04 August,2026 08:09 AM IST | Mumbai | Team mid-day
Pic/Atul Kamble
Rain-soaked Shivaji Park is no hindrance to this group of boys who kept their date with cricket
The Mehli Mehta Music Foundation has always unearthed new talent in the city, and the 2026 Con Brio festival was proof. The July finals witnessed two of the foundations' pupils make a mark. Fourteen-year-old Yash Prabhu was second runner-up in the piano category, while Dadar resident Ananya Kulkarni became the first cellist to win the bowed strings category of the competition.
Yash Prabhu (right) Ananya Kulkarni at the competition
"Ananya is from our first batch of cellists, and began learning in 2015. To be the first cellist to win the competition at the age of 18 years is quite an achievement. For Yash, even more so, as he only began learning the piano with us three years ago," shared honorary director of education programmes at the foundation, Farahanaaz Dastur.
A Thought for the Day: Gandhi's 688 autograph reflections for Anand T Hingorani, 1944-1946. Pics Courtesy/Saffronart; Hingorani Family
Sometimes pieces of history are not found in museums, but among old heirlooms. Mumbaikars will have a chance to view such a history through the auction, Gandhi: From the collection of Anand T Hingorani, presented by Saffronart on August 18 and 19.
Gandhi's Peti Charkha accompanied by Two Letters on the Spiritual Discipline of Spinning
From Mahatma Gandhi's letters to his peti charkha, 86 historical artefacts document freedom fighter Anand T Hingorani's close association that traversed the Dandi March, the freedom struggle, and his work at Sabarmati Ashram.
"Comprising a remarkably well-preserved collection of letters, manuscripts, and publications, it reveals Gandhi in multiple roles: As the leader of India's freedom movement, but equally as a mentor, confidant, correspondent and friend," shared Minal Vazirani, co-founder, Saffronart.
Children dress up as Harry Potter at the event in Kemps Corner a participant's sketch of the character. Pic/Sayyed Sameer Abedi
The sight at Crossword bookstore outlets in Kemps Corner and Ghatkopar last weekend would've given Voldemort sleepless nights. Young fans dressed in their Harry Potter costumes, complete with their wands, made a beeline to the bookstore chain to celebrate the character's birthday (July 31). Amid storytelling sessions, we also spotted a few gifted artists, sketching the character in their own styles. Parents were in on the fun as well, cheering their little wizards on. That's a birthday to remember.
The cocktail space will replicate the hip, reader-friendly vibe of the Kalyan cafe
For years, this diarist has bemoaned the lack of cocktail bars in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) beyond Thane that forced us to make an odyssey to the spots in Bandra or Juhu. Therefore, it is of some comfort to learn that the distant suburbs are finally picking up the slack. The people behind The Bookmark Cafe in Kalyan are now looking to set up Page 2, an all-day cocktail and coffee bar, in Dombivli for their resident patrons later this month.
Preeti Patil
"It will have the same vibe as our café with one key difference - crafted cocktails and coffee. We hope to retain the familiar experience with baithak seating making it a casual dining space. It will also act as a working space for people during the day, while also allowing them to enjoy a relaxed cocktail," shared owner Preeti Patil. For nostalgia lovers, Patil is installing a red letterbox where you drop letters or poems.
