Pic/Bipin Kokate
A uniform emergency
Mumbai police constables run to take cover as they get caught in a sudden shower after the 74th Independence Day parade at Mantrayala. Pic/Bipin Kokate
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Sachincredible and Sharda's skill
Journalist Sharda Ugra outside the Grace Gate at Bristol during last year's ICC World Cup in the UK
Sportspersons often have a problem with headlines especially when it comes to controversial stories about themselves.
At times, the players believe flamboyant headlines are given with the sole purpose of selling more copies. Try telling that to headline writers and they'll frown on the theory. While this 'battle' will go on unabated, we were recently reminded of an outstanding headline that appeared in this newspaper way back in 1990.
Sachin Tendulkar scored his maiden Test century (against England at Manchester) in 1990 and in came Harsha Bhogle's report through a fax machine at a communication centre near our old office in Tardeo (yes, we acquired a fax machine a little later).
When it was time to paste the report on the page, the then sports-in-charge Sharda Ugra thought of Sachincredible. It turned out to be a much-loved, popular and one of our favourite sports headlines.
Sachincredible also reminds us that Bengaluru-based Sharda has been in the profession for more than three decades. Through her rewarding journey she has inspired a large number of women writers.
Way to go, Sharda. Or should we say Shardaincredible?
When art gives hope
Aaquib Wani, experiential design veteran and art director, has created a floral sculpture that sends out a powerful message of hope to the world. Titled Garden of Hope, this installation at Phoenix Market City, offers an immersive experience, combining art and technology. The installation is a 20-feet-tall structure standing on a flower bed made up of reflective mylar. The mechanism used helps create a pattern of flowers opening and closing in tandem with each other.
Talking to this diarist, Wani said, "The idea was to create something meaningful, in keeping with the current situation, that transports you into another world. It's also a place where people could come and be one with the installation."
Following in the legend's footsteps
It's not very often that one can say that the works of India's master painters are in safe hands. But Jaygopal Varma, the great great great grandson of the legendary Raja Ravi Varma, has been doing everything to keep the artistic tradition of his family alive.
One 50 years after Ravi Varma completed his first commissioned work of art, a family portrait in Malabar, Jaygopal alias Jay, has begun his own professional journey as an artist with a family portrait of the Jungs. Nawabzada Omar Bin Jung was one of the individuals who patronised Jay Varma's three-year study programme at Studio Incamminati in Philadelphia, and chose to have a family portrait painted by the artist.
The family was photographed in 2017. On Jay's return to India in 2018 after completing his artistic education, the Sandeep & Gitanjali Maini Foundation (SGMF) provided the artist with a fully set up studio in central Bengaluru. He completed it in two years.
Jay Varma
"Raja Ravi Varma was a follower of realism. Or what could be called humanist realism or traditional realism or classical realism. In this genre, he particularly chose to explore the human condition. In these respects, we both are of the same mind. But the techniques and colours he used are quite different from what I pursue," Varma shared. "In this particular portrait, besides the detail brought to each of the four subjects, I thought it was a good idea to include a bit of their home environment like the marble steps and flooring."
The lone wolf
A throwback picture with Amitabh Bachchan that Afroz Shah recently uploaded on social media
In March, when the Coronavirus started spreading, Afroz Shah suspended all beach clean-up activities as it involved large groups of people. However, over the past six weeks, he has been doing the job alone.
"I don't put up any updates on social media. If people do turn up on their own, I ask them to maintain social distancing." Shah says he hasn't come across any bio-waste such as masks and gloves in the dump.
Chetan is back with a twist
Chetan Bhagat is known for penning novels that have a pan-India appeal. His soon-to-be-released book is called One Arranged Murder with Westland. Deviating from his usual fare, Bhagat has written a murder mystery this time, something new for his fans to look forward to.
"It's a bit different from my usual love stories and I hope readers will like it as much as I enjoyed writing it," he said. Fans should keep an eye out for the cover of the book, as he will be unveiling it on his social media on Monday.
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