Bengaluru-based businessman Raghu Channarayapatna bags top Polish award 'Bene Merito'

Bengaluru: Bengaluru-based businessman and Honorary Consul of the Republic of Poland in Bengaluru, Raghu Channarayapatna Rajappa, has been awarded the 'Bene Merito' honour by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Poland. Rajappa is the second Indian to be honoured with this distinction.

The award was presented on behalf of the Polish Foreign Minister by Head of Mission Piotr A Świtalski and Rafał Rosiński, Deputy Minister of Digital Affairs, during a formal ceremony held in Bengaluru, acknowledging Rajappa's contributions to strengthening bilateral ties.

The 'Bene Merito' is an honorary distinction bestowed by the Republic of Poland on individuals who significantly contribute to promoting Poland's interests abroad.

Rajappa assumed the role of Honorary Consul in 2020 for a period of five years, and his tenure has been extended by another five years, until 2030.

Over the course of his tenure, Rajappa has been proactively involved in strengthening the ties between Poland and Karnataka in various sectors, including business, technology, education, and culture. He has facilitated Polish investment in Karnataka's tech ecosystem and promoted educational exchanges and MoUs between Polish and Karnataka universities.

Rajappa also played a pivotal role in evacuating 300 students from Karnataka who were stuck in Ukraine when the war between Ukraine and Russia broke out in 2022.

"While Bengaluru is the Silicon Capital of India, Poland is the Silicon Capital of Europe. Be it IT, BT, or AI, Poland is leading at the forefront. So, there are a lot of opportunities for collaborations between the two, which is what I've been promoting and will continue to promote. Both Karnataka and Poland have a good relationship now, so it's a great time for Polish companies to invest in Bengaluru and vice versa," he told DH.