City: Bengaluru

Atul Chitnis was a technologist, open source evangelist and organiser of FOSS.in. For more, check Wikipedia or even better, his own description. Here are some memories by those who knew him, those who were close to him, reflecting on his different facets. Sandhya Mendonca, a journalist and media entrepreneur writes: I have known Atul Chitnis for over 15 to 17 years. Though our acquaintance happened because of his messianic zeal for getting Indian IT going in the way that benefitted users, I am not going to dwell on his credentials as an open source guru; others are more qualified to…

It was a slum, known for notorious rowdies like Kotwal, Kitty and others, filled with uneducated, poverty-ridden families, struggling to make the ends meet. Even today, with no proper drainage system or well-planned civic amenities, many areas in Srirampuram can be rated just a little more than slums. In such a scenario has come up this school, which is trying to light the lives of many underprivileged children from the area. Children being trained in dance and prayers. Pic courtesy: www.bhavanbbmppublicschool.com Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan – Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike Public School, located in Srirampuram, aims at providing holistic education to…

To me, history has always been about philosophy and physics - the study of cause and effect and Newton’s 3rd law i.e. every action has an equal and opposite reaction. I prefer to focus on why someone did something and what it led to, rather than when they did it. This proved true while researching Mootoocherry, along with a friend, Anna, in the eternal hope that at some point I will be able to do a segment of Neighbourhood Diaries on the area, along with all historical neighbourhoods of Bangalore! Anyways, here’s what I found: In 1807, the British army…

Is going taller the only way to fund Bangalore’s infrastructure needs? A recommendation in a recent report to do just that has sparked off a heated debate between two of the city's influential elites on the future of the city and its skyline. What started off the skyscraper debate was the recent re-submission of the Karnataka Information and Communication Technology Group 2020 (KIG-2020) Report titled ‘Karnataka’s roadmap to global leadership by 2020’ to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. In it is a recommendation to allow for more high rises within the city, charging a toll for doing so and using that money…

Citizens of Koramangala, HSR Layout and Bellandur areas have come together under an umbrella group called South-East Bangalore Forum for Sustainable Development, to oppose the massive 72-acre IT SEZ project by Manipal ETA Infotech, near Agara Lake. 27 RWAs representing over 25,000 residents have joined hands and written to Traffic police, BBMP, BDA, BWSSB, Karnataka Udyog Mitra, KIADB, Lake Development Authority, and industry bodies like CII, CREDAI and Nasscom. Citizen Action Forum, a pan-Bangalore federation of over 70 RWAs, has also come forward to support the campaign. The ongoing construction at the area between Bellandur and Agara lakes Pic: Kedar…

Rajesh (name changed), one of the founder members of NGEF Housing Society, was in for a shock when he realised that he himself was not going to get a site in NGEF Layout, Mallathahalli. Rajesh had paid for a 40X60 site, but when he tried to get a khata, he was told that the site did not exist in the approved plan. It was instead part of the original land owner’s share. It was after a long legal battle that he was finally allotted a site. Many buyers are often not as lucky. Many have lost their money to House…

Every day tens of thousands of people visit Krishna Rajendra Market for buying flowers in the upperbasement floor of SKR Market (new complex). The legendary market was demolished and shoppers were allotted alternative shops on lottery basis. Now Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) is permitting illegal constructions and allotment of shops within the heritage structure. Bangalore Flower Merchants' Association Vice president Divakar says that illegal construction of shops is being allowed in the passages reserved for light and ventilations and free movement of public. Now more than 11 such establishments have come up.The present allotment in done in the passage-B8 where…

I was a student at Manipal thirty five years ago. The college library used to be open till 1 am. Taking a break from studies, we would step down to the road to eat boiled eggs and rubbery toast, and drink some hot syrupy tea. After the library closed for the day, we would walk back to our hostels. When we worked nights at the hospital, we visited these food carts at all times of the night whenever our youthful stomachs groaned with hunger. When disturbing incidents like the rape and abduction of an unsuspecting young woman in Manipal is…

Monsoon has brought Bangalore many things to rejoice, and a bag of worries as well. While the much-needed respite from the scorching heat is a welcome change, the rains are also the indicators to be more careful about the reptile and rodent menace that increases every year during this time. It is not a rare sight to see houses flooded with water after a heavy downpour. This is especially so with houses which have been built on low-lying areas. This however poses a huge risk of reptiles, especially snakes, entering the houses. The city has been constantly reporting such cases…

There have been many instances in the past where commuters have been caught by the traffic police for faulty number plates, while government vehicles have been royally excused. But this discrimination might soon change, as the Transport Department is all geared up to implement the High Security Number Plates (HSNP) into action. What is a HSNP? As per Central Motor Vehicle Rules 50 and 51, it is a number plate which will have a hologram of the Ashoka Chakra (with the four lions), IND written in bold blue colour on the extreme left centre of the plate and the PCIN…