Grace Madigan Citizen Matters, Bengaluru

Podcast: What makes citizen activism in Bengaluru unique

May 21, 2020 Grace Madigan

Bengaluru has a extraordinarily large number of citizen activists working to make the city more liveable. Listen to our podcast on how these groups evolved and what they’ve been doing.

Podcast: Why we need to plant more native tree species in Bengaluru

May 20, 2020 Grace Madigan

Bengaluru has lost much of its natural vegetation to urbanisation. Majority of trees that do remain, cannot protect the city from heat island effects or climate change.

Podcast: Why citizen groups alone can’t save Bengaluru’s dying lakes

May 19, 2020 Grace Madigan

In Bengaluru, neighbourhood citizen groups have worked to revive many lakes. While some groups like PNLIT have been successful, some others have failed due to lack of government support and resources.

Podcast: How citizen activists are trying to solve Bengaluru’s garbage problem

May 15, 2020 Grace Madigan

Over the past decade, Bengaluru’s citizen activists were able to push the government to adopt sustainable waste management practices. Though garbage remains an issue in the city, they continue their work with optimism.

Podcast Trailer: Lessons from Bengaluru

May 14, 2020 Grace Madigan

Bengaluru is swamped in problems ranging from waste management to climate change, but the city also has a unique, active citizenry that tries to solve these problems. In this podcast series, we look at four major issues in the city and how citizen activists have responded.

No pay, few matches, little support but Karnataka’s professional women footballers still dream big

September 14, 2019 Grace Madigan

Often playing pro bono, with hardly anyone rooting for them, Karnataka’s women footballers are struggling. But their love of the game is the one thing that sustains them

How women’s football changed the lives of Sana, Raksha, Athmika and others

September 13, 2019 Grace Madigan

Through football, underprivileged girls in Bengaluru are getting scholarships to attend college, trips abroad, and even a place in the state team. Also, a collective of women have taken initiative to learn the game in their 30s

How Karnataka’s first women’s football league is picking new talent

September 12, 2019 Grace Madigan

Even as women’s football lay neglected for decades, hundreds of women have been playing the game informally in Karnataka. Now the state football association is forming leagues to give them the opportunities they deserve

Change in the air: After 63 years, Bengaluru’s Independence Day Cup football tournament opens up to women

September 11, 2019 Grace Madigan

The winds of change are coming in women’s football. For the first time in its 63-year history, Bengaluru’s Independence Day Cup tournament opened up to women this year.

Handbags from milk cartons, plants in coconut shells, and more at Second to None sale

July 31, 2019 Grace Madigan

Bengaluru generates thousands of tonnes of waste everyday, but we can reduce it substantially by using recycled or repurposed products. Here is an account of some interesting recycled products that were sold at an event organised by the volunteer group Second To None, last Saturday

Metal straws, fruit-cups and more: How six Bengaluru restaurants are cutting down waste

July 22, 2019 Grace Madigan

Restaurants generate huge amounts of plastic and other dry waste everyday. Here are innovative methods six Bengaluru restaurants devised, to minimise their waste footprint

Beer vs water: Bengaluru’s microbreweries in a time of water shortage

July 17, 2019 Grace Madigan

It takes seven litres of water to brew just a litre of beer! But as the city struggles with a water crisis, Bengaluru’s craft microbreweries are finding ways to cut down their water use