Mumbai Diary: Monday Dossier

From left Shabana Azmi Romesh Sharma Jaya Bachchan and Danny DenzongpaOf old buddies and college daysIt was actorfilmmaker Romesh Sharmas birthday over the weekend And what better way to bring in ones 70th than in the company of close friends The guests for the understated celebration included veteran industry personalities Amitabh and Jaya Bachchan Shabana Azmi Javed Akhtar and Danny Denzongpa and sarod maestro Ustad Amjad Ali Khan When Azmi shared this picture with fellow FTII buddies she also let us in on some memories of their college days He ragged me badly she said about Sharma who was also her first coactor in ParinayGroup managing director of Istituto Marangoni with designer Iryna DevanchukItalian jobWhen it comes to food and fashion youve got to give it to the Italians Adding to the list of international design schools in the city is Istituto Marangoni that opened The Mumbai School of Fashion last weekendThe institute launched with a fashion showFounded in 1935 the school has produced design geniuses such as Domenico Dolce of Dolce amp Gabbana Franco Moschino and our very own Rahul Mishra The Milanese design school opened with a stylish start with a fashion show at Tote on Turf presented by the graduates from the instituteEarly green lessonsEvery year our planet loses over 150 species of plants and animals and India is very much in the midst of this mass sixth extinctionActress Dia Mirza managed to hold the attention of this young fan at a book launch at BNHS over the weekend PicAtul KambleConservationist and journalist Prerna Singh Bindras The Vanishing Indias Wildlife Crisis which addresses this raging problem with a focus on India was released on the eve of Global Tiger Day at a function organised at the Bombay Natural History Societys Hornbill House recentlyThe event saw actress and activist Dia Mirza and Praveen Pardeshi from the Chief Ministers office in a conversation with the author If you are ready to take an unflinching look at the crisis that Indias wildlife faces this book may be a good place to startA sneak peek into Bombay of yoreThis diarist recently chanced upon the latest issue of the annual newsletter of the Bombay Local History Society Aptly called The Bombay Explorer the issue is a treat for those interested in the evolution of BombayFrom solicitor and antiquities collector Rajan Jayakars article on the trams of Bombay to wellresearched contributions by postgraduate students of ancient history the publication covers littleknown but important historical landmarks dotting the city including the nowdefunct Diana Talkies at Grant Road Dhuru Lodge in Dadar owned by one of the oldest residents of Mumbai and the Chembur GaothanAn interesting account of how the Princess Street became a hub for homoeopathy establishments features interviews with owners of the familyrun business and explores the unique arrangement of having consultations with homoeopathic doctors within the shops Fascinated Drop by at the Heras Institute housed within St Xaviers College for a dekho of the issueAll for the big catJuly 29 was marked as Global Tiger Day this year but if you feel that the cause of protecting the big cat must go beyond a day heres your chance Pick up some colours and doodle away a creature you think is important to a tigers forestYou could also draw its habitat or the mighty animal itself a strong conservation message being the focus The most impactful doodle stands to win exciting prizes Today is the last day to mail your creation to conservation thelastwildernessorg