City: Bengaluru

A few of us from the cycling community (specifically, from the Rideacycle Foundation, and from the Bangalore Bikers' Club), were able to meet Dr Venkatraman Ramakrishnan,  who won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2009, the apex to a career of achievements and awards, at the campus of the Indian Institute of Science on January 6th. Bangalore cycling enthusiasts with Dr Venkatraman Ramakrishnan. (L to R) Shankar, Mayank Rungta, Mohan, Murali H R, Pradeep B V, Dr. Venki, Arun. Pic: Deepa Mohan. For me, it was a refreshing change to talk to a famous personality not about his work, but…

In every election, it has become standard to observe that the quality of our political leadership and governance is suffering because the educated, urban middle class does not turn up to vote. Now that we have another election before us - the BBMP Council- it may be worth asking, why is this, and how can this be changed?First, some clarification. While the overall voting percentage numbers certainly bear out the apathy of the middle class, there is still a section of this group that does turn out vote, in election after election.The more pertinent question, therefore, may be: "why do…

The traffic diversions from Sarajapur Road into HSR Layout, due to construction of flyover at Agara circle, have seriously inconvenienced the residents and shopkeepers of HSR layout.All main and some cross roads have been used mercilessly by all types of vehicles. Just a few months back some of these main roads were repaired and resurfaced. Due to poor quality of work (not supervised) and the last monsoons, roads have cracked and potholes have developed. This has been aggravated by heavy traffic on the main roads in this layout during these three to four months.There appears to be no controls in…

With due respect to Karnataka legislators, the ‘findings’ of the The Joint House Committee (JHC) about the Bengaluru International Airport can be termed irresponsible at the least and retrograde.The JHC report maligns famous business leaders and civil servants. These people don’t need to prove their credentials or expertise in managing complex projects or assignments in their long careers. The committee members have truly maligned Narayana Murthy, who had offered his services for free. The officers who were part of the original team are Karnataka’s best.The JHC will have a lot to explain if they are grilled by an independent body…

There was a partial lunar eclipse on December 31st 2009 - January 1st 2010. Though it  was a cloudy night on the eve of New Year, some parts of India observed partial lunar eclipse. The sky cleared a bit during prime time of the eclipse and I was able to take some photos at 2.40 AM from the terrace of my Chamarajpet home.These pictures were taken on Nikon D60 with 70-300mm Tamron lens, with Velbon CF tripod. Some of the pictures were taken on shutter mode to avoid clouds in the picture. The photographs were later cropped and stitched to…

Just yesterday, I had my first run in with the Karnataka High Court. I was attending a court case involving the construction of a road through the GKVK - UAS campus by the BBMP and its subsequent challenge by ex vice-chancellors of that University (For an understanding of the case at hand, refer to this article written in Citizen Matters). Just being in that court room, seeing lawyers presenting their case, judges going through the evidence presented, petitioners and defendants arguing vehemently, nervous interns, curious onlookers - in short the entire package brought back interesting memories when I was involved…

Ever looked for an indulgent dish to devour at the end of a week that was beset with mundane meals? If yes, then Vidyarthi Bhavan's legendary ghee soaked Dosa fits that bill.Located amidst the clamour of the crowd at Gandhi Bazaar, this restaurant could be hard to find if you went "looking" for it. However, if you went "asking" for it, you'd be adding to the Vidyarthi Bhavan's waiting queue in no time - a testament to the popularity of this long standing restaurant. Dosa with chutney at Vidyarthi Bhavan. Pic: S K Shivashankar.This restaurant has been garnering the admiration…

A visit to a zoo always sounds like a fun-filled activity for kids and adults alike. Bannerghatta Biological Park (BBP) located on the outskirts of Bangalore in Anekal district is no exception. Easy accessibility, parking spots, surprisingly well-organised ticket counters, and numerous food kiosks make the outing a delightful experience. A near-perfect picture? Not quite.What started off as a picnic spot in 1971 is now a notified ‘large zoo' spread over 320 hectares housing over 1,500 animals. All zoos in India come under the purview of the Central Zoo Authority (CZA), New Delhi, and a state-level body, which in Karnataka…

I had heard of private antique collectors. However, I hadn’t met one before or fathom the reasons why people have a penchant for collecting old things. Until I met Ramprasad. Holding a beautiful hand crafted vase, Ramprasad explains, “this is a very rare Chinese vase. The style of work is called Cloisonne. It’s more than 200 years old.” Pic: Poornima Dasharathi. Ramprasad has a mechanical engineering background and works in Bosch, India. He has travelled to other countries especially Germany on work. He lives in a middle class colony in Chamarajpet. The house from outside looks like any other cement…

While many parents prefer traditional, mainstream schools, there are others looking out for options. Tradition has edged the mass towards mainstream schools with blackboards and report cards, but a growing number of parents in Bengaluru are opting for an alternative method of education - alternative schools. The names one usually comes across while mulling over alternative education are Montessori, Jiddu Krishnamurthi, Steiner/Waldorf, Reggio Emilia, etc. While following these schools of thought, some schools do bank on their own home-grown methods of teaching too. Some of the better-known unconventional schools in Bangalore are The Valley School, Centre for Learning, Shibhumi, Poorna,…