~ Future of transportation: Lilium ~

This week, Lilium Jet, successfully completed its maiden flight in Bavaria. So what's special about it? Well, it happens to be "world's first electric vertical take-⁠off and landing jet". While most technology companies are looking at disrupting the transport sector with automated cars, the implementation / realisation of the project has been hindered for various reasons in many cities after initial test runs. 

The Market

As many cities, in the developing countries, have been expanding inorganically due to lack of town planning or sustainable policies from governments & transportation department; the chaos can be very much experienced by everyone who is living or visiting the city. One such city is Bangalore, the valley of South Asia. Anyone who has stayed here for a month or more can relate to the traffic snarls across the town. 

The Disruptors

Compared to other cities in India, Bangalore has decent public transportation system via state-run BMTC & limited Namma Metro coverage. We have on-demand cab & rickshaw hailing services from Uber & Ola. To that, add all types wheelers - 2, 3, 4 & 6 - both the private & commercial vehicles, on the roads of Bangalore. This creates enough chaos which throws life out of gear for moving from Place A to Place B. I feel any new means of urban road transportation will not solve the problem for a population of 8.42 Million people, due to the lack of infrastructure & bad planning. 

Metro

Even though the implementation of metro is challenging considering the hurdles of land acquisition & terrain, it offers a more economical option to carry more number of people in the cities.

Electric Jet

Lilium, an electric jet, that can do a vertical take-off and landing could be the key disruptor in not just urban transportation in developed & developing countries. This jet can solve the transportation problem as it doesn't need much infrastructure to land & take-off making it a viable on-demand service. The USPs of Lilium (source: lilium.com): 

Here is the maiden flight of Lilium that happened on 20th April 2017.

~ AIR Bengaluru | FM station ~

I was only aware of the AIR (Android) app through which I used to listen to Raagam station. Thanks to Harsha's tweet I got to know that All India Radio (AIR), Bengaluru also broadcast their radio stations on internet. 

Two options:

1. Listen to below stations on AIR Bangalore site 

2. Via Playlist - Have created a playlist of all the above stations, which allows easy switching of stations while commuting / working, without having to visit web-browser. Import the playlist in iTunes or VLC & you are set to stream. Download the playlist file.

~ Killing time in Bangalore traffic ~

I lose (spend) 3 hours of my day in Bangalore traffic. That's significant amount of time for me. Here are some ways I kill (utilise) time while commuting in office shuttle. 

1. Read a book - kindle fits the need
2. Listen to music - if I need to relax
3. Talk to friends - helps me keep connected with friends regularly.
4. Twitter - mostly evenings
5. Sleep - if too tired
6. Youtube Offline - Dev Talks, TED, Documentaries, John Oliver, NewsLaundry, etc
7. News / Blogs - Mostly aggregate content on Pocket. 
1. Pocket - really cool app if you are an avid reader. 
2. Medium, has some great content too.

If you are an urban commuter in Bangalore or elsewhere, who happens to spend gruelling hours travelling in traffic then I would like to know how do you kill your time?

~ James Kingston | Don't look down ~

The risks urban climbers take to scale new heights. This documentary by Channel 4 captures the life of, James Kingston, an urban climber from the UK.

If you didn't know, James Kingston did hang atop a crane at Ulsoor Lake, Bangalore last August.

You can watch the Bangalore video here 

~ Bangalore commute ~

Has been 2 years & 6 days since I changed my job & that's how my date with Whitefield started. It has changed my daily lifestyle from my previous job. 

Earlier, my commute was 3kms to my workplace with an average of 5 minutes (via bike). Now, it takes an average time of 75 mins (via company shuttle) to reach office, covering 25 kms with 10 pick-up points doing North Bangalore darshan.

The journey to home gets even better in the evening based on when I exit office

1. 5pm shuttle will take an average of 90 minutes to reach Hebbal
2. 7pm shuttle will take an average of 110 minutes to reach Hebbal
3. 9pm shuttle will take an average of 65 minutes to reach Hebbal

On rainy days, one requires 45 minutes to just cross Whitefield & Mahadevpura area. In a nutshell, here is my commuting timecard:

     

     Mornings = 6 hours 25 minutes / week

     Evenings = 8 hours 33 minutes / week 

     Total Commuting per day = 2 hours 55 minutes (3 hours round off)

     Total Commuting per week = 15 hours

Assuming that I went to work for 202 days in a year (i.e. deducting 50 days for Leaves & Work From Home) then the total commuting hours sums up to 606 hours (25 days). 

