Pune city famous for its climate, pensions city which got transform to an IT hub has finally got its reward. Pune has always been counted in the list of the cleanest cities of India. On Monday it was really a proud moment for the Punekars because the Urban Affairs Minister, Hardeep Singh Puri has launched 'The Ease of Living' report on Monday around 3:50 pm.

Out of 4,000 cities and towns in India, where about 300 cities have a population over 1,00,000 and seven cities have a population of more than 3 million, only 3 cities of Maharashtra – Pune, Navi Mumbai and Greater Mumbai – are the most livable places in the country which means from Maharashtra four cities were into top ten. Pune has been ranked first in the Ease of Living Index with Navi Mumbai coming in second, Greater Mumbai ranked at three and Delhi languishing at 65. 

The report evaluated 111 cities on a 100-point scale across 78 indicators under four primary parameters which was divided- Institutional, Social, Economic and Physical. Although, cities like Howrah, New Town Kolkata, and Durgapur did not take Part in it. While Delhi is really ranked low that is 65th rank. And, Rampur in UP is ranked the lowest. To the utmost surprise, Chhattisgarh has made it to the top 10 in the list and Indore which gives a tough competition to Pune is ranked 8th.

The 'Ease of Living' index is an initiative of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs to assess the most livable cities all over India and rank them on a 100 point scale. Apart from presenting the overall national ranking of 111 cities, the report will present the ranking of the cities across pillars, category, and geographical zone and population classifications. The city of Pune is expected to maintain this rank. And, helps to set a benchmark. It is expected to give a tough competition to all the other cities out there. Known for its cultural capital of Maharashtra state as well as the Oxford of east.

Chennai has been ranked 14 and New Delhi languishes at 65 while Kolkata refused to participate in the survey. While the citizens have been claiming that the city is reeling under lack of open space, ironically Mumbai has been ranked number one among 111 cities in the category of public open spaces. The state's richest civic body, BMC had to collate the data from several institutions, and submit to the central government. While the transportation and security were sent across by the state government, the majority of the data was compiled by the civic body that defined how livable the city is.

Vijay Singhal, additional municipal commissioner, said, "We have topped the list of megacities, which had over 4 million population. There were seven mega cities in this. And wherever we have lacked we will try and improve on those aspects and accordingly try and score better next time."

The rankings of the cities all over Maharashtra are as follows:
Pune is 1st, Navi Mumbai is 2nd, Greater Mumbai is 3rd, Thane is 16th, Virar is 20th, Nasik 21st, Solapur 22nd, Nagpur 31st, Kalyan 50th, Chinchwad 69th, Aurangabad 97th.

With inputs from PTI

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Government continues to greenlight projects despite reduced oversight

Singer Sonu Nigam has been trending all through Tuesday, but for all the wrong reasons. A tweet that he posted three years ago suddenly resurfaced on social media drawing online ire. A section of the media even erreonously reported that the singer has been forced to deactivate his Twitter account owing to the cyber onslaught.

The truth is Sonu had deleted his Twitter account long ago, in 2017, after facing massive trolling over tweet comments he had made back then criticising the 'azaan'. He has never been back on the social media microblogging site, though he does have an Instagram account.

Sonu is currently in Dubai, and has not been able to return to India because the lockdown happened. However, the actor posts pictures and videos on Instagram. Sonu's controversial tweets had come around this time in 2017 and a section of the Twiteratti, probably without checking the date, posted screen shots of the old tweets. These screen shots started going viral on Tuesday.

Some of Sonu's fans feel the three-year-old tweet is being resurrected in order to harass the singer in Dubai.

"Wish he hadn't deactivated his account. I fully support him. #WithYouSonuNigam" wrote a fan.

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While husband Dharmendra is at their Lonavala farm, Hema Malini is spending lockdown at her Juhu home with pet dogs. The veteran star provided a glimpse of her 'special family members' on Twitter. She shared pictures of Snoopy, the stray she adopted as a puppy. She also has a Golden Retriever called Gypsy "who has now grown old and spends the entire afternoon with me (sic)."

Song of the hills

Jubin Nautiyal is spending lockdown in hometown Dehradun. The Tum hi aana singer is keeping fans entertained through virtual performances from his rooftop. Considering the picturesque backdrop in the hilly terrain, fans have now asked for a virtual concert. He has lined up a show on April 26, which will stream live on his social media handles. Nautiyal will render Bollywood as well as English tracks.

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We have pretty much seen all major Bollywood celebrities sharing their unseen and throwback pictures and videos on their social media accounts. And sometimes, their fan-clubs do the honours. Talking of fans, Shah Rukh Khan has one of the highest fan-followings in the world, let alone India. So how could his throwback and unseen pictures stay away? His fan-club has also taken care of it!

Taking to its Instagram account, it posted a major throwback picture that will not only put a smile on your face but also drive away your Monday blues. It was all the way from Kajol's Mehendi ceremony and we could spot SRK, Gauri Khan, and a very young Aryan Khan. SRK, Gauri, and the bride-to-be Kajol could be seen smiling for the camera whereas the toddler was busy in his own world.

