CM Siddaramaiah launches ‘Kalaloka’ store at Bengaluru airport to showcase Karnataka’s iconic GI products

Karnataka opens Kalaloka retail space at Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru to showcase traditional GI-certified products from the state.

Published on: Nov 12, 2025, 15:02:12 IST

By Yamini C S

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Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday unveiled Kalaloka, a new retail space at Kempegowda International Airport’s Terminal 2, in Bengaluru, dedicated to promoting the state’s Geographical Indication (GI) certified products to travellers from across India and abroad.

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah inaugurated the Kalaloka store at Bengaluru's Kempegowda International Airport, showcasing the state's GI-certified products. (X)

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The store, an initiative of the Department of Industries, is meant to highlight Karnataka’s craftsmanship and cultural legacy. Siddaramaiah marked the inauguration by creating a symbolic painting and ringing a ceremonial bell, as per a post on X.

Calling it a milestone in Karnataka’s industrial and cultural journey, the Chief Minister noted that Kempegowda International Airport, which is India’s third busiest, welcomes thousands of passengers daily. “The Kalaloka Mallige store has been created with the intention that the journey of admiration for Karnataka for such people should begin the moment they arrive here,” he said.

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Industries Minister MB Patil, ITBT minister Priyank Kharge and several senior officials also attended the launch event.

Patil explained that Kalaloka brings together 45 of Karnataka’s signature GI-tagged products, including Mysore sandal soap, Channapatna toys, Ilkal saris, Bidriware, Lambani embroidery, Mysore silk, sandalwood artefacts, coffee, and handloom goods. The store has been developed in collaboration with state-run enterprises like Karnataka Soaps and Detergents Ltd (KSDL), Karnataka Handloom Development Corporation, KSIC, LIDKAR, and the Coffee Board.

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Located in the domestic bay of Terminal 2, the 132-square-metre store features interiors inspired by Karnataka’s art and heritage. Officials confirmed that a second Kalaloka outlet is planned for the international departure area, spread over 140 square metres, to further extend the state’s cultural footprint to global travellers.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yamini C S
Yamini CS is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times with nearly six years of experience in digital journalism. She is part of the India News desk, where she works on a wide range of stories cutting across civic issues, city-based developments, politics, governance, public policy, breaking news, trending topics, and international affairs that have an impact on India. Her role involves tracking fast-moving developments, verifying information from official and on-ground sources, and presenting news in a clear, accessible format for a digital-first audience. A significant part of her work includes handling live blogs during major news events, such as elections, court verdicts, political developments, civic disruptions, protests, weather-related alerts, and unfolding national or international incidents. Through live coverage, she focuses on timely updates to help readers follow complex stories as they evolve. Before moving to the broader India News desk, Yamini was associated with the Bengaluru desk at Hindustan Times, where she extensively covered urban governance, infrastructure, traffic and transport issues, weather events, public grievances, and civic administration in the city. This experience strengthened her grounding in city reporting and sharpened her focus on citizen-centric journalism. She began her career as a correspondent with Reuters after completing a postgraduate diploma in journalism from the Indian Institute of Journalism and New Media. Her early training instilled a strong emphasis on accuracy, sourcing, and news ethics, which continue to shape her reporting style. Outside of work, Yamini enjoys reading across genres, listening to music, and spending time with her family, which help her maintain balance in a fast-paced newsroom environment.Read More

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