So, I loose 25 days of my life in Bangalore traffic every year discounting weekend commuting :)

I had thought of writing this article last year but that never materialised. Today, after reading this article The upside of living in the cities with the worst commutes, it motivated me to compute the hours I loose in commuting.

Am still better off than the Urban American who is spending 40 hours commuting every week. But, imagine the total number of hours wasted by all of us in traffic jam. Companies should pro-actively need to adapt remote work for better work-life balance & productiveness of their employees.

Here is my list of longest commutes in Bangalore.

Would like to hear how much time you spend commuting to work in Bangalore or which ever urban city you live in.

~ TATA Sky Customer Care ~

If you are TATA Sky subscriber in India you must have seen their promos / teasers of the upcoming upgrade to their network. I happened to be one of the customers who suffered with the loss of channels - HD, news, regional.

Registered a complaint on 4th April 2015 and happened to wait for the technician to visit. I did give 4 days before calling the Customer Support & stating that no one had visited us. They said that a technician will be sent in the next couple of days. 

Eventually, the technician calls on 11th April when we were away from home and hence requested him to drop by at 17:00hrs. As he didn't turn up, called him to check when he would be visiting. He stated that he wouldn't be able to do much as it was raining (whole evening in Bangalore) and would visit on 12th April.

12th April goes by and he doesn't show up nor answers the phone. 

This is where things getting repetitive:

1) Wait for 20+ mins to get through the IVR process to speak with an (CSR) Customer Support Representative in Mohali, Punjab

2) Appraise them the situation

3) CSR apologies for the inconvenience caused & states we shall send the technician before next day.

4) *Hope* that technician shall visit :)

13th April

As usual, no show from the technician till 8pm. Repeat Step 1-4

14th April

No show once again. Me & wifey repeat Step 1-4. 

15th April

No show once again. Argument with Wifey because she had preferred Airtel over TATA Sky when we were deciding on the DTH connection.Can't even get out due to 12 month subscription which ends in 2016. Me & wifey repeat Step 1-4. 

16th April

No show once again. Repeat Step 1-3. Escalate the matter to Sr CSR & then escalate the matter to Floor Manager (FM). FM says we have a ticket closed that a technician had visited. Was surprised to hear that. Asked Floor Manager, if that be the case then why would I be calling the Customer Support again? Also asked for reference number or acknowledgment for technician's visit. No proof for the visit, FM guarantees that technician will definitely come tomorrow and problem will be resolved.

17th April

Shit hits the fan. Me & wifey are both frustrated & angry that they aren't able to send a technician. When the CSR spoke, asked him to put through to FM directly. Asked the FM, is he sending me a technician from Mohali & should I book a train ticket? He says sorry for the inconvenience caused we are looking into the matter. I stated, "you have been looking into the matter for 13 days without any resolution. Again the same guarantee every other day". This time I took the call reference numbers which I could use in the future.

Then I got an idea, why not find email of TATA Sky CEO, board members or other TATA subsidiaries. Next 30 minutes was spent on LinkedIn and TATA corporate site to get the details. Then sent the below email to various people from different subsidiaries of TATA across globe.

18th April, 12:30pm

Checked my inbox at to see if I have received any response from the CEO. Pleasantly surprised to see that CEO had indeed responded the same night.

Replied back immediately.

Post that email, the action began. Received a call from Mr Das and assured that the problem will be resolved by evening.

At 4pm, receive a call from technician. He resolves the problem in 15 minutes. I tell him that I had to reach the CEO to get this matter resolved. Then he tells me that he had visited another Customer's home the previous day which was again a CEO escalation ticket.

Now you see the pattern. I feel that the main problem here is lack of communication & coordination between Customer Support in Mohali and various nodal centers across the country. 

Wonder if every customer needs to reach out to the CEO of TATA Sky for resolving their issues? I don't know the answer but that definitely worked for me, this time. 

If you are facing similar issue then you know what to do. The entire experience with TATA Sky Customer Support definitely wasn't Jinga La La.

~ Spidermen in Bangalore ~

A tale of two men who scaled buildings around Bangalore in August.  

