Anju Nanavati, 'Nai Akka' (Dog Sister) of Nandi Hills, Bangalore

The Indie Dog

Prestige Golfshire, in the Nandi Hills, is possibly one of Bangalore’s most beautiful residential areas. 275 acres of landscaped villas, with an 18-hole golf course, pool, tennis courts and other wonderful amenities that make life just special, besides being close to the airport and not that far from the heart of the city.

But this is not a real estate commercial.

This is about what’s happening at around, oh, let’s say knee level. Yes. It’s about dogs. Ownerless, rudderless, street and village dogs that come on to this pristine property from around the many villages nearby and wander around, unaware of the next golf ball that could crack their skull. Life is unpredictable and scary if you’re a street dog no matter how upscale the neighbourhood.

Fortunately for the streeties at Prestige Golfshire, there’s a lady named Anju Nanavati who lives there, zipping around in her little car plastered with pictures of doggies all over, as she gaily and joyfully tends to their needs. She knows all the dogs and they know her.

Although Anju and her husband moved there presumably to lead the quiet, retired life, at least for Anju, it’s been nothing but that.

She has spent the last few years, including the lockdown, trying to fix all the problems of as many dogs as she possibly can, not only in the community, but slowly expanding to the villages in the vicinity, one, two, three and more.

Anju says her husband Ajay has been of huge support to her as she spreads the word.

And that word of course is ‘woof’.