Mumbai Diary: Sunday Dossier

Pic/Pradeep Dhivar

Irrfan moves to bandra

Mumbai artist Ranjit Dahiya, founder of the Bollywood Art Project, instructs a worker as he puts final touches on a mural of actor Irrfan Khan at Chapel Road on Friday evening. Khan passed away on Wednesday, after fighting Cancer for two years. Dahiya, who is also behind the murals of Amitabh Bachchan and Anarkali in Bandra, started work on the mural on the day Khan died. He lives near Chapel Road and was hence, able to work on the wall, regardless of the lockdown. He founded The Bollywood Art Project to transform the walls of the city with graffiti art influenced by the design tradition of hand-painted Bollywood posters, as an ode to Indian Cinema. Pic/Pradeep Dhivar

Combating Corona

Retired Cdr. Rajeshwari Kori, the first Indian woman to have sailed on board a warship, is currently fighting a war against the Coronavirus. Kori, who is now the deputy controller of civil defence in Raigad district of Maharashtra, is making provisions for medical equipment and grains for hospitals.

"We have started this initiative under the guidance of Raigad collector Nidhi Chowdhary. Apart from using government resources, we are receiving funds from donors, NGOs and friends. The whole experience has been satisfying so far.

There are 15 tehsils under Raigad, of which we consolidate a list of demands and try to help them on priority basis. This is just to tell the hospital staff
that they are not in this alone, we are with them," Kori told this diarist.

Chrissie, that enduring darling of world tennis

Chris Evert lifts the 1981 Wimbledon singles trophy in London. Pic/Getty Images

Women tennis players have contributed greatly in popularising the game and the racquet sport has had some enduring darlings over the years.

High on that list is Chris Evert, who through her smart comments on Twitter provides every reason to believe that she is not an "in my time, we did things this way" kind of former player.

If not for the lockdown, Chris Evert would have been preparing to enjoy another commentary stint at Wimbledon. And while she stays home in America, we thought of providing an example of her popularity even in other countries during her playing days. Martina Navratilova, her fiercest rival on court, was being visited in North Dallas by her Czech grandmother in 1981.

Since Chris and Martina were the closest of friends, it was inevitable that Andela Subertova, 84, met Chris. The old lady was over the moon to meet the then 1974 and 1976 Wimbledon champion, which caused Martina to exclaim: "She [Subertova] says she's going to brag when she gets home that she met Chris."

Chris claimed her last Wimbledon crown in 1981 after demolishing Czech Hana Mandlikova, who had overcome Martina in the semis. Considering Subertova's affection for Chris, the grand old lady wouldn't have been too down.

Moms prepare their kids to leave the nest

Anju Kish

The mothers of children studying in Standard 12 at Jamnabai Narsee International School have come together for a thoughtful initiative. The plan was hatched in a WhatsApp group, where the moms decided to equip their children with skills they will need when they step out to pursue higher education. They have been conducting skill-sharing webinars on Zoom and these sessions are facilitated by various moms, who are experts in their own fields. They have conducted four such sessions so far.

Sheila Navlakha

One of them was about communication skills and how to make the most of one's college experience by communicating with ease. It was conducted by Sheila Navlakha, a mom who is also the founder of SNS Trainers. The last one focused on sexual literacy. It was facilitated by Anju Kish, a mom who founded Untaboo, and Apurupa Vatsalya, the director of programs and advoacy at Kish's company. "The session revolved around the top five things every 18-year-old should know when it comes to sex, such as sexual and social consent, resisting the pressure to have sexual intercourse for the first time, safe sex practices, sexual behaviours such as sexting and the possible repercussions of these behaviours, and gender sensitivity," explained Kish. She plans to facilitate a session for the parents in the coming week, talking to them about how they can support their children in exhibiting healthy sexual behaviour.

Midnight musings with Raman Iyer

One is never too old for bedtime stories, especially if it's accompanied by soulful music. It's why we are loving Raman Iyer's daily midnight Instagram Live audio podcast on his handle @ramaniyer. Iyer, who is the co-founder of Mumbai-based folk fusion band Kabir Cafe, can be heard narrating ancient folk tales, and stories from Indian history and mythology, all while playing the mandolin, where he switches from Hindustani to Carnatic, and Western Classical.

"My idea of getaways is to disappear into libraries. I make notes and don't always agree with what's written in books. So, I decided to share whatever little I've gathered, along with my reflections, in an intimate setting at a quiet hour. It's kind of like a terrace/campsite feeling, where this old uncle tells stories and takes a break to strum an instrument," he shares, adding, "Also, it's fun to bring back the charm of the radio, on Instagram, a highly visual space."

Hair I come

Bollywood's well-known hair and make-up artiste, Florian Hurel, has put in long hours at work. But, participating in a 24-hour livestream hair event will be a first. On May 5, 36 different hair and beauty care professionals from 19 countries will come under one digital roof.

The initiative titled @Hairdressers United will see experts curate new styles, showcase tutorials and analyse the evolution of the hair industry. "I think hair will be a great medium of expression. People will want to speak through their hair, tell stories and make the world a better place," said Hurel.

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