Jyotiraj alias Kothirama alias Spiderman, on 17 August was detained by Cubbon Park police for climbing the 22-storey V. V. Towers & hoist the tricolour on his birthday. Though there is no video of him scaling the towers. Enjoy the video of him made by Vocativ. 

On 19 August, James Kingston known as the “English Spider-Man” posted a video of him scaling a 325-foot crane in Bangalore on a construction site without any harness and dangling one-handed over the traffic below. 

Via: Newsminute NYDailyNews

~ Trust ~

Trust, a belief which one has in someone or something. Trust isn't natural. It takes sufficient time to develop trust in people or brand or company. The only relationship where it is natural is between a Mother and Child.

Trust is an invisible thread in our daily lives. We don't take much cognisance of it, but very much there in every aspect of our lives. Right from Family, Domestic Help, Teachers, Drivers, Colleagues & Friends. Last but no the least, religious people have their trust in {invisible} GOD. The trust with all those individuals didn't happen over night, it was gradually built over a period of time.

One such relationship which is very key & essential to the development of child to an successful individual is that of Student and Teacher. The Teacher plays a major role in the over-all development of a kid in the formative years of school. Of-course kids do imbibe & learn a lot from their parents and extended families. Teacher may primarily be responsible for imparting knowledge for growth and development of a student. At times they can also be a role model for some.

If you are wondering what is this post all about? Am ranting about Trust, Student-Teacher relationship., etc. Well it is my anger and frustration at the Teachers & Management of VIBGYOR HIGH school on Varthur-Haralur Road, near Kundalahalli Gate, Bangalore. Two teachers raped a 6 year old girl in the school premises on July 1st. Yes, you read it right, two teachers RAPED a 6 YEAR OLD girl. Apparently her parents realised it only after 3 days past the incident, when a stranger called them up to check on the girl. Until then her parents were treating her for stomach ache & fever. 

It is very horrific incident for a 6 yr old & the turmoil her parents are undergoing. She didn't known what happened with her at school & never told to her parents about it. Her innocence is shown when she asks her mother this.

"Momma, Papa is not bad, na?" asked Rhea, 6, after she narrated to her mother what had happened to her in a dark room in her VIBGYOR HIGH school upmarket school in East Bangalore.

"The child revealed nothing to her parents, but the trauma showed up in the form of stomach ache and intermittent fever in the following week." 

"Her parents would have been in the dark if not for a call from a stranger on July 9, asking why the child was not attending school." "It was a woman doctor at a private hospital in Marathahalli who educated the parents about the vaginal tear and the reasons for the child's stomach ache. She told them Rhea had been sexually assaulted. Till then, the child was being treated for high fever, though she had been complaining to her mother about pain in her private parts."

Finally the case was taken up on July 14th.

"She spoke about the harassment by two male staff in the school. Her mother was shocked. The sexual assault was confirmed after the parents took the kid to a private hospital on July 11, after fighting among themselves whether to believe what she had told them or not," says Radha R of the special juvenile police unit, Association for Promoting Social Action (APSA), who took up the case on July 14 , soon after the father rang up the childline."

Even after so much evidence, the school authorities haven't owned their failure in handling the entire matter nor have they helped identify and handover the culprit teachers. The cops haven't helped in anyway to expedite the case and arrest the guilty. Bangalore cops might have been doing good off-late, but then they have been sloppy and insensitive in this particular case. They have made the 6 yr old undergo medical tests twice. WTF! is wrong with you guys???

"In gross violation of norms governing child abuse cases, the child rape survivor was put through medical tests twice. The 6 year-old was allegedly raped in her school on July 2.

On July 11, the child underwent the first medical test in a private hospital in Marathahalli.

On July 15, police took the child to Vaidehi Medical College and Hospital for another test. “Police said the case would get stronger if the medical test was done in a hospital under their jurisdiction, which is ridiculous,'' said a child-rights activist who is with the parents. No Child Welfare Committee (CWC) member was present at either test."

Today, a lot of parents who send their kids to VIBGYOR school and citizens came forward to protest against the school and demand the police to arrest the culprits. Not really sure what our Chief Minister & Home Minister are doing about the whole situation. There have been 3 rapes reported in the last 5 days. 

The number of people who turned up should sound alarm to those are in power should not take us for granted.

~ Photos by my friend Venkat ~

Also Times of India, when they first reported this case they clearly stated *VIBGYOR HIGH* school. Now, they have been masking the name of the school, stating *UPMARKET*.  Is this journalistic practice?

