<h2>Keepers of the light</h2>
Workers remove scaffolding around the 159-year-old Fitzgerald Fountain in Dhobi Talao after its renovation
<h2>Isn&rsquo;t age just a number?</h2>
Age may come with wisdom, but for some women, it has also brought their boldest adventures. Bullet Nani: And Other Badass Indian Grandmas (Pan Macmillan India), Jasreen Mayal Khanna&rsquo;s upcoming book, set to release on July 24, shines the spotlight on a few extraordinary <a href="https://www.mid-day.com/lifestyle/culture/article/how-senior-mumbaikars-are-redefining-their-purpose-and-identity-post-retirement-23328939" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Indian grandmothers </a>who refused to let age define them.
<img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2026/jul/Jasreen-Mayal_e.jpg" alt="Pics courtesy/Pan Macmillan India" width="1280" height="720" /> Pics courtesy/Pan Macmillan India
The Mumbai-based author introduces readers to women whose lives have spanned war zones and laboratories, vineyards and police stations. While some broke barriers with headline-making firsts, others quietly challenged social norms at home. Together, their inspirational stories offer a refreshing reminder that <a href="https://www.mid-day.com/mumbai/mumbai-news/article/age-no-bar-these-grannies-are-going-to-school-to-shrug-off-illiterate-tag-17075187" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">reinvention has no expiry date</a>, nor does courage, determination and the willingness to work hard.
<h2>Mumbai mourns Aaswad founder&rsquo;s demise</h2>
On Sunday, Mumbai&rsquo;s restaurant industry bid farewell to one of its quiet stalwarts. Shrikrishna Sarjoshi, founder of the iconic Aaswad Upahar and Mithaigriha, passed away peacefully at his home in Dadar. He was 94.
<img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2026/jul/Shrikrishna-Sarjoshi-1_e.jpg" alt="Shrikrishna with son Suryakant Sarjoshi (in blue) at Aaswad Upahar and Mithaigriha" width="1280" height="720" /> Shrikrishna with son Suryakant Sarjoshi (in blue) at Aaswad Upahar and Mithaigriha
His journey began in 1968, when as a young man from the Konkan, he arrived in Mumbai with determination and a willingness to work hard. He started at Trupti Restaurant in Dadar, where he honed his craft before setting out on his own. In 1986, he opened Aaswad Upahar and Mithaigriha at<a href="https://www.mid-day.com/mumbai/mumbai-news/article/mumbai-tree-safety-concerns-rise-near-shivaji-park-23637973" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener"> Shivaji Park, </a>transforming it into one of the city&rsquo;s most loved destinations for authentic Maharashtrian cuisine.
<img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2026/jul/Shrikrishna-Sarjoshi-2_e.jpg" alt="Patrons at the restaurant in Shivaji Park. File Pics; Ashish Raje" width="1280" height="720" /> Patrons at the restaurant in Shivaji Park. File Pics; Ashish Raje
Trupti&rsquo;s owner, Rajendra Bhagwat, remembers him as a generous mentor who believed in growing together. &ldquo;He joined Trupti in 1965, and ran it till 1986, when he opened Aaswad. When we reopened Trupti in the new building, his guidance was invaluable. He remained actively involved with us till 2006. We&rsquo;ve lost a gem,&rdquo; he said. Alongside his wife, Mangala, Shrikrishna introduced homemade Diwali faral that became a cherished tradition for generations of patrons.
<img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2026/jul/Shrikrishna-Sarjoshi-3_e.jpg" alt="Suryakant and Shrikrishna Sarjoshi (in white) at their residence in 2023" width="1280" height="720" /> Suryakant and Shrikrishna Sarjoshi (in white) at their residence in 2023
Sunil S Shetty, General Secretary of the Indian Hotel and Restaurant Association and a family friend, shared, &ldquo;I always knew him as Suryakant&rsquo;s father, but what he built with Aaswad was extraordinary. He turned it into an institution that celebrates Maharashtra&rsquo;s culinary heritage. Even in his final days, he would visit the restaurant, stand by the counter, and watch everything unfold. His legacy lives on not only through the restaurant, but through the generations of people who have made Aaswad a part of their lives.&rdquo;
<h2>The adventures of a poet</h2>
<img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2026/jul/Tenzin_e.jpg" alt="Tenzin Tsundue performs at a show in Ahmedabad. Pic Courtesy/QTP" width="1280" height="720" /> Tenzin Tsundue performs at a show &nbsp;in Ahmedabad. Pic Courtesy/QTP
Between prison and poetry, activist and poet Tenzin Tsundue&rsquo;s life has enough adventure. &ldquo;Yet, it is Tenzin&rsquo;s humour, humanity, and ability to engage with hope that makes it amazing. This is our effort to help him tell his story,&rdquo; shared director Quasar Thakore Padamsee. On July 16, Tsundue will bring his life, poetry, and experiences to a BKC venue for the Mumbai debut of the production, Standing On The Indus. &ldquo;I am already writing these amazing stories myself as a book, but the humour comes alive on stage face to face with a live audience,&rdquo; added Tsundue.

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