Bangalore Can Be India’s Smartest City

Image Courtesy: Flickr/Google

As a city recognized by the world for its IT excellence, Bangalore has a global brand appeal.  Bangalore has leveraged its technological capital to create the world's second fastest growing start-up ecosystem, attracting venture capital at the highest pace of investment in the world according to Compass, a San Francisco based Global Start-up Ecosystem Ranking Agency.

India Needs to Embrace a Start-Up Culture

A recent WHO report shows that out of the 27 million babies born in India every year, close to 3.6 million are born prematurely, and out of this more than 3 million infants fail to survive due to complications.

10-steps to make Bangalore a World -Class City

Once a little-known Indian city, Bangalore today has captured the world’s attention for its IT excellence. Ironically, the very city that delivers innovative solutions to the globe is itself mired in civic chaos evidenced by bad roads, shoddy infrastructure, lack of water & power, unruly traffic and poor waste management.

Fairness In The Workplace Should Focus On Gender Equality

Historically, the corporate world has been a male bastion with restricted entry to women. It is only in recent times that this “men only” club has opened up membership to women.  This has seen a steady increase of women professionals in the corporate workplace the world over and India is no exception.  Corporate India now boasts of a growing tribe of women professionals that constitute 24% of the workforce.  This trend has certainly upset the equilibrium in the work place where men are still finding it difficult to accept women as fellow colleagues and in many cases, as their bosses.  After all, traditionally Indian society and Indian men have regarded women as subservient home makers and not as equal partners in the economic mainstream.  It is therefore this deep rooted cultural and societal mind-set that manifests itself in the way men behave with their female colleagues in their shared work space.

Women at Work: Biocon Founder on Philanthropy, Sexism and Politics

In the first in a series of interviews with women who are leaders in their field in India, The Wall Street Journal’s India Real Time met Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, the founder of biotechnology company Biocon Ltd. 532523.BY +0.16%, and one of India’s richest women.

Last month, Ms. Mazumdar-Shaw was named by Forbes as one of the most generous people in Asia.

Wanted Now: A Ministry for Bangalore

Bangalore’s problems are a complex tangle of issues with various civic and utility bodies and their overlapping agendas often working at cross purposes. The result is that in the past few years the city has slid into a morass of neglect and no one knows who is responsible for what.

B.PAC Mission: Rescue and Revitalize Bangalore

Introduction

The past decade has seen Bangalore morph from an economic and climatic paradise into a living hell for its denizens. For a city that contributes over 60 percent of Karnataka’s GDP and contributes 66 percent of its tax revenues, rampant unplanned and mismanaged growth has resulted in crumbling infrastructure, poor public transport, power and water shortage, stifling pollution, and decrepit sanitation.

NEW GOVT MUST STRENGTHEN URBAN POLITICS

Kiran Mazumdar Shaw | May 9, 2013

The Times of India

We are happy to see a clear mandate in favor of Congress, which will enable B.PAC to catalyze a positive change in the political system. Five B.PAC-endorsed candidates have won in their constituencies, we congratulate them and look forward to working with them to ensure they deliver on the B.PAC agenda for Bangalore. 

Citizens should fund elections

Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw & TV Mohandas Pai 

Karnataka is now going to see a new government after the May 5 elections. Citizens all over the state are visibly angered by the massive increase in corruption from which they have suffered badly. They have seen naked display of cronyism, use of ill-gotten gains in buying legislators, blatant and rampant corruption, and the like. They are disgusted at the failure of governance and declining quality of life all over the state. They have seen the wealth of all their legislators increase manifold and are not sure whether this is due to legitimate efforts or because of undue misuse of power. Money is becoming the sole determinant of success in politics, and public service has become the casualty. 

Biocon @ B.PAC March For Bangalore

Catch the glimpses of the event by following the link below 

snaps

It's Bangalore's turn!

So the date for elections to Karnataka’s Legislative Assembly has been announced. It’s 05 May.

