New book celebrates Bengaluru's BMTC bus stories, captures lives on transit
Bengaluru: A new bilingual book titled Bengalurina Bussina Kathegalu (Bengaluru’s Bus Stories) was released on Monday, offering a heartwarming collection of real-life experiences from the city’s BMTC buses. Presented in Kannada and English, the book turns the routine of bus commuting into poignant narratives of connection, emotion, and community.
Compiled by a diverse group of writers and volunteers, the book is a joint effort by researchers from Utrecht University (Netherlands), the EQUIMOB project, the Institute for Social and Economic Change, Bengaluru Bus Prayanikara Vedike (BBPV), and the non-profit Samvada.With 23 stories divided into seven themes, it offers a people's archive of the daily life happening on Bengaluru's buses.
The stories span from childhood memories to friendships and even transformative encounters. One story remembers the excitement of taking a double-decker bus ride, while another tells how a conductor's wise action resolved a family feud over a nascent romance.
Prajwal Nagesh, one of the researchers who worked on the project, highlighted the collective effort that went into the book. "While each of us has our own recollections of BMTC buses, such stories are not often recorded. This book is a collective memory of those experiences," he said.
During the launch event, the personal bus memories were shared by volunteers such as Mamatha Gamana, which encouraged people at the event to contribute their own anecdotes, giving an insight into how these daily travels have influenced the social geography of the city for many years.
Released as an e-book, Bengaluru's Bus Stories is available on Equimob's website and the Bengaluru Bus Prayanikara Vedike blog.
Bengaluru's Bus Stories – Bengalurina Bussina Kathegalu, a book offering insights into BMTC - the city’s lifeline- was launched on Monday. It captures memories of double-deckers, bus bonds, everyday life around buses@BBPVedike pic.twitter.com/T21W2nldy4
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Centre spent Rs 76.13 lakh on print media ads for RSS centenary, reveals RTI
New Delhi: The Union Ministry of Culture allegedly spent Rs 76.13 lakh on print advertisements marking the 100-year celebrations of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), according to a Right to Information (RTI) reply.
The information was sought by RTI activist Ajay Basudev Bose, who filed an application seeking details on expenditure incurred by the ministry for advertisements commemorating the RSS centenary.
Bose shared a picture of the reply from the ministry on his official ‘X’ handle.
“It is informed that an amount of Rs 76,13,129 has been spent on advertisement given in various print media by the Ministry of Culture on the occasion of the completion of 100 years of RSS,” the government’s reply stated.
RTI reply shows Min of Culture Govt of India spent a Whopping Rs 76L,13K,129 on Advertisement in Print Media on occasion of 100 yrs of #RSS
— AJAY Basudev Bose (@AjayBos93388306) April 16, 2026
When Everyone knows RSS is Not Registered & Does not Pay any Tax is it justified to spend Tax Payers Money on such Private event??@RSSorg… pic.twitter.com/dW4IUtdNCg
Bose questioned the expenditure in the post X, “when Everyone knows RSS is Not Registered & Does not Pay any Tax is it justified to spend Tax Payers Money on such Private event??”
Reacting to the development, Karnataka’s IT-BT and Panchayat Raj Minister Priyank Kharge also criticised the spending.
In a post on X, he asked why public money was being used for what he described as a “private ideological project.”
"Modi Sarkar spent Rs 76,13,129 of public money on newspaper advertisements to celebrate 100 years of the RSS. Why is Government spending taxpayers money on an unregistered, non-tax-paying organisation to celebrate their centenary?," he added.
Why is public money being used to serve a private ideological project?
— Priyank Kharge / ಪ್ರಿಯಾಂಕ್ ಖರ್ಗೆ (@PriyankKharge) April 16, 2026
Modi Sarkar spent ₹76,13,129 of public money on newspaper advertisements to celebrate 100 years of the RSS.
Why is Government spending taxpayers money on an unregistered, non-tax-paying organisation to… pic.twitter.com/EoZ6Pim3IM
According to reports, the RSS describes itself as a volunteer-based organisation and has stated that it functions as a body of individuals rather than a registered entity.
Founded by Keshav Baliram Hedgewar in 1925, the organisation is marking its centenary year beginning from Vijaydashami in 2025, with the milestone observed on October 2.
