CITIZEN JOURNALISM

Talented and energetic children keen on action. Inspired and excited adolescents eager to share their learnings. A strong and supportive working women's collective. A potent mix for a promising start. And start they did! In amazing style. Singing, dancing, speaking and drawing about the country, society, violence, peace and unity. Generational Shift - an unlettered yet empowered Rukminiamma (a SJS veteran) with her English speaking granddaughter Nisha and friend Vidya, both CYS members (pic: PA)On 26th January 2009, Chaitanya Yuwa Samiti (CYS), a community-based organization and youth wing of Stree Jagruti Samiti, was formally launched at the SJS office, off…

This hole on Kammanhalli Main Road poses a threat to those who use this busy road. Nearby shopkeepers placed some stones, bricks and branches near the whole to help prevent any mishap. The next day some workers from the BBMP workers came and filled it up with heaps of mud and rocks, and it became a mountain on the road (as shown in the photo). This is how it has been for the past few days. Who can we contact for road repairs like this? Hole on Kammanahalli main road which has been covered by nearby shopkeepers using some stones…

"Footpath mel hogi ma." - (Go on the footpath, Madam). This was a policeman.Though I felt like retorting back, I kept quiet as I always try to avoid these uniformed men.Frankly, where are the footpaths? The first hurdle is to get on to the footpath which is at least one foot high in many parts. Once you get on them there are any number of hurdles. Thirty per cent of them are occupied by construction materials. Iron rods that almost tear your sari. Maunds and maunds of brick and mortar pieces which can make you trip and fall; sands and…

Some of my European friends visited India last year and we met. I was eager and waiting to hear every detail about their brief stay in India. As we ran through photo slides of Rajasthan, Delhi and Mumbai, I heard everyone say "India is magnificent". A little later, small irritations surfaced: from why "people stare" to the "so persistent beggars" and the "unbearable traffic" and the "lack of pubs". It was New Year's time when my friends were in Delhi and it had not been easy for them to find a pub. They could not imagine spending their time in…

This New Year began with reaffirming my resolution to regularly attend the Iyengar Yoga classes conducted at Nirguna Mandir located at 4th Block Koramangala, adjacent to ST Bed Layout. Apart from the significant improvement in strength, stamina and concentration that my weekly classes have provided, my primary motivation has been the steadfast guiding presence that my yoga teacher provides. K. Mahadevaiah (Courtesy: Ajay Bhaskar, student of Iyengar Yoga Classes) Simple, unassuming, modest; these are the words that come to most of our mind when we think of K Mahadevaiah, our yoga teacher. But to me he epitomises all that is…

Sri Rama Lalitha Kala Mandira was started way back in 1955 by Sri G Vedanta Iyengar. The institute has since been conducting various music related programmes. It, in fact, celebrated its Thousandth concert day on 13th February 2008. Sri Rama Lalitha Kala MandirAs usual, this year, a series of concerts are being organized for a period of one week, starting 7th February 2009. The venue is Mangala Mantapa, NMKRV College, Jayanagar. While admission is free, seating would be on a first come basis, especially as all the artistes who would be enthralling the audiences with their music are very popular.…

The property tax collection by BBMP for the year 2008- 2009 has been in the confused state.It started from changing to CVS from SAS,than to UAV and latest being UAV with old SAS rate. Now, if one calculate there is not much change in the revised tax if the building is used for residential purposes comes under the same zone, but there are instances of increase of nearly 45% if there is a jump to next higher zone (E to D) - please refer to the chart below for an example. We from the Citizen Action Forum and Jayanagar 5th…

I have been working in a very reputed BPO (Business Process Outsourcing) firm in Bangalore for the last six years. Today, during our tea break, the question, "Why we work for a BPO?" was raised. Post break I came back to my work station with my thoughts lingering about what we had discussed. Most of us in my group joined because we were either graduates or post graduates and not every one of us could get into management (or) technical trade. In the beginning, all of us felt it’s a 'no other go' scenario and found it difficult to explain…

‘Prakruti' simply means ‘Nature'- unrefined, natural, as it is. This is the name of the organisation which was started by MS Prasad, an PR consultant and an event management professional, four years ago. Along with Praveen Rao, a well known figure in the field of music in India and abroad, particularly orchestrization and composing, Prasad started ‘Prakruti' and registered it as a Trust. Audience at a concert at Cubbon Park Bandstand (pic courtesy: Prakruthi) The purpose was to bring music and breathe life into the dead Cubbon Park bandstand. That was almost four months ago and there has been no…

It all started two weeks back, when I received an email from Lokesh about a proposed ride for Jawa / Yezdi bikers on 25th January 2009 to the "Big Banyan Tree". I spoke to my wife about this ride a week back and she agreed to postpone a few important tasks that she had planned for Sunday, letting me go and enjoy my day with buddies, wondering, what these crazy guys do with their bikes every now and then. Line up of beauties at the beauty err beast pageant After so many years of marriage, while continuing to own this…