Have a look right here:

 

 

 

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#ThrowbackThursday Have you seen this vintage picture of #SRK, Aryan and #gaurikhan at #Kajol's mahendi? #shahrukhkhan #shahrukh #srk #shah_rukh_khan #shahrukh_khan #iamsrk #kingkhan #gaurikhan #kajol

A post shared by Monika Lang (@kiransrkfan) onApr 23, 2020 at 8:35am PDT

Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol have redefined history on the celluloid with one massive blockbuster after another in the form of Baazigar, Karan Arjun, Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, and Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham. Coming to the actress and her hubby Ajay Devgn, they tied the knot on February 24, 1999, and did films like Pyaar To Hona Hi Tha, Raju Chacha, U Me Aur Hum, and Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior together.

This picture is truly a delight for all their fans and captures the time when there was no social media phenomenon, only a camera and some, as they used to say, Kodak Moments!

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Zoya Akhtar and Reema Kagti's Tiger Baby Films has one of the most intriguing pages on social media. The page has the most evocative artistic narrations, orated to viewers by eminent personalities from the industry.

They recently brought into play their new series on social media called 'Off the record' where the most prominent actors of the Indian film industry describe one of their most exemplary scenes from one of their movies.

This time around, it was Anushka Sharma on the mike as the actress spoke about her introduction scene as Farah in Dil Dhadakne Do and everything that makes the scene unique and special while giving some unknown sneak peeks into how the shooting went down.

Earlier, Farhan Akhtar and Ranveer Singh have also shared similar stories from Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara and Dil Dhadakne Do respectively. Tiger Baby films shared the post on social media with the caption, "Off The Record with Anushka Sharma | Dil Dhadakne Do."

"We make films for the silver screen but the little stories that make the big picture don't always come through.
Here's introducing our 'Off The Record' series where cast and crew from the Tiger Baby clan let us in on what went into creating some of their best scenes, what their psychology was in that moment and why this particular scene will always remain unforgettable to them. #nowrolling #storybehindthescene #offtherecordwithtigerbaby." (sic)

Off The Record with Anushka Sharma
Film: Dil Dhadakne Do
Scene: Farah's introduction scene", have a look right here:

 

 

 

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We make films for the silver screen but the little stories that make the big picture don't always come through. Here's introducing our 'Off The Record' series where cast and crew from the Tiger Baby clan let us in on what went into creating some of their best scenes, what their psychology was in that moment and why this particular scene will always remain unforgettable to them. #nowrolling #storybehindthescene #offtherecordwithtigerbaby Off The Record with Anushka Sharma Film: Dil Dhadakne Do Scene : Farah's introduction scene

A post shared by Tiger Baby (@tigerbabyfilms) onApr 26, 2020 at 11:26pm PDT

The film was mounted on a huge scale but also highlighted the importance of staying together and how a family comes first. And Anushka, as always, delivered a layered and nuanced performance. 

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"In all these years, we had not remained shut for even a day," says Nitin Desai, who closed the doors of ND Studio last month in the wake of the pandemic. At the time, a lavish set had been constructed for The Battle of Bhima Koregaon, a period drama featuring Arjun Rampal, and the Raigad fort recreated for a Marathi film. Desai tells mid-day that he has decided to forgo the rent of the sets standing unused at the Karjat studio.

"I am not the only one suffering losses at this point, the entire world is. So how can I expect them to pay the rent when everything has come to a standstill? I will also appeal to other studios to follow the same practice," he says, adding that despite the adverse conditions, he is continuing to pay his staff.

File photo of Panipat set created at ND Studio

The studio was handling several projects when the shutdown was announced. "We had created a huge battlefield and three villages for Arjun Rampal's film, and a haveli [palace] for a yet-untitled web show. Construction of huge sets was underway for two shows of Zee and Star," he adds."

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Chef Cham Hun Chakap plates a portion of chilli chicken. Chilli chicken is one of the spicier dishes that can be traced back to Tangra. But the food of the Kolkata locality is often a lot sweeter than other Indo-Chinese dishes because that’s how the Bengalis prefered it. This can be evidenced in something like honey chilli potato.

Chef Cham Hun Chakap moves around the kitchen with the assurance of a well-set batsman completing a comfortable single down to deep midwicket. He is running the show behind the scenes at a restaurant in an upscale Powai hotel, which is hosting an event called Tangra Festival. The dish that the chef is whipping up for us is chilli chicken, possibly the most ubiquitous item in the culinary spectrum of Indo-Chinese dishes. And he tells us that it was invented in Tangra, the new Chinatown in Kolkata, considered by many to be the Mecca of this particular cuisine.

Tangra does indeed occupy a unique spot in the country’s food-scape. It all goes back to about 100 years ago, when the British — along with Kolkata’s older Chinese community in Tirreti Bazaar — established the area, setting up leather factories there to manufacture boots and other goods for soldiers at the battlefront during World War I. Business picked up further during World War II. But then, the British packed their bags in 1947. So, the Chinese community took over the tanning operations. Their life ambled comfortably along, only to be turned upside down by the Indo-China war of 1962, when many indigenous Chinese people immigrated to safer havens like Canada, Australia and Taiwan. And suddenly, the community in Kolkata found its numbers to have considerably dwindled.

Food to the rescue
What’s worse is that the ones who were left behind, and who had picked up the mantle of the leather business from their predecessors, found themselves on the wrong side of the law after the state government deemed the tanning industry to be an environmental hazard in the mid-’90s. A large number of factories thus faced closure, with some being shifted to the nearby neighbourhood of Bantala. Many of the owners faced overnight financial ruin. So, to get out of the soup they found themselves in, they turned their attention to another business that had been gaining momentum in the area over the ’70s and ’80s — restaurants serving “Chinese” dishes.

