Mumbai Diary: Friday Dossier

Pic/Pradeep Dhivar

A pawsome rid

Three huskies enjoy their day out in an auto in Chembur on Thursday

For the love of the game

Tim Cahill and Archis Patil

India might not have made it to the football World Cup, but one Indian is already making waves with the beautiful game in Qatar. Mumbai's own freestyler Archis Patil is in Qatar playing for the first Influencer Cup. The pre-FIFA World Cup tournament features 28 influencers from around the globe. What's more, Patil even snapped a silver medal for Asia. "It was insane - from training with legends like Tim Cahill, who have played the World Cup, to meeting some amazing veterans of the game." With the sport gaining popularity in India, Patil's feat could be influential. "I met people from all over the world, across platforms and countries, and I was really proud to represent Asia and India and put my country on the map."

Aarey, these women are cooking up a feast

In 2016, social worker Cassandra Nazareth, along with women from Aarey, started a feast that would enable the latter to show off their chops, while the visitors would be introduced to the Warli way of life. "We realised that if Mumbaikars come into Aarey, a lot more things would follow for the tribal community," Nazareth shared ahead of a new edition of the Tribal Tadka lunch on April 10. "There will be a flea market where locally grown veggies and handicrafts will be available, along with a walk, the feast, and a Warli art class." Call 9833250255 if you'd like to join in.

Become an India Fellow

‘Making a difference' seems to be a common goal but exactly where and how can you get started? India Fellow, an experiential social leadership programme for young Indians, offers an opportunity to take those crucial first steps. The 18-month programme is structured for young professionals between the ages of 20 and 30 to immerse themselves in the social realities of the country at the grassroots level, living and working with communities to understand challenges and recognise opportunities for development. "Our mission is to engage young Indians in nation-building. We want them to get exposed to the myriad social challenges that India is facing and find their leadership potential and make a difference," says Swati Saxena, programme head at India Fellow. The fellowship will also include residential training, workshops and mentorship. Interested folk can log on to indiafellow.org to apply by April 5.

Talking trees

While growing up in a leafy neigh-bourhood of Chembur, theatre-maker Sananda Mukhopadhyaya remembers that whenever some-one visited from their native town in West Bengal, they'd carry a sapling for her green-thumbed grandmother. Fed on a diet of stories inspired by trees, she will now be conducting a tree walk in Bandra. The idea is to get people to notice trees - a rarity in a constantly hustling city like ours. "We'll recognise common trees, even forage a little." To sign up, head to @sananda_mukho on Instagram.

Six yards of sustainability

Long before circular fashion became a buzzword, our mothers and grandmothers were putting it into practice - handing down their sarees through generations, letting the textiles live many lives. And now, with the rise in the popularity of pre-loved clothing, Mumbai-based Suta has launched a resale programme for sarees from the brand. In a first of its kind initiative among saree brands, they're encouraging customers to give away and resell sarees from the brand that they no longer wear, as well as buy these pre-loved sarees. "Our community is one that has sustainability and love for the planet at its core, and we are overjoyed to have put systems in place to enable this initiative. Relove Suta is a larger vision of a beautiful future for all of us, together, where we go back to our roots in terms of respecting resources, minimising waste and valuing the antique. We are thrilled to have taken this first step," said co-founder Sujata Biswas (in pic).