Manays in the Quit India Movement

The Quit India Movement was launched at the Bombay session of the All India Congress Committee by Mahatma Gandhi on 8th-9th August 1942, during World War II, demanding an end to British rule in India. This August is the 79th anniversary.

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1992 was a special year in that it marked the 50th anniversary of the Quit India Movement. There were big celebrations planned all over the country, Bangalore included. It was but natural for the media, to search out people who saw 1942, and were still alive.

Don’t miss the YouTube video at the bottom of this post!

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The Manay family residence in Bangalore had a close association with the Quit India Movement. Scindia House, at Sajjan Rao Circle, Vishweshwara puram, Bangalore, was the place where other freedom fighters of the city met and took shelter. My dad used to say that unknown people would be walking in and out of their house, through the day.

Procession in Bangalore during the Quit India Movement (Pic: Dore Chakravarty, Wiki Commons)

Getting your driving licence renewed in Bangalore

Edit: An updated version of this article can be read on Citizen Matters here.

Driving licences that expired over the past year are still valid – upto 31st March 2021. If you need to get your licence renewed and are wondering how to go about it, here is a recent guide that I hope will help.

Go to the Sarathi Parivahan website page for “driving license related services”. https://sarathi.parivahan.gov.in/sarathiservice/stateSelection.do

Namma Metro in covid times

Entry notice at MG Road

Aam Aadmi Clinic in Bangalore

On this Rajyotsava Day (Karnataka State formation day), the Aam Aadmi Party has taken a unique step in Bangalore.

The Aam Aadmi Clinic, modelled on the Delhi government’s Mohalla Clinics, opened in Shantinagar (close to Richmond Town, where I grew up) this morning. It is being run with donations from the savings of volunteers and supporters through a registered Trust. Rani Desai, Sanchit Sawhney, J. Hariharan, V. Gopal and Renuka Vishwanathan are the Trustees.

This is a pilot project to show how primary health service should be provided by the government and BBMP.

The clinic is located at 54 Basappa Road, and will be open Monday to Saturday, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Ahmed, we will miss you very, very much

“You see,” began Christopher with a long sigh. “It’s like sleeping for a long, long time.”

Christopher Robin was surrounded by his friends under his favorite tree. It rested on the top of a hill overlooking the entire Hundred Acre Wood. He was older now, and he knew that he didn’t have much more time left with them.

Covid Testing in Bangalore

If you have any Covid symptoms, don’t hesitate to get tested. BBMP has arranged free testing facilities in every ward. Early detection increases the chances of recovery and helps in controlling spread of the virus.

Our very own doctor hero

July 1 is commemorated as National Doctor’s Day in India. It is the birth and death anniversary of the physician Dr Bidhan Chandra Roy (1882-1962), who also served as the second Chief Minister of West Bengal till his death.

Anyone who has a doctor in the family knows the comfort and assurance that it brings. My father-in-law, Dr Nagarajan has been our very own doctor on call, way before remote consultation became the norm during Covid-19. No matter where we live, he is just a call away, not only for family, but also for friends, neighbours and acquaintances who need a medical opinion.

Different Fire Engines

We could hear sirens. These days we hear sirens multiple times a day, every day. With the increase in corona virus cases in Mumbai, they’re usually ambulances. A few days ago, it was a bit different. The sirens were sounding with a regularity that was disturbing. From the window, we could see people running out of the building across the road. There was panic all around. There were a couple of fire engines.

The pool that changed swimming

July 9, 1976 was the turning point of swimming in Karnataka. The swimming pool in Baldwin Girls’ High School (BGHS), Bangalore was inaugurated, and looking back, it definitely impacted competitive swimming in India as well.

Back in the 1970s, there were only a handful of swimming pools in Bangalore for the public. The Corporation Pool at Corporation Circle, a 30 yard pool, was one of the most popular ones. It’s gone now, and buildings occupy the place where it once stood. Kensington Pool, next to Ulsoor Lake, is another old summer time recreation spot, still a sought-after swimming space, especially because it’s a 50 metre pool, ideal for competitive training.

PNLIT is ten

Ten years ago on this day, four people were waiting at the sub-registrar’s office in JP Nagar to get a trust deed registered. Along with them, two others, who were to sign as witnesses. Usha, Prasanna and OP Ramaswamy (who I pulled in just that morning), Sripriya and Vardhana, along with me.

We were well prepared. I had drafted the trust deed myself with inputs from others (incl Ashwin Mahesh who was instrumental in the formation of PNLIT), and had it checked by a lawyer. I also made a visit to the sub-registrar’s office a couple of days earlier to get the document reviewed by the office clerks. Carefully printed it at home, and took it along with all the papers that the clerks had told us to bring. Despite all this, given the reputation that the sub-registrar offices have, it would be wrong to say that we were not worried about being put in an uncomfortable spot at some stage. It took but an hour or so. We were done… mugshots, signatures and all, and with the satisfaction that it was a “clean” effort. Puttenahalli Neighbourhood Lake Improvement Trust (PNLIT) was born! In no time, we had decided on a logo, made a facebook page and started building a website; opened a bank account, applied for PAN and started doing whatever was necessary for tax exemption purposes.