“Initially, these restaurants were serving the authentic cuisine of the Chinese mainland. But that did not suit the palate of Kolkata’s Bengalis, who found it to be too bland. So the restaurants were running in losses in the beginning, till their owners decided to alter the recipes, adding Indian herbs and flavours,” chef Cham says, adding that this formed the genesis of what we call Chindian cuisine.

Illustration/Ravi Jadhav

These dishes, of course, bore as much resemblance to true-blue Chinese food as idli-sambar does to tandoori chicken. Instead of being stir-fried, for instance, most of the preparations were gravy-based. The spice quotient was also so much higher than a Shanghai local would put his chopsticks down to fan his mouth after one bite. Plus, while something like a Peking duck is roasted over a length of time, Tangra food was geared to suit the purposes of the quick-service restaurants there. This automatically also meant that the meat — including the fish items — was almost invariably diced into pieces, instead of being served whole, like some of the dishes in mainland China.

Pan-Indian acceptance
Be that as it may, the cuisine gradually started spreading to other parts of the country. Nelson Wang, a Tangra local who opened SoBo’s China Garden in 1984, is widely credited with having invented chicken Manchurian, a dish which if you say is Chinese, you might also say that the giant panda is India’s national animal. Punjabis also caught on to the trend, developing a brand of Sino-Ludhianvi dishes. And with time, Indo-Chinese food became a mainstay of restaurants in various cities, including Mumbai, where lunch home menus reserve equal space for “Chinese” dishes as they do for stuff like chana masala and aloo matar.

The credit for this goes to the original restaurateurs of Tangra who Indianised their indigenous dishes. But things are no longer hunky-dory in the Kolkata neighbourhood, says Dominic Lee, a fourth-generation Tangra local. “Many of the smaller restaurants are finding it difficult to sustain themselves, with only the bigger eateries, which have space for parking, constantly managing to upgrade themselves because they have the requisite capital,” he tells us, adding that the recent controversy around dubious meat being supposedly sold in the city’s restaurants has led to a further dip in fortunes.

Nonetheless, he continues, the legacy of the cuisine has left a permanent imprint on the history of India’s food. Take chilli chicken, something so popular that it’s travelled all the way from the humble Kolkata locality to the swish Powai hotel where chef Cham is making us his version of it. But when he is done in a matter of mere minutes, he recognises the look of doubt on our face after we have had a taste. “I have to make a blander variety because most of our customers are from the West, and they wouldn’t be able to handle something too spicy,” he explains, revealing how Indo-Chinese cuisine of the Tangra variety is a preserve of only our own countrymen.

Looking for it anywhere else in the world would be like looking for a needle in a haystack, for all practical purposes.

Awesome sauce
A huge contribution that Tangra has had is popularising the concept of chilli sauce. “You will find it in all the kathi roll shops dotted around Kolkata. But before we added it to our food to suit Indian taste buds, people had no clue about it,” says Lee.
Till May 27, 7 pm
To 11.30 pm
AT Emperor's Court, Renaissance Mumbai Convention Centre Hotel, near Chinmayanand Ashram, Powai.
Call 8291165421

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Representational picture

The by-elections to Palghar and Bhandara-Gondia Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra began this morning for which all major parties have gone all out as the outcome is likely to have a bearing on their future course. There was no untoward incident at any polling booth so far, police said.

In Palghar, the bypoll was necessitated following the death of BJP's Chintaman Wanaga. The BJP's bickering ally Shiv Sena has fielded the late MP's son Srinivas in a bid to garner the sympathy vote. The BJP has put up former Congress minister Rajendra Gavit. The Bahujan Vikas Aghadi (BVA) led by Vasai-Virar strongman Hitendra Thakur is also in the fray with the nomination of its ex-MP Baliram Jadhav.

Kiran Raja Gahla of the CPI-M, which has a base in Talasari and Dahanu, and former MP Damu Shingada (Congress) are also contesting in a multi-cornered fight from the seat reserved for scheduled tribes (ST).
The Sena has accused the BJP of distributing cash to voters. During a rally, Uddhav played an audio clip wherein Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis purportedly exhorted party cadre to win the elections "by all means possible." Fadnavis said the audio recording was doctored.

An editorial in the Sena mouthpiece Saamana today said its nominee will win the Palghar seat, despite the BJP roping in UP CM Yogi Adityanath in the poll campaign. "Lord Ram will emerge from the ballot box, wielding bow and arrow (Sena's symbol) and win this seat," it said.

The constituency includes extended suburbs of Mumbai such as Vasai, Virar, Nalasopara, and Palghar in the newly-created Palghar district. As many as 18 candidates are in fray in Bhandara- Gondia and seven in Palghar. There are total 3,49,1218 voters.

In Palghar, out of the 2,097 polling booths, 14 are listed as critical, while in Bhandara-Gondia, out of 2,149 polling booths, 71 are situated in Naxal-hit areas and 113 are listed as critical.

In Bhandara-Gondia, the BJP and the NCP have locked horns in the bypoll, being held after the resignation of BJP MP Nana Patole. Patole, a leader of the powerful OBC Kunbi community, had switched side from the Congress to the BJP and was elected as an MP from the constituency in Vidarbha in 2014 by defeating former union minister and NCP heavyweight Praful Patel.

The NCP, which has allied with the Congress, has fielded former BJP MLA Madhukar Kukde, against BJP's Hemant Patle, who belongs to the Powar community and is also a former legislator.

