The city - sliced, diced and served with a dash of sauce
Pic/Anurag Ahire
The right cord
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A man waiting for a bus can’t do without his phone at Marine Drive
The lost beats
Franco Vaz (right) and his son Joshua
The city of Mumbai joins drummer Joshua and baker Rebecca Vaz in mourning their father, the legendary musician Franco Vaz. The virtuoso began as a violinist and dabbled in drums till he was spotted by music director RD Burman, and from then on, there was no looking back. Vaz, who passed away on Wednesday, rubbed shoulders with the likes of Trilok Gurtu, Burjor Lord and Leslie Godinho, playing for a string of Bollywood films, and even played a small role in the 2018 hit film Andhadhun. Joshua was gracious enough to take a minute to speak to this diarist about jamming with his father and other such memories. “Dad loved life and lived it to the fullest, king size. He has inspired so many people with his love and passion for music. His memory and legacy will live on. I’m really going to miss the big guy,” he told us. We will miss you too, Mr Vaz.
It’s batting great Vishy’s 75th!
Gundappa Vishwanath
India’s batting stylist of the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s, Gundappa Vishwanath reaches a landmark tomorrow. In Bengaluru, he will celebrate his 75th birthday and like his countless admirers, we wish him the very best. Vishy was not only admired for his batting. He stands out as a human being. Genial, gentlemanly and gracious he has always been. We remember Hemant Kenkre, a much-loved personality in the Mumbai cricket fraternity, telling us a story about Vishy getting a call at midnight from a Kolkata-based journalist, enquiring whether a certain player would be part of the India team. Kenkre was Vishy’s guest and this was when the India great was chief selector. Vishy took the call, answered the query in the most diplomatic way and prepared to wake up early to catch a Bangalore-Kolkata flight for a selection meeting in the early 1990s. While Kenkre expressed bewilderment about how a reporter could disturb the chairman of the national selection committee at that hour, Vishy smiled and said, “It’s okay, he’s only doing his job.” To genial, gentlemanly and gracious, we must add tolerant in Vishy’s long list of qualities.
Spare us your unsolicited opinions, author tells rude stranger
Author Meghna Pant had no chill on Saturday morning, when a complete stranger approached her at the Mumbai Airport. The Mumbai-based writer was on her way to Kolkata for the launch event of her latest novel, and was enjoying a cup of coffee at the airport lounge, when the man came up to her and told her that her bra strap was showing. “It is? Thank God!” she replied without missing a beat. “I thought I’d forgotten my bra at home.” The man did not know which way to look and beat a hasty retreat, with his head down and his mouth shut. “As it is, women spend most of their lives warding off unwanted advances and unsolicited opinions from men,” she told this diarist later in the day, over a call from Kolkata. “When this man came up to me, I had to give it back because silence encourages such people. I mean, just leave us alone, am I right?” Pant also narrated the incident on her social media pages, to supportive and laudatory response from a lot of her followers. “I decided to be vocal about it in the hope that others, too, may do the same. Nobody needs to take this sitting down.” More power to you, Meghna.
A recipe for healing
It takes a village to care for a child with cancer. Alongside medical treatment, nutritious food fed by loving hands, too, can go a long way in the child’s recovery and nourishment. As part of its Flavours of Hope campaign, the St Jude India ChildCare Centres will be releasing a book of recipes called Happy Healthy Meals—“a symbol of resilience and innovation amid challenges,” as the organisation puts it. Recipes for wholesome dishes like raw mango paratha and black gram laddoos come from the kitchens of caregivers of cancer warriors across India. “These recipes not only showcase the remarkable resourcefulness of caregivers who bravely navigate the trials of caring for a child with cancer, but also celebrate the rich culinary heritage of India,” the organisation told mid-day. February 15 will see the launch of the campaign and cook book at the organisation’s Sewri campus.
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