Running....

Adam and I have taken to playing tennis and running in Bangalore. The idea of recreation through sports though seems to be quite foreign amongst most people here. It’s mainly because it is difficult to get access to sporting facilities, and at some level people might not be exposed to the very idea of it. This is all the more evident when we see kids in the school next door being forced to do the high jump....they run up to the bar, and pretty much karate kick their way across it...hilarious to watch...but you also realize that no one is taking the time to teach them any technique....and its most probably a yearly activity that they are forced to participate in!

The easiest way to run where we live is to run around the apartment complex that my parents live in. Each loop is about 300 meters. It might sound boring, but it can be fairly entertaining. There is always the odd “aunty” who gives you a thumbs up, and the usual randomness of what people do on their balconies every morning. I always imagine some of the construction workers, security guards, and maids are probably wondering why we take to running so much, especially constantly around the building….like we are doing parikramas around a temple! And then there are all these notions of staying fit, being slim, etc., that must be so foreign, I almost feel like saying it’s such a rich-person thing to think, cause you are constantly over consuming calories that you need to burn, whereas the average Indian who sees us is probably just happy to have 2 or 3 good meals a day, if that. Lots of food for thought as I finish loop 15… - V

Random Photo of the Week

A good example of sustainable development and resource conservation? -A

Beautiful Shimla

Thanks to some contacts that I made at the EPA, I was invited to attend and speak at the National Conference for Forest Solutions in Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, located in the Western Himalayas. Shimla was the former summer capital of the British Raj, providing a much needed break from the summer heat of Calcutta, as it is located about 7,000 ft above sea level. It still has many buildings that follow the colonial architecture. Along with the sheer beauty of the mountains and forests that sprawl in every direction, Shimla is also great to visit because many of its streets are closed to cars, allowing pedestrians the freedom to roam the streets without having to keep their eyes constantly peeled for dangerous obstacles. Perhaps the only negative aspect of the region is the number of pestering monkeys that create quite a nuisance by stealing tourist’s eyeglasses and cameras, demanding a hearty amount of junk food before returning them back to their rightful owner. (Thankfully I did not fall victim to their tricks). Here are a few photos from my trip:

In case you were wondering, I will add another post with more insight on the conference.

Random Photo of the Week

This roller rink trying hard to be the coolest place to hang out in Shimla. At 3 o'clock on a Wednesday afternoon, you could hear the 80's-style music from at least a block and a half away. - A

We're Now In Bangalore!

Thanks to the power of intention and a very understanding Boston office, we have packed up and moved from Hubli to Bangalore. The Deshpande Foundation is still supporting our work, but instead of working in the main office in Hubli, we have switched to what many of the other fellows are doing and working for one of DF’s partner NGOs, The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI). TERI is one of the most well-known and respected environmental and energy-focused organizations in India. It became even more well-known in 2007, when the Director of TERI, Dr. R.K. Pachauri, was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize along with Al Gore for his work as the head of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

We are slated to work at TERI for the duration of our Fellowships that end next summer. While working there, Vidya will be conducting a large impact evaluation study of 16 watersheds that were part of a Gov’t of India funded program to improve agricultural productivity and livelihoods in rainfed areas in South India. Adam will be working on a project that assesses the existing and potential renewable energy sources in the state of Kerala (ANERT). Both of these projects fall outside of our ‘expertise’ areas, but that just gives us more opportunities to learn.

The best part about being in Bangalore is actually not the new projects, but that we get to be so close to family! In fact, the TERI office is just a 15 minute walk from Vidya’s parents. With Bangalore’s population nearing 8 million people and traffic jams increasing by the day, there is no doubt that we have the best commute in the city!

Random Photo of the Week

Sunset over Shimla, Himachal Pradesh -A

We’re Back!!!

It’s been more than two months since our last post and a lot has happened since then. Here’s a brief review of what has transpired in the last couple of months:

- We relocated from Hubli to Bangalore, although we are still working for the Deshpande Foundation (sort of).

- We traveled to the U.S. and back. During our time there, Vidya received her U.S. Citizenship.

- We started working at the Southern Regional Centre of The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI).

- We attended the wedding of the brother of our good friend Ikram, and showed off our Bollywood moves during a choreographed dance routine.

- Adam traveled to Shimla, Himachal Pradesh to attend and present a paper at a conference on climate change and forestry.

Of course, there were a lot of other fun and interesting things that happened during that time, but these are the BIG events. We will be sure to fill you in more with photos and commentary in the upcoming days.

Oh, and in case you were wondering, the Random Photo of the Week will be back too!

Stay tuned…