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Three days before I tested positive for COVID in September, I had come down with crippling weakness. I sensed this weakness was something different, not the usual fatigue or exhaustion. I also suffered from pronounced vertigo in this period. I was on medication for vertigo for almost three years. But this combination of weakness and vertigo was something else altogether. A lab technician came home and took the swabs of my nostrils and throat. On learning that I tested positive, my husband and son also took the tests. But their results were negative.  We went to Deenanath Mangeshkar hospital, where…

The COVID-19 pandemic has taken the world by storm. As we near the end of the 2020 chapter, we have spent more than eight months since the lockdown, most businesses remain closed, while some have been shut permanently due to losses. Everyone has lost something or the other in this pandemic. Many have lost their near and dear, while a significant number have lost their jobs and livelihoods; some even called off their dreams. But we never gave up hope, holding on to the belief that there’s always light at the end of the tunnel. As we move ahead, considering…

Over the last few years I have been actively involved in taking up matters related to civic issues, and escalating them to the concerned officials within the state and central administration on a regular basis, whenever needed.  I managed to resolve several issues within a short period of time. But there have been instances where I had to relentlessly follow up with the officials concerned, escalate the matter to higher authorities and take the dialogue to social media to bring about positive change. A nexus between officials, contractors and politicians is to be blamed for widespread corruption within the ranks…

It has been more than seven months now that everyone has been largely confined to their homes. Fall is nearing its end, but COVID is still prevalent. A few days back, the cold and calm breeze of autumn forced me to get out of my comforter and go for a morning walk.  Covering myself from top to bottom and with a mask on, I started walking. The winter sun was shining bright, like an orange and the hazy moon was saying goodbye from the other direction. Birds were chirping, cows were mooing, dogs were barking, people were coughing and monkeys…

We all do whatever it takes to comfort a loved one who is ill. And while such selfless behaviour is what keeps families and friends together, the COVID-19 pandemic has made it necessary to be cautious even while taking care of a loved one who has contracted the virus. So, here are a few simple techniques that can protect you, or other family members and people coming in contact with a COVID-19 patient. Working with Condensation Particle Counter (CPC) and Optical Particle Sizer (OPS) at IIT Bombay. Pic: Ravi Kaushik It is important to understand the ‘why’ before we move…

Last Saturday, on October 24 at 4 pm, about 30 citizen volunteers gathered at Garuda Mall on McGrath road to participate in the “Mask Up Please” campaign. Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) Special Commissioner Randeep D, BBMP Chief Marshal Colonel Rajdeep Singh and a team of marshals also joined the campaign.  During the campaign, Randeep D along with all present took a pledge to wear masks to ensure the safety of others. The pledge reads as follows, I pledge not to leave my house without wearing a mask.I will be a good citizen and take responsibility to wear the mask…

Life has been smooth for Leo, a 7-year-old Rottweiler, who grew up in a comfortable farmhouse in Chittoor. Playing among the unkempt grass that lined the lanes, chasing flies and making friends with the neighbours. However, loss of vision in both eyes last year changed Leo from being a sociable animal to a frightened one – yet, he managed to adapt.  Leo would walk criss-cross to avoid a collision. Despite the restricted movement, vision loss enhanced his sense of hearing and smell, though not enough to save him on bad days. There have been times when a sharp metal object…

Just yesterday Bengaluru reported over 5,000 thousand COVID cases in a single day. For the past few months, the city continues to account for the most number of COVID cases in Karnataka. Bengaluru has crossed 2.5 lakh cases, with a particularly steep rise since June 2020.  Bengaluru has done well in terms of testing, surveillance, containment measures, contact tracing, and scaling up health infrastructure. Hopefully, better regulation on the ground to enforce face masks and social distancing will help bring down numbers as time passes. A false sense of normalcy adds to the problem Since most places have opened up,…

All of us are fed up of reading and listening to news about this dreadful COVID-19 pandemic. Such a small virus has caused such turbulence in the entire world.   None of us ever imagined such a catastrophe would strike us and we will be safe nowhere on the planet! We have heard of natural calamities, wars or even other viral attacks but those would be in certain countries or regions and at least the rest of the world could help the people affected to come out of the difficulties. But, COVID-19 has taken away that option from mankind now. All of…

These tips are all super basic, and you are probably already doing them if you're at all environmentally-minded. But if you're not, then these are simple to practice but large in impact, so we encourage you to start them today. #1 BYOC/BYOB What's BYOC and BYOB? Bring Your Own Container or Bottle wherever you go. Recently, a Beautiful Bengaluru member calculated that his family of four saved forty plastic bottles by carrying their own steel/copper bottles on a five-day vacation. Think of how many you can save! Most people believe that using disposables is okay as long as they use…