GENRE: Voices

Dario Hidalgo, a leading international expert on public transport systems, was in the city two weeks back to work with the BMTC. He was part of the team that revolutionised bus transport in his hometown Bogota, Columbia, by introducing BRTS (Bus Rapid Transit System). In this exclusive interview with Citizen Matters, Hidalgo says BMTC has a lot to do before it starts its ambitious BRTS project for Bengaluru. He also says that BMTC's BIG-10 buses have the potential to provide service for the entire city - the ordinary fleet can be gradually replaced by using BIG-10 and feeder services.What are…

Shikshana, a non-profit organisation based out of Bangalore, is working towards improving the quality of education in government primary schools by participatory intervention. The representatives talk to the school administration, teachers and students about their opinion on how to make the learning effective. In some schools students are encouraged to perform through incentives. File pic: Padmalatha Ravi This approach is completely alien in a setting where schemes are made at the power centers and the benefits trickle down. ‘I've been working for twenty two years, and this is the first time someone has come asking for what I think', remarks…

Overweight and Obesity are fast emerging as global pandemic. 72% of the most developed country in the world, USA's population is overweight and obese. In India , more than 30 million people are overweight, and the fact that 20% of school going children are overweight, paints a grim picture. In a study conducted in 2007, by Department of Food and Nutrition, Lady Irwin College , New Delhi, revealed 13.1% of affluent schoolgirls in Bangalore are overweight, and 4.3% being obese. According to another study cited by Dr Izhar Hasan, Unani Doctor, Bangalore has 35% overall prevalence rate of Obesity. Obesity…

First it was Aindrita Ray, who was crying on television accusing a veteran director of slapping her and touching her inappropriately. Then it was a seasoned and veteran actress Ramya, weeping on small screen to get her money from a producer who had not paid her dues. Then it was another super actress, Pooja Gandhi who threatened to take a producer to court and complained about harassment and threats to her life from another person in the industry. And more recently Nikitha Thukral, although was not seen crying in public, must have shed plenty of tears in private after receiving…

The world is a small one, in today's age of jet travel, but not many of us can claim to have visited the Poles. Of the two polar regions, Antarctica (the south Pole) still remains largely inaccessible to the whole of mankind. So when the first woman from Bangalore, Priya Venkatesh, visited Antarctica, her trip made for an interesting conversation. Priya, 36, lives in Jayanagar and works for a training company. She is a keen amateur naturalist, and an excellent photographer. Priya Venkatesh in Antartica. Pic courtesy: Priya Venkatesh Why Antarctica?"In school, I used to see the little strip of…

We, the grieving family of Arjun Hari Nair, are writing to set the record straight. My brother, was killed in a hit and run incident at Mekhri Circle. Nothing hurts a family that the suffering and death of a family member could have been prevented and unfortunately, we have confirmation from various sources including the police that his death was not instantaneous. Arjun was a young businessman who was killed in a hit and run case, last month. Pic Courtesy: Mrinalini Nair On Thursday morning, September 15th, Arjun Hair Nair, 28 years old, left a friend's house in Sadashivanagar, and…

That smoking kills is no news. That smoking can cause death to your near and dear ones is also perhaps known to most. That one out of two tobacco users is destined to die is something most of smokers would not wish to know or accept. Yet, this is what World Health organisation says. Out of the six million people who die because of tobacco use, 5 million are users and ex users. Six lakh are those who die of gift of smoke (Second hand smoking) from their near and dear ones. Almost 40 % of children breathe smoke polluted…

"Next question, so why are we celebrating a Spanish festival in the first place? To foster bilateral relations with Spain? Definitely not; because it is loads of tangy fun. The whole idea of the Tomatina festival has been popularised by the Bollywood movie 'Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara'. Haven't you watched it? The next thing you know you'll be asked to leave the country! Go catch it first thing this evening. The movie of course was immensely popular but even more fame was garnered by the sequence of the tomato festival where the three main leads of the movie; Hrithik Roshan,…

The waiting was over! .. after three long years, I boarded the British Airways flight, back home to Namma Bengaluru.  My thoughts now raced to the urban transformation that would welcome me home. Three years is not a long time to expect sea-changes in one's neighbourhood.  But, from what I had heard, I expected to view a few more concrete, ornamental, apartment blocks amidst some marvellous temple towers in modern day Malleswaram.I began to visualise my home city as a ‘motor-driven', ‘rock-king' place, heralding the 21st century charm as well.On the very second day I landed, I couldn't wait, but…

Kannada Actor Darshan's act of domestic violence has been in the news for the past few days. Yes it has not been proven, yes his wife has taken back the case. But the fact is his wife is in a bad shape and is attending court cases with her hand in a cast. The case is pending before the Magistrate. Initial Police inquiry suggests that he attacked her in a moving car. The driver said he didn't see or hear anything because the partition is sound proof. What would you have done had you witnessed this happening while you drove…