As we know, more people than ever before went out and voted at the rest of Karnataka’s urban local body elections – and they sent out a strong message: incompetent, inadequate and corrupt political management will not be tolerated.

Now it’s Bangalore’s turn to raise it’s voice similarly. And once again, B.PAC is reminding you: please prepare to go out and vote.  

My presentation at the CII meeting of Karnataka chapter on 14th March 2013

My tenets for aspiring entrepreneurs:

• Be driven by commitment and conviction

• Focus on converting challenges into opportunities

• Be innovation led and build a differentiated business

• Be conscious of the social impact you can make

• Convert failure into success through a learning process

•  Trust your gut instinct more than any analyst report!

• Engrain change management as a part of your business ethos

• Remember integrity is a powerful enabler to success

• Success is even more rewarding if you give back to society.

• FINALLY, FOCUS ON VALUE ADDITION AND NOT WEALTH CREATION

Vote ... Your tool for a better Bangalore

Dear friends,

Something most unexpected happened last week. More people than ever before went out and voted at Karnataka’s urban local body elections – and the increased number of voters, a large number of whom are reported to have come from the Urban Educated (i.e. the middle classes), sent out a strong message: incompetent, inadequate and corrupt political management will not be tolerated.

Bangalore was not a part of this election exercise, but the message to us was clear: we the Urban Educated can make a difference.

Soon we will have state assembly elections in Bangalore. Signs of this impending election are coming up all around our city; all the sitting candidates have started to work the system that will get them re-elected.

They needn't be worried if they have served us well. But they know that a new wave of voters will enter the process this time. They include young people who have come to voting age this time around and want a better quality of life. Also many of the Urban Educated who have stayed away from the process for a long time, ceding the ground to others who are easily encouraged and persuaded by a variety of means to cast their votes in the cause of vested interests.

This is where B.PAC enters the frame. B.PAC has no vested interest – we are working for the cause of ALL Bangalore citizens’ best interests. 

B.PAC is NOT a political party. Conceived and driven by people you know and respect as upright, honorable citizens, it is a civil movement to get Bangalore the fair deal it deserves. (See "B.PAC: Why, What, Who", attached.) And we are trying so hard to get members of the Urban Educated into the voters' booths. 

Perhaps you are one of this group? Perhaps you have abandoned the process because you thought your vote doesn't count - because you think you will be swamped by the others anyway?

NOT TRUE!

We are now actually 40% of the electorate! That's a giant share. It is a tidal wave waiting to happen. Our vote can make a fundamental change in who represents us in the various governmental bodies . . . for the good of ALL Bangaloreans. That 40% is a fact. Figures don't lie. 

At this point, please go to the second attachment to this message - it spells out B.PAC's five objectives. Five short but life-changing objectives, at least Public Life as we see it deteriorating all around us. 

Perhaps you are already on the Voters' List. Please make certain you are   . . . make sure you haven't been bumped off it without you even knowing it. It's happened to many more than you think. You can check by going to http://ceokarnataka.kar.nic.in/vernacularSearch.aspx. 

When you get there please select “Bangalore” and your assembly constituency and then follow the instructions.

If you find you are not on the list, you must start the process of setting that right. Please start the process of getting on the Voters' List . . . now!

B.PAC has had several meetings with the Election Commissioners and others to make the online process easy. It took me approx 30 mins, with 3-4 starts and re-starts, but it got done – just a few minutes ago. I am delighted!

You can do it online, in four quick steps:

1.  Go to the website of one of B.PAC’s friends: Smartvote. The website is www.smartvote.in

2. On the toolbar, point your cursor to “Voters Area” and on the dropdown menu click on “Register Online”. It will take you to the Chief Electoral Officer’s website. 

3. Register yourself first. Then follow the instructions.

It’s as easy as that. It may close down on you and ask you to start again, which happened twice to me before the third time finally went all the way through, but it does get done finally.

4.  Once you’re registered, you will receive six pages to print out, fill up, attach supporting documents to – and deliver to the Election Officer at the BBMP address provided.

