. “The model will be adapted and implemented across other districts in the coming months, making Karnataka the first state to launch such an integrated and localized employability assessment program for STEM graduates.”