Join us for an inspiring conversation with Ravichandar V, the visionary behind Bangalore International Centre (BIC) and Sabha. From his early days at BITS Pilani and IIM Ahmedabad to founding Feedback Consulting and later transitioning to civic leadership, Ravi shares his remarkable journey of building public spaces and cultural institutions in Bangalore.

Discover how he revolutionised property tax systems, created world-class venues for arts and culture, and mobilised philanthropic support from tech leaders like Nandan Nilekani and Azim Premji. This episode offers valuable insights into entrepreneurship, civic engagement, fundraising strategies, and the importance of community building in modern India.

Challenge to You:

“Better Citizen Challenge”

The Challenge:“How can I be a better citizen tomorrow compared to the citizen I was today? Ask yourself what I can personally do better, and as a result of which the city will become better.”

Hashtag: #BetterMe

Action Items:

• Identify one thing in your neighbourhood that you’d like to fix

• Take personal action to improve it

• Share your effort on social media with #BetterMe

• Tag both me (@Puneethsuraana) and the guest (Ravichandar V)

Core Philosophy:Individual civic responsibility leads to collective city improvement - focusing on personal accountability rather than just complaining about problems.

Duration: One-week challenge

People & Personalities Mentioned:

• Ravichandar V - Civic leader, entrepreneur,

• Puneeth Surana - Yours truly :-)

• Nandan Nilekani - Infosys co-founder, Bangalore Agenda Task Force

• Hema Ravichandar - Former Infosys HR head, Ravi’s wife

• Azim Premji - Wipro chairman, philanthropist

• SM Krishna - Former Karnataka Chief Minister

• Thomas Callet - Major BIC donor

• Mohandas Pai - Philanthropist

• Shibu Lal - Tech entrepreneur, donor

• Jayaraj - Former BMP Commissioner

Institutions & Organisations:

Educational: BITS Pilani, IIM Ahmedabad, Monfort School, Yercaud. Corporate: Infosys, Wipro, Myco (now Bosch), Feedback Consulting.

Cultural: Bangalore International Centre (BIC), Sabha, Chennai International Centre, Bangalore Literature Festival

Government: Bangalore Agenda Task Force, BMP, JNNURM, City ConnectEvents: OASIS (BITS cultural festival)

Books, Movies & Media Mentioned:

• “Covenant of Water” by Abraham Verges - Ravichandar’s fiction recommendation, which he found “absolutely mesmerising”

• “Sapiens” by Yuval Noah Harari - One of two books that “really resonated” with him

• “The Wisdom of Crowds” by James Surowiecki - His second non-fiction pick, focusing on how crowds have more wisdom than select experts

OTT/Streaming:

• “Slow Horses” (Apple TV+ series) - Recent content he consumed and “quite enjoyed” for unwinding

• Galata Podcast - Mentioned as content he listens to while walking with his earbuds

#88 Building Bangalore’s Future: Ravichandar V’s Blueprint for Public Spaces