The city - sliced, diced and served with a dash of sauce
PIc/Shadab Khan
The making of matchwinners
A group of focused young cricketers train at the Mumbai Police Gymkhana at Marine Drive.
From E-waste to e-useful
Robo Crafter (left); Waste material used to make Robo Crafter. Pics Courtesy/Nehru Science Centre
Cannot think of how to discard e-waste? We’ve come across an innovative idea. Nehru Science Centre is hosting the Swachhta Pakhwada campaign, which highlights creative reuse and sustainability through innovative displays made from discarded electronic waste. The campaign is currently organised for staff members of Nehru Science Centre and focuses on encouraging mindful waste management practices. A key attraction is Robo Crafter, a robot sculpture created entirely from e-waste by artist HD Barapatre, exhibition officer at Nehru Science Centre. “It took me a total of three days to make this,” Barapatre says. “I used various e-waste materials such as wires, old torches, circuit boards, CCTV glass covers, speakers, old equipment, keyboards, a ball, and other items that would otherwise be considered unworthy.” The sculpture demonstrates how discarded materials can be repurposed creatively rather than sent to landfills. Another notable mention is the Wake Up Rooster, crafted by Avani A Rane, artist at Nehru Science Centre, which further reinforces the message of sustainability and responsible reuse through art.
HD Barapatre
Be a WISE voter
With the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation elections scheduled for January 15, citizens are being encouraged to understand who they are voting for and why. Youth-led social change platform Blue Ribbon Movement, will host a pre-election gathering titled ‘We Vote WISE’ at Nariman Point on January 10. The event will bring together citizens across Mumbai to collectively warm up for the polls. The initiative has invited volunteers, including writers, poets, and storytellers, to help shape a creative manifesto rooted in Mumbaikars’ voices.
The team and volunteers of Blue Ribbon Movement. Pics courtesy/Akash Upase
“The proposed event, ‘We Vote WISE — (Well-being, Inclusion, Sustainability, Expression, and Entrepreneurial energy) — is a fun and engaging citizens’ meet held before the elections. The aim is to reflect on the impact of three years without local elections, seek accountability from the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM), and understand what voting wisely means, and, where possible, engage with political parties around citizens’ key concerns,” WISE lead, Blue Ribbon Movement, Akash Upase, told us.
Akash Upase
A slow Sunday morning ritual
A designated reading space. PIC courtesy/Kitaabghar reading room and bookshop
Kitaabghar Reading Room and Bookshop in Andheri will launch a new weekly community initiative in 2026, centred on a calm and unhurried Sunday reading ritual. Held every Sunday, the gathering invites strangers to come together for silent reading — with no pressure to speak, interact, or finish a book. Readers are welcomed into a designated quiet space where they can read peacefully without disturbance, for a minimal fee of '100 every Sunday. The space offers a mix of old favourites and newly added books across genres, allowing participants to either bring their own book or choose one on site. Amal Solanki, founder of Kitaabghar, said, “Many people don’t like to talk about what they’re reading because it’s an intimate activity. This is a safe space for readers who want to bury their faces deep in their books.”
Economic start
Pic Courtesy/Wikimedia Commons
If you were looking for ideas to figure your financial game plan for 2026, Worli was the place to be. Former chief economic advisor Arvind Subramanian (below) was joined by political scientist Devesh Kapur in a talk by the Asia Society India Centre at Club Jolie’s yesterday. “They plunged deep into almost 80 years of development data, and it’s wonderful to start the year off by examining how the data can surprise us and make us re-evaluate our nation’s history and economy,” shared Inakshi Sobti, CEO, Asia Society India Centre.
Fringe benefits in March
Soha Ali Khan during 3 Art House’s in-house fest, Neighbourhood Festival. Pics Courtesy/3 Art House; (right) Banat Kaur Bagga
Mumbai is expecting an intriguingly unconventional showcase soon. From March 12 to 15, the Mumbai Fringe Festival will be hosted at 3 Art House in Khar. The Fringe, which has been a global phenomenon for decades, curates intimate, original performances. These, however, are not traditional acts. The concept is to craft performances that will come alive best in small rooms, creating an authentic connection between the performer and the audience.
The festival consists of theatre, comedy, spoken word, storytelling, amongst other experimental formats. “[It] is really about live performance that feels close and honest; it’s not about big stages or creating a spectacle, but about storytelling and connections. We’re excited to see how artistes and audiences respond to this format in Mumbai,” revealed Banat Kaur Bagga, co-founder, 3 Art House. Those interested can follow @mumaaifringefest for more updates.
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