Counting of votes will be undertaken on May 31.

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The Kandivli police have arrested the father of an 18-year-old girl after she allegedly accused him of constantly molesting and sexually harassing her for two years. In her written complaint,  the girl has alleged that her father has been molesting her since 2016. She also said that she mustered courage and filed a complaint against him after he tried to 'touch her inappropriately' on the eve of September 11.

"On Monday, she came to the police station accompanied by an older woman from her neighbourhood. She said that over the last two years, her father has made several inappropriate comments and actions. And that he would also often make lewd gestures in front of her and try to make her uncomfortable in various ways,” said an official from the Kandivali police as reported in Mumbai Mirror.

Since the girl was facing and dealing with the abuse for a long time, the Kandivli police have booked the father under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, along with the relevant
sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). Post the arrest of her father on Monday evening, the girl’s mother lashed out at her, accusing her own daughter of falsely implicating her father, the police sources said.

"The mother believes that the daughter is doing this under the influence of someone. She thinks that with the father in prison, it will give her the necessary freedom to do what she wants and scare her parents from taking any disciplinary action against her” said an official elaborating on the mother’s statement. 

In another incident, the parents of a four-year-old girl lodged a police complaint against a woman teacher from a Kandivli school on Monday for molesting their child during the school hours. The Kandivli police have booked the teacher under the stringent POSCO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) act. The police are probing the case and till now no arrests have been made.

The minor child, who is in junior KG, complained to her parents after returning from school on Monday that the teacher had touched her inappropriately. When the parents of the minor girl approached the school, the management informed the parents that the school premises are entirely covered by cameras, except inside the washrooms. The police were summoned and the CCTV footage was shown to the parents as well as cops. "Nothing concrete has been found in the CCTV footage." the police officer said. 

Also Read: Watch Video: Woman Steals Mobile-Phone From Mulund Shop

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The SSC paper leak case this year probably has a first — parents of some students are under the police scanner for allegedly buying the question paper for their children. Following preliminary investigations, the cops are likely to pick up some of the parents in the case. Surprisingly, the students who received the papers are academically bright and there is no reason for them to indulge in such an act, the police said.

A police source close to the investigations revealed, "We noticed that students had received these papers and that their parents, too, were aware about it and vice versa in some cases. We have also got the names of a few parents who have bought these question papers for their children. Also, the students who bought these question papers have taken the money from their parents after telling them the reason for it."

Career Classes in Bhiwandi, whose owner, Wazir Rehman Shaikh, allegedly sent out question papers on WhatsApp

On Wednesday, two police stations in Bhiwandi registered separate paper leak FIRs. The first case was registered at Bhiwandi City police station earlier in the day by Govind Sharma, founder of Samvad Foundation, an NGO. He alerted the board after he and several of his colleagues received the History paper on their phones at 10.10 am; the exams begin at 11 am. The police have already arrested Wazir Rehman Shaikh, owner of Career Classes, from Bhiwandi, for sending out the papers on Whatsapp.

Later in the day, the Narpoli police filed an FIR on the complaint of a teacher after three girl students were found discussing the History and Political Science papers on WhatsApp. Preliminary investigations in both cases has put some parents in the dock.

The leaked question papers that were circulated via whatsapp

Questioning everyone
When contacted, DCP Zone-II Ankit Goel said, "We are questioning everyone right from students to their parents. It is part of our investigation to know each one's role in order to reach the main culprit."

He added, "There is a complete trail. We have arrested one accused who is not the main accused in this case, but with his help we are trying to reach the mastermind. We are going back to every message for this. We need a few more days to investigate and reach the main accused who took the photos of the question papers."

The cops are closely monitoring the images circulated on the WhatsApp group and are analysing the photographs to reach the main accused in this case. In both the cases, the paper was leaked from Bhiwandi an hour before the exam. It indicates that someone from the centre had clicked the photos and sent it to students who then forwarded it further, a police officer said.

Paper leak trail
The police are checking every step of the question papers' journey and where exactly in the process it got leaked. The question papers are usually transported from the divisional office to custodies in each area a day before the exams. In the Mumbai division, there are 75 custodies, which are in schools, where the paper reaches a day in advance amid tight security. Depending on the distance between the custody and the exam centre, papers are sent off on the day of the exams to their respective centres. Examiners then break the question paper seal and distribute the papers to students 10 minutes before the exam starts to give students time to read it.

The two cases
On Wednesday morning, the Bhiwandi police registered an FIR under the Information Technology Act under the IPC as well as the Maharashtra Prevention of Malpractices at University, Board and Other Specified Examinations Act after receiving a complaint from the Mumbai divisional board.
The same night they made one arrest.

Later that day, the board's flying squad caught three girl students with mobile phones seated inside an autorickshaw. They were in the vehicle despite the last bell being sounded to enter the exam hall.

"The students were supposed to be in the exam hall by 10.15am. They had History and Political Science papers. A day before, they had created a group called 'Toppers' and in the morning they circulated the question papers. We have seized their phones and six others who received these papers. These girls seem to be toppers," said MB Shinde, senior inspector of Narpoli police station in Bhiwandi.

