<h2>Through the looking glass</h2>
<p>A boy looks out of the window of a crowded air-conditioned bus on a sunny day in Dadar</p>
<h2>A vision comes to fruition</h2>
<p><img src="http://origin.mid-day.com/images/2024/nov/Visually-students_e.jpg" alt="Students of the center learn chemistry" width="1280" height="720" /><br /><strong><em>Students of the center learn chemistry</em></strong></p>
<p>Nearly two decades after the Xavier&rsquo;s Resource Center for the Visually Challenged set out to make education inclusive at St Xavier&rsquo;s College, it will receive the Divyang Sashaktikaran Hetu Sarveshrestha Sansthan (Private organisation, NGO) National Award from the President of India at a ceremony in Delhi early next month.</p>
<p><img src="http://origin.mid-day.com/images/2024/nov/Xavier-sir_e.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p>
<p>&ldquo;Our efforts began in 2003 by making learning easier for the visually impaired. Today we cater to a spectrum of mental and motor disabilities. Accessibility is not only about building physically accessible spaces. We must build an environment where the differently abled feel comfortable chasing their dreams,&rdquo; shared Dr Sam Taraporevala (below), XRCVC&rsquo;s executive director. The Center&rsquo;s success stories include students who have gone on to secure admissions in top B-schools, medical schools and hopefully with the recent recognition, even greater heights.</p>
<h2>A festive makeover in Fort</h2>
<p><img src="http://origin.mid-day.com/images/2024/nov/Ephinstone-shot_e.jpg" alt="The restoration project will give Elphinstone College an external makeover. FILE PIC" width="1280" height="720" /><br /><strong><em>The restoration project will give Elphinstone College an external makeover. File Pic</em></strong></p>
<p>The Kala Ghoda Arts Festival (KGAF) has announced Fort&rsquo;s Elphinstone College and Mumbai University as the official venues for its 25th edition early next year. In its bid to safeguard heritage structures, the festival hopes to leave the former in better health. &ldquo;The Malad stone used for the construction of the college has started to darken, taking away from its original charm.</p>
<p><img src="http://origin.mid-day.com/images/2024/nov/Brinda-Miller_e.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p>
<p>Our goal is to restore the fa&ccedil;ade,&rdquo; shared Brinda Miller (left), honorary chairperson, Kala Ghoda Association. With the final plans nearing conclusion, conservation architect Vikas Dilawari will take over the execution as early as next week. &ldquo;It will be a homecoming of sorts for the festival as well. The college has hosted us in the past when KGAF was a smaller affair. We look forward to revisiting the classrooms, auditorium and the courtyard,&rdquo; she added.</p>
<h2>A century&rsquo;s worth of stories</h2>
<p><img src="http://origin.mid-day.com/images/2024/nov/Ramdas-Bhatkal_e.jpg" alt="(From left) Ramdas Bhatkal, Shruti Pandit, Shashi Vyas, Pandit Venkatesh Kumar and Pandit Satish Vyas at the event in Dadar. PIC/ANURAG AHIRE" width="1280" height="720" /><br /><strong><em>(From left) Ramdas Bhatkal, Shruti Pandit, Shashi Vyas, Pandit Venkatesh Kumar and Pandit Satish Vyas at the event in Dadar. Pic/Anurag Ahire</em></strong></p>
<p>Late Indian classical musician Pandit CR Vyas&rsquo; birth centenary was celebrated with a sweet gift from son Shashi Vyas at a Dadar venue last Saturday. Co-authored by Shruti Pandit, Chintamani: Ek Chirantan Chintan &mdash; a biography of Vyas&rsquo; life &mdash; is a close look at the musician&rsquo;s lesser known personal life. &ldquo;My father&rsquo;s life has long been written about purely through the lens of his musical talent. However, in his time in Chembur [where a street now bears Pandit Vyas&rsquo; name in tribute] and later Matunga, he worked tirelessly to keep classical music shows afloat. He was a determined artiste, a man of his principles, and for my brothers and I, an unbeatable gilli-danda player,&rdquo; revealed Shashi Vyas, giving us a peek into the anecdotes featured in the book.</p>
<h2>Puppets urge you to vote</h2>
<p><img src="http://origin.mid-day.com/images/2024/nov/Voting-padhyes_e.jpg" alt="Ramdas and Satyajit Padhye with  Sasoba. PIC COURTESY/INSTAGRAM" width="1280" height="720" /><br /><strong><em>Ramdas and Satyajit Padhye with Sasoba. PIC COURTESY/INSTAGRAM</em></strong></p>
<p>In a bid to encourage voting in the upcoming state assembly elections, veteran ventriloquist Ramdas Padhye and his son Satyajit recently released a video for Mumbaikars. &ldquo;We were approached by BMC to amplify the need to vote through our art form since it appeals to all,&rdquo; said Satyajit Padhye. Sasoba the puppet reminds citizens to use the holiday to vote, not for trips. &ldquo;I recommend first-time voters to research the candidate&rsquo;s work before voting,&rdquo; added Padhye Sr.</p>
<h2>Do it like the dabbawalas</h2>
<p><img src="http://origin.mid-day.com/images/2024/nov/Dabbawalas_e.jpg" alt="Students join the dabbawalas on their delivery route in Churchgate" width="1280" height="720" /><br /><strong><em>Students join the dabbawalas on their delivery route in Churchgate</em></strong></p>
<p>Students of the Sahyadri College of Engineering and Management in Mangalore planned an out-of-the-box trip to Mumbai last weekend to meet the city&rsquo;s superheroes on wheels &mdash; the dabbawalas. The group of nearly 20 students started their day in Dadar where the parcels are usually picked up from homes, and hopped into a local train to Churchgate, where hungry Mumbaikars awaited their fresh meals. &ldquo;The students wanted a start-to-finish tour where they could observe and dissect our unique delivery system,&rdquo; shared Ulhas Muke (below), president, Mumbai Dabbawala. The visiting group was also introduced to the challenges in the way of maintaining efficiency at scale in a busy metropolis like Mumbai. &ldquo;The students were extremely enthusiastic. They asked us questions all along the way. We were glad to share our knowledge with the younger generation,&rdquo; Muke added. The organisation is now open to hosting similar tours for interested groups. Log on to mumbaidabbawaala.in to register, and don&rsquo;t forget to be on time!</p><p>
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