bangalore journal

Around 400 students from NSVK (Nehru Smaraka Vidya Kendra) school, Jayanagar, participated in the eye donation awareness walk on August 25th early morning shouting slogans ‘Nethradana, Mahadana,’ (Eye donation is the best of all donations). NSVK school students in the rally. Pic: Abhishek Angad This walk was organised by Nethradhama, a superspeciality eye hospital in Jayanagar 7th block. The walk started from the hospital premises and moved to Yediyur, Kanakapura Road.Renowned people like Thara Anooradha, President, Karnataka Chalanachitra Academy, Vijay Kumar, MLA Jayanagar and Dr Manjunath C N, Director, Jayadeva Institute of cardiovascular Sciences and research were present on the…

In my unending search for resources that familiarise children with the environment I had chanced upon the 'Garrulous Gastronaut' a few months ago. So it was quite a coincidence that my daughter was invited to a workshop titled, 'Planting an edible garden' recently held at Galleryske, Richmond Town. Pushpi Bagchi's Garrulous Gastronaut. Pic: Pushpi Bagchi Conceived and facilitated by Pushpi Bagchi, a young Illustrator & Visual Communication Designer from Srishti School of Art, Design and Technology, the three hour workshop was a fun mix of story-time, experience-sharing, eating some delicious food prepared from fresh vegetables and finally some hands-on seed…

We organised a street exhibit on the Brigade Road, as a part of the Bangalore Weekend Shoots photography group, that I am part of, to commemorate the World Photography Day 2012. The response was good. Street exhibit on Brigade Road. Pic: Santanu Majumdar Many wanted to take the prints home and it was a whole day event.We pasted close to 60 images on a wall. The pictures are still on the Brigade Road, on a construction site. You may find some images left if you go now! Street exhibit on Brigade Road. Pic: PeeVee The participants were Akash Bhattacharya, Santanu…

Even as police confirmed making the first arrests in Bengaluru for rumour-mongering, city businesses depending on staff from the Northeast have been affected since the panic-driven exodus began on Wednesday.  V S D'Souza, DCP (Intelligence) confirmed around midnight August 17th that two people were arrested earlier in the evening for threatening rumors. D'Souza however declined comment on whether the arrested were from any sectarian organisation or community.  Meanwhile, restaurants, retail chains and spas have been hit according to some business owners in the city. Philip Deepak, owner of Popsies restaurant in Koramangala who employed 12 Northeast service staff says that…

An engineer by profession, he joined Raman Research Institute as a lab assistant in 1984 while pursuing his higher studies, moving on to become a scientist at the same institute. He later ventured out on his own, setting up the Indian branch of Vxtel, a technology firm, later acquired by Intel. He has worked at Intel as director of the connectivity division, focussing on research and innovation. He has got many accolades.  Meet Dr P S Ramkumar, a resident of Bannerghatta Road. DR P S Ramkumar at his residence. Pic: Abhishek Angad Finding healthcare, one of the most poorly managed…

On August 10th, 2012, an elderly couple’s decomposed bodies were found in JP Nagar 1st phase, who were murdered three days earlier. July 4th, 60-year-old Lakshmidevamma’s head was bludgeoned to death at her house on 5th Cross, Prakashnagar. Continuing this there have been several other cases of abuse, assault or murder in city against elderly people. Sonia Narang, DCP, Bangalore -South. Pic courtesy: DCP Office IPS officer Sonia Narang, Deputy Commissioner of Police(South)-Bangalore, is known for her tough stance against crime spoke to Citizen Matters  about ways to keep elderly safe at home. Excerpts:Can you suggest some basic steps for…

Now one more week to see the fate of the reconstruction of EWS flats for the poor at Ejipura. After the hearing High Court Chief Justice Vikramajit Sen and Justice Aravind Kumar adjourned the session to Aug 21st, 2012. Aniyan Joseph feels that, on 21st High Court may release a final order over EWS flats. In a week the fate of the reconstruction of EWS flats for the poor at Ejipura will be known. Pic: Sankar C G On August 8th, the High Court asked BBMP, Maverick Holdings and Aniyan Joseph, advocate for original 1512-beneficiaries in the Ejipura case, to…

Recently, BBMP passed a resolution to include Electronic City (Ecity) under its jurisdiction. But on the other hand, state cabinet is already contemplating giving industrial township status to the area.On July 31st, BBMP passed the resolution to include Electronic City phase 1, 2 and 3 under its jurisdiction. State government has to approve the resolution now, for it to be effective. If approved,industries and commercial areas that are notified as part of Electronic City, will go to BBMP. Dr Amita Prasad, Principal Secretary at state government's Urban Development Department (UDD), says that BBMP has not yet sent the resolution to…

Three months ago, 56 year-old, Dr Ravi Ralph was made the Chief Executive officer(CEO) of the Lake Development Authority. He is also the Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests. He completed his education in Varanasi and then was posted as Conservator of Forests in various parts of Karnataka. He is a resident of HSR Layout. Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Chief Executive Officer, Lake Development Authority - Dr Ravi Ralph. Pic: Anisha Nair What do you think is the key point in maintaining lakes? In every meeting we see active citizens partnership. Synergy is the word. The government…

The epithet ‘Gaanchali bidi Kannada maathadi' (GBKM) would translate colloquially as ‘let go of your (English) affectations and speak in Kannada.' For those of us born and brought up in Bangalore, this has been a familiar epithet; as children from middle-class families, we were exposed to peers from ‘convent' schools who spoke ‘European' English, but they would disdain to speak in Kannada despite knowing the language well. We would accuse them of ‘gaanchali', and of course would strive to throw in as much Kannada in our ‘English' conversations as possible. The fact that many of the wannabe ‘convent' schools (where…