If you don't want to go the online route, there is the regular way: Go to the BBMP office nearest you and take it from there.

Dear friends, to quote Mahatma Gandhi: We must be the change we wish to see in the world.

The first step is to Vote!

B.PAC’s next objective is to identify candidates in every elections who are committed to Bangalore's best interests, and to honest, transparent governance, regardless of which party they belong to. We will identify them and support them in as many ways as we can.

Watch this space for that!

How Bangalore can be a safe place for Women in 2013?

The gruesome gang rape of a 23 year old young woman in Delhi exposes a dangerous and ugly side of our society. This has not just outraged the capital city but people across the country. As a woman who believes that women must get out of the perception trap that makes them diffident, I am simply appalled at this growing rise of atrocities against women. As a society, we have been apathetic for far too long on the subject of sexual assaults against women and child molestation. The growing incidence of these heinous crimes is a sad reflection of the degenerating social ecosystem that echoes the past where women were suppressed for centuries, subjected to gender inequality devoid of any respect they deserved. For some unexplainable reason, even today’s society is averse to a modern, self-assured woman who dares to break the mold of the age old submissive woman.

The Delhi gang rape has caught the attention of youth all across the country and we must act now to ensure women both safety and respect in society.  I have always felt safe in Bangalore and I think we should take urgent steps to prevent such atrocities against women in our city.  I would like to suggest some measures that we need to take to make Bangalore a safe harbor for women:

A: Legal Reforms as follows:

1: All sexual assault cases to be declared as non bailable serious offences wherein offenders be jailed at the first instance until the case is heard out.

2: A special fast track court for such cases with a mandate to give a ruling in maximum 30 days.

3: Gang rape must be considered a third degree rape with sentences ranging from Life imprisonment to a death penalty in the rarest of rare cases.  I also believe that chemical castration should be mandated for any rape involving strangers who assault women.

4: Scope of sexual crimes to be increased to include people who indulge in verbal abuse of  women, as that is the starting point.  Acid attacks must also carry a grave sentence.

B: Administrative Reforms as follows:

1. All public transport like Metro, Buses etc to have an armed security personnel      like Marshalls in the US after 6 pm

2. All public and private transport to be GPS enabled and tracked.

3. Complete ban on dark films and tinted glasses on all vehicles, offending vehicles to be compounded

4.  All commercial vehicles license subjected to annual renewal post police verification and GPS capability certification

5.  Driving Licenses for commercial drivers to be issued post police verification  and all commercial driver licenses to be renewed every year

6.  Setting up of 24x7 helplines for women in distress

7.  Increase the number of PCR vans in the city after 6 pm

8.  Sensitize policemen to take immediate action against such incidents.

9.  Penalize the policemen who refuse to file an FIR

These immediate actions will start the process of bringing in positive change.

Last but not the least we need to take a serious view on mending the social fabric, we need to relook and rethink on the moral values that we give to our children. The boys of this country need to be instilled with a sense of respect for all women during their growing up years and schools must start the sensitization process. I think change of mindsets is the biggest challenge that we face today. 

Society is averse to self-assured women

The gruesome Delhi gang rape exposes a dangerous side of our society. This has outraged people across the country.

As a woman who believes that women must get out of the perception trap that makes them diffident, I am appalled at this rise in atrocities against women. We have been apathetic for far too long.

The growing incidence of these heinous crimes is a sad reflection of the degenerating social ecosystem that echoes the past where women were suppressed, devoid of respect. For some inexplicable reason, even today's society is averse to a modern, self-assured woman who dares to break the mold.

We must act now to ensure both the safety and respect of women. Here are some steps which, I think, will make Bangalore safer for women.

LEGAL REFORMS

All sexual assault cases must be declared as non-bailable serious offences and offenders jailed at the first instance until the case is heard out. A special fast-track court must be set up with a mandate to give a ruling in 30 days.

Gang rape must be considered third degree rape with sentences ranging from life imprisonment to death penalty in the rarest of rare rape cases. I believe strangers assaulting women should be subjected to chemical castration.

