SOCIETY

On the third day of the fast in Bengaluru, more than one thousand citizens gathered at the Freedom Park. The candle light vigil today (April 8th) is expected to bring close to ten thousand people. Veteran theatre personality Bhargavi Narayan extending her support to the movement, on the third day. Pic: Navya P K From April 5th, eminent individuals led by anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare have been campaigning from New Delhi for a powerful and undiluted Lok Pal Bill to deter rampant corruption. In Bangalore, eight citizens went on an indefinite fast at Freedom Park during the week, joining tens…

Starting April 5, citizens in different parts of the country will fast for five days demanding implementation of Jan Lokpal Bill, to fight corruption. The campaign is organised by India Against Corruption, a coalition of NGOs, activists and other social organizations. In Bengaluru, 51-year-old Mahendra Kumar Gandhi, a marketing professional, has gone a step ahead - he plans to go on an indefinite fast until the Bill is implemented. He has decided not to consume water also during the fast.Jan Lokpal Bill is a modified version of the draft Lokpal Bill 2010 mooted by anti-corruption activists. The amended version gives…

From 26th March onwards, thousands of citizens in Karnataka and lakhs all over India under the banner of ‘India Against Corruption (IAC)' will hold a series of campaigns that will converge into a final ultimatum to the Central govt. on April 5th in the form of a fast unto death by revered social activist Shri Anna Hazare. In Bengaluru, on 26th March, citizens will come together to launch Dandi March II, a non-violent protest against lack of willingness of Central Govt. to ACT against CORRUPTION. Acknowledging Loksatta party's strong support to this patriotic movement, Karnataka Loksatta party President, N S…

When Thomas Raja, better known as Auto Raja narrates the story of his life, it seems straight out a movie. After becoming an alcoholic and a petty criminal at the young age of 16, he resorted to stealing things from his own home to fulfill his craving for alcohol. He even pawned his mother's silk sarees and her mangalasutra and acknowledges that he single-handedly brought disrepute to his family and almost ruined them financially due to his behaviour. Raja in action during one of his rescue operations. Pic courtesy: Auto Raja. His father, a telephone lineman threw him out of…

I was alright with the tokenism of International Women's day. A few political statements, some well intentioned but ill-thought out schemes announced to mark the day - that I could live with. But today's women's day celebrations bother me. In its hundredth year, it has become the biggest gimmick of consumerism. Every single business out there gets set to woo women. ‘Celebrate your womanhood' hoardings scream, mailboxes and phones are flooded with every kind of offer. Beauty salons, cosmetic companies, clothing companies, shoes, lingerie shops, restaurants and even hospitals have offers. What's wrong you say?  All these celebrations are targeted…

Over the past two weeks, Citizen Matters caught up with four of this year's Namma Bengaluru award winners for quick tete a tetes. The awards were given on February 3rd to ten deserving Bangaloreans at the Bangalore Palace.   Award winners and jury members at the Namma Bengaluru award ceremony. Pic: Yogaraj S Mudalgi VASUDEV ADIGA(Entrepreneur of the year) Entrepreneur of the year Vasudev Adiga, his award from Lokayukta Santhosh Hegde. Pic: Yogaraj S Mudalgi K N Vasudev Adiga, Managing Director of Adigas Fast Food Pvt Ltd started with a darshini in 1993 serving delicious food at affordable prices and…

It was a day to remember the nine lives lost and 70 others who were injured in the fire that broke out at Carlton Towers, Indiranagar on 23rd February 2010. A memorial service was organised exactly one year later at the Manipal Hospital auditorium by Beyond Carlton, a trust founded by Uday Vijayan. Vijayan is father of one of the victims, Akhil Uday. The trust carries on fire safety awareness initiatives at public places and educational institutions to prevent another fire like the one that broke out in Carlton Towers. Lighting the lamp, with a loss felt deeply. Pic: YM.…

Suhas Gopinath who founded online portal designing company Globals Inc Private Limited at the age of 14,  Children's Movement for Civic Awareness (CMCA) an NGO which aims to bring about civic awareness through youth, Bangalore City Traffic Police for their continued efforts to regulate the traffic of abngalore and Srilakshmi Goru, a long distance swimmer are a few of the 21 finalists for the Namma Bengaluru Awards 2011. Gopinath started Globals Inc Private Limited, a company that develops portals at the age of 14 and started his foray by building Coolhindustan.com. A release from the Namma Bengaluru Foundation, organiser of…

A coalition of 18 civil society organizations in Bengaluru - which had organized the ‘Saaku' campaign on December 11 - is holding a campaign ‘India Against Corruption' on January 30. As part of this, rallies will be held across Bengaluru and 27 other cities on the day, demanding effective anti-corruption laws and passing of the Jan Lokpal Bill. (Earlier Saaku coverage.) Rally details Sunday, January 30, 2011 at 10:30 am STARTS: Mahatma Gandhi Statue, Chinnaswamy Stadium Campus, MG Road ROUTE: MG Statue to Kanteerva Stadium and gathering at MG Statue Vijay Dwivedi 99014-55685 and Soma Shekar 89710-49348 Jan Lokpal bill,…

The Namma Bengaluru Awards, set up by the Namma Bengaluru Foundation (NBF), in its second edition has recieved a massive 10,463 nominations, says a release by the foundation on Tuesday, January 11th. This is an increase of more than 150% since last year.   One of the nominations was sent in by Narasingh, visually challenged by birth. He sent it in Braille format for Dr V Ashok Kumar, an Ayurvedic doctor. Nomination forms had been made available at more than 133 retail outlets of Food World, Bangalore One, Coffee Day, and CUPPA across the city. Jury members. From right to…