bangalore journal

Just the other day I was at this store, eager to pick up their weekly fresh organic vegetable produce. I overheard another customer ask the store owner to please cut away the leaves of the cauliflower as she did not know what to do with it. The store owner agreed, adding that she was also unaware. Pic: Vinita I could not resist jumping into this conversation. After all I had recently learnt something interesting about cauliflower leaves and this seemed like the perfect opportunity to share it! Julius Rego, a powerhouse of simple, practical and interesting information on plants and…

Cricket is his first love. He learned English language listening to cricket commentaries. He loves Kannada movies, he always scored well in his history papers. He never let visual impairment come in the way of life. Today he has made computer education easily accessible for visually challenged students and encourages them to participate in sports. 41-year-old Mahantesh G Kivadasannavar won the NDTV Sports Award, against the odds (lifetime achievement) in February 2012. Kivadasannavar founded Samarthanam Trust for the Disabled in 1997, along with his two friends. This JP Nagar resident, is today the Managing Trustee and has great plans for…

Laxmi Murthy is the daughter of Vimala Murthy, the writer and great grand daughter of Amba Bai, former headmistress of Vani Vilas High school, Laxmi, has been associated with the women's movements for nearly three decades years now. This 49-year-old, resident of Jayanagar 1st block, has recently co-authored a book - "Our Pictures, Our Words." The book records the history of women's movement in India through posters. Pic: Anisha Nair Citizen Matters chatted with Laxmi Murthy on the women and writing. What inspired you into making the book "Our Pictures, Our Words"?I have been associated with the women's movement since…

On March 20th, BDA filed its objections in High Court on the Agara-Sirsi Circle signal free corridor PIL. Koramangala 3rd block RWA and others had filed the case last month, specifically asking for work in four Koramangala junctions to be stopped, and HC had ordered a stay on the works. At several places in its objections filing, BDA has gone so far as to say that residents' concerns are imaginary. Sarjapur road dug up for construction of grade separator. File Pic: Deepthi M S BDA has presented copies of approvals for the project given by Technical Advisory Committees (TACs) of…

Accompanying the pourakarmikas on road while they collect garbage and taking active part in inculcating civic awareness in the citizens of Bengaluru is her favourite thing to do. She is one of the oldest residents of Koramangala and civic issues are closest to her heart. Sheela Ladha, 50, has been a very active volunteer with Children's Movement for Civic Awareness (CMCA) for the past three years.  This active home-maker feels that the city has grown old with her and she, with the city. Sheela Ladha. Pic: Anisha NairWhat does CMCA do?CMCA usually starts a civic club in the schools, and…

Garbage is now a resource for residents of Mayflower block in Brigade Millennium apartment in JP Nagar. With our Zero Waste initiative, we are getting revenue instead of paying for garbage clearance. Zero Waste Management Team: (from left) Sharanappa S, Gayatri Gopalkrishnan, Swarupa Daithankar, Prakash P. Pic: Sanjeev Daithankar The initiative started in 2008, but was not successful because of low response from residents. Earlier we had a common chute facility to push down waste. Today segregated waste is collected door-to-door from all 220 flats, and we have closed the chute. We thank residents for their support in achieving this.…

"After studies, all I want to do is dance,"says Rohini Prabhath, 19, from Gandhi Bazaar, who is learning Kathak at Abhinava School of Dance for the past 12 years. Rajendra and Nirupama at their dance studio, where classes are conducted. Pic: Deepthi M S The dance school is founded by internationally acclaimed Kathak and Bharathanatyam dancers, Nirupama Rajendra, 41 and TD Rajendra, 44. Abhinava Schools of Dance along with Abhinava Dance Company are initiatives of Abhinava Arts Center, a non-profit Trust in Basavanagudi.Both Nirupama and Rajendra have been trained in Kathak and Bharathanatyam by renowned gurus and are in the…

Doctors have a busy schedule, so if you proactively provide them with information about your health, rather than have them fish it out of you, so much the better. Here are some tips: Electronic medical record. Pic: Wikimedia commons Be specific about what brings you to doctor. Explain the symptoms, mention duration of symptoms, any precipitating factor that you think has brought it up, if chronic then for how long it has been persisting. A few examples...Pain in the abdomen: site of pain, whether acute or chronic, whether it shifts from where it started from, or radiates to another region,…

What shall he do this summer? That's the question I have been asking myself now that March hits the midway mark. The temptation is to answer, ‘nothing.' But who am I kidding? I am not strong enough to withstand the now near compulsory pressure of having to enrol the tyke in a ‘Summer Camp.' River rafting at Frolic Boonies. Pic: Frolic Boonies These days not fixing up a summer camp is almost like denying your child an important developmental milestone. Doing nothing is no longer an option, almost up there in the banned list as sleeping late.Even if you are…

The words 'Scientific Research Foundation' paints a picture of brightly lit, sterile environment filled with scientists in white overcoats doing important but inaccessible work. It doesn't seem like a place where people from outside the science community can be admitted. But the Vittal Mallya Scientific Research Foundation stands out by making this very space accessible to lay people. Participants at the workshop. Pic: Anisha Nair The foundation was set up in BTM Layout in 1987 so that they can communicate with the people easily about their researches and findings and also keep in touch with the residents of Bangalore.The Vittal…