Mumbai Diary: Monday Dossier

Pic/Ashish Rane

Tied to his work

A flower vendor ties a garland together outside a luggage showroom in Matunga. Pic/Ashish Rane

Safe in Sion

In Sion, we hear, a group of citizens have been stepping up for not just each other during these tough times, but also for strays. Sion Friends Circle, a group which works for the welfare of the area, is starting a food drive for strays.

"Anyone who wishes to feed the animals can call us, and we'll collect the food on our bicycles," said treasurer Sanjaya Gupta, adding that animals need support as many volunteers aren't venturing out. Apart from this, the group has been sanitising homes, autos and cabs in the area, and has set up a free book stall for kids, since book shops aren't fully functional. "Anyone can donate their old school books or take one," added Gupta. If you'd like to lend support to the cause, call 8286131314.

Visible and viable

In a bid to support small and upcoming businesses, Munaf Kapadia, founder and CEO of Worli-based The Bohri Kitchen (TBK), has been busy on Instagram. Inspired by a friend, he has asked small business owners to post website links or social media handles in the comments section to help them gain visibility.

"My business was built entirely on social media. Five years ago, I created a Facebook page and ever since TBK has become a case study on the power of social media to build a business and connect customers. It may sound clichéd but every like, share and comment matters, now more than ever. The most powerful collaborations and partnerships for my business are through social media. It is crazy how people respond within minutes or at maximum a day to help you out. It shows you the power of network capital. I hope this encourages others to do the same," Kapadia told this diarist.

Canvas gold

If you would like to lay your hands on artwork that has never been up for auction before, join a virtual one on July 15-16. Of the 50 lots by Indian modernist masters up for sale, 28 have never been under the hammer before. So you have the option of laying your hands on pieces like Akbar Padamsee's Landscape and MF Husain's Untitled (Horses). There's also SH Raza's Germination Blue, which explores the artist's approach to a single colour, and other works by Amrita Sher-Gil, FN Souza, Ram Kumar and Meera Mukherjee.

Almost all of these paintings are expected to fetch above '20 lakh each, with the price going up possibly to '4.5 crore for Tyeb Mehta's Situation. "Our primary objective while compiling the Modern Indian Art catalogue was to showcase the versatility of Indian modernism. Presenting a comprehensive catalogue is always a challenge given the scarcity of important works," said Tushar Sethi, CEO of Astaguru that's organising the auction.

Cat call for Saransh's cooking?

Chef Saransh Goila took to Instagram to celebrate 'Caturday with the MeowsterChef Challenge'. His goal was to feed his adopted cats, Rumi and Skittles, and he cooked egg and potato mash. The fun video shows Rumi devour the mash, as the mighty Skittles rejects it.

"My girlfriend and I remember dropping by at a bar a year ago to grab a couple of beers, but returning with two kittens instead. It was love at first sight. Skittles and Rumi were docile when young. Now, as they grow older, they are notorious, rebellious and picky about what they eat. They don't adjust to dietary changes well. So I knew it was going to be a challenge to cook for them," the chef said.

Mumbai's doctors, take a bow

The Indian Medical Association has bestowed the national COVID warriors' award to three city doctors, Dr Shivkumar Utture, Dr Anil Pachnekar and Dr Jayesh Lele. "Mumbai was a hotspot right from the beginning. There was fear in the doctor community, too. Yet, when the municipal commission asked for volunteers, 150 private practitioners stepped up in 48 hours. Placed in multiple hospitals and hotspots across the city, we are working to fight the pandemic.

As part of the BMC task force alongside the Mahim Dharavi Medical Practitioners Association, we screened 47,500 homes to stop the spread in Dharavi, which is now a model for social distancing," Dr Utture, president of Maharashtra Medical Council, told this diarist.

Catch up on all the latest Mumbai news, crime news, current affairs, and a complete guide from food to things to do and events across Mumbai. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates.

Mid-Day is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@middayinfomedialtd) and stay updated with the latest news