City: Bengaluru

Muniratna interacting with SNNA members Rajarajeshwari Nagar MLA Muniratna met more than 350 property owners of the Sachidananda Nagara Lay Out in Rajarajeshwari Nagara, on August 4th 2013, Sunday morning. The meeting was arranged by Sachidnanada Nagara Nyayapara Andolana, (SNNA), a registered society, that is fighting to get khatas, building plans and layout facilities without paying a single penny as bribe to any of the public officials. SNNA movement started almost three years ago by a group of determined site owners who opposed paying bribes, and got the khatas and all other statutory papers from BBMP through Lokayukta, RTI and…

Inclusiveness’ is the word for namma literary extravaganza, the Bangalore Literature Festival, to be held from September 27 to 29 this year at Jayamahal Palace. There are authors appealing to both the commoners and cognoscenti, English as well as bhasha readers, while technology is being used to democratise and promote. Vikram Sampath, author, musician, archivist, team leader in an IT firm and one of the co-founders of the festival, points out that BLF’s inclusive, tech-savvy personality is reflective of the city. Here’s an interview with Vikram Sampath, where he reveals his plans for the literature festival. Vikram Sampath talks about…

Nazia Hanifa, 31, a resident of Jayanagar, is frustrated about her career. The reason: she wanted to be a scientist, but did not get a suitable job after completing her Masters in Microbiology. After working for six years in a multinational company without any promotions, she quit her job earlier this year to be a homemaker. She is now considering taking up a course on business analysis, so that she can restart her career. Nazia says that if she had got the right advice in her college to take up right courses and subjects, things would have been different. “If…

Doctors inspecting a child in D J Halli Pic courtesy:Jan Arogya Andolan Karnataka (JAAK) A team of doctors, students and activists gathered in DJ Halli on 4 August, 2013, to assess the extent of widespread malnutrition among the population. Following news reports about the death of five-and-a-half year old Meghala due to pneumonia compounded by severe malnutrition, the team decided to hold multiple public meetings in various gullies of DJ Halli off Modi Road, to understand the problem through interacting with the residents. Doctors in the team also checked children who were malnourished or suffering from related illnesses. A number…

Population First Calls for Entries for  The Laadli Media and Advertising Awards for Gender Sensitivity 2012-13 (LMAAGS) Western Region Population First invites the media to send in their entries for the fifth Laadli Media and Advertising Awards for Gender Sensitivity - Western Region. The Western Region Awards are open to advertising and media professionals/freelancers from Daman & Diu, Goa, Gujarat, Maharashtra and Rajasthan. News features, articles, editorials, Op-eds, investigative reports, human interest stories  from print and electronic media and ads and jingles from the advertising agencies for products, services and public service announcements are considered for the awards.  The entries…

Meghala, who died on 17 July 2013, due to malnutrition coupled with pneumonia. Pic: Javed Iqbal   “Poverty is the worst form of violence.” - Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi There were two little girls in Bangalore. They lived quite far away from each other, and never knew the other existed.  They were diagnosed with similar illnesses in a gap of two weeks – one having contracted pneumonia and the other affected with pneumonitis (a milder form of pneumonia). Both of them weighed exactly 11.8 kgs at the time of diagnosis. One lived in a slum, and the other in a middle-class…

On July 16th, an 18-year-old student from Christ University consumed poison, alleging sexual harassment from her NCC instructor. The girl is out of danger now. Though the teacher was taken into custody, there are no further reports on whether he is still in custody or if he was let off. The college authorities, not surprisingly, sided with the teacher. I haven’t been able to confirm if the student has resumed her studies in the same college or if she has moved out. One report says that the father withdrew the case because he “realised that she is a female child…

Press Release Volvo Sustainable Mobility Award 2013 Highlight Demand for Sustainable Mobility across India; Entries for Third Edition of the Award close on August 31, 2013 The demand for Sustainable Mobility in cities across India is growing significantly and this is evident from the registrations received for the Volvo Sustainable Mobility Award 2013. An interesting mix of stakeholders comprising NGOs and organisations to institutions have responded to the Award, which is now in its third year. Registrations close on August 31, 2013 and last date for submission of projects is September 10, 2013. For information about the award and to…

Press Release Call for Entries for the 5th Edition of the Southern Region Laadli Media and Advertising Awards for Gender Sensitivity 2012-13 Population First , a Mumbai based NGO working on health, gender and population invites  media and advertising professionals to send in their entries for the 5th Edition of the Southern Region Laadli Media and Advertising Awards for Gender Sensitivity 2012-13 . The Awards have been instituted in association with UNFPA to acknowledge, highlight and celebrate the commendable efforts undertaken by Print and Electronic media (TV, Radio and Web) and Advertising, to support gender-just perspectives. Entries are invited from:…

Everyone knows of the national bird, the Indian Peacock. But do you know what the State bird is? Karnataka, along with other States (Andhra Pradesh,Bihar, and Odisha) has chosen the Indian Roller.  It’s a bird that almost as beautiful as the Peacock, and as interesting too. These birds can often be seen perched on telephone or telegraph wires, and they feed on  insects, spiders, small lizards, snakes and frogs, too. Pic: Deepa Mohan. Contrary to the belief that birds are afraid of fire, these birds seem to know that fire attracts insects, and they can often be found swooping on…