The little girl's *Trust* has been broken. Not really sure if she would ever trust a Teacher in the coming years. Hope she recovers soon from trauma & gets back to normal. At the same time, citizen of this city and country have lost faith in GOVERNMENT, POLITICIANS & POLICE. 

~ Mission statement on VIBGYOR HIGH ~

Mr Rustom Kerawalla, chairman of VIBGYOR HIGH, just putting up mission statement on your website isn't good enough. Please walk the talk and reach out to the parents. Also hand over all the teachers who were responsible for the entire episode - the rapists and those who helped cover up the matter.

Additional reading (ordered by date)

Man abducts 6-year-old from school, rapes her
Cops question two suspects, hold identification parade
Sexual assault on girl came to light after stranger called mom
Cops flout rule, test 6-yr-old girl twice
Sexual assault on girl came to light after stranger called mother

Updates

21 July 2014 | Skating instructor arrested for the 6 yr old rape.
Deccan Herald
TOI - Looks like TOI has kind of pact with the school that they don't publish the name of the school - VIBGYOR HIGH

30 July 2014 | Another twist in the tale. Mustafa, the skating instructor arrested might not be the culprit. Instead two other instructors have been arrested in the case. However, Mustafa is alleged to have committed a rape of a 14yr old girl in Deen's academy, the school were he worked prior to joining VIBGYOR HIGH.
Deccan Herald

5 Aug 2014 | The Union Human Resource Development (HRD) Ministry has asked the Council of Indian School Certificate Examination (CISCE) to furnish a detailed report on the rape of a primary school student within the premises of a High School in Bangalore last month. The Hindu

~ Alternate energy ~

BMTC debuts with India's first electric bus. Here are some stats:

1. The bus is made by the Chinese Auto maker BYD Auto
2. 4 ferrous batteries generate 540 volts of electricity
3. Can cover 250kms in single charge, with a max speed of 96km/hr
4. Takes 5 hours to charge normally & half time for a supercharge

Image source: Ibtimes


In the second news, Madhya Pradesh debuts with India's largest solar power plant. Here are some stats:

1. Is the largest capacity presently under execution in a single location, both in India as well as the entire Asian continent
2. The solar plant is one of the largest solar plants in the world spread across 800 acres of barren terrain.
3. 216,372 tonnes of carbon will be mitigated annually.
4. The plant is expected to cater to power needs of 6.24 lakh homes in the state.
5. The 151 (DC) MW project operated by Welspun Energy Limited (WEL)

~ Namma Nimma Metro ~

It will be a year next month, when the nation took to the streets to protest the rape of a girl in Delhi. From then to now, rapes haven't stopped nor the harassment towards women. The change has been that women have begun to report and file complaints. 

On Oct 12 we had an incident in Bangalore when a girl boarded the Metro. The hapless student didn't find any help from the fellow patrons, security guards or the police, except for one lady. Thanks to the CCTV on board of metro which captured the faces of the culprits and yesterday two men surrendered to police, while the other two are still at large. 

The police have slapped section 509 of the IPC on these men. 

Akhilesh and Ajay were slapped with section 509 of the IPC - which says "word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman". But police justified slapping the section, saying the "crime is not of serious nature".

"It was just for fun. They have no criminal background for us to slap more stringent sections of the criminal law," said DCP (East) PS Harsha. The DCP stated that the youths were asked to resign their jobs after the incident came to light via TOI

I feel Section 509 is good enough, if effectively applied by the law of the land. What does 509 mean:

509. Word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman.-- Whoever, intending to insult the modesty of any woman, utters any word, makes any sound or gesture, or exhibits any object, intending that such word or sound shall be heard, or that such gesture or object shall be seen, by such woman, or intrudes upon the privacy of such woman, shall be punished with simple imprisonment for a term which may extend to one year, or with fine, or with both. via IndianKanoon

If they are punished for up to an year then it should set an example. I doubt our police or law will subject these men to such a long term. 

Just saw this short film by Anurag Kashyap, "That day after everyday" touches the subject of eve teasing and molestation of women in daily life. 

The movie is a depiction of what women undergo in day across any Metro in India. The problem is far more deep rooted in the society. You can't just classify that outsiders vs insiders are doing this. I think in every city women face the common problem & it doesn't matter from which part the men come from.

