Mumbai Diary: Friday Dossier

Astad Deboo. Pic/Amit Kumar

Applause for Astad Deboo from Chennai
Astad Deboo was in Europe, doing what he does best - presenting his latest contemporary dance performances in festivals and collaborating with musicians from across the world for new projects - when he got a phone call from the Sri Krishna Gana Sabha in Chennai informing him that this year's Yagnaraman Living Legend Award will be conferred on him on July 1.

Famed art critic Leela Venkatraman, who is the chief guest for the evening, will give away the award to Deboo. "The Sri Krishna Gana Sabha is one of the most important sabhas of Chennai; they are presenters mainly of Indian classical music and dance. For them to bestow the honour on a contemporary dancer and choreographer is an affirmation of my dedication to my art," Deboo told this diarist, adding that he will also be performing a one-hour solo show at the ceremony. The award couldn't have been better timed - Deboo will enter his 50th year as a professional in 2019.

Football fever for Kasbekar
That Atul Kasbekar is a diehard football fan has been well documented. He is known to regularly tweet about his love for the premier league team Arsenal, and has attended various matches of the team too, he'd told this diarist during a chat.

Atul Kasbekar and Jose Mourinho

So it was no surprise that Kasbekar is in Moscow to catch some World Cup action. While there, the celebrity photographer tweeted a photo with José Mourinho, manager of Manchester United. 'Did you tell him that you're an Arsenal fan? a follower quizzed Kasbekar, 'Of course' he replied. That surely cracked us up.

Boys will B-boys
B-Boying is a growing sub-culture in India. A cypher conducted earlier this year attracted a large number of participants, who were hoping to qualify for an international competition. They were being judged by five of the most acclaimed B-Boy artistes in the world - Lilou, Neguin, Ronnie, Hong 10 and Lil Zoo.

But apart from judging, the quintet made maximum use of their time in India by being part of a music video, where they are seen dancing, prancing and generally jumping around in a rhythmically acrobatic manner in Old Delhi. Could their antics be more incongruent to their setting? Watch the video for an answer.

For Mumbai, by Mumbai
Creating a Resilient and Inclusive City - sounds like something we should have been doing all this while - is an event being organised by The Red Dot Foundation, which has been appointed by the UN Habitat to host the Urban Thinkers Campus in Mumbai.

Meghna Pant and Sapna Bhavnani

In a bid to create an environment conducive to the better living of women, children and other vulnerable or minority groups in the city, government representatives, individuals from the corporate world, NGO founders, academicians and citizens will come together to ideate on practical and hyperlocal solutions. The event on June 21 will see discussions featuring Meghna Pant, Harish Iyer and Sapna Bhavnani as panelists, and what emerges from these conversations will be captured in a white paper and published on the website of the UN Habitat as well as presented to stakeholders in January 2019. If you have a solution that can solve the city's safety issues, here's a platform to get yourself heard.

Bandra gets a hemp pop-up
As part of its initiative to promote sustainable eating and living, Bandra's Olive Bar and Kitchen will be hosting The Hemp Harvest this Saturday. Interested folk can interact with the members of Bombay Hemp Company (BOHECO), learn about the benefits of the eco-friendly fibre and also buy sustainable apparel at the event. To ensure that the idea slips into the menu as well, head chef Rishim Sachdeva will prepare confit asparagus with olive soup, with salt toasted walnuts and walnut butter.

Rishim Sachdeva

The asparagus will be cooked in hemp oil, with an addition of hemp seeds and oil to the soup. "We were keen to highlight an unusual flavour that is not too popular in the F&B space. Hemp made it to the top easily because it worked not only in terms of flavour, but also for its many other uses that promote sustainability, which is a key focus for this monthly property. Hemp pairs incredibly well with walnuts due to its deep, nutty flavour, and since asparagus is currently in season, the two, when paired together, make for an interesting snack," reasons Sachdeva.

One for the family album

Raj Thackeray's daughter Urvashi (left) and to-be daughter-in-law Mitali capture memorable moments of the birthday celebrations of the MNSâu00c2u0080u00c2u0088chief, at his Shivaji Park residence on Thursday, while son Amit (partially seen behind Urvashi) looks on, Pic/Ashish Raje

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