30 January,2026 08:15 AM IST | Mumbai | Team mid-day
PIc/Shadab Khan
Fresh blooms of Pink Trumpet flowers add a splash of colour to a section of the Eastern Express Highway near Vikhroli.
We caught wind of a young sailing prodigy off the breezy Chowpatty coast during the recently concluded iQFoiling (high-speed windsurfing) Asian Games 2026 trials. Naavya Kaku, a 12-year-old student from Fort's JB Petit High School, was punching above her weight, competing in the Under 19 category. In conversation with her mother Hetal Kaku, we learnt that the teen bagged a third-place finish in the second round in Girgaon. "As thrilling as it looks, pursuing foiling in India is a multifaceted challenge. Despite being a coastal city, access to sea areas where one can train is limited for civilians. The equipment comes with a hefty price tag of upto R10 lakh, and travelling with it adds to the costs. Naavya often needs to travel overseas to train, or hire a trainer to come visit us in India. Some recognition and attention to the sport could help build more accessible infrastructure," she said. We hope it's all smooth sailing to the next Asian Games for the young star.
Living in this city can drain you out. Ask its crows. An uncommon sighting of a grey leucistic crow yesterday near the Veermata Jijabai Bhosale Botanical Udyan and Zoo in Byculla sparked some interesting conversations in naturalist circles. "The condition can arise from the mutation of a gene that affects melanin, the pigment that gives a crow its dark black colour. We see a partial loss of pigment when a parent in the lineage has undergone stress, likely from its diet and lifestyle. While the condition is uncommon among Mumbai's crows, it is even rarer in rural areas where there are fewer stressors," said naturalist Shmes Ansari, who was alerted of the sighting by the Zoo's assistant zoologist Umesh Avadootha. Safe to say, stress levels are soaring in this city.
A vasaikar is all set to teach Dubai how to shake a leg in Koli style next weekend. Supriya Takkar Fernandes, who runs the Vasai Local restaurant in Karama, Dubai, told this diarist she's all set to get visitors grooving to Koli geet at a pop-up. "It has become an annual affair now. We did it last year at the St Mary's Church in Oud Metha in UAE. The multicultural crowd, consisting of Filipinos, Brits, and Americans couldn't help but tap their feet to our music. A group from The Philippines even joined us to learn some moves. Soon enough, the classic dance prop, white handkerchiefs, came out," she revealed. Fernandes tells us she's more than glad to host Mumbaikars visiting the city on February 7 and 8 for a meeting with the âDubaikars'.
February will begin with a good cause at the Kaifi Azmi Park. On February 7, reading club Juhu Reads will host a session with the collective Books Tribute, started by Ananya Turakhia and Arnav Dharia. "They have been collecting books, pre-loved and read, to distribute across different institutions. They will be bringing a portion of their collection to the session. Participants are free to read, give their own books, or take part in the session," shared Juhu Reads co-curator Shishir Bangera.
The weekend will see board game enthusiasts head to Kurla for the annual edition of Meeplecon at Phoenix Marketcity. This time, though, there will be an emphasised desi touch to the proceedings. "It is a delight to see such creative ideas inspired by the diversity of India's culture. From games on Indian elections, to one on Raas Leela, it is a dynamic collection," shared director Prashant Maheshwari. With a convention of designers and critics, as well as a corporate championship over two days, it has something for everyone. Let the games begin, we say.
