A hopefully memorable 77th Indian Derby is upon us tomorrow at Mahalaxmi. Every time racing's most prestigious event arrives, it throws the spotlight not just on the coveted title but the very turf that it is contested on – SoBo’s green emerald that should glow like a light in the heart of every Mumbaikar. We have said it before but we cannot say it enough – preserve the racecourse as an open, green space. Do not allow it to be 'commercialised' or put to better use as the land sharks would like us to believe.

The real estate is an absolute gold mine and it is inevitable that there will be the opportunists who will always covet a slice of this Mahalaxmi pie. Every citizen needs to be an activist in order to save the space from slipping away. Be alert, aware and ready for action in the form of protests and petitions, in order to save a true treasure.