One just has to observe and you will notice how women are under preying eyes of men across the workplace, local food joints, public spaces, etc. 

The change begins at home and people around you. The way Boys are brought up at home definitely makes a difference to how they grow & behave as Men in their lives. If you are a parent to a young boy then please instill some values as they grow, it would make our cities a better place to live for the women.

~ No water ~

A month ago there was an article on FirstPost which became the talking point for many at my workplace. Eventually, I wrote a lengthy post on the same subject which I had been following for more than 5 years. H2O is an essential entity for sustenance of all the living species - flora & fauna.

~ View on instagram ~

From then to now, the Summer hasn't been that hot in Bangalore. However, the place I live in hasn't had water supply for 5 days now. For the first time, I have seen water tankers ferrying water to homes in the neighbourhood. Unlike the New Bangalore or Greater Bangalore areas which do not have water supply from BWSSB & depend on private water supply. Sourcing water from private operator isn't common around this part of town, where we are used to constant flow of Cauvery water for the past 25+ years. The situation is alarming and should be cause of concern for all of us who are living in the city. 

Sample some of the news from TOI this week,

The storage as on Wednesday will ensure that taps in Bangalore and Mysore don't go dry for 8-10 days, sources told The Times of India. If by then there's no rain, the situation could turn grim. Reason: There are no preparations made to use water classified as 'dead storage' in irrigation parlance. "We can use that water. But we require heavy duty pumps to get the water to flow out. These are made-to-order pumps and require at least 45 days to put the infrastructure in place. No homework has been done on this front, and now, there's no time," sources explained.

According to the above source both the cities, Mysore & Bangalore, are at risk. 

The crisis, in fact, is already on the doorsteps of Mysore city. The pumping station at Hongahalli remained switched off till Tuesday. The Hongahalli pumping station, which draws water for Mysore, cannot draw water from the KRS, as the storage level remained as low as 39 inches, Venkatraju revealed. He said only further release of water from Hemavathy can get this pumping station resume.

The only source of water for Bangalore city other than the Cauvery river, the Tippagondanahalli (TG Halli) reservoir too is in no state to come to the city's rescue. Though moderate pre-monsoon showers are pushing up water level in Tippagondanahalli (TG Halli) dam up to 11 feet, due to rapid evaporation water level is receding to five feet, making any pumping of water impossible. BWSSB stopped drawing water from TG since November. More here

If the ground reality at the dams are that bad. Not sure what plans does our newly elected Chief Minister have up his sleeve to solve {or avert} water crisis.

One cannot have a quick-fix solution for such a problem. There needs to be planning, co-ordination & execution from various departments. Am not aware if we have any such Department or Ministry related to Town / City / Urban planning that does any work for holistic growth of our city. Bangalore has expanded very rapidly in the last 8 years & continues to do. When BWSSB can't plan & provide water for the existing areas under their jurisdiction. It shall only remain a distinct dream for all those new townships and gated communities that are mushrooming around the Old Bangalore. 

We may not have war between Mysore & Bangalore in the coming weeks. But those of you investing Crores of rupees in properties, do check if you will have sufficient water in the years to come.

Also, conservation of water doesn't happen over a festival or an IPL tournament. One gotta save every drop everyday. Good Night!

~ Vote maadi ~

Citizens of Karnataka, do step out & vote tomorrow. Agreed that not every constituency is being contested by candidates you wish to support. However, it is important to cast your vote. 

Those of you who are part of Hebbal constituency please show your support for Sridhar. Why Sridhar Pabbisetty?

• Educated - MBA from IIM Bangalore, BE Computer Science from Bangalore University has resigned from his coveted post of Chief Operating Officer of the Centre for Public Policy, IIM Bangalore.
• Aspiring to bring transparency & accountability in a system which is known to pass the buck from pillar to pillar
• Has keen interest in the public policy which focuses on advancing the research in the areas of inclusive education, enhancing employability, better waste management.

You can read more about his Credentials & Experience. 

B.PAC has a list of manifestos from all the parties. If you wish to read them check here.

If you want better Bangalore then NOW is the time! Vote maadi

~ War for Water ~

Am not sure who the F*$k should be blamed for this - Will Bangalore have to be evacuated by 2023?

“The Government of Karnataka will have to evacuate half of Bangalore in the next ten years, due to water scarcity, contamination of water and diseases.”

