About the collector

A true Bangalorean (born, brought up, educated amidst the gardens of the city), who has done a bit of gallivanting over the last few years (Bangalore ~ Bombay ~ Hyderabad ~ Singapore ~ Bangalore ~ Chandigarh ~ Mumbai).

Loves basketball (played for Karnataka), running (national "Masters" athletics gold medallist), research (worked at Mode/ TNS/ RI), social causes (using common sense and engineering/ management training to do anything that helps), lakes and open spaces (one of the founder trustees of Puttenahalli Neighbourhood Lake Improvement Trust (PNLIT)), composting (manages household waste), repairing-reusing-recycling (stitches cloth bags, transforms bottle caps CapsToKeep), travelling, collecting autographs and taking photographs! Also, a licensed HAM Radio operator and served as a short-term Special Police Officer with Bangalore Police. Been associated with youth socio-cultural activities for several years through Nehru Bal Sangh, Bangalore that started Cascade Inter-School Fest. Experienced in apartment management having been the President of the residents’ association/ federation of Brigade Millennium, Bangalore.

Enjoys writing about different things we encounter in our everyday lives. Contributes as an IRHA Journalist, and also to Citizen Matters and The Alternative.

Apart from this site, other blogs/ sites contributed to

Journalists for RWH

Plog – The PNLIT Blog

Puttenahalli Post (on CitizenMatters.in)

Like a Lake (on CitizenMatters.in)

CapsToKeep                                 … some posts overlap!

Featured as “Bold bindaas and successful” in a Women’s Day article in Jagran City Plus newspaper, Bangalore, March 2011.

A favourite quote (often attributed to Ralph Waldo Emerson)

A Definition of Success

To laugh often and much

To win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children

To earn the appreciation of honest critics

and endure the betrayal of false friends

To appreciate beauty

To find the best in others

To leave the world a bit better,

whether by a healthy child, a garden patch,

or a redeemed social condition

To know even one life has breathed easier because you lived.

Tries to “Be the change you want to see in the world” – Mahatma Gandhi

Was once on a magazine cover!

Jan 2011: Arathi Manay and OP Ramaswamy help city apartments save lakhs!

Was once in a print ad!

Reach me at arathimy@gmail.com