City: Bengaluru

A lot has already been written about the virtues of barefoot running and with each passing day, more are being added. The sales of minimalist running shoes world over, had increased by more than 283% in the first half of 2011, the New York Times has reported. In the month of December 2011 alone, sales grew by 658%, a report by Leisure Trends Group, a speciality retail market intelligence provider. I see more and more people taking to barefoot running or with minimalist footwear with each passing race these days. In absolute numbers though, they are yet negligible compared to…

Early Sunday morning on April 8th, when most of the 'namma bangaloreans' were looking forward to savour their morning cuppa or catch up with their weekend sleep, a group of young IT professionals hit the city roads to cycle 25 km. All for a cause. Cycle rally. Pic courtesy: volunteers of Utthaan project This group of enthusiasts joined hands in an exercise named Project Utthaan - All India Music Album launch, a CARTMAN initiative which aims to fund the education of underprivileged children. CARTMAN, an NGO was founded in 1989, by the visionary Padma Bhushan Professor N S Ramaswamy, founding…

We volunteers from Ladies Circle India (LC India) help underprivileged children with education and healthcare; we donate school uniforms, computers and books, provide midday meals, build classrooms, build toilet blocks, run health camps and much more. Ladies Circle India (LC India) is a non political and non-sectarian organisation of young women, who are wives of members of Round Table (Round Table India is an organisation which aims at promoting service, fellowship and goodwill in national and international affairs) between the ages 18-40. We have the opportunity of serving the community, fostering and strengthening friendships between like-minded young women and help…

BBMP Council elected its Mayor and Deputy Mayor for 2012-13 on April 26th. Kathriguppe (ward number 163) Corporator D Venkatesh Murthy became Mayor while Padmanabha Nagar (182) Corporator L Srinivas became Deputy Mayor.These BJP corporators were the only ones who filed their nominations at the elections, and were hence elected directly. Home, Transport and Bangalore-in-charge Minister R Ashoka was present. The Mayor position is reserved for Backward class A category, while that of Deputy Mayor is for general category this year. Mayor D Venkatesh Murthy (R) with Minister R Ashoka and Deputy Mayor L Srinivas (L), after nomination. Pic: Navya…

On the night of the 31st March 2012, India's first ever fully sponsored professional cycling team, The Specialized Kynkyny Cycling team (SKCT) was launched in Bengaluru, marking a huge milestone for cycling in India."SKCT is not just a team, but more importantly a long term programme supported by Specialized [group] to develop cycling in India, and nurture young local talent," says Vivek Radhakrishnan, one of the two founders of The Kynkyny Wheel Sporting Cycling Club (KWCC). Joys know no bound Pic: Veloscope KWCC has been a key factor in the development of competitive cycling in the country. Members of this…

This is Cult Entertainment's seventh production, after plays such as God by Woody Allen, and Black and White, adapted from the works of Rowan Atkinson. Their latest play, the Imaginary Invalid, had a successful showing earlier this month at Brigade MLR Center, JP Nagar, on the April 12th, and was performed at Kyra Theatre and Restaurant, Indiranagar on the April 15th.The protagonist of the play is Anthony Rathnam (Praveen Kumar), a Tamil Christian hypochondriac, who believes himself to be ill but doesn't quite know what he suffers from. He is forever convinced of the incurability of his condition and places…

The MG Road metro station will soon have two restrooms - one near Anil Kumble Cirlce, and the other next to the station at the start of boulevard.Restrooms will be for three categories - men, women and disabled. BMRC had initially said that the stations do not need restrooms as the time of journey is very short. "The decision to start restrooms was taken after continued demand of citizens," says Ravi Prakash, Manager PRO at BMRC. One restroom each is planned for Ulsoor and Swami Vivekananda Road stations, but tenders for these have not been finalised. MG Road and Bayappanahalli…

It is Saturday afternoon and the community welfare centre at Dr Ambedkar Nagar, Koramangala 5th block is abuzz with a bunch of excited 8 to 15 year olds. Today is the day the children of this slum get to learn computers and maths from volunteers of Bhoomi, an NGO.Just as this reporter stepped in, she heard cries for Andrew. No class ever starts without Andrew she was told. He is a student of class VIII in Sacred Heart high school, Richmond road. His eyes sparkle with dreams and his smiling face brims with confidence. Andrews S, wants to become a…

Even before summer camps became the fad that it is now, Bal Bhavan in Cubbon Park has had summer camps. The camps have been going on for over 25 years now. Divya Narayanappa, secretary of Bal Bhavan says, "We have modified the summer camps this year and introduced Sanskrit as a compulsory class to revive the traditional culture."Around 142 children have already registered for the camps. With the registrations still on, they are expecting almost about 200 children to be enrolled in the Bal Bhavan summer camps this year.ScheduleApril 12 to May 20, 10 am - 4.30 pmBatch: 5 to…

In a yet another attempt to raise awareness, Bangalore Traffic Police (BTP) plans to conduct a painting competition on 29th April at Cubbon park.BTP encourages painters of all age groups to participate in the event titled 'Road safety through painting'. Participants need to bring their own painting materials and can use water or oil paints and crayons. BTP will provide drawing sheets. Speaking to Citizen Matters, M A Saleem, IGP and Additional Commissioner of Police(Traffic), pointed out that the event aims to promote safety measures while driving. He adds, "We have already invited Chitrakala Parishad students to make the event…