City: Bengaluru

I was alright with the tokenism of International Women's day. A few political statements, some well intentioned but ill-thought out schemes announced to mark the day - that I could live with. But today's women's day celebrations bother me. In its hundredth year, it has become the biggest gimmick of consumerism. Every single business out there gets set to woo women. ‘Celebrate your womanhood' hoardings scream, mailboxes and phones are flooded with every kind of offer. Beauty salons, cosmetic companies, clothing companies, shoes, lingerie shops, restaurants and even hospitals have offers. What's wrong you say?  All these celebrations are targeted…

International Women's Day celebrated for the hundredth year. It would appear that much has changed in a century. Still, in 2011, it hasn't been an easy time for city-based women who aspire to step out of their homes. Forget about the more 'conservative' rural areas. For all Bengaluru's 'progress', it's still a 'kids or career' choice for most working mothers in the city. They continue to have to compromise on their ambitions; only handful of companies actually accommodate them. Work from Home Elizabeth Rajesh, resident of JP Nagar 5th phase and a mid-level employee in a tech firm, moved to…

At the age of 24, Anita Reddy started her first project to get electricity to Lakshmipuram slum in Ulsoor. Over three decades later, her fight for land, housing rights and basic facilities for the poor has helped thousands of people in Bangalore alone. She has helped re-build around 15 slums in the city. Fighting For Slum dwellers' rights since 1978. Pic: Navya P K Anita Reddy, 57, is part of Association for Voluntary Action and Services (AVAS) and Dwarkanath Reddy Ramanarpanam Trust (DRRP). She won the coveted Padma Shri award this year. At right at her home city, she won…

In the hope of bringing the once common house sparrow back to Bengaluru, Burhani Foundation (India) distributed 500 bird feeders at the Burhani Masjid in Gottigere, off Bannerghatta Road on 6th March. Across the country, fifty-two thousand bird feeders were distributed as a part of centenary celebrations of the birth of Dr. Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin, Dai-al-Mutlaq (spiritual leader) of the Dawoodi Bohra community. His birthday falls on 6th March, according to the Gregorian calendar. People collecting the bird feeders from the judges of Limca and Guiness Book of World records. Pic: Yograj S Mudalgi The distribution was taken up in…

In a landmark ruling today, the Hon’ble High Court of Karnataka accepted the Report of a committee it constituted to examine the ground realities and prepare an Action plan for the preservation of lakes in the city of Bangalore. This report was sought by an interim direction of Chief Justice Mr. J. S. Khehar and Justice A. S. Bopanna of the Principal Bench of the Hon’ble High Court on the basis of the Public Interest Litigation filed by Environment Support Group and Leo Saldanha (party in person) (WP No. 817/2008) challenging the privatisation of lakes in Bangalore by Lake Development…

Load shedding, the most dreaded word in summer isn't always because of power shortage. Most of it has got to do with overloaded distribution and supply lines. Here are some areas where BESCOM has identified issues and proposed solutions. This might help reduce power cuts in Bengaluru.BESCOM North ♦ There is load shedding in Platinum City, Yelahanka and Sahakaranagara as the cable size is small. The cables are overloaded and they can take maximum power of 40 MW only. The cable size has to be increased from these areas up to the sub-stations ♦ Byadarahalli MUSS and its lines are…

Dev Raj 45 is a construction worker who left his village in Bihar 25 years ago to make a living. He has worked in cities like Mumbai, Delhi, Jodhpur, Coimbatore and Bangalore. After all these years, he's going back to his village disappointed with what he has achieved. Raj has been in Bengaluru for a year now. "I am going home next month and I will not come back. I will work in the fields in my village. Yes, I will earn less but it is far better than living here," said Dev Raj. He earns 200 rupees per day…

Kalari Gurukulam presented KalariMargam; a dawn to dusk programme on renowned martial art form Kalripayattu on the 26th of February, 2011. The informal performance/lecture demonstration was staged at Band Stand in Cubbon park. Citizens of Bangalore who went for an evening walk in the park experienced a flavor of this art form. Demystifying Kalari Pic Courtesy: www.kalarigurukulam.com Though Kalaripayattu is well-known amidst the artist community of Bangalore this was a first of its kind programme initiated by the Gurukulam to promote as well as create an awareness for the layman in the city. The programme took them on a journey…

"When we broke open the doors and rescued, the people inside offices, told us that we had come like angels amidst the thick smoke to rescue them," says Mudaseer Hussain, one of the firemen from the Karnataka State Fire and Emergency Services (KSFES). To hundreds of people stuck in the Carlton Tower fire on 23 February 2010, they came as angels to save their lives. Firemen from the KSFES acted swiftly to rescue hundreds of people stranded at the high-rise and prevented further loss of lives. Mudaseer Hussain, 36, Venkatesha T, 25, K T Prakash, 48, were three of the…

St Joseph's college for Arts and Science was the venue for the mini international cultural and food festival on Saturday, 26 February. The North east and Tibetan forum which comprises of the students from the region was at the helm of it. In its fourth year, the festival is meant to show case the Northeast's cultural uniqueness at the Bengaluru college. North east students performing their traditional dance Tibetan dance. Pic: author. The current king of the Royal House of Tripura, Kirit Pradyot Deb Barman, was the chief guest. Three thousand people attended the festival. King of Tripura, addressing the…