Any look back at 2025 has to start with a moment of triumph after years of waiting in hope, which led to a horrendous, avoidable tragedy. The KSCA stampede that led to 11 lost lives leads us to pause and honour their memory by ensuring that such an unfortunate event does not ever happen again. It marred what should have been a defining celebratory event of 2025, an IPL triumph after 18 years for Team Bengaluru.
The Greater Bengaluru Governance Bill, with the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) and 5 corporations, was a seminal reform event of 2025. Since the 74th constitutional amendment, it is the first mega city governance and administration Act in the country apart from the short-lived multi-corporation experiment in Delhi. It promises a better city, but it needs to live up to the hype around it through focus on execution.
This is a good time to visit the genesis of this change and the expectations from it.
The BBMP Restructuring Committee and the subsequently named Brand Bengaluru Committee (disclosure: this author is a member) had been tasked for over seven years with suggesting ways and means to improve the quality of life in Bengaluru for all citizens. It was clear that a single BBMP and multiple parastatals like BWSSB, BESCOM, BDA, BMTC, BMRCL, Police, etc, working at cross purposes were not tenable for a 14 million resident and growing city spread over 721 sq kms with rampant growth beyond its borders.
The solution set suggested was deep decentralization through five corporations and their ward committees, with appropriate centralization at the apex level of the Corporations and the parastatals. The GBA is akin to a music conductor. Sans it, we end up with noise. It is early days to evaluate its performance, but some signs through fixing of infrastructure and more locally accessible officials augur hope. The corporation elections, likely in early 2026, should give a fillip to the decentralization experiment.
The arts and culture scene, too, has made rapid strides in 2025. While traditional institutions like Ranga Shankara, Jagriti, BIC, Bengaluru Science Gallery, IME, IIWC, MAP, PCPA, NGMA, Courtyard, Shoonya, Courtyard Koota, etc., continued to build on their strengths, 2025 saw the renovation and renewal of institutions like Sabha, the Venkatappa Art Gallery, Indian Heritage Academy, and Alliance Francaise. The variety of choices through these and other institutions gave Bengalureans choices that were sorely lacking in the past. They were also an oasis of community gatherings in an increasingly concrete city.
Newer public spaces like Freedom Park came to life with the 14th edition of Bangalore Literature Festival. Its environs, along with multiple other venues, will spring to life over 10 days in mid-January 2026 during the BLR Hubba. That’s a New Year gift that’s worth looking forward to!