The scope of sexual crime must be widened to include verbal abuse.

ADMINISTRATIVE REFORMS

All public transport like buses must have armed escorts after 6 pm. All public and private transport must be GPS-enabled. A blanket ban must be imposed on dark films and tinted glasses in all vehicles and offending vehicles compounded.

All commercial vehicle licences must be subjected to annual renewal after police verification and GPS capability certification. Driving licences for commercial drivers to be issued after police verification and licences renewed annually.

Helplines must work 24x7. The number of police patrol vans must be increased after 6pm. Policemen must be sensitized to take prompt action in case of crime against women.

We need to take a serious view on mending the social fabric. We need to relook at the moral values that we give to our children. The boys of this country need to be instilled with a sense of respect for all women and schools must start the sensitization process. I think change of mindset is the biggest challenge that we face today.

Garbage Mess Inspires Political Move By Biz Elite

Times of India

Frustrated by a festering civic issue that has tarnished the image of the Garden City, wellheeled Bangaloreans plan to fund election bids by eminent citizens for seats in local government. With mounds of garbage lying uncleared across Bangalore for weeks, the likes of Mohandas Pai and Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw have been provoked to influence local politics in a manner never before seen in India.

“Corrupt politicians are clearly not interested in governance. For that, we have to get capable citizens elected to the local bodies,” said Mazumdar-Shaw, the chairman of Biocon, India’s largest biotechnology company.

The plan by the corporate and business elite to influence local elections by financing candidates comes three days after Wipro Chairman Azim Premji called for a citizens’ movement to deal with the problem of uncleared trash. Garbage has been piling up on the city’s streets after villagers near landfills on the outskirts of Bangalore decided to stop accepting refuse from the city. The high court threatened to supersede the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike, the civic body, following which the waste has begun being removed.

The garbage issue has become a turning point for greater participation by citizens in the civic affairs of Bangalore, Mazumdar-Shaw observed. The funding plan, which has just been mooted, will involve a transparent cheque-based system, she said.

Prominent Bangaloreans Team Up For Citizen Action Group
Shaw, former Infosys executive Pai and other prominent Bangaloreans have come together to form a Citizen Action Group with the intent of finding sustainable solutions to urban issues like waste disposal.

“There are 20 nominated seats in the BBMP council, most of which are political nominations,” said Mohandas Pai. “Citizens need to stand up and be heard and we need to help make that happen.” Pai, an IT industry veteran who has headed finance and human resource functions at Infosys, India’s second largest software services exporter, is currently running a multimillion dollar venture capital fund that invests in emerging technology companies.

The election-funding proposal is being thrashed out by the Citizen Action Group, but Mazumdar-Shaw said she was confident other corporate citizens would embrace the idea once it is formalised and presented.

Vivek Kulkarni, a former IT secretary of Karnataka who is now an entrepreneur, said the initiative to fund local elections was a “wonderful idea.” “If you look at New York, it is (Michael) Bloomberg as mayor who has been able to bring down the crime rate. Everywhere, it is successful business-people who become mayors,” Kulkarni said.

Rohini Nilekani, who runs Arghyam, a public charitable foundation that works in the area of water and sanitation, said it feels as if there is no government. “The crisis carries a great opportunity within it. It is a great wake-up call to citizens.”

While there is consensus across the board that the idea of funding local elections is innovative and noble, not everybody is sold on the success of the initiative. Among them is Swati Ramanathan, cofounder of Janaagraha, a Bangalore-based non-profit organisation that works for greater citizen participation in urban local government.

“If you remember, during the last elections, a number of people without any political allegiance contested the polls and almost none won. What we need, most importantly, are people with the right credentials to represent the citizens.”

Krishna Byre Gowda, a Congress legislator, said the garbage crisis is only a reflection of the absence of a vision for the future of what he describes as a “global city.” “There is nobody to give the civic authorities an overarching vision. It does not require earth-shattering new thinking,” he said. The Bharatiya Janata Party, he said, is consumed by internal squabbles, with ministers counting their last days in power before an election next year.

