City: Bengaluru

Koramangala 3rd Block RWA held its Annual Day programme on 31st March at the Post Office Ground in 3rd Block. Pic: Nitin Seshadri The programme commenced with a children's talent programme. A number of children, the youngest just three, sang classical music and folk songs. A Bharatanatyam dance and a Michael Jackson "moonwalk" were some of the highlights of the children's presentation. A group of six children - Aditya S M, Chaitanya Sindagi, Shriank Kanaparti, Pranav Prabhas, Arnav Mhaske and Anuj Tambwekar - who had won the Indian leg of the First Lego League (FLL) robotics competition, presented a skit.…

The 74th celebration of the month-long carnatic music festival in Fort High School in Chamrajpet on the occasion of Ramanavami is back. The festival will be on from April 1, 2012 to May 6, 2012 organised by Shri Rama Seva Mandali. Many well-known performers like Kadri Gopalnath on (Saxophone), HS Bhavya (Veena) and Archana Marathe(Violin) will be performing at these concerts.Here is the schedule for the month. April 65.15 pm - Vandana B D & Group6.30 pm - Aruna Sairam & GroupApril 75.15 pm - Mandolin Aravind Bhargav & Group6.30 pm - Sanjay Subrahmanyan/ S Varadhrajan/ B Harikumar/ S VenkatramanApril…

Mary Issac from Jayanagar started Child Fund Association in 1982. providing children shelter and support. She has also helped several families by sponsoring fees, books, uniforms and clothes. Mary is one of the 47 nominations for this year's Namma Bengaluru Awards. Namma Bengaluru Awards was constituted by Namma Bengaluru Foundation, convened by Rajeev Chandrasekhar, MP, to honour such unsung heroes and institutions for their exemplary work towards society. Nomination were collected under six different categories; groups and organizations, citizens, public officials, public institutions, social entrepreneurs and elected representatives. NGOs, Residents Welfare Associations, educational institutions, NGOs, Public Officials, Social Entrepreneurs, Elected…

It is common to see familiar faces at Indian classical music concerts. But it was not familiarity that made me take note of this elderly gentleman. It was clear he was no ordinary rasika. He always sat at the first row with two other familiar faces. He would request specific ragas as is expected of any rasika. But what was unique, was that he was able to recall when that particular raga was sung previously, by which particular artist, at which sabha or when it was sung for the first time by the particular artist. This is what sets apart…

Russell Market traders are operating devoid of electricity. Pic: Abhishek Angad. A traders' initiative to rebuild Bengaluru's gutted-Russell Market after the February 25th fire mishap has led to a standoff between them and BBMP. BBMP has sent an eviction notice to Russell Market traders citing dilapidated conditions.Though the fire weakened the market structure initially, renovation seems to have restored strength. To rebuild the structure, traders employed a third party, KK Infrastructure, a firm which also worked with Bangalore Airport. All the affected traders contributed funds along with money received from the government. Traders have initiated renovation ongoing at Rusell Market,…

Pic courtesy: Nisha Millet. How do you think your life would be if you developed a fear of water before you were even 6 years old, having fallen into a pond? Well you could end up at the Olympics as a swimmer! That's what Bengaluru-based swimming ace Nisha Millet did. The Olympics don't just happen to you. You work your way to it. Read on.Nisha is one of India's most illustrious swimmers, having won numerous medals at various national and international competitions and went on to become the only Indian woman swimmer at the Sydney Olympics. Since then, only one…

News reports say Bengaluru mayor Sharadamma broke into tears when minister R Ashoka threatened to cut her funds allocation unless she apportioned the amount he wanted, to his loyalists. Sharadamma has refuted this, saying that she "did not cry". The point is not whether she did or didn't cry, but whether it is acceptable for a minister to dictate that the disbursement of funds should satisfy his loyalists, according to his whims rather than leaving it to the mayor's discretion. Minister R Ashoka has always had plenty to do with Bangalore's politics. Mayor Sharadamma Ramanjaneya seen here in the centre,…

The Chitrakala Parishath art complex is a landmark on Kumara Krupa road, its distinct stone façade and portico stamping itself on the memory of most visitors. This week however, viewers will be in for a surprise - the entire set of buildings has been swathed in diaphanous white cloth as part of an art project by a student in the college, twenty four year-old Ashray Dravidian, currently pursuing his Bachelor's Degree in art History at the institution. The ongoing students' annual show within the galleries seemed an appropriate time for such an experiment. Chitrakala Parishath on Kumara Krupa Road, shrouded…

I was at a baby store and in walked a pair of newly minted parents buying everything that the "helpful" store staff pointed to them. Socket covers? Door slammers? latches? Bring it on. Baby monitor? But of course. Do you even need to ask? Diaper pail? Umm...looks cool...ok we will think about that one. Pic: Reshmi Chakraborthy I had to restrain the urge to run and shake the lovely pair out of their baby buying stupor. Because that was me six and half years back, visiting stores armed with a list, courtesy baby books, baby websites and friends, all made,…

In a first of its kind event, the running community held its own awards in Bengaluru on Sunday 1st April. Applause 2012 was held at Vivanta by Taj, MG road. Olympian Reeth Abraham and senior runner K C Kothandapani walked away with lifetime achievement awards. Organisers of Applause 2012. Pic: Anisha Nair The event was organised by individual runners like Ashok Nath, Saroja Dileepan and Dileepan with support of groups like Runners for Life and Runner Girls India. The profits were given to the ASHA foundation.The maiden award function is being positioned by organisers as a platform to recognise runners…