** ‘Weathering’ the run

Meet the B’lurean who plans to run in extreme wind, heat, cold, and dry weather in four beautiful but formidable deserts across the globe.

For many, weekends mean a break from working out.

But not for Taher Merchant. The city-based entrepreneur looks forward to Saturdays and Sundays so he can clock in the miles that will get him in shape for probably the most extreme footrace in the world – four 250-km runs in some of the most challenging desert terrains on the planet.

He was also the first Indian man to finish the Everest base camp ultramarathon in 2018.

** Driven by determination

Corporate honcho, mum to two and training for a triathlon … Nirupa Shankar has her hands full and wouldn’t have it any other way.

Her current goal – despite being afraid of water and speed – is to participate in the half-Ironman in Greece this October. This event involves a 1.9km swim, 90km bike ride and 21.1km run, which is much more rigorous than the triathlon sprint she completed in 2017.

** Bus converted into mobile toilet for women in Kalaburagi

North Eastern Karnataka Road Transport Corporation (NEKRTC) has, in collaboration with Bengaluru-based SELCO Private Limited, converted an old bus that was scrapped into a mobile rest room exclusively for women.

SELCO Private Limited has spent around ₹3 lakh for installing solar panels under the Corporate Social responsibility (CSR) scheme, while NEKRTC has spent around ₹6 lakh for designing the bus into a rest room.

** BMRCL MD gets Central posting

IAS officer Ajay Seth, who had been serving as Managing Director of Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd. (BMRCL), was on Tuesday appointed the new Economic Affairs Secretary. The appointment at the Centre came on the day BMRCL was carrying out a trial run on the eagerly-awaited extension of the Purple Line.