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Embarking on a promotional spree, Sanya Malhotra had a fun interaction with real-life photographers clicking pictures against Gateway of India as well as with the photographers. Sharing her picture from the visit Sanya Malhotra says,

"Saalon baad jab ye aap photo dekhengi, aapko aapke chehre pe yahi dhoop dikhayi degi, aapke baalon mein ye hawa aur apke kaano mein hazaro logo ki awaaz.. hamesha ke liye sab chalajayega."

 

 

 

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Saalon baad jab ye aap photo dekhengi, aapko aapke chehre pe yahi dhoop dikhayi degi, aapke baalon mein ye hawa aur apke kaano mein hazaro logo ki awaaz.. hamesha ke liye sab chalajayega. . . Smile please!📸 #photograph #gatewayofindia @photographamzn #9daystogo

A post shared by Sanya Malhotra💥 (@sanyamalhotra_) onMar 6, 2019 at 12:39am PST

The film brings to the screen the story of a photographer at Gateway of India who convinces a stranger to act as his love interest to help his ailing grandmother. Nawazuddin Siddiqui will essay the role of the photographer, while Sanya Malhotra plays his muse.

Earlier, Sanya Malhotra who had a working birthday took out time and celebrated the special occasion with the paparazzi. Recently, National Award-winning filmmaker Ritesh Batra hosted a special screening of Photograph for film students prior to its theatrical release. Post the screening, the director interacted with the students and engaged in a discussion about films and their making.

Sanya garnered immense love and appreciation for her performance in Photograph when the film premiered at Sundance Film Festival and the Berlin International Film Festival 2019. The trailer brings to screen a sweet, innocent, and refreshing chemistry with Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Sanya Malhotra's first association.

Written and directed by Ritesh Batra, Photograph is presented by Amazon Studious in association with The Match Factory and is slated to release in India on March 15, 2019.

Also read: Team Photograph shares a video on Nawazuddin Siddiqui's character

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Akash Ambani and Shloka Mehta's 'mala and mehendi' function in Mumbai was a fun event that had dance, music. Since the families have urged guests to let the private events remain as private as possible, the social networking world gave just a glimpse into Thursday's celebrations at the Dome, NSCI, Worli.

One video doing the rounds with the wedding's hashtag #AkuStoleTheShlo shows the bride's family dancing away on a fancy stage to "Iski uski" from "2 States". The stage was quite elaborately decorated according to the images that surfaced on social media.

 

 

 

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Glimpses of the decor last night for the #Mala&Mehndi of #AkashAndShloka at NSCI Dome ! âÂœ¨

A post shared by Akash Ambani Weds Shloka Mehta (@akashwedsshloka) onMar 7, 2019 at 10:10pm PST

 

 

 

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Glimpses of the decor last night for the #Mala&Mehndi of #AkashAndShloka at NSCI Dome ! #BigFatIndianWedding . . . #akashambani #shlokamehta #nitaambani #ishaambani #anantambani #radhikamerchant #antilia #ambani #akashwedsshloka #akashambanipreweddingbash #mukeshambani #india #bigfatindianwedding #richindian #akashshlokawedding #akustoletheshlo #luxurylifestyle #royalwedding #antilia #Decorgoals #weddingdecoration #ambaniwedding #shlokamehtamehndi #shlokaakashmehendi #nscidome #mehendi #mehndi

A post shared by Akash Ambani Weds Shloka Mehta (@akashwedsshloka) onMar 7, 2019 at 10:14pm PST

Pre-wedding celebrations have been on in full swing at the Ambani and Mehta houses. Akash is the son of Reliance Industries Chairman and Managing Director Mukesh Ambani, while Shloka is the youngest daughter of diamond merchant Russell Mehta. There is huge interest in the wedding, especially after the scale at which the industrialist's daughter Isha got married last year.

A dandiya night in Mumbai was followed by a three-day star-studded celebration for Akash and Shloka in St. Moritz, Switzerland, last month. Functions have been on in Mumbai since the beginning of March.

They reportedly had a Harry Potter-themed party where Guru Randhawa took the stage, as well as a musical night concert with Shreya Ghoshal behind the mic. An 'Anna Sewa' was also organised on Wednesday night at the Jio World Centre, which is the venue for all three forthcoming functions.

After the wedding on March 9 is a celebration on March 10, followed by a reception on March 11. The main galas are likely to attend to be attended by a slew of guests from the Bollywood, political and sports world.

Check out the photos and videos here...

 

 

 

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Shloka’s fam, #TeamBride killing it at the dance floor at the Mehendi Night! 🕺🏻💃🏻 . . #AkashAmbani #ShlokaMehta #AkuStoleTheShlo #MukeshAmbani #NitaAmbani #IshaAmbani #AnandPiramal #KokilaBenAmbani #AnantAmbani #RadhikaMerchant #AmbaniWedding #India #Celebrations #IndianWedding #AkashShloka #AkaShloka #RoyalWedding #BigFatIndianWedding #Mehendi #MehendiNight #Dance #DancePerformance

A post shared by Akash Ambani 💍 Shloka Mehta (@akustoletheshlo) onMar 7, 2019 at 11:48am PST

 

 

 

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First glimpse of how grand the “Mala & Mehendi” function of Akash Ambani & Shloka Mehta is! ♥ï¸Â Love it. Also, zoom into the first picture as much as you can, because, the bride to be, Shloka is sitting right there in the centre! 😍🤩 . Follow @akustoletheshlo for all the latest updates about the Ambani Wedding. ðŸ¤Â— . . #AkashAmbani #ShlokaMehta #AkuStoleTheShlo #MukeshAmbani #NitaAmbani #IshaAmbani #AnandPiramal #KokilaBenAmbani #AnantAmbani #RadhikaMerchant #AmbaniWedding #India #Celebrations #IndianWedding #AkashShloka #AkaShloka #RoyalWedding #BigFatIndianWedding #Mehendi #MehendiNight #WeddingRituals #BrideToBe

A post shared by Akash Ambani 💍 Shloka Mehta (@akustoletheshlo) onMar 7, 2019 at 6:10am PST

 

 

 

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Shloka Mehta’s Mala & Mehndi to take place today at NSCI Dome 5.15 pm onwards!

