Good morning, Bengaluru!
⛅ Today’s weather: High: 36 ℃ | Low: 23 ℃ | Partly cloudy sky.
🧐 Did you know? Nexus Mall (formerly Forum Mall) in Koramangala is the first shopping mall in Bengaluru.
🖋️ Vintage pen store
RV Nadam & Co, a store in Balepete, Chickpet area, has been selling and repairing pens from around the world for over 80 years.
Fountain and ink pens: The store, established in 1940 by R Vishwanath Shetty, specializes in fountain and ink pens and offers repair services for the same. Now run by his son V Suresh Kumar, the store has a wide range of pen brands including Sheaffer, Parker, Pilot, and Waterman. It also caters to collectors and customers looking for luxury pens like Mont Blanc and Cartier.
- The store has an exhibit of pens dating from the 1950s to the 2000s, with prices ranging from ₹50 to ₹50,000.
- It has served notable customers like Sir M Visvesvaraya and film composer Hamsalekha.
Passing the baton: The store is now preparing for its future with the proprietor’s son, S Dheeraj, being trained to take over the business.
⛆ Rainwater harvesting initiative
BWSSB plans to start community rainwater harvesting to recharge the city’s groundwater table.
What’s it about? The Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) plans to implement community rainwater harvesting by drawing pipelines from lakes to buildings within a 500-metre radius. This initiative aims to ensure that stormwater runoff is directed into water bodies, addressing the improper implementation of mandatory rainwater harvesting in the city.
- The project will help prevent wastage of rainwater and improve the groundwater table.
- The first phase of the project will be implemented in the Varthur and Bellandur areas, targeting apartments, public places, and larger buildings near lakes.
Sustainable management: BWSSB’s community rainwater harvesting system is a step towards sustainable water management in Bengaluru, aiming to enhance groundwater recharge and reduce reliance on underground drainage for rainwater disposal.
🧾 Mahadevapura’s tax milestone
BBMP’s property tax collection in the Mahadevapura zone exceeds ₹1,000 crore, contributing to a revenue windfall of ₹3,900 crore in 2023-24.
What’s it about? For the first time, the Mahadevapura zone, a hub for startups and multinational firms, has seen its property tax collection surpass the ₹1,000-crore mark. This significant achievement has played a crucial role in the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike’s (BBMP) overall revenue collection of ₹3,900 crore in the fiscal year 2023-24. The East zone follows as the second highest contributor with ₹681 crore.
- BBMP’s total property tax revenue is expected to reach ₹4,000 crore by the end of March, anticipating ₹5,000 crore in the next fiscal year.
- The record revenue will enable the BBMP to undertake more projects, with ₹1,200 crore allocated for white-topping of roads for a better commute experience.
Not all rosy: While the BBMP celebrates its revenue achievements, citizen groups urge for improved infrastructure and increased fund allocation to peripheral areas like Mahadevapura. They emphasize the need for a better balance between population and public utilities, advocating for more funds for public infrastructure projects.
💰 Mave Health’s pre-seed funding
Bengaluru-based mental health-tech startup Mave Health raises ₹6 crore in pre-seed funding.
What’s it about? Mave Health, a startup focusing on mental well-being, has secured ₹6 crore in a pre-seed funding round led by All-In Capital and Utsav Somani’s iSeed Fund. The round saw participation from prominent investors such as Bharat Founders Fund, Deepinder Goyal (Zomato), Kunal Shah (CRED), and Mohit Kumar (Ultrahuman), among others.
- The funding will support the launch of Arc, India’s first non-invasive brain stimulation wearable for treating depression.
- The device has shown promising results in improving brain health and treating depression, with over 1,000 individuals benefiting during the beta phase.
International collab: Arc is developed in collaboration with experts from Harvard Medical School, Maastricht University, and other leading research institutes. The startup aims to offer human-centric, evidence-based programmes for mental well-being, with its flagship wearable providing a holistic approach to depression treatment.
📊 Today’s Poll
(Only subscribers can participate in the polls)
Do you keep track of all your daily expenses?
- I keep track of all my daily expenses.
- I don’t keep track of all my daily expenses.
❓ Today’s Question
(Only subscribers can submit their answers)
What’s your most memorable experience with water bodies like lakes or beaches?
Reply to this email with your answers.
🗞️ In other news…
- Explore five engaging summer camps for kids in Bengaluru.
- The South Western Railway has leased 114 acres of land for the Corridor-4 of the Bengaluru Suburban Railway project.
- Bengaluru recorded a three-year high temperature of 37.2°C.
- Rampyari Chaiwala Netaji Bhajiawala introduces the flavours of the East to Bengaluru.
- The double-decker express between KSR Bengaluru and Chennai Central has new timings.
🛋️ Local Lounge
Yesterday’s Poll:
- Media studies should be a part of the school curriculum: 57.1% 🏆
- Media studies shouldn’t be a part of the school curriculum: 42.9%
That’s it for today. Have a great day!