Society

What shall he do this summer? That's the question I have been asking myself now that March hits the midway mark. The temptation is to answer, ‘nothing.' But who am I kidding? I am not strong enough to withstand the now near compulsory pressure of having to enrol the tyke in a ‘Summer Camp.' River rafting at Frolic Boonies. Pic: Frolic Boonies These days not fixing up a summer camp is almost like denying your child an important developmental milestone. Doing nothing is no longer an option, almost up there in the banned list as sleeping late.Even if you are…

The words 'Scientific Research Foundation' paints a picture of brightly lit, sterile environment filled with scientists in white overcoats doing important but inaccessible work. It doesn't seem like a place where people from outside the science community can be admitted. But the Vittal Mallya Scientific Research Foundation stands out by making this very space accessible to lay people. Participants at the workshop. Pic: Anisha Nair The foundation was set up in BTM Layout in 1987 so that they can communicate with the people easily about their researches and findings and also keep in touch with the residents of Bangalore.The Vittal…

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…

While summer classes are de rigueur today, the last few years have seen a gradual shift from the art and craft classes to exploring wilderness and hands-on science. Absorbed in activity at Hippocampus. There are established players like Rangashankara that specialise in arts and theatre, and conducting classes for nearly eight years which are still popular with parents and children.Uma Bharath, mother of a 10-year-old daughter who is attending Rangashankara classes, believes that workshops which are rooted in the Indian context or are truly multicultural, will help improve her child's understanding of her own country or another's. Many of the…

Women in Bengaluru are asked to fend for themselves when it comes to protection from sexual harassment. With more working women moving in from other cities, many Paying Guest (PG) accommodation and hostels have come up in areas like Jayanagar and Koramangala. These young women are complaining of sexual harassment closer to where they live.Ankita Mehta, 24, a media employee and a resident of Koramangala says, "we face a lot of harassment problems in our lane, specially because there are fewer street lights working. Also sometimes the our PG caretaker brings a lot of men (friends)inside. We are always in…

Oota from your Thota (OfyT), a programme for organic farming enthusiasts, will be held on March 25th, Sunday, in Malleswaram. The programmes includes lectures and discussions on organic farming, pest control etc. There will also be exhibition and sale of seeds, saplings, gardening accessories, compost bins etc.The event is organised by Malleswaram Swabhimana Initiative (MSI) - the Resident Welfare Association of Malleswaram - along with Garden City Farmers Trust (GCFT), an NGO that promotes organic farming. Citizen Matters is media partner for the event. OfyT was held in BTM Layout last August. File Pic: Yogaraj Mudalgi G Shantaram, Joint Secretary…

Domestic Workers' rights union organised a public meeting in association with support groups Stree Jagruthi Samithi, APSA and Hengasara Hakkina Sangha (HHS) on March 13, 2012. The meeting was held at SCM house, Bangalore. Domestic Workers at the public meeting. Pic: Anisha Nair The meet was organised to address the concerns of the Domestic workers. Around 50 domestic workers came to voice their problems of domestic violence at their homes and workplaces from across the city.The panel of experts comprised of B S Bharathi Devi - Protection officer from Department of Women and child development, Aarti Mundkur - Lawyer, Sudha…

Bengaluru is all set to host its first edition of Film Harvest 2012 starting from March 16, 2012 to March 20, 2012. UB City, The Collection in association with Sublime Galleria presents "Film Harvest 2012" with an aspiration to create an international platform for filmmakers from across the world. Uzma Irfan, Director of Prestige Group, who also serves as the Festival Chairperson, has conceptualised the festival. The film festival will showcase a variety of films ranging from short film to documentaries & full-length features, all made on the theme of Social Responsibility. The film festival will begin with a musical…

Radio has become a constant companion to Bangaloreans, thanks to traffic jams. Radio stations are striving to set themselves apart with clever marketing and different kinds of programmes. Radio Indigo, 91.9 has launched one such programme - Heartline. It was launched on Valentine's day, last month. Heartline is a programme that helps people sort out their personal relationship problems with the help of experts. Dr Shyam K Bhat and presenter Teja host this show. Dr Bhat (MD) is a certified psychiatrist and Integrative Medicine specialist.Dr Bhat believes that Heartline aims to be the programme that speaks to the youth and…

Kala has a beautiful garden outside her house that she wants to protect from pests. She wants to improve her garden and grow lots of fruits and vegetables out there. She came here to learn this "the Organic way".Like Kala, many other people from Bangalore attended the Organic Terrace Gardening (OTG) workshop held at Vittal Mallya Scientific Research Foundation (VMSRF), in BTM Layout II stage. VMSRF is an organisation dedicated to biotechnology research to generate newer products and processes in the field of health-care and agriculture. Palak grown in Organic terrace garden. Pic: Anisha NairAloe Vera at OTG. Pic: Anisha…