The Congress is no great shape either to confront the city’s challenges, Gowda confessed. “I can assure you we are not bad as these guys. But that doesn’t mean that we have the institutional mechanism to look at these challenges.” 

Time for Change in Bangalore

For most of us, the town or city where we grew up has a special place in our hearts. Bangalore, which has been my home throughout my life, has undergone a metamorphosis in a relatively brief period. When I was growing up, it was a clean, laid-back city with beautiful, tree-lined roads. Bangalore exuded grace that defined everything, from its theatres, food and music to its academics and architecture; it had a soul that set it apart from other cities. Then, the city experienced the IT revolution, which propelled Bangalore on an explosive growth trajectory for which it was just not geared.

The IT boom not only redefined the city but also the country, offering us the opportunity to realize our economic capabilities – both at the individual and national level. Today, Bangalore is the heart of the Great Indian Growth Story – renowned across the world for its IT and biotech industries, deep knowledge reserves and its cutting-edge research. As an entrepreneur, this is an exciting time to be in Bangalore.

However, the momentous growth in population and economic activity, compounded with unplanned development, has also brought civic chaos evidenced by depleted green cover, bad roads, shoddy infrastructure, unruly traffic, and footpath encroachments. The city’s woefully inadequate infrastructure has lagged behind its economic development and threatens to stifle it. I am pained and infuriated with the apathy of the authorities who have, by acts of omission or commission, let this happen.

Grappling with an infrastructural crisis, businesses are forced to set up their own power-generating stations to compensate for outages and stagger working hours to bypass horrific traffic jams. Bangalore contributes 36% of India's software exports – expected to touch Rs 2,61,200 crore in 2010-11 – and is the top biotech city accounting for one-fifth of the country’s biotech revenues. Quite clearly, a lot needs to be done to ensure that the city’s economy does not suffer and that its people have a city to be proud of.

Today, Bangalore stands at the crossroads. It has attained global stature in the economic sphere through its industry and entrepreneurship. Now, its citizens and leaders also need to ensure that it emerges as a global metropolis – a great city with a high liveability index in terms of civic amenities, roads, infrastructure, and cleanliness.

It is not too late to make this possible – yet. We need to make several decisions to help integrate the development work that has finally taken off in Bangalore with the unbeatable spirit of its people and the strength of the corporate ethos. Even as my love for the city attracts me to help it overcome civic challenges it faces, I also realize that a CEO's interest helps expedite matters and make things happen. Some of the ways we can do this is by supporting the government with management resources and financial support to help develop the city, improve environment, healthcare, education and transportation facilities. Corporate organizations can help by investing in basic infrastructure like roads with the active co-operation of the government. Political will must play a key role in this endeavour and the administration must shed its lethargy to make this happen. Together, we can create a city that is a joy to live and work in.

I believe we need to make a concerted effort in three specific areas. Bangalore urgently and desperately requires an effective multi-modal public transport system. Such a mass transport system needs efficient interchange stations in which the metro, monorail, buses and private vehicles co-exist and complement each other. A high-quality road network is also critical to its success.

Slum development is another area through which Bangalore’s liveability can be enhanced. Adequate housing, sanitation and water – and other basic services like schools – are essential to ensuring that the dire needs of a sizeable section of the city’s population are addressed. This will also help ensure that the city is cleaner and healthier.

A third important area is urban healthcare and health insurance. The administration should focus on ensuring that all citizens have access to affordable healthcare through a public-private-partnership model. Micro-credit institutions can be roped in to deliver health insurance in urban areas. Corporates can work with the civic administration to ensure that adequate primary healthcare facilities are accessible to Bangalore’s poor.

Cities are a conglomeration of people and their ideas and actions. Even as we, as residents of Bangalore, invoke nostalgia for what was, we cannot stop at that. This nostalgia needs to take the form of a campaign to make change happen for the better. Together, we can make Bangalore beautiful again with prosperity for all.