The city - sliced, diced and served with a dash of sauce
Pic/Ashish Raje
There are no fences facing
With fingers holding on to the fence, anxious parents watch the final of the Ahmed Sailor inter-school hockey tournament at the Don Bosco High School ground in Matunga
The book of her dreams
(From left) Panels from Bahadur’s book that was inspired by her mentors, Amin and Sara Sheikh’s young son. Illustrations courtesy/Soundarya Gottapu
Over the last three years, Alumelu Bahadur (below) has been doing more than just overseeing the Little Guru’s Nest Preschool and Daycare in Marol. She has been writing a book. The title, The Boy Who Dreamt of Change, will now be launched at the Bombay to Barcelona Cafe on January 17, and serve to raise funds for the NGO Street Angels Foundation.
“The café, with Amin and Sara Sheikh, helped me find my feet. I come from a difficult background, and they helped me pursue my passion of teaching. We started the school with a view of teaching kids the value of empathy and kindness. The book was an extension of the effort using the narrative of a story,” the 33-year-old author shared with us.
Generational tunes
Ustad Amjad Ali Khan performs alongside his grandsons. Pic Courtesy/@aaksarod
The stage of Janfest 2026 at the iconic quadrangle of St Xavier’s College (autonomous) will be the evidence of a rare legacy in Hindustani music as Ustad Amjad Ali Khan will join his sons, Ayaan and Amaan Ali Bangash, as well as his grandsons, Zohaan and Abeer Ali. The two-day festival that begins on January 25 will also feature a strong line-up of vocalists including Padma Bhushan Award-winner Begum Parveen Sultana, the celebrated Trichur Brothers, Mohammad Aman Khan, as well as Dr N Rajam (violin), a member of the organising committee told this diarist. Readers keen for details about donor passes, can reach out to 9930543121.
Ready to vote
Tuesday was all about KYC — Know Your Corporation, we mean — at the Lala Lajpat Rai College in Haji Ali. A voter town hall organised by Mark Your Presence, in collaboration with NSS Mumbai University cleared the air around pertinent questions about the powers of the BMC and its corporators, alliance structures, contesting candidates, and previous results. “The aim was to ensure that young voters clearly understand what they are voting for, and why their vote matters at the local level,” founder Chaitanya Prabhu told this diarist.
Rockstar rewind
While the stage at the National Centre of Performing Arts (NCPA) has seen its share of rockstars, the fan-meet of filmmaker Imtiaz Ali’s (above) Rockstar (2011) might just be a different kind of experience for the classical stage. On January 16, The director will join cast members as they celebrate the landmark musical drama with a curated experience, and in-depth panel discussions about its making and memories. The event will also feature a curated musical storytelling performance led by Laksh Maheshwari, reimagining the film’s narrative.
Deep-dive with Dr Lobo
Dr Aaron Lobo. Pic Courtesy/meenscientist.com
Those who have read Ghost-Eye, the eponymous new title by Amitav Ghosh will know that fish is at the heart of the book; Bengal’s diverse marine fauna, to be precise, in case Mumbai’s fish-eaters decide to do an instant ecstatic jig. However, if you’re a discerning foodie, like this diarist, we’re sure that it will draw your interest. During our interview with Ghosh, an academic came in for special mention —Dr Aaron Lobo.
Amitav Ghosh. Pic/Ashish Raje
“Aaron and I talk a lot about fish. It’s an enjoyable process,” he revealed, when we prodded about research on the subject, hinting at Lobo’s influence. Turns out, the marine conservation scientist and Ghosh had co-authored a seminal piece titled, Bay of Bengal: Depleted Fish Stocks and Huge Dead Zone Signal Tipping Point for The Guardian in 2017. We learnt that the two will discuss the book at Calangute’s popular Literati Bookshop and Café on January 17, giving this association the perfect platform to talk shop. Or shall we say, fish?
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