City: Bengaluru

We, the Proud Indians, are a group of young, regular Indians with regular aspirations who deeply believe that an honest and strong India will be possible only when each of us is willing to strive in that direction. Proud Indians is a small group from Hyderabad from varied backgrounds. Through the walk they aim to inspire citizens to be honest at a personal level, to help tackle corruption. The group started their walk from Kanyakumari on December 18th. In the first segment of the walk from December 18th-31st, they covered 500 kms in Kerala . On January 1st, they started…

    The newspaper write-up for Dustin Bayi describes the play as "the complex relationship of a Christian family with local rituals and belief in spirit worship". Further "a powerful plot, reputed artists, authentic sets, music, and colorful costumes make this play a must-watch". This write-up seemed exciting enough, particularly in the light of the recent incidents with churches in Mangalore and Bangalore. Also, the play being staged on Christmas Day seemed symbolic as the occasion to watch it. The plot Pic: Kriyative Theatre Dustin Bayi is a short story by Gopalakrishna Aithal. It is adapted for the stage by…

Jan JD-S Bangalore city corporator Diwaan Ali shot dead.Feb Anita Reddy, Founder, Association for Voluntary Action and Services, wins Namma Bengalurean of the Year Award, 2010, instituted by Namma Bengaluru Foundation.Mar High Court dismisses midnight tender case, clearing the way for BBMP to initiate works like road widening, signal free corridors etc worth Rs 22,000 cr.Provisional census data shows population density in Bangalore district increase by 147% in the last decade, literacy goes up by 6%.Apr Bangalore Traffic Police joins Facebook, becoming the first government agency in the city to have live interactions with citizens online.HC rules that all Bangalore…

Wastewater collection and treatment Wastewater collection and treatment was a rather poor show in 2011. Though underground sewage lines are being laid in the periphery of the city and some decentralised wastewater treatment plants sprang up. Bellandur lake covered in froth due to pollution. File pic: Meera K This will be a real tough challenge for the city because the resource recovery from polluters is also very poor since domestic households who send in the sewage to the lines pay the equivalent of 50 paise a day. Fixing and collecting the right price and making the polluter pays principle will…

Running culture is not new to the city. Bengaluru has hosted many marathons and is also witnessing an increase in the number of runner enthusiasts. Among those are Athreya Chidambi and Neera Katwal. They have been among the top finishers in the last few marathons. Chidambi and Neera were the first Indians to finish the Midnight Marathon in Bangalore. Athreya Chidambi and Neera Katwal at the Ultra marathon in November2011. Pic: Anju "It was on one of my new years' resolution list," says 33-year-old Athreya Chidambi, reminiscing about the time when he first gave running a ‘try.' Chidambi, who is…

It was a few years ago. I was stopped by the traffic policeman in Richmond Town for “jumping red light and reckless driving”. As expected, I was told that I’d have to pay a fine, but at the end of the conversation that ensued, I was let off with no exchange of money, just a warning. Now here again I was, at another traffic signal in Richmond Town, in front of another policeman, but for a different traffic violation. I realize that I run the risk of being classified as a habitual traffic offender, but I must clarify that on…

A playschool is meant for kids under the age of 5 and is primarily aimed at providing quality education for kindergarten kids. So if you love kids then starting a playschool may be a good idea. The staff have to be well trained to take care of children.File pic: Padmalatha Ravi So what is the advantage of starting a play school? You get a high degree of satisfaction working with kids and contributing to their growth and development. You help nurture a positive environment for kids where their physical and mental growth takes place seamlessly. As Anjana Sen, Director of…

India is Diabetic Capital of world, and 12.4 % Bangalore population has diabetes. It is projected that maximum increase in diabetic patients would be in India. The deadly risks of diabetes include heart attack, stroke, high blood pressure (BP), recurrent foot infections often leading to amputations, and decreased immunity.The good news is it can be prevented, and even if you have, it can be managed without medicines. The time to act is now  Main symptoms of Diabetes. Pic: Wikimedia Commons Check if you have family history of diabetesAre you Obese or overweightIf you are inactiveIf you have high blood pressureWounds…

THROUGHOUT the year it seems that the citizens and the city were at war with each other. You only had to think of a project proposed by a city agency, and instantly you could recollect how citizens fought against the project. Equally, whenever citizens mooted something the the city should take up - bike lanes, bus priority, better footpaths - it seemed like the entire establishment was pitted against them.  To me, this is the greatest warning before us. All over the world the evidence is now compelling, that cities that actively involve their citizens in decisions are doing much…

Warriors civic club of St Marks Public School, JP Nagar, took out an anti-litter walk near their school, early morning on 23rd December. Early morning walkers and joggers frequent the road for their daily shopping of fresh vegetables. Most of them do not carry their own bags, preferring to take home the veggies in thin flimsy plastic packets. WARRIORS CIVIC CLUB of St Marks Public School, JP Nagar, took out an anti–litter walk near their school. Pic: Ravikala P Baliga 52 members of the club, part of Childrens' Movement for Civic Awareness (CMCA), made informative placards and charts and walked…