BCIC hosts 48th AGM, government pledges deeper engagement with industry to up ‘Brand Bengaluru’

Bengaluru: The Bangalore Chamber of Industry and Commerce (BCIC), Karnataka’s apex industry body, held its 48th Annual General Meeting in the city recently.

The prestigious event brought together policymakers, business leaders and academia to reflect on the chamber’s achievements and chart a visionary course for the year ahead.

Among the highlights of the event was the launch of the beta version of BCIC’s mobile application, aimed at enhancing member engagement and accessibility.

Guests of honour included Dr. S Selvakumar, Principal Secretary, Commerce and Industry, Maheshwar Rao M., Chief Commissioner, BBMP and Managing Director, BMRCL, Joohi Smitha Sinha, Chief General Manager, State Bank of India, Bengaluru, and M. R. Jaishankar, Executive Chairman, Brigade Group.

The event also witnessed the release of the BCIC Annual Report 2024–2025.

Delivering his address, Dr. S Selvakumar said, “Karnataka is foremost among states for exports and stands second in GST and Income Tax contributions. While the state is progressing well, our aim is to increase our footprint in manufacturing. The Government of Karnataka is open to collaborating in the maximum possible way with industry to maximise infrastructure and skill development.”

Maheshwar Rao said, “We are expecting the yellow line of Namma Metro to be functional by August this year, and this should help decongest the silk board junction. We are also working on a lot of other initiatives to improve mobility solutions within the city, which should fructify over the next couple of years. I take this opportunity to request industry for ideas and solutions to address last-mile connectivity for metro users. With initiatives like the expanding Metro network and last-mile connectivity solutions, we are eager to co-create with industry leaders and the vibrant youth of this city. Together, we can build a future-ready Bengaluru that thrives on shared vision and collective action.”

BCIC’s President and Director, Brigade Hospitality, Vineet Verma, said: “As we mark BCIC’s 48th AGM, I look back on an incredibly fulfilling year — one that has been transformative for the chamber and deeply personal for me. Our focus was clear: to corporatize BCIC, drive innovation, and build a more cohesive industry voice.”

In her speech, Joohi Smitha Sinha said that progress was no longer about skill development but rather about synergy between government, industry and financial institutions and SBI has been a key partner in BCIC’s journey as a strategic growth partner.