Bangaloreans would do well not to dismiss Balasubramanian’s peep into the future as an exaggeration of a worried mind. It is corroborated by the lab results at the Public Health Institute, and the Department of Mines and Geology of the Karnataka government. The results reveal that 52 per cent of the borewell water, and 59 per cent of tap water in Bangalore, is not potable and contain 8.4 per cent and 19 per cent E.coli bacteria respectively.

The reason: the groundwater in at least half of Bangalore is contaminated with sewage water. In 1790, a British captain had described Bangalore as the land of a thousand lakes. Today less than 200 of those 1000 lakes remain and are no more than sewage tanks. The sewage water contaminates the ground water and percolates into the borewells.

Absolutely lack of town/city planning coupled with disorganised growth across various parts has changed the face of Bangalore. What was once known as 'Garden City' or Pensioners' Paradise has turned into a dysfunctional metropolis, due to the lack of vision & concern for the city by the those who are elected to govern.

There are lot of woes which citizens of Bangalore are facing. After the being held for ransom at the hands of Land & Garbage Mafias, we will see the rise of Water Mafia. We are seeing Apartment mushrooming across the new areas of Bangalore - Marathalli, Sarjapur, Whitefield, Electronic City, Kanakapura Road, Tumkur Road, Hebbal, North Bangalore, Outer Ring Road - & also some of the builders are taking over factories or mills and converting them into townships - Mantri Mall, Brigade Gateway. I have always wondered how can the Real Estate Developers provide water for so many families who form the community in such town ships.

For the purpose of statistics, if we assume that an apartment has 3 members. Then the average water flushed = 9 times {3 per person} with 3 lts flush tanks = 27 lts. Now assume that an average township would have about 500 Apts, then the water being flushed per day equates to 13500 lts. Add to this we have 4 Wheelers which are on rise across India & on a average 5000 cars are washed everyday sending  3,75,000 litres of water down the drain.

The place I live in is better off with Cauvery water being provided on alternate days. Am sure that there are many of them living in layouts, apartments, town-ships & gated communities who are all dependent on ground water for sustenance, as BWSSB does not provide water. That's where the Water Mafia steps in. They charge anywhere between 500-800 INR {$10-$16} per tanker depending on where you live in Bangalore. Even if BWSSB aspire to do QUENCH the thirst of 8 million inhabitants, they simply cannot. Due to the fact that Karnataka hasn't had a good monsoon last year & the rivers - Arkavathi, Hemavathy, Shimsha, Cauvery - which are responsible for feeding Bangaloreans are in dire straits this year.

Even the Water Mafia will not be able to supply for long, as the ground water levels are depleting rapidly as everyone is sucking from the same water-table. Not sure how many {people living here & those governing the boards} of us really worry or care to think about such crisis looming over our future. This is definitely a CAUTION considering the fact that rivers are National resources which need to be shared amongst different States. Going by Karnataka's history w.r.t water sharing with our neighbouring States; except for Goa, we have had issues with the remaining states { Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala } at one point or another. As Maharashtra is already reeling under severe draught & according to the Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Center, the forecast for KA doesn't look good.

Am all for holistic planing & growth of the City or the State or the Country. If we do not have a sense of how to utilize natural resources & sustain them or If the Government cannot encourage businesses to operate from various parts of the state than just the capital of a State then who else can be blamed for this but us.

Evacuation might not happen, but War for Water amongst ourselves is a possibility in the years ahead. Use it responsibly. Educate your family, friends, colleagues, et al and conserve water.

Been reading many articles on water for quite sometime, if you have time then do go through them
Bangalore Water Supply & Source BWWSB | Aabid Surti: The painter who catches every drop The Alternative| Help us save water, pleads Bangalore Water Supply & Sewerage Board TOI | Bangalore heading for a water crisis in May TOI | Where will the water go? Caravan | Water Crisis Boston Globe | Paani. Water needs an integrated approach as we have passed the danger mark Shekhar Kapur | Rain or Not, India is falling short of drinking water NYT | Delhi groundwater may run dry in 3-5 yrs: Study TOI | All construction activity comes to a halt in Gurgaon The Hindu | Massive March for Yamuna River Nears Delhi NYT India | 15,260 cr given for improvement of clean, drinking water facilities Tweet The Hindu | Mapping villages with water scarcity Deccan Herald | Urban Floods: Case study of Bangalore IISC

~ Go Vote! ~

Finally a video which summarises my thoughts { & probably others too} very well. The video nails all the points. Stop voting for parties whose ideologies are - religion, caste, free supply, dynasty - oriented. Time for some movement from WE THE PEOPLE. Doesn't matter if these unknown candidates win or loose, at least the corrupt ones will get a taste of citizens.