A post shared by Akash Ambani Weds Shloka Mehta (@akashwedsshloka) onMar 7, 2019 at 4:50am PST

Ahead of the wedding of his son, industrialist Mukesh Ambani has sent boxes containing sweets to the around 50,000 police personnel in the metropolis. Every police station in Mumbai is receiving the boxes from the family of the Reliance Industries chairman, whose son Akash Ambani is getting married here on March 9, an official said.

The boxes are accompanied by a small card carrying the names of Mukesh Ambani, his wife Nita and their children and messages seeking blessings and good wishes, said a police constable, who recently received one such box. "I got the box of sweets from police station and came to know it has been sent by Ambani's family on the occasion of his son's wedding," he said.

Also Read: Akash Ambani-Shloka Mehta wedding: Here's all that you need to know

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UN Women India launched a video campaign called #MujheHaqHai on Wednesday which emphasises the power and potential of women in today's world.

The video features a host of independent and courageous women, who have excelled in their respective spheres and mapped India globally. The video sends out a strong message for female empowerment to women all over India with the belief that they have an equal participation in all walks of life.

Apurva Purohit, the President of Jagran Group, is one of the prominent personalities featured in the video alongside the likes of Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Mithali Raj and Sania Mirza, to name a few.

Apurva Purohit, President, Jagran Group

Apurva Purohit said, "It’s an absolute honour to be a part of this initiative by UN Women India. Any and every small step towards the empowerment of women and giving them their rightful place under the sun is the need of the hour today. We need more examples of women who are breaking barriers every day so that the girls tomorrow can rise and shine. While there is enough discourse on everything that is not right, this initiative is a beacon of hope, one that celebrates the struggles, dreams and aspirations of women who have emerged as winners. #MujheHaqHai is an ode to the undying spirit and grit of the woman of today."

At the launch event, mid-day online caught up with Nishtha Satyam (Deputy Representative UN Women India MCO), who stated that, "Through this event, we are trying to create a movement that is based on Human Rights, a movement that recognises women rights as Human Rights, where women exercise their voice and make choices without any fear or judgement, and shape their careers and lives. We are trying to create a movement based on women understanding their own rights as individuals."

Talking about the outcome, she added, "Women should realise their own potential and rights and be able to pursue their dreams without any inhibitions or fear of repercussions. That would be the grandest outcome from a movement like this."

Earlier this year, while performing at a military training centre in south Kashmir's Pulwama district, singer Ameya Dabli recalls receiving a disturbing piece of news from the army chief Lt Ranbir Singh. Four terror attacks had taken place at a nearby hillock on the same day. The hill, as he soon learnt, was located less than a kilometre away from the centre.

"The chief said to me, 'Don't worry. We will protect you'. This one reassuring line was enough to allay our fears in that high tension zone," he says. Dabli and his team of musicians went on to deliver a power-packed two-hour performance regaling the audience with musical compositions of poems penned by Kabirdas, Guru Nanak, Amir Khusro and Tulsidas. "We didn't realise how those two hours flew by. You see, that's the power of music," he says. Since then, Dabli has performed at several other conflict regions of the country, including eight districts of Jammu and Kashmir, and four in the Northeast.

Singing for peace
It was three years ago that Dabli, a Bhandup resident, conceptualised Ekam Satt, which are essentially pro bono concerts curated for the Indian Armed Forces and civilians, in order to not just motivate jawans, but also bring peace. Born in a family of music lovers - his mother Anuradha Dabli is a trained classical and light music exponent - the 38-year-old was inducted into singing from the age of seven. "But, the idea to use music as a peace building tool was something that took shape during my last stint as the marketing head of Ronny and Zarina Screvwala's Swades Foundation. Here, I got the opportunity to interact with a lot of non-profits," he says.

Dabli, who holds a robust 15 years of corporate experience as marketing head with the Tata Group, HSBC and Citibank, now straddles a music career along with a venture where he mentors start-ups and NGOs to start their businesses. Till date, he has performed over 1,500 concerts across 15 countries. "Initially, it took us a good six months to curate the songs for Ekam Satt, because we wanted it to be a good blend of sufi, folk and contemporary music. We even got RS Mani, the music arranger of Veer Zaara to help us. But now, it's seamless," he says.

While Dable's pieces comprise the works of legendary poets such as Mirabai, Narsinh Mehta, Khwaja Garib Nawab and Tukaram, the songs are infused with peppy global music styles like hip hop, reggae and opera to make it livelier. "When we approached the Army headquarters in New Delhi with the concept, they loved it and immediately asked us to come on board," he says.

