Mumbai Diary: Sunday Dossier

On the beatWorkers making the traditional percussion instruments tabla and dholak at Chinchpokli ahead of the upcoming festival seasonFlipping colonialismAlan GemmellThis week as we mark our 79th year of being free from the shackles of colonialism herersquos a thought exercise What if Britain were an Indian colony Scottish MP Alan Gemmell mdash who formerly served as the British Trade Commissioner for South Asia in Mumbai from 20202023 mdash took this thought and ran with it in his new novel 30th State Bloomsbury R499 In this political thriller Gemmell reimagines Britain near ruin as Indiarsquos 30th state seeking lifesaving assistance from its former colony In turn a muscular India forces its new dominion to right past wrongs and creates some new ones Gemmell puts an Indian power couple in 10 Downing Street mdash well this bit sounds familiar mdash and a young politician from Maharashtra chases the repatriation of stolen riches to India Itrsquos political satire that has made this diarist think about colonialism and reparations The book couldnrsquot have come at a more fitting time we sayFrom margins to marketElizabeth Vazquez CEO and cofounder of WEConnect InternationalAt the South Asia Summit hosted by WEConnect International in Mumbai womenowned businesses WOBs took centre stage in the discussions The event brought together corporate procurement leaders and entrepreneurs to bridge the gap between demand and visibility for women suppliersElizabeth Vazquez CEO and cofounder of WEConnect International highlighted how perceptions have shifted ldquoWomen were once only seen as consumers or microentrepreneurs mdash now theyrsquore being recognised as competitive business ownersrdquo Over the past five years she noted a growing push toward supply chain inclusivity especially in emerging markets like India As companies reassess where and how they spend women entrepreneurs are gaining ground not just as a social imperative but as vital players in driving global economic growthDishoomrsquos pound300mn recipeOne of Dishoomrsquos cafes Pic CourtesydishoomcomLondonrsquos muchloved restaurant group Dishoom inspired by Bombayrsquos Irani cafeacutes has just been valued at pound300 million The milestone comes as LVMHbacked private equity firm L Catterton acquires a minority stake marking the brandrsquos firstever outside investment and paving the way for its US debut in 2026Founded in 2010 in Londonrsquos Covent Garden by cousins Shamil and Kavi Thakrar Dishoom reimagined the charm of 1960s Bombay through immersive storytelling thoughtful design and a menu of comforting perfectly executed dishes From day one it drew queues around the block and a fiercely loyal following serving everything from Bacon Naan Rolls to Jackfruit Biryani Pau Bhaji and something for everyoneGrowth has been slow and deliberate with no franchising no ghost kitchens no shortcuts over 15 years the brand expanded to 10 restaurants and four Permit Room cafeacutes each crafted around a fictional backstory bound by the same warmth and cultural detail This approach has built an empire generating over pound100 million in annual revenue with profits up 56 per centIn a hospitality world chasing scale Dishoomrsquos journey is a reminder the most valuable brands protect the soul that made people fall in love with them in the first placeMark him down for fourday TestsFormer Australia captain Mark Taylor PicGetty ImagesTrust an Australian to express an unpopular view and be comfortable with it Meet Mark Taylor the former Australia cricket captain who witnessed a good number of changes in the game during and after his 198889 to 199899 playing daysTaylor is an advocate of fourday Tests which he believes will provide a fillip to traditional cricket He expressed himself again the other day about shorter Tests despite India and England needing the fifth day to produce that fascinating climax to the series at the Oval in LondonldquoI still believe the game will change dramatically once you make it shorter games People will adapt to those conditions Does 55 minutes on Day Five mean itrsquos great to have a Day Five Or would players adapt enough so that you wouldnrsquot need the 55 minutes and I still think yoursquoll get very good Test match cricketrdquo Taylor said on Channel NineTaylor 60 may not have many supporters for his view few will tick mark his point But itrsquos an opinion which shouldnrsquot be crossed out without much thought Whenrsquos the next ICC meetingKeep calm and carry onPooja Arambhan Tiwari with Luke Coutinho at the launch of the bookWhen every other selfhelp book seems to tell you how to do more and do it better and faster Luke Coutinhorsquos The Calm Prescription feels almost like an antidote The book was launched recently by Pooja Arambhan Tiwari chairperson of FICCI FLO Mumbai at an event held in association with iiV Health Solutions and Wockhardt Foundation iiV Health Solutions is building early screening devices for ldquosilentrdquo illnesses such as peripheral artery disease Tiwari remarks ldquoFICCIFLO Mumbai is committed to catalysing conversations and action around holistic health early screening and equitable access to preventive solutionsrdquoCoutinho says his philosophy is to treat the root cause not the symptoms ldquoMy mission is to educate and make wellness easily available uncomplicated and empowering for everyonerdquo he says Packed with practical ways to harness the power of quiet energy each chapter of the book is like going on a nanoretreat Whether itrsquos healing with music therapy through pets the science of silence or ldquomindful textingrdquo the handy tips are sure to resonate particularly with Gen Z readers