Let us put a fight against the corrupt ones. Do your bit, know your candidate & VOTE!

~ Mother tongue ~

Wrote in ಕನ್ನಡ after ages. I don't even have a faint memory when was last time I ever wrote in Kannada. How about you, when was the last time you ever wrote in your mother tongue.

Got a good conversation going on at Facebook.

~ The Professor ~

Another North London Derby {NLD} tomorrow, feel this time around it ain't important for the fans or the club. The outcome of this match could be the key for Arsene Wenger extending his tenure with Arsenal FC. There might have been managers at ArsenalFC who have won silverware &  brought laurels for the club. But none come close to the calibre of 'The Professor', who has brought discipline, style & art for the kind of game we play today. 

I have followed Arsenal from 1999, kind of Wenger era. During those days, in India, football was being watched or relayed ONLY during World Cups. Star Sports began showing EPL feed & not many people used to watch football in a Cricket Crazy Nation. Add to it, most of the people who did watch club football supported Manchester United or Liverpool or Juventus or AC Milan or Real Madrid. I could hardly find any Gooners in Bangalore. At times, when they did showed football at a local pub and if Arsenal were playing, often ended being a minority supporter. Occasionally would find a couple of Gooners amongst a group of 20 MUFC fans. 2 or 3 of us would enjoy taking on those MUFC fans. 

Over the last 14 years, Arsenal have had a fantastic run till 2007; despite having no silverware. Post 2008, the Invincibles departed and AFC were left with young team to manage & groom. 

There are many fans who are disappointed with Arsene Wenger {AW} for the last couple of seasons for varying factors - letting players go, selling our key striker to arch rival, not bringing reinforcements to those who have been sold, running the club for profits vs silverware, et al. To a certain extent even I have gone through the same emotion & thought process. Our performances have been dismal; Being beaten by non-league clubs, is more miserable.

As fans, each of us feel we have moral right to critique the way AW has been running the club or the board or Arsenal FC in general. We might even be entitled to do so, to an extent. Agreed, our frustrations are at an all time high. I feel it during these tough times, that Mr Wenger needs our support. He is not the only one to be blamed. Our PLAYERS on the field are more responsible to show the hunger & spirit of winning than the MANAGER.

In the current era, were we have seen Oligarchs from Russia or Middle East, who are buying clubs and running them at their whims. We need to recognize the fact that Arsenal wouldn't be the same anymore without Arsene Wenger. I don't want the culture of what AW has established at Arsenal to be lost. 

I wish Gunners who are playing the Derby tomorrow win the game for AW than anyone else to a new direction of AW next season. 

Also read - Tottenham v Arsenal: Arsene Wenger is a wounded warrior determined to come out fighting for the team

Image courtesy - Don'tgiveupworld

~ Aero India 2013 ~

Am happy for having made to another edition of Aero India held at Bangalore. Off the 9 editions so far, I have missed one edition. This time though made it to the 2nd day of the event. 

The 9th edition was more of achieving self-reliance in the defence sector focused. LCH, Tejas MK I, Rustom UAV, Rudra showcased the indigenous capabilities of various Indian defence industries. However, the engine of Tejas MK I isn't indigenous. Time NAL does something about it to call it Indigenous.

There were performances from Dassault Rafale {which is still in pursuit for the huge deal from Indian Airforce}, USAF F16 {read that they flew from the Japan airbase}, Red Bull Racing {Radka Machova was the limelight of the press}, Rostum, Embraer, Sarang Team, Rudra, LCH, IAF's Sukhoi, Russian Knights {only on 4th & 5th days of the show}. Last but not least, Tiger Moth, Indian AirForce's first fighter has been maintained in mint condition.

My clicks from the 2nd Day of the Air Show. Hope you like them.

The only disappointment was I couldn't witness Russian Knights formations. They arrived only on the 3rd day of Aero India. They did put up a performance yesterday & today. Enjoy the performance of Russian Knights here.