Category: Opinion

Studies have shown that annual UN climate summits receive intense global media coverage. This coverage not only keeps the local public engaged and leads to an interesting exchange of knowledge about climate politics but also mobilizes people to combat Climate Change. In my soon-to-be published book on Media and Climate Change, I noted that this was evident at COP 19 held in Copenhagen, where nearly 130 heads of state from 191 countries and over 40,000 scientists, activists and industrialists registered for the convention. Alok Sharma, President for COP26 and Minister…

ShrotaHouse is a hub for preschoolers and primary school children to help them explore and enjoy Indian classical music. It has designed programmes to provide novel music learning experiences. Launched as a pilot in 2021 and incubated under the Women Startup Program at NSRCEL at IIM Bangalore, they have reached over 200 children till date. Madhumita Bhaskar, the founder, is a student of Hindustani classical music. A singer and  composer, she has been a disciple of Prof. Milind Malshe of Mumbai, an exponent of Jaipur-Atrauli gharana of Hindustani khayal music,…

Tinkerama is a venture to bring hands-on STEM (Science, Tech, Engg & Math) education to children aged between six and fifteen years. The children learn to build everything from circuits to model airplanes. A curated curriculum, kits and guidance impart skills like critical thinking. Founded by Smitha Pisupati who has a master’s degree from the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) and eleven years of experience in the semiconductor industry, Tinkerama is inspired by the Maker Movement. Smita says she experienced, first-hand, through conducting maker-oriented workshops in the Bay Area in…

Bangalore-based snack start-up, The Macros Bar, makes “clean and natural” snack items from 100% fruit pulp nuts and seeds, and organic oats. “Most importantly, our snacks are free from added sugars, added preservatives and supplements,” says the founder, Sonali Kulkarni. Sonali is a senior clinical nutritionist by profession. She has done her Master’s in Food & Nutrition and Fellowship in Oncology Nutrition from HCG. She has worked for over 12 years with hospitals like Columbia Asia and Cloud Nine. Her vision is to create 100% clean, nutritious and handmade snacks, catering to…

The Unopened Box is a mental health organisation that helps people heal patterns of trauma through mental healing services provided by qualified professionals that include but are not limited to therapy, workshops, training, events and community-based initiatives. The Unopened Box offers coping mechanisms to as many people as possible through creative and innovative techniques. “Our intention is to help people own, heal and reclaim their story, by pushing boundaries on self-limiting beliefs in a non-judgmental supportive space,” says Leanne Pais, a psychological therapist (Marriage and Family Therapy) with extensive work…

Kombucha Brewers India is a fermentation-based food startup based in Bangalore. They are on a mission to make gut-friendly and innovative foods and beverages by harnessing the power of microbes. They believe that building bridges between food and communities through innovation in existing food ecosystems can address issues like food-waste, malnutrition, hunger and gut-health – the epicenter of human wellbeing. Honey, the founder, is a self-taught kombucha brewer and fermentation educator who has four years of experience in the fermentation space. A self-confessed microbes-lover, her expertise lies in kombucha-based product…

This World Environment Day, I would like readers to shift their focus to the sentinels who guard our forest eco-systems. It could be the farmer staying on the fringes of a forest or Padmashree awardee Saalumarada Thimakka. India’s rich biodiversity makes it a land of plenty. Rivers originate from this thriving eco-system, irrigating the hinterland, and plants and animals flourish in these forests. The Western Ghats, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, passes through all the states on the western peninsula, and is host to millions of organisms. It is also…