On the shaadi front
Interestingly, Dabli is also a sought-after name when it comes to weddings and sangeet and has performed at the glitzy wedding of Sasha Rawal - sister of Bollywood's leading fashion designer Kunal Rawal - and Samarth Bajaj, and very recently, the engagement of Isha Ambani and Anand Piramal. He has also organised gigs for Kumar Mangalam Birla, David and Lali Dhawan, Aditya Birla and Adi Godrej. "It's not the typical shaadi scene. My forte is the pheras, something that most people don't pay much attention to," he laughs. "I perform something called the signature wedding chants, where I don't just recite mantras, but also provide explanation of the vidhis or rituals," adds Dabli, who perfected his Sanskrit under the tutelage of his father, Professor PV Dabli, a scholar in the language.

Dabli says juggling his entrepreneurial venture with his musical endeavours does test his ability to multi-task. "Sometimes, I don't know which one to focus on more. But that's what happens when you love whatever you do equally," he smiles.

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Two labourers were killed on Friday after falling from the eighth floor of an under-construction building here, a disaster control official said. The incident occurred when they were fitting window panes of the Shabari Park building, coming up opposite the RK Studios in Govandi suburb.

Suddenly they lost their balance and fell nearly 80 feet below, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation official said.

Other workers rushed them to the Shatabdi Hospital where they were pronounced dead.

It is not clear if they were wearing safety belts or whether a safety net was installed below to prevent such accidents.

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Three persons were arrested in Bhiwandi in Maharashtra's Thane district for allegedly raping a teenage girl several times, the police said Sunday.

Senior Inspector K D Jadhav of Shanti Nagar police station said the 14-year-old girl was acquainted with one of the accused, Jamil alias Bullan Vali Mohammad Khan (58) as she used to purchase cosmetics from his handcart. "Jamil along with others raped the girl on multiple occasions between June last year and January 9 this year.

She revealed her ordeal to her mother who filed a complaint on Friday," Jadhav said. He identified the others arrested, apart from Jamil, as Shahnavaz Khan (19) and Rizwan Khan (23), adding that a fourth person, Firoz Siddiqui, was wanted in the case.

"We have charged the accused under relevant sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act. They have been remanded in police custody for six days," he informed.

In another incident, a teenage girl from Bompally village in Telangana's Peddapalli district has filed a rape case against her 24-year-old lover and his two friends, police said Sunday. Police have identified the main accused as Kotte Ranjith. A police officer said Ranjith allegedly maintained physical relations with the girl under the pretext of marrying her.

The officer said Ranjith's friends Methuku Satish (23) and Vykuntam (24) also allegedly raped the girl repeatedly in the last ten months, following which she became pregnant.

"The girl had delivered a stillborn foetus and asked Ranjith to marry her, but he refused and threatened her with dire consequences, following which the victim approached police," he said.

Police have registered an FIR against the trio under section 376 (D) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for gang rape and under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. No arrest is made yet.

With inputs from PTI

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A 25-year-old man was found dead in a flour mill in Bhiwandi in Maharashtra's Thane district, police said on Friday. Krishna Gautam used to work as a machine operator in Therma Flour Mills and stayed in one of the galas in the company premises, Bhoiwada police said.

"He was found dead in his gala Thursday morning by friends who had come to invite him to play Holi. His head bore injury marks. We have taken a case of murder against unidentified persons," an official said.

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Thane: With the arrest of a 22-year-old man, Thane district police on Saturday claimed to have solved a murder case within hours. Senior police inspector Kalyan Karpe said that Krishna Gautam (25) was found dead on the premises of a factory where he worked on the morning of March 21.

Gautam worked as a machine operator at this factory, located on Bhiwandi-Vasai highway, Karpe said. There were wounds on the victim's head and the police surmised that he was probably attacked when he was asleep.

The investigators identified a co-worker, Ramukumar Singh, as a prime suspect and arrested him on the same day, the inspector said. A probe revealed that Gautam opposed an illicit relationship between Singh and a woman, and the two often quarrelled over the issue.

On the intervening night of March 20 and 21, Singh allegedly attacked Gautam. Bhoiwada police in Bhiwandi have registered a case of murder and conducting a further probe.

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As part of its commitment to support the local community and its responsibility as a conscientiousness citizen, Growel’s 101 Mall in Kandivali hosted a blood donation campaign at the mall premises. The blood donation drive was organised in association with Rotary Club of Mumbai, Borivali East and was hosted to help children suffering from Thalassemia. People who suffer from Thalassemia need regular blood transfusions to treat Anaemia and other symptoms.

The team from Rotary Club brought their blood donation van which was parked at the mall waiting for volunteers to contribute to the noble cause. A team of around 95 members including doctors and other supporting crew was present at the venue. The activity was held from 10 am till 5 pm. The team approached visitors who were present in the mall to volunteer for the blood donation activity and received a good response with over 100 people donating blood. A total of 26,000 ml blood was donated.

A team of doctors and volunteers together collected 26,000 ml blood as part of the blood donation drive at a mall in Kandivli

Speaking about the activity, Vikas Shetty, Mall Head, Growel’s101 Mall said, "We are pleased to have made our little contribution by organising this blood donation activity in our premises for thalassemia children. Sometimes, regular blood transfusion is the only option for some patients to survive, but the cost of blood is unaffordable for many. Replacing blood donors for obtaining blood is an option. But often parents have difficulty to find a blood donor for their child. So, we wanted to urge people to donate blood for children with thalassemia."

He praised Rotary Club for having done a great job by organising the drive in the mall. “As a responsible organisation, it is our duty to support the community and those in need. We are proud to host such an event at our premises, which highlights a noble cause towards an important contribution to reduce one of the major causes of death due to non-availability of blood,” he added.

