Mumbai Diary: Sunday Dossier

Of legends and the lord

The legendary Bollywood composer jodi Shiv Hari, pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia and pandit Shivkumar Sharma, exchange notes at a Janmashtami celebration in Andheri on Saturday. Pic/Satej Shinde

A celebration of friendship

The Consulate General of the Republic of Indonesia in Mumbai is celebrating its 74th anniversary of Indonesian Independence day, and for this, various events will be organised in the city. The celebration is significant as India extended its helping hand to Indonesia in those turbulent years during the struggle against colonialism. Now, to commemorate the anniversary, the Consul General, Ade Sukendar, will be hosting National Day Reception at Hotel Trident on August 28. When this diarist spoke to Sukendar, he said, "Recently, India and Indonesia set an ambitious $50 billion target for bilateral trade over the next six years as Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Joko Widodo met in Osaka, Japan, for the G20 Summit. With this, I hope the Indonesia-India friendship and cooperation intensify further in the years ahead."

Here's to the cause of bal vivaah

This August 30, artist Michelle Poonawalla will see her long-anticipated fundraising gala come to fruition at The Crystal Room, Taj Mahal Palace. The event, organised to support Breakthrough, a non-profit that works to prevent child marriage in India, will see Poonawalla and other cause ambassadors walk the ramp in Rohit Bal outfits. It was slated to take place a few months ago, but was pushed to a later date as it was clashing with another leading show. Poonawalla, also a patron of the NGO, said, "The statistic that shocked me the most was that more than one in four girls in India are married before the legal age of 18 years. They go on to face a lifetime of ill health, neglect and violence, as they are denied access to basic right to health, safety and education. As a woman and more so as a mother, I feel it is important to create awareness and raise funds."

DDCA president Arun Jaitley with Delhi chief minister Shiela Dikshit before a match at the Kotla, New Delhi, in 2005. Pic/AFP

Thanks for the water, Mr Jaitley!

Arun Jaitley, who passed away in the capital on Saturday, was also an influential figure in the corridors of cricket politics. He was president of the Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) when Pakistan's then president Pervez Musharraf witnessed the India v Pakistan one-day international in 2005. The extra security at the Kotla stadium was understandable, but the press failed to comprehend why they had to be in their seats at the media centre two hours before the start of play. Also, they had to stop their taxi journeys and walk for quite a bit before reaching the Kotla gates. After beating the April heat on the streets of Delhi, they couldn't find a drop of drinking water at the press box. When Jaitley came to inspect facilities, one senior reporter asked, "Mr Jaitley, how about organising some water for us." Jaitley nodded and was then heard exclaiming to his fellow DDCA officials, "water, water." Soon there were a few bottles to consume. That he made a few trips in the media was appreciated, but the journos still grudged the early wake-up.

The who's who of revivalists

In October, art and textile revivalist Purvi Patel will celebrate the birth centenary of Maharani Gayatri Devi, along with Sawai Jai Singh Benevolent Trust, at CSMVS Mumbai, with an exhibition that takes her role as a style icon and brings together the best craftsmen of the country. "Mumbai would have seen several artisans and craftsmen, but for the first time, we are bringing together about 23 revivalists, who are authorities in their subjects in India," she says. "We have Ashdeen, who is doing a beautiful series on Parsi akho-gara and ardho-gara and has done extensive research on the peonies and lilies of Japan; Vandana Singh, who has the most exquisite Benarasi sarees and is reviving the Ektara collection; Minal Jhala Deo is reviving the bandha weaves of Odisha and bringing in contemporary patterns; Mala Sinha, who is bringing 6,000 vintage blocks; Radhika Lalbhai, who is bringing Ashavali sarees and so on."

Struggling to study

With the non-profit, Teach for India, turning 10 this year, the NGO's chief of city operations Sandeep Rai has penned a new book, Grey Sunshine (Aleph Book Company), encapsulating its decade-long journey. The book, we hear, will be launched alongside the stage musical at the Royal Opera House on September 4. "Writing Grey Sunshine was an overwhelming experience. Delving into the life encounters of students, understanding the struggles that arise from an unfair education system, and witnessing how they dealt with the many obstacles on their paths to success was humbling. Grey Sunshine highlights stories of these students and teachers who elevate the education system to ensure a brighter future for our country," Rai said.

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