INTERVIEWS

Two years ago, she spoke to Citizen Matters about the legal battle she fought for the Meistripalya lake. It was her determination to protect and preserve open spaces in Koramangala that saw her through. Citizen Matters caught up with Laila Ollapally, now 57, after two years to hear more from her. She has now moved on to being a mediator at the Bangalore Mediation Centre (BMC). Mediation provides a platform for dialogue and cases can be solved through conversations outside court. Laila Olapally - Mediator at BMC. Pic: Laila Olapally Residents are coming together and supporting revival of a lot…

The Boston Marathon qualifier from namma Bengaluru, who stays in Koramangala for over 21 years now, writes on running and fitness. He is now planning to set up a venture that will primarily focus on educating runners on proper running form. He talks about running, inspiration and what goes into it to be a good runner.   What inspired you to run?Like any other youngster, I was more into team games like football, cricket and so forth. But once I started working, I decided to switch from contact to non-contact sports to minimise injuries and yet get a workout. Running, swimming…

Dr Prathibha Vinay is a doctorate in botany, and resident of JP Nagar since 1997. From 2002 onwards she has dedicated herself to promoting medicinal plants. She even planted them at JP Nagar's Dhanwantari park. In 2002, she founded TULSI (Treasure and Utilise the Life Sustaining Ingredients of Nature) an NGO that promotes medicinal plants for health and raises awareness on conservation of such plants. Dr Pratibha Vinay at her residence. Pratibha earned her doctorate degree in Palynology-a super speciality in Botany in 1972. Later she was awarded Post Doctoral Fellowship at Bangalore University -Department of Botany in 1973. In…

“I always knew I would be a writer,” she says sipping her tea. She believes that writing keeps her alive and kicking. By the age of 36, Christina Daniels has authored books like ‘Ginger lemon soda pop’ and ‘I’ll do it my way’. She has worked in Print and Online media. A movie reviewer, and a corporate communicator by profession, she is currently working on a book dedicated to the city that she has seen grow, Bangalore. Christina Daniels holds a BA in communicative english from the Bangalore University and MSc in New Media from London School of Economics and…

Balaji Kutty, 39, a software engineer by profession, has decided to give something back to the society by volunteerting. He volunteers with Association for India's Development (AID), which deals with various issues like Education, Agriculture and Health for almost 10 years now. He believes that his efforts to make a difference in the lives of a few children gives him a kick of inspiration and keeps him going. Balaji Kutty - AID volunteer. Pic: Anisha Nair What do you do as an AID volunteer?I joined AID in 2002 as a part of ‘Joy of Learning' activity. It involves making science…

Anil Kumar, 63 is an RTI activist. A former employee of Indian Telephone Industries in the marketing department, Kumar, today cracks open the government red tape for a better society.Kumar moved to Ejipura in 1994 when it had no roads, no drains and no proper electricity. He filed RTIs to find the reasons behind these pending works. The RTIs of this nature often result in work being completed, because officials were wary of explaining the reasons behind the delay. Anil Kumar, the RTI activist. Pic: Abhishek Angad Kumar believes that the thrust on Sec 4(1)(b) of the act i.e voluntary…

It was one question by a 65-year-old village woman that got Harish Hande to do what he does now. She asked him if he would be able to provide her light before she died?. He lights the bulbs of rural Karnataka and Gujarat. He has achieved great heights in his career in the field of solar energy.He graduated in Energy Engineering from IIT Kharagpur. Then he went to the U.S. to do his Master's and PhD in Energy Engineering from the University of Massachusetts, Lowell. Harish Hande, 45, co-founded SELCO India, a solar energy company, in 1995 and moved to…

Bangalore is known as the suicide capital of India- recording the highest number of suicides, according to the recent data. National Crime Records Bureau 2010 data states that 1778 committed suicide in Bangalore. In such a scenario, support networks and helplines like SAHAI play an important role. SAHAI is run by volunteer counselors responding to distressed callers and talking them out of suicidal thoughts. K K Rajagopal is the person behind SAHAI. A confident and energetic man of 66, this former BHEL employee moved to Bangalore in 1972 and started an electronic business. In 2002, he took the initiative to…

Pic courtesy: Nisha Millet. How do you think your life would be if you developed a fear of water before you were even 6 years old, having fallen into a pond? Well you could end up at the Olympics as a swimmer! That's what Bengaluru-based swimming ace Nisha Millet did. The Olympics don't just happen to you. You work your way to it. Read on.Nisha is one of India's most illustrious swimmers, having won numerous medals at various national and international competitions and went on to become the only Indian woman swimmer at the Sydney Olympics. Since then, only one…

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…