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The Hindu :

Charmaine Poon from Hong Kong likes Bangalore for its friendliness

PHOTO: MURALI KUMAR K.PULSE The city is vibrant and people are concerned

A student of molecular biotechnology, Charmaine Poon came to India through international students’ organisation AIESEC to explore another culture, expand her perspective and have a feel of the growing pharmaceutical market in India. She has been in India for more than seven months now and works for the consultant firm Pharmac. Before she came to Bangalore, she saw and heard what people had to say about it on TV shows, and friends who have been here gave her the thumbs up.

“Life in Hong Kong is very stressful — fast paced and not too friendly. And I liked Bangalore a lot!” Her parents cautioned her about the dangerous conditions and food. “Within one week of landing here, there were bomb blasts in Bangalore!” recalls Charmaine. She finds life exciting in India, and has travelled to Kerala, Hampi, Goa, Mahabalipuram amongst other places. She likes the natural scenery in India — which is unique from place to place. But she finds the public health system quite distressing. “From living conditions to the lack of rubbish bins, I wish there was more awareness about the protection of the environment and hygiene.” Charmaine is also a part of My Choice! which introduces local school children to small actions of contributing to society.

When she went back to Hong Kong on holiday, she missed the friendliness, concern and the vibrancy of life. “I missed the spicy food and simple daily activities of watching someone draw a rangoli.”

It was interesting for Charmaine to live in a multi-religious country like India.

And it was also funny when she found out what Indians think about the Chinese. “That we are hardworking and don’t speak much!”

AYESHA MATTHAN

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Time and Space Art Gallery is presenting “Reflections” by Elling Reitan from Norway.

Date: March 21 to April 4

Venue: Time and Space, No. 55, Lavelle Road

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The Hindu : y>Wildlife filmmaker Nina Subramani tells AYESHA MATTHAN she believes that a national consciousness of our surroundings and its realities is needed to start a mass movement to save the environment

PHOTO: BHAGYA PRAKASH K.Time frame Urban citizens are so closeted in their lifestyles, they don’t realise how close they are to an environmental disaster, says Nina Subramani

When Nina Subramani was a little girl, she rode her cycle to school with one hand on the handle bar. The other hand she used to cover her nose while riding across the Cooum River in Chennai.

Growing up in Chennai, she recalls having an acute awareness and value of natural resources. Says the wildlife documentary filmmaker, “We used to walk a long way to fill up buckets of water, and even spend time in unknown people’s houses just to have a bath!” She enjoyed Gerald Durrell, animal life and wanted to be a zookeeper.

Nina grew up on a beach and was part of the campaign to save the Olive Ridley turtles. She was interested in veterinary science, but enrolled for a degree in Zoology at Madras Christian College. “I remember there was a proposal to beautify the college campus where shrubs were growing, and there was a massive protest. That is where my first real awareness about environmental degradation began.” The campus at MCC, she says, was instrumental in inculcating an interest in activities like bird-watching.

The summer after college, Nina interned at the Indian Express. “Somebody directed me to apply to the Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) for the Masters’ Programme in Film and Television. That is when I found myself on a train to Delhi. I wrote the exam and got in.”Finding her focus

At the Anwar Jamal Kidwai Mass Communication Research Centre, Nina found that most of her classmates were quite focused. “Some were keen on war reporting, and others in fiction…More

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Inspira is holding an exhibition of traditional wear for the Ugadi festival in fabrics and saris like silk, georgettes, lace, net and cotton silk with designer Rajini Chandak from Kolkata.

Date: Till March 26, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Venue: Inspira, No 13, 1st Cross, 17th Main, 5th A Block, Koramangala

Contact: 25506442

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The Octet Cantabile from Chennai will present a musical programme.

Date: March 22, 9.30 a.m. and 6 p.m.

Venue: Indiranagar Methodist Church and St. Andrew’s Church

Contact: 25591874 /9448370080

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Freedom Holidays will conduct a European summer camp from April to August at Leysin, the French-speaking part of Switzerland. It is exclusively designed for children in the age group between 10 and 17. Cycling, mountain biking and climbing, outdoor camping, hiking, leadership training, rafting, hand gliding, horse riding, archery, tennis and cooking out, are going to be just some of the activities offered at the camp. Campers will get to take wild journeys to Geneva, Montreux and Bern and to learn about other cultures and people, native customs and local industries. To register, call 41316480/ 098450-95098 or visitwww.freedomholidaysindia.org

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Arka Mukhopadhyay, theatre performer and artistic director of Logos Theatre, in collaboration with well-known musicians, visual artists and movement artists will present “Will and I”, a unique process for children between seven and 13 years.

The objective is to help children explore the universal themes and values of Shakespeare’s plays through an inter-disciplinary approach. It combines voice, breath and performance skills, physical expression, movement and gesture, musical skills, spatial awareness and basic skills in the visual and plastic arts. The workshop will happen in association with Sukrupa, an NGO whose mission is to help underprivileged children. It will be conducted from April 10 to April 23 at Sukrupa, R.T. Nagar. Registration fee is Rs. 2,500. Contact: 9880966313 orcontact@logostheatreindia.org

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A 15-day workshop on contemporary dance techniques and elements of yoga, kalaripayattu and theatre will be conducted by Brinda Jacob-Janvrin. It begins on April 6 and ends on April 24 at the studio for movement arts and therapies. Course fee is Rs. 2,500. For registrations, contact 98452 36242 or e-mailbrinda.movementarts@gmail.com

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Nila shah will conduct 15-day and 30-day cooking classes in Punjabi, Chinese, Thai, Mexican, Lebanese and continental cuisines. You can also learn how to make chaats, desserts, low calorie diets, mock tails and also baking tips.

Courses in painting, candle making, self grooming and personality development…More

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Kara4Kids is presenting ‘Learning through Storytelling’ with science and discovery, sequential thinking, and more using songs and activities for children aged two to seven years.

Date: March 21, 11.30 a.m. to 1.30 p.m.

Venue: Reliance TimeOut, Cunningham Road

Fees: Rs. 100

Contact: 98443 36363

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Gandhar, a cultural foundation will be inaugurated by playback singer S.P. Balasubramanyam. There will be a musical tribute to music director duo Rajan-Nagendra by Hemanth, Pallavi, L.N. Shastry, Surekha, Srinivas Udupa, Ravishankar and Archana Udupa on March 22 at R.V. Dental College Auditorium, 5.30 p.m.

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The Pyramid Spiritual Trust (India) is organising one-day introductory workshops on “The Science of Meditation” at its Pyramid Valley Campus, Kanakapura Road on March 22, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Call 94481-77563, 97390-59143.

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Join The Dots is presenting Reflections in the Mirror, a three-hour theatre workshop.

Date: March 21, 2.30 to 5.30 p.m.

Venue: Cubbon Park

Fees: Rs. 500

Contact: 98455-70014 / 98450-14330

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Georg Buchner’s “Woyzeck”, adapted and directed by Anmol Vellani will be staged on March 21, 7.30 p.m. at Ranga Shankara. Call 9448279252.

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Kara 4 Kids will conduct “KiNDERkamps” – an eight week programme from March 30 to May 22 for children aged between two and eight. Registration is Rs. 1,850 per week. Call 2572 6344 or e-mailhsr@kara.in

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An art exhibition by Bharath Rajpal on March 22 at Bowring Institute, St. Mark’s Road between 11 a.m. and 8 p.m.

Call 40414243.

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