PEOPLE

The sight of these posters, stuck all over one surface (and indeed, stuck all over all kinds of surfaces throughout our city) brought home to me that there are many people who live in circumstances very different from home or apartment owners or tenants. The usual demographic of someone who looks for, and lives in, a Paying Guest accommodation is usually someone young, and who has probably landed the first job in this city. The emoluments look very attractive in the small town where that young person may live; but arrival in Bangalore brings them face to face with the…

Vikhyath Mondreti, a class 10 student from Greenwood High International School Bangalore, was part of the winning team in an innovation challenge conducted by the New York Academy of Sciences as part of their Junior Academy program. Through the course of 70 days, students formed virtual teams and worked with STEM (Science-Technology-Engineering-Math) professionals serving as expert mentors. There were 91 teams with participants from 51 countries out of which 3 teams were chosen as winners. These challenges were sponsored by major corporations such as ARM and PepsiCo. Vikhyath’s team won the Biodiversity category in which the participants were required to…

Kong Tailin Lyngdoh, a Khasi lady from Meghalaya, was asked to leave a golf club in Delhi for wearing her traditional dress. She was told that she looked like a Nepali and that her dress made her look like a maid. To highlight this discrimination, the 'My Dress is My Identity' event was organised by the Northeast Solidarity at SCM of India, Bangalore on the 7th of July. The event explored the issue Kong Tailin Lyngdoh faced and discussed solutions on how people from Northeast India can educate fellow Indians about various aspects of their culture, history, and habits including…

In this edition of CTRL Z, listen to Peeyush Sekhsaria. The artist blends his interests and training in architecture, wildlife conservation, environment, photography and drawing into a beautiful body of work that he says has become a 'toolkit to live life more meaningfully'. He also talks about how his visits to Panna Tiger Reserve resulted in the children's book 'Our Tigers Return'. https://soundcloud.com/radioactivecr90-4mhz/ctrl-z-with-architect-environmentalist-and-multi-skilled-artist-peeyush-sekhsaria

In this episode of Colourful Kamanabillu, RJ Shilok speaks with Ananya Raju who shares a little about her life and about her thoughts, feelings and experiences of being bisexual.

Radio Active marked World Environment Day (held on 5 June every year) by inviting some of the most passionate environmentalists and environment activists to share personal stories of change-making and to highlight the importance of the day. RJ Padma Priya interacted with Padma Ashok, founder of the 'Save Tiger First' initiative. When Padma Priya introduced the topic stating that conservation of forests and wildlife is important and needs to be addressed, Padma Ashok went on to speak a little more about the term 'Parisara': “When people think of nature they think of silence, fresh air and that makes them think…

Bangalore city head constable, Suresh, was born and brought up in a village near Bangalore. He joined as a constable in 2000. Suresh shares about how he and his family used to care for animals and birds in his village, and how his love towards them started when he was a child. He further talks about how he got together volunteers to help him in feeding stray animals and birds. His message is one of compassion towards nature and all living beings.

Shajan has worked with companies like MRF, J K Tyre & Industries, Aptech, Quess Corp Limited, and TeamLease. He was, in fact, the youngest State Head for JK Tyre at the age of 29. He also was the one who launched the first MBA Programme in Media and Entertainment with Subhash Ghai’s Whistling Woods International Institute. Shajan has travelled across India, meeting various people. Somewhere along the way he realised that 'the money in the bank, the car you drive and the house you live in don't account for anything. It is about how many people you manage that can…

Priya Dilip, a research scholar in the field of Gender and cultural studies, is originally from what she calls a 'sleepy town' in Kerala. She talks about her childhood, her love of reading, and authors who left an impression on her. She 'recognises' herself in the characters of Alice Munro and sways with Carson McCullers. She has travelled extensively for her doctoral research paper on Devdasis of Kerala, and has many an anecdote to narrate. She also talks about the changing academic sphere, the struggles a woman goes through, and life.  

The best feeling that one can have is the happiness that comes from within. Add to that acceptance by family, and the happiness just expands manifold. Karan Kariappa, the founder of Amour, an LGBTQ+ dating platform, talks about how he met Abdul Rahman Khan. Rahman shares his poetry and talks about his coming out, and about how his family accepted his preferences.