SOCIETY

A few rickshaw drivers in the auto stand on Mohankumar Nagar Main Road point towards a shelter for homeless children in Pampa Nagar, when asked where the night shelter in Yeshwanthpur is. No one in the locality of Mohankumar Nagar seems to know that there is a night shelter for the homeless in their area. This is not without reason. After asking around and finally spotting 3rd cross road on Google maps, we manage to find a nondescript building that has ‘16, 3rd cross, Mohankumar Nagar’ written on it, but there is no mention of it being a shelter for…

Being a mommy blogger and more importantly a mother for sometime now, I have realised how many parents find it tougher to raise a child than ever before. On one hand, one is supposed to monitor the child's activities so that he or she is guided in the appropriate path in life. On the other, parents are supposed to allow the child to grow independently and let the growing one celebrate freedom. However, to prevent abuse and to ensure that the child is not misled by people, social media and various other distractions, a parent has to be constantly vigilant…

For the past two years, a group of people have gathered together during Daan Utsav (India's Joy of Giving week) to camp out under the stars. This is so they can experience, to a tiny degree, the realities of homelessness for thousands of people in Bangalore, and million others in India. In 2015, Under the Stars is being held at Indiranagar Club on October 2nd.  What is Under the Stars? Under the Stars is a collaborative platform for NGOs to raise funds and awareness about homelessness. It is a overnight sleep-out in Bengaluru on the night of October 1st and is the first…

She seemingly had it all—the vitality of youth, varied and interesting career choices, a vibrant life, a vivacious personality. Yet she is now no more, after allegedly plunging off a Bengaluru high rise to certain, violent death. Her story is all over the city newspapers now. The question uppermost in peoples' minds (as my own) is why? Why did this bright, beautiful girl feel she had to end it all? To leave behind loved ones who are probably traumatised for life. What spurred her on to do this terrible act?  Today, we (at least most urbanites) live “always-on” lives. We…

“God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, The courage to change the things I can, And the wisdom to know the difference.” The Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) meeting begins with the Serenity Prayer, recited mostly by the booming voices of men. Manjunath (name changed on request), a secretary for one of the Alcoholics Anonymous groups in Bengaluru, sits at the head of the borrowed schoolroom. As 11 am edges nearer, the crowd before him grows from 25 to 30 to nearly 40 people. They trickle in one by one, occasionally in pairs. Manjunath is a recovering alcoholic…

A typical Indian Babu knows no obligations lower than his/her own rank. Rank though s/he may be, s/he will enforce the Golden Rule of Babutopia (GRB): “Kick downwards, lick upwards.” This is also called the Brown Sahib Syndrome; BSS is GRB with a melanin-twist: criticise, trample, kick anything native (read brown), and honour, extol, lick anything foreign (read white). My language is harsh, but it is the reality I see even after all these years of post-colonial, independent India, when we are rather kicking some international butt, even if in a limited sense. Take this episode for instance. A few…

50% women reservation for BBMP council, gimmick or empowerment? Pic: Abhishek Angad Dear Rahul Ji, You breezed in and out of Bengaluru warning the Chief Minister and City Ministers of serious action in case Indian National Congress (INC) loses the BBMP Elections. Good to know that you are talking tough and telling the Ministers who are from Bengaluru City to win or get ready to be axed. There is no doubt whatsoever, that if all the INC MLAs and Ministers from Bengaluru work in the interest of the party, INC will get an absolute majority in BBMP Elections. But at…

Deepika, a transgender and PUCL vice-president, presents a flower pot to Health Minister UT Khader as Ravindra, PD, KSAPS (centre white shirt) looks on. On the left is Simran Sheikh, national programme manager, India HIV AIDS Alliance and Manjula, Board President, Sangama is on the extreme right. Pic: B David “Karnataka will soon conduct a transgender survey and the Health Department will take the lead as it will ensure gender minorities’ access social entitlements and will support them to exercise their constitutional rights,” said Health Minister UT Khader. He was addressing over 200 transgenders, who gathered at the 3rd Transgender…

Should moms be expected to dress like, well, moms? Meaning, they shouldn't look like attractive women, avoid “sexy” clothing, and only wear shapeless outfits and er, those dreaded “mom” jeans. On the other hand, if a mom is comfortable with herself and, her body, shouldn't she wear exactly what she wants? Even if it is to pick up her child from school. Actually, the answer is not so simple. Because sometimes, a mom in sexy, figure-hugging clothing, is considered “inappropriately-dressed” and her parenting skills, called into question. Because sometimes a mom in a sphagetti top and shorts can be considered…

Pic courtesy: Wikimedia Commons Bengaluru-based Centre for Internet and Society has participated in the Expert Committee for DNA Profiling constituted by the Department of Biotechnology in 2012 for the purpose of deliberating on and finalising the draft Human DNA Profiling Bill and appreciates this opportunity. CIS respectively dissents from the January 2015 draft of the Bill. Based on the final draft of the Human DNA Profiling Bill that was circulated on the 13th of January 2015 by the committee, the Centre for Internet and Society is issuing this note of dissent on the following grounds: The Centre for Internet and…