Mumbai Diary: Sunday Dossier

Pic/Nimesh Dave

Pose toh banta hai

A young girl poses before a lion sculpture near the ISKCON Temple in Juhu.

Pretty woman

A social media post by journalist Haima Deshpande recently warmed our hearts. Deshpande, who is also the president of Inner Wheel Club of Thane Hills, was visiting the Regional Mental Hospital in Thane, and saw that the patients were keen to look pretty for the visitors. The observation led to Inner Wheel calling in stylist Rahul Chitte, who conducted a free grooming session for the woman at the hospital. "The women are absolutely beautiful, inside-out. They were so excited for the grooming session, but not everyone got a chance. So, those who got left out, have booked their slots for next week," chuckles Deshpande. She says that the idea came to her when she saw that a doctor had brought along talcum powder and perfume for the patients, who were preparing for a function at the hospital. In their enthusiasm to dress up, they overdid the powdering their nose, spilling leftovers on their maroon gowns. That everyone sat all made up, none of them poking fun at the other, tugged at her heart. So then, here's to hyping each other up.

Achtung for Antilla

Antilla, the residence of the Ambani family, at Peddar Road. File pic

At a dinner held earlier this week, the talk of the evening centered around Antilla. The soiree was held to welcome a delegation of German parliamentarians who were in Mumbai to explore cinematic collaborations. The venue was the residence of the German Consul General in Mumbai at Peddar Road, and his balcony offers a clear view of the Ambani residence. As a result, much of the evening was spent with the visiting Germans marvelling at the building. Some wondered why that particular style of architecture was chosen, while others could hardly believe it when the Indian guests said that the entire building housed a family of under 10 people, and over 200 staff. It didn't take long for the conversation to shift from Antilla to the pre-wedding bash that is currently being held in Jamnagar. On a side note, one of the delegates was overheard talking about how, during one of his meetings, he said he preferred football over cricket. Not really the kind of thing an Indian takes kindly to hearing, as the delegate realised immediately.

A Rowe of big scores before cricket's cruel hand struck

West Indian cricketer Lawrence Rowe. PIC/GETTY IMAGES

Cricket's a funny game. We've seen many young batsmen arriving on the scene with a bang and then, the runs dry up. West Indies's Lawrence Rowe is an example. In 1971-72, the Jamaican scored a double hundred and ton on Test debut - in the first Test against New Zealand - at Kingston. In the remaining five innings, Rowe's best was 51. He shrugged off a disappointing home series against Australia the following season, with a hundred against the 1973-74 English tourists in Kingston and 302 in Barbados, the 50th anniversary of which, he celebrates today. John Woodcock wrote in The Cricketer magazine: "Huge crowds swarmed to see him, thousands being locked out and a lot too many let in. For the time being, at least, cricket in the islands had found another idol. It was an extraordinary West Indian innings." Rowe finished that 1973-74 series with 123 and 25 in Trinidad. In the remainder of his career, which ended in 1979-80, Rowe could come up with only two more three-figure Test scores. According to pundits, Rowe was thwarted by poor eyesight and even an allergy to grass. But the world was deprived of more runs from Rowe. That he led a rebel West Indies team to South Africa didn't do any his reputation any good. Hopefully, all that has been forgotten now and Rowe can raise a toast on the golden jubilee of his triple ton.

Loo and behold

Something as basic as finding a clean loo in public spaces continues to be an issue. Harmanpreet Kaur, captain of the Indian women's cricket team and Mumbai Indians WPL team, has been picked as brand ambassador of Woloo, a loo discovery app, available for iOS and Android. This was announced on March 8 - International Women's Day, which is also Kaur's birthday. "Clean washroom facilities for women across India are not just a matter of convenience but also a fundamental aspect of women's health and dignity and they shouldn't be denied the same. Coming from the interiors of India, I can feel the pain of each and every woman as well as resonate with all the unpleasant experiences, having gone through the same," she said. Just like well played Kaur, this is well said, Kaur.

Soldiering through life

Pic courtesy/INDIAN ARMY

The Lieutenant's uniform could barely hold the emotions bursting through the newly minted officer's chest. On Saturday, Umesh Keelu (in pic), a resident of Dharavi in Mumbai, passed out of the Officers' Training Academy in Chennai amid cheers from peers, seniors and family members. Despite his humble origins, Keelu's life has been dotted with achievements. He earned a Master's degree in Information Technology and even got a job in a well known tech firm, but gave it up to serve his country. "It's not been easy," Keelu tells us. "I lost my father one day after I enrolled. But here I am now. My dream has come true."