Vasanthi Hariprakash

• This Bangalore school says, 'We are equal in our classroom'

  It has been one year since India adopted the Right to Education Act that makes education a fundamental right of every child between the ages of six and 14. While many schools have cited social and financial barriers to not implement the Act, here's the story of a Bangalore school that welcomes children who are likely to be discriminated against in ...

• Bangalore's new cover up act: Plastic sheets to keep birds at bay

  Bangalore is being spruced up for its biennial air show, Aero India, which draws international participants and tourists. A 30-acre landfill, where 550 tonnes of Bangalore's garbage is dumped every single day, is being covered up by the civic authorities.NDTV had recently reported on how the landfill, at just 5.7 km away from the air force base, po...

• Karnataka church attacks: Government gets clean chit

  Finally, some good news for the beleaguered BJP government in Karnataka. A commission set up to investigate a series of attacks on churches in 2008 has said neither the government nor the police can be faulted. The report submitted by the one-man commission states: "There is no basis to the apprehension of Christian petitioners that the politicians...

• How Indira's Congress got its hand symbol

  Eighty-year-old RK Rajarathnam vividly remembers the night of February 2, 1978 when Indira Gandhi, during an election campaign, came to his house in Madanpalle, Andhra Pradesh. She had just formed the new Congress (I) and the party was still without a symbol."AR Antulay and Buta Singh called me on the phone, kindly convey the message to Madam. Tomo...

• A soldier's fight for his land

  As an Indian soldier during World War II, C K Narasimha Murthy had fought the Allied forces from places like Peshawar. But as an ex-serviceman, he has not been able to fight Karnataka's red tape.His 40x60 square feet BDA residential site, allotted to him in 2004, has still not been registered in his name.What's happened with Mr Narasimha Murthy is ...

• Karnataka: Did BJP offer Rs 25 crore bribe to buy an MLA?

  So far there were only charges of horse-trading, but now a video-expose. Video footage released by Janata Dal (S) claims that its MLA was lured by the BJP with Rs 25 crore to cross over. In the dock is none less than Karnataka's Home Minister, R Ashok.The CD released by JD(S) chief HD Kumaraswamy shows his party MLA Gubbi Srinivas talking on his ce...

• Karnataka crisis: Congress protests alleged poaching

  In a fresh blow to the Congress, SV Ramachandra, an MLA, resigned from the Assembly yesterday. This triggered a protest by party MLAs."The BJP is trying to poach our MLAs. We won't allow this," said D K Shivakumar, Congress MLA.Yet another act in Karnataka's political drama. Over 50 Congress MLAs arrested late on Tuesday night. The legislators were...

• Karnataka: BJP faces trust vote for 2nd time

  Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa faces the trust vote again today amidst tight security but the outcome will be determined by what the High Court decides on the Speaker's disqualification of 16 rebel MLAs.Meanwhile, Yeddyurappa has claimed he would win the trust vote with absolute majority. (Watch)Vidhana Soudha in Bangalore is all set for the second ...

• Karnataka Crisis: BJP warns rebels to return or else

  When the going gets tough, the tough get going.So as his government in Karnataka skids towards a minority, Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa  toured temples; senior BJP leader Venkaiah Naidu  was deployed to Bangalore to handle the crisis;  and the rebel BJP MLAs who're causing the crisis city-hopped  from Chennai to Kochi...

• Bangalore's new hi-tech driving test

  A man in uniform shouts in Kannada, "fail maadi!"The recipient of the news looks dejected.  He knows he accelerated too heavily when he was trying to make his way up a slope.  He was hoping nobody had noticed the car rolling back.  Sensors beeped his mistakes out loud and clear. Big fat "F".  Set up on 1.2 acres, off the Mysore ...

• Supreme Court clears National Military Memorial in Bangalore

  The cranes whir noisily, laying the foundation for India's first National Military Memorial.The location - seven acres next to the Indira Gandhi Musical Fountain Park - has been opposed by Bangalore's environmentalists who asked the Supreme Court to stop the construction. Instead, the court has agreed that the memorial is in public interest."We are...

• Transgender? No problem at Bangalore University

  Male, Female or Others - the last category is the revolutionary step taken by Bangalore University in ensuring that trans-gender students are not lost when asked to define their sex on the application form. (Comment here)The move comes courtesy Suma, a 24-year-old transsexual, who decided it was time to get an MBA.  "I was tired of sex work. B...

• 6 months after man died in road mishap, family awaits compensation

  In 2010, over 321 people died in accidents in Bangalore. Amongst them was Lakshmi Narasimhaiah, a traffic cop on duty on National Highway number 7 on New Year's Eve. His job was to check drunken drivers who might be speeding down the highway after a party.Narasimhaiah was mowed down by an over speeding car, just after he had wished his wife Munirat...

• Water starved Bangalore to harvest rain

  While Bangalore battles water shortage, there are positive stories too. In this ongoing special series on Bangalore's great water challenge, NDTV reports on how the administration is trying to enthuse residents and empower the city's huge water workforce, to adopt the rainwater harvesting route to water conservation.

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  Another major fire in Bangalore, no casualties

  A major fire started in Bangalore at the NYK's Club on Residency Road at 1:30 pm on Monday afternoon. Fourteen fire tenders were immediately on site and the blaze was extinguished by 3 pm; no casualties were reported.