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Coolpad 'Note 6'. Pic courtesy/Twitter

Chinese handset maker Coolpad launched 'Note 6', an offline exclusive product in India on Tuesday. Two of the most notable features of Note 6 are 5.5-inch HD display and 8MP+5MP dual front cameras. The company in a statement said that smartphone will be available from Tuesday in 32GB and 64GB internal storage variants with 4GB RAM for Rs 8,999 and Rs 9,999 respectively.

Note 6 is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 435 chipset, backed by 4,070 mAh battery and runs on Android 7.1 Nougat Operating System (OS). "Coolpad 'Note 6' will offer a great value for money smartphone for Indian customers," said Syed Tajuddin, CEO, Coolpad India.

"We are also planning to introduce more aggressive offline devices in the next few months to expand in the offline market through our retails partners and multi-brand outlets," Tajuddin added.

Coolpad "Note 6" will be available at over 300 multi-brand stores across eight states including Delhi-NCR, Telangana and Maharashtra.

(Edited by mid-day online desk, with inputs from IANS)

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Xiaomi India on Wednesday announced the launch of "Mi Music" and "Mi Video" to offer value-added Internet services in India.

"With the launch of these two apps 'Mi Music' and 'Mi Video', we hope to serve millions of Xiaomi smartphone users with a better user experience through enhanced Internet services," Manu Jain, Vice President, Xiaomi and Managing Director, Xiaomi India, said in a statement.

"Mi Music" is a pre-installed music app which offers an integrated music streaming service along with the ability to store offline music and has nearly seven million daily active users in India, the statement said.

"Mi Video" is a pre-installed video app that provides integrated video streaming across platforms.

"Mi Video" content is currently powered by Hungama Play, SonyLiv and Voot. It offers more than 500,000 hours of content with nearly 80 per cent free content, the statement added.

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More than a quarter of India's population or 337 million people would use a smartphone in 2018 -- a 16 per cent growth which is the highest rate of any country in the world -- market research company eMarketer said on Thursday.

Since its last forecast, eMarketer increased its estimate for the smartphone audience in India by more than 31 million people.

This uptick is thanks to the growth in smartphone usage in urban areas, where affordable smartphones are becoming widely available, the research firm said in a statement.

"India still faces technological challenges that are holding back mass smartphone adoption. "Mobile Internet speeds are among the slowest in the world, around two-thirds of the population still lives in rural areas and feature phones are by no means obsolete," said Chris Bendtsen, Senior Forecasting Analyst, eMarketer.

Advertisers can still be optimistic about the future.

"Smartphones are getting cheaper, mobile data prices have fallen and urbanisation continues. Over the next four years, as speeds and rural reach improve, eMarketer expects the smartphone audience to reach close to half a billion users," Bendtsen noted.

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Digital Transformation with 5G – 2nd 5G India 2018 International Conference & Exhibition. The conference will be held on May 17 and 18, 2018 at The Leela, Mumbai

Bharat Exhibitions is organising the 2nd edition of the 5G India 2018 International Conference and Exhibition, bringing together India’s telecom industry leaders, policymakers and telecom analysts to discuss how 5G will enable the future ushering in a new India. The conference to be held on May 17 and 18 at The Leela, Mumbai will focus on issues and opportunities related to the deployment of 5G and high-speed digital applications that will drive cross-industry applications and spur digital transformation and connectivity to catalyze growth.

With 5G promising to bring about a sea change in the digital ecosystem by servicing more industries through one architecture, the conference will address the tremendous growth that promises to take place in the next few years to revolutionize the Indian Data market and help India to emerge as a qualitative internet market as against a quantitative one. Leading experts will speak about the challenges and opportunities that operators and technology providers will face in the transformation of mobile broadband to 5G.

The event will witness the 5G Demo by various organization (BSNL, Reliance Jio, Intel, IIT Hyderabad, IIT Bombay). The conference will include sessions and panel discussions on what will it take for India to emerge as one amongst the leaders in standardization for 5G technologies and applications, enabling the positive use of Artificial Intelligence for all, global perspectives on 5G, preparing for 5G, trends and drivers shaping 5G, spectrum and technology for 5G and a CXO Round Table on Digital Transformation with 5G.

Shri Manoj Sinha, Hon’ble Minister of Communications (Independent Charge) and Minister of State for Railways, Govt. of India will be the Chief Guest, Smt. Aruna Sundararajan, IAS, Chairman, TC & Secretary (Telecom), Department of Telecommunications, Govt. of India and Mr. Malcolm Johnson, Deputy Secretary-General, ITU will be the Guests of Honour, Introductory Address by Mr. Adrian Scrase, CTO, ETSI and Keynote will be deliver by Shri Anupam Shrivastava, Chairman & Managing Director, Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited. 5G India 2018 International Conference and Exhibition is being supported by the Department of Telecommunications, Ministry of Communications, Govt. of India and the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Govt. of India. With Broadband India Forum as the Knowledge Partner, the conference is also being supported by the industry associations including 3GPP, TSDSI, CEWiT India, COAI and TAIPA.

With plenary sessions, technical tracks in an innovative show formats and international case studies, the agenda will include visionary presentations from 30+ speakers across the globe including Mr. Klaus Pendl, First Counsellor – ICT, Delegation of the European Union to India, Mr. Sebