BENGALURU: The long-running partnership between the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) and Ugly Indians has become a unique study project for students of the University of Washington, Seattle, and has the potential to influence civic authorities and city-dwellers in other countries.
The post-graduate students are studying the work that Ugly Indians, a group of volunteers who clean up Bengaluru and also add to the city’s aesthetics, have done in the past 6 years in collaboration with the BBMP. A member of UI said students visit India as part of an internship under the social innovation course and stay in Bengaluru for 8- 10 weeks.
“During this time they work on various projects with us. But it is the first time they are studying the work in detail and preparing a project report, which is very motivating and encouraging to all those associated with UI,” the UI member said. Of the 27 students who have come this year, four are working with UI, while others are placed with other NGOs. “Interaction with the students has revealed that defacement and abuse of structures is a problem the world over. The study will be an example for other countries to follow,” said another member of UI.