What's really broken in Bangalore and how do we fix it?
In this episode of Two Founders Walk Into, we sit down with Srikanth Viswanathan, CEO of Janaagraha, one of India's foremost urban governance experts. With 15+ years working with city governments, constitutional bodies, and citizen groups, Srikanth breaks down why Indian cities keep failing their residents and what a systems-level solution actually looks like.
We cover:
→ Why traffic, pollution, and flooding are symptoms, not the real problem
→ The three city systems every urban leader must understand: planning & design, political ownership, and state capacity
→ Why Bangalore still doesn't have an elected mayor accountable to its citizens
→ How walkability could unlock clean air, public health, women's safety, and traffic relief, all at once
→ Tender SURE streets and what's already working in Bangalore
→ The citizenship ladder: how residents move from passive consumers to active contributors
→ The role of organisations like Janaagraha, U&I Trust as civic connective tissue
→ Srikanth's personal journey from Big Four consulting to systems-change nonprofit leadership
→ What genuine empathy looks like in leadership and why it took 15 years to learn
If you care about Bangalore, Indian cities, civic participation, or building organisations that create lasting change, this episode is for you.
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