PEOPLE

It is common to see familiar faces at Indian classical music concerts. But it was not familiarity that made me take note of this elderly gentleman. It was clear he was no ordinary rasika. He always sat at the first row with two other familiar faces. He would request specific ragas as is expected of any rasika. But what was unique, was that he was able to recall when that particular raga was sung previously, by which particular artist, at which sabha or when it was sung for the first time by the particular artist. This is what sets apart…

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…

With the increasing water shortage problems in Bengaluru, Ayappa Masagi is today's "Water Gandhi" with solutions to almost every kind of water problem. He is on the mission to increase groundwater tables and construct lakes by collecting rainwater. His mission has got him a mention in the Limca book of records, 2012. Pic Courtesy: Ayyappa Masagi Ayappa Masagi, 55, heads the Rain Water Concepts Private Ltd and Water Literary Foundation. He specialises in coming up with solutions for the increasing need of water in rural, urban and industrial sectors.These foundations run by Ayappa Masagi are involved in charging around 1000…

Enjoy these visual glimpses of the programme held at United Theological College (UTC) on Millers Road, to mark International Women's Day (IWD) 2012. Shahina K K, a popular mediaperson, highlights caste, class, religious and gender discrimination that surfaces during natural disaster relief efforts Veteran journalist Ammu Joseph discusses skewed representation of women in Indian news media LesBiT, a support forum for gender minorities staged an aesthetic and meaningful multilingual performance on the different kinds of social exclusion prevalent in India, currently An image of one of the posters from Our Pictures, Our Words by Laxmi Murthy and Rajashri Dasgupta, (publisher:…

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…

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…

Last month, Kaikondrahalli lake on Sarjapur road had a distinguished visitor, Nobel Prize winner for Economics, 2009, Elinor Ostrom. She was here to see the results of collective action in Bangalore lakes. Dr. Ostrom planting at KK Lake. Pic: Priya Ramasubban. Elinor along with Harini Nagendra, an urban ecology coordinator, ATREE, Bengaluru, has been working to understand when exactly communities step in to conserve. Having heard of citizens initiative at Kaikondrahalli lake, Elinor who was in Bangalore for the Khoshoo Memorial Lecture at ATREE, decided to visit the lake and plant a tree.Citizen Matters caught up with the Nobel prize…

Her journey is one every aspiring technology manager will want in a city that virtually sees a startup a week. She is known in tech circles as co-founder of the start-up Aarohi Communications, which was acquired by Emulex Corporation, a California-based firm. In Bengaluru, a startup's successful acquisition usually means a lot, from a sense of enormous accomplishment at the end of a journey and the beginning of many things new, in addition to just plain becoming wealthier. Shanti Subbaraman did all this as a woman, and while working in urban India. Not easy, most will say. She started her…

She spotted a dying lake, took up the initiative and brought it back to life. Given the opportunity, she would escape to a far away place on a fellowship, to do something she has always loved, writing stories. She seems to have mastered the art of getting books published after she authored 'Get Published!.' From writing short stories, she moved to writing novels and has even translated some of Tamil poet Subramanya Bharathi's works. We are talking about Usha Rajagopalan, 55, Chairperson, Puttenahalli Neighbourhood Lake Improvement Trust (PNLIT.) Usha at the lake premises. Pic: Deepthi M S What made you…