The city - sliced, diced and served with a dash of sauce
Pic/Jiten C Gandhi
His safety net
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To not compromise on the quality of his siesta, an auto-driver snoozes in his vehicle wrapped up in a mosquito net.
It’s time to free up your mind
Kanishka Chaudhry. Pic/Qgraphy
Samavesh Chamber of Commerce, a Thane-based non-profit trying to build an inclusive business ecosystem for the LGBTQiA+ community, recently launched The Stress-Ball Initiative. It is a mental health programme that will connect members to experts in psychiatry or psychology. “Those who feel the need can email or message their name and phone number to the organisation; they will be connected to medical professionals. We will be facilitating the first four free sessions, and depending on the progress or takeaway from these sessions, the expert and
candidate can decide on their future course,” said Kanishka Chaudhry, co-founder of the non-profit. LGBTQiA+ folk, who want to talk to a therapist, can write to manasi@samaveshcc.org.
Telling the right stories
Shilpi Sarkar
Katha, a publishing house dedicated to children’s literature, has launched a hunt for the best writing in this genre. Shilpi Sarkar, its editor, told us, “We are eager to accept stories that celebrate children and the idea of shared humanity. We want narratives that hoist ‘unity in diversity’, and tell us we belong to one life force.” She stressed on the significance of themes like kindness and empathy and our symbiotic relationships with nature. “Katha hopes for an organic sensitivity to emerge through children’s stories while allowing writers to express themselves. They shouldn’t be constantly thinking if they fall in the politically correct area,” she added. For details on Katha Search For Excellence 2022, head to @kathaindia on Instagram.
Brewing a wave
Third Wave Coffee, known for its artisan coffee brews, has opened two flagship cafés in the city — at Kemps Corner and Lokhandwala. They have plans to open 30 outposts across Mumbai, in a year’s time. Sushant Goyal (in pic), CEO and co-founder of the café chain, told this diarist, “It is a warm hangout spot [usually accentuated in shades of beige and off-white] suited for relaxed conversations and work, too. Our menu will have both sweet and savoury dishes to complement a cuppa. The cafés will also offer flavours like orange zest mocha and la-vie-en rose in hot and cold coffee.”
Cricket legend CK back on CCI wall
This diarist had expressed anguish in these columns on February 22 over the missing CK Nayudu painting at Cricket Club of India’s CK Nayudu Banquet Hall. A little birdie informs us that the club authorities have now installed the frame, which perpetuates the memory of India’s first Test captain in its rightful place. While this should please cricket followers who are keen that great players should never be forgotten, we wonder whether the other photo frames of cricketers, which had adorned the walls of the popular hall, have been hung up again. If so, well done. If not, c’mon guys, we know you are busy hosting IPL games, but take the time to add more significance to that hall.
Young initiators pave the way
Students distribute pads in Kandivali
Student members of the Rotaract club at SIES College of Commerce and Economics recently visited shelters associated with eight NGOs and orphanages to distribute sanitary pads in underprivileged areas of the city. The drive called Menstrupedia was helmed by coordinators, Falguni Mathews and Dr Rinkesh Chheda, and executed by students. Mathews explained, “Period poverty is an issue, and this is a step to make pads accessible.” Sneha Jain, a student added, “The main aim was to get the ball rolling. We shared the process on social media for others to follow our lead and make donations.” Sensitising volunteers and coordinating with NGOs for data and permission were prioritised during this campaign, they told us.