Society

Let me confess something first. I might have written books for kids, but till now hadn’t interacted with them much. Not the ones who are in the 9-13 years of age. Actually, not many at all. For writing, I had used the kid inside me. So when I committed myself to doing detective workshops at schools with Bookaroo, I had a whole week of sleepless nights! If I haven’t handled one kid, how would I deal with 100+? Would they get the mystery I had created? Would they like solving it? Would they be bored and fidgety? My first workshop…

"A success story from your own city. For 2014, please make this your calendar, all you corporates, entrepreneurs and business leaders from Bangalore. I assure you that all the skimpy models, the invasive flowers AND the exotic cagebirds will be happy you made this choice." - Bijoy Venugopal, Journalist at Yahoo PNLIT has recently released its desk top calendar for 2014. The calendar features world standard photographs of 12 different birds, one to delight you every month of the year. All the photographs have been taken at Puttenahalli Lake in JP Nagar 7th Phase, Bangalore, by our local photo-enthusiasts, the PNLIT…

"A success story from your own city. For 2014, please make this your calendar, all you corporates, entrepreneurs and business leaders from Bangalore. I assure you that all the skimpy models, the invasive flowers AND the exotic cagebirds will be happy you made this choice." - Bijoy Venugopal, Journalist at Yahoo PNLIT has recently released its desk top calendar for 2014. The calendar features world standard photographs of 12 different birds, one to delight you every month of the year. All the photographs have been taken at Puttenahalli Lake in JP Nagar 7th Phase, Bangalore, by our local photo-enthusiasts, the PNLIT…

As part of my “bite series”, I want to focus on the beginning – where it all starts. So, are dogs born biters or do they become biters? Do they learn to bite as they grow or are they born biters who learn not to bite? This question is a bit twisted. It’s like asking if a human learns to grasp another’s hand and break it or if a human is born with that knowledge. Most humans are born with opposable thumbs. They do have innate ability to grasp that they quickly learn to use in different situations. Depending on…

As part of my “bite series”, I want to focus on the beginning – where it all starts. So, are dogs born biters or do they become biters? Do they learn to bite as they grow or are they born biters who learn not to bite? This question is a bit twisted. It’s like asking if a human learns to grasp another’s hand and break it or if a human is born with that knowledge. Most humans are born with opposable thumbs. They do have innate ability to grasp that they quickly learn to use in different situations. Depending on…

On 23rd November 2013, PNLIT had the opportunity to be at the first Baldwin Business & Career Fair, an initiative pioneered by my school alumni, the Baldwin Alumni Association - for Baldwinians, by Baldwinians (Baldwin Boys & Baldwin Girls). Special thanks to Major Goverdhan (from the organising team) who persuaded me to come down to Bangalore for this.   One of the primary objectives of this event, which is planned to be periodically held, is to create an interactive platform where eminent Baldwinians, industry leaders can inspire and mentor the high school and graduating students as they begin to make critical…

On 23rd November 2013, PNLIT had the opportunity to be at the first Baldwin Business & Career Fair, an initiative pioneered by my school alumni, the Baldwin Alumni Association - for Baldwinians, by Baldwinians (Baldwin Boys & Baldwin Girls). Special thanks to Major Goverdhan (from the organising team) who persuaded me to come down to Bangalore for this.   One of the primary objectives of this event, which is planned to be periodically held, is to create an interactive platform where eminent Baldwinians, industry leaders can inspire and mentor the high school and graduating students as they begin to make critical…

In popular imagination the Vindhyas represent the boundary between north and south India. In the case of music, that boundary while far more diffuse inarguably runs through Karnataka. While Dharwad, Hubli and Belgaum in the northern parts of the state have spawned Hindustani musicians such as Bhimsen Joshi and Gangubai Hangal, Bangalore and Mysore in south Karnataka have been nurturing grounds for Carnatic musicians. The Mysore school of music has produced several renowned Carnatic musicians from veena vidwans such as Veena Seshanna, Mysore Doraiswamy Iyengar to violinist Chowdiah and the present-day violinists (brothers) Mysore Nagaraj and Mysore Manjunath to name…

In popular imagination the Vindhyas represent the boundary between north and south India. In the case of music, that boundary while far more diffuse inarguably runs through Karnataka. While Dharwad, Hubli and Belgaum in the northern parts of the state have spawned Hindustani musicians such as Bhimsen Joshi and Gangubai Hangal, Bangalore and Mysore in south Karnataka have been nurturing grounds for Carnatic musicians. The Mysore school of music has produced several renowned Carnatic musicians from veena vidwans such as Veena Seshanna, Mysore Doraiswamy Iyengar to violinist Chowdiah and the present-day violinists (brothers) Mysore Nagaraj and Mysore Manjunath to name…

Not so early in the morning, I look down from my third floor apartment. There’s a lady sweeping the dead-end road. I know her, though I don’t know her name. She wears the official BBMP coat and she collects garbage from each of the apartment building. Sometimes I see her, while walking, from a car and smile and wave at her. She smiles back. A beautiful, cheery smile, but with an edge of self-consciousness. As if unused to be smiled at. As if unacknowledged as a human by those who live in apartments. (Pic for representation only. Can’t find the…