Society

School is where children learn, play and have their first encounter with the actual world. An informed teacher who encourages curiosity in children can do wonders for students with the proper guidance. A suggestion by a school teacher to attend a curated walk titled ‘ComplexCity’ for a school project led us to a resettlement colony in Mankhurd, Mumbai.  We got to know about the ComplexCity walk by YUVA for the first time through our school teacher, Ms. Deepti, at the Bombay International School. This was possible as she is in touch with various NGOs such as YUVA. The walk's theme, conducted…

“Mine was a happy family – an extremely romantic and loving husband and two adorable kids – a daughter and a son,” says 40-year-old Kiran (name changed) who works as Procurement Head in the Infra industry. “This is what the world saw in photos, on social media, and during outings. What no one knew was that my husband had Bipolar Disorder and Schizophrenia. He had been admitted to the psychiatric ward twice when he was at the peak of his career. I was working hard to make ends meet as bipolar disorder had made my husband go on an excessive…

Fifteen-year-old Srihari from Perungudi started an initiative called Water on the Dot, a youtube video series to educate people on the over-consumption of water. His interest in the subject stemmed from his participation in a water-saving campaign in 2019. The campaign was organised by ReapBenefit, a platform looking to nurture civic problem-solving.  As part of the campaign, a group of youth in Chennai addressed the problem of water shortage by reducing the overconsumption of water in their homes and community. Their investigation revealed that the overconsumption of water while washing hands was due to high flow rates.  By fixing a…

Katta in collegian Marathi refers to a hangout. The Cycle Katta is a platform designed for freewheeling discussions on everything around cycling. It seeks to inspire people by getting phenomenal achievers speak of their feats. It tries to educate them about nuances on health, nutrition, technical aspects and also how public policy looks at their activity. It also aims to build a better network of informed cyclists.  It is a completely volunteer-driven initiative with once a quarter meetings, and depends entirely on the largesse of the society - which stands to benefit if cycling grows - for the physical space…

A 100 years ago, on May 1, Chennai observed May Day for the first time. A function was held in Marina Beach to mark the occasion. This was the first formal celebration of May Day in India. In the decades since, the living conditions of workers in the city has worsened and their rights have been eroded. Labour movements in Chennai have been raising their voice on behalf of the workers to ensure basic facilities and protections are granted to them. We speak with leaders of various labour movements in the city to understand what the workers of Chennai are…

For the first time in Mumbai, an entire stretch of highway has been reserved exclusively for runners and cyclists. The service lane stretch of the Eastern Express Highway between Ghatkopar and its connector to the Airoli bridge, will be barricaded and closed for vehicular traffic between 5 - 7.30 am so that walkers, runners and cyclists can train safely.  The traffic police implemented this measure following a plea from the Eastern Express Highway Runners group. The joint commissioner of police (traffic) Pravin Padwal told The Times of India that the idea was to mitigate risk of vehicular mishaps for fitness enthusiasts…

Trupti and Pravin travelled from Nagpur to Mumbai a day before April 14th. Having not visited Chaityabhoomi for five years, Trupti wanted to pay her respects at the place Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar was cremated before it became crowded with devotees from across the country the next day. It was his 132nd birth anniversary the next day. "We've travelled all day to get here. Please let us in," Trupti pleaded with the security guard of the sanctum sanctorum, who had closed the gate for visitors at around 10:30 pm. Twice a year, on April 14th and December 6th, which marks the…

“Mountains are blessed places,” says Devki (named changed), 49 and mother of a 19-yr old youth, who died of drug overdose three years back. “Yet, there is a worrying side – growing drug abuse by youth, which tends to make Himachal Pradesh like neighbouring “Udta Punjab'', the title given to the drug riven state by a 2016 Bollywood movie. Devki and her family lied to the police while reporting her son’s death, as she doesn’t want to be identified as the mother of an addict, who suffered from withdrawals after his return from rehabilitation. The boy relapsed and succumbed to…

In a city that suffers a relentless monsoon with lightless damp days followed by a fleeting winter which is now marked by grey smog, spring is precious. And spring too is fleeting.  Avenue trees all across the city begin to jewel themselves in a new flush of leaves; coppers, maroons and fluorescent greens. And soon after, the flowers follow;  yellows, reds and purples. With bees buzzing on the crowns of flowering trees and birdsong cutting through the ever present traffic soundscape of the city. Spring in Mumbai is an act of resistance. Overworked, under-rested and always in a hurry, the…

Pritika has to travel from Royapuram to different parts of the city every day for work. Being a daily user of the government buses in Chennai, she says that she feels unsafe taking buses. "When I enter a bus, my dignity and sense of space are immediately taken away. I have to give up on the assumption that I can regulate the space around me. Women's safety in Chennai buses depends on the actions of the men on the bus. All that we can do is learn how to respond to such instances of harassment in public places. More often…