City: Bengaluru

Fresh out of college, they chose to tread the path less-taken. These are Bengaluru's young entrepreneurs who have broken away from 'regular' careers. They have started from scratch, gathering capital, customers and clients. These bold and daring women in their early twenties have turned their dreams into reality and started their own enterprise. Twenty-three-year-olds Eshanya Karle and Savita Vijayakumar are one such pair. Their not-for-profit 'So, What Now?' was started in May 2009 and is an extension of the duo's vision to provide a platform for creative young minds to "meet, develop and implement their ideas." 'So, What Now?' sells…

Amidst all the excitement of the FIFA World Cup, Bangalore had its own mini world cup tournament last week, with players representing France and Spain fighting it out in the finals on Sunday. The KIPSTA Cup football tournament ended with two ‘France’ teams - Rootsports (representing Bangalore based sports management firm Root Sports) and BSSF (Bangalore School Sports Federation) - winning the cup in the Senior and Under-15 categories respectively. The runners-up in the two categories were ARM Technologies Pvt Ltd and SPT (from SPT Sports Academy) respectively. Kipsta cup U15 team in action. Pic: Navya P K. A small…

1. Apply for Encumbrance Certificate (EC) for your flat. It should be for a period of at least a year. You will need to fill Form 22 - available free of cost at sub-registrar office itself. The cost of EC is Rs. 35 for one year. You will need to go back after a day or two to collect the EC.2. Get a khata application form (costs Rs. 10) plus copies of 5 documents (betterment charges receipt, building sanction letters, title certificate, sketch of layout)3. Get copies of the following notarised: Sale deed, Form III (if you have), Possession Certificate…

S K Nataraj is Mayor and corporator of Sarakki ward. Even as he plans to visit each and every ward in order to understand their problems, citizens are pointing to issues in his own ward that need attention. Pic: Chetan Boray. Sarakki ward includes 6th phase JP Nagar, a BDA-planned area, which is supposed to have basic facilities available to its residents when compared to revenue sites. But citizens here continue for suffer from inadequate piped water supply. Resident Anand Rao, in his late fifties, says that BWSSB officials point out that the line is at a higher point and…

When the khata issue was opened at Brigade Millennium in September 2009, some of us decided to take the quick and easy route. Some of us chose not to do anything at all. Some took the road less trodden.Those of us who took the hard way expected that it would mean innumerable trips to BBMP, difficult interaction with officials, lots of time on what was seen as needless trouble - when all one had to do was pay a service fee and have the khata delivered at your doorstep.I have lost track of the time some of us spent on…

Last month -- The  Lokayukta resigned. The government deregulated oil prices and bus fares went up immediately, and I tripped and fell at the post office and fractured a bone. These seemingly unconnected events have a common denominator, as you will see.Let’s go from the bottom up -- my fall. I headed for the post office across the road, and was near its entrance when a jagged footpath tile caught my sandals and I crashed on the floor some distance away, flat on my face.Onlookers came running, to help get on my feet and gather my scattered belongings (bag, purse…

At a recent BBMP council session, BJP corporator Y N Ashwath (Kempegowda, Ward 1) said, “There are so many stars in the sky. But it's the moon that is most visible. Just like our Mayor!” Mayor S K Nataraj (elected from Sarakki, Ward 179) has been witness to many such limericks, potshots and several bouts of anger from Bengaluru corporators, during council sessions. He doesn't have it all that easy. Mayor S K Nataraj. Pic: Vaishnavi Vittal. Two months into his tenure Nataraj has gotten down to brass-tracks to address problems in the city. He regularly conducts inspections and appears…

On July 3rd 2010, Lokayukta Justice Santosh Hegde announced that he is withdrawing his resignation, following a conversation with senior BJP leader L K Advani. Hegde said the BJP has promised to cooperate with the Lokayukta and give the body suo moto powers. Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa told media persons that the state government will also help in checking illegal mining in the state. Justice Hegde has another year to complete his five-year term as Karnataka Lokayukta. More than a week after he announced his resignation, Lokayukta Justice Santosh Hegde seems more at ease. On June 23rd, when he…

“It is remarkable how several hundred years ago, city planners were able to plan and execute the Bangalore lake system”, says Rajul Ramchandani, a student of Class X, Delhi Publish School (South). Ramchandani  made a video on Kaikondrahalli Lake on Sarjapur Road as part of the Lost Lakes of Bangalore video contest. “The silver lining is that not all is lost and many citizens and government bodies are realising the mistakes of the past and making amends wherever possible. One such result is the Kaikondrahalli lake. My experience has been that the civic bodies are quite powerful and can make…

Monday, June 21st saw 16 students from eight different schools participating in the 4th Annual V V Madhuranathan Memorial Debate Competition organised by Jnanajyothi, the Senior Citizens Association of Banashankari II Stage. The topic of the debate was "Law can prevent the abuse of elders by family members". Participants in the debate competition, with the Jnanajothi team. Pic: Prasad Students from standard 8th to 10th participated in this debate (some spoke in English while others spoke in Kannada) which was judged by a panel comprising of V R Kulkarni (Secretary, Swasahaya NGO), N B Jayaprakash (Director, Dignity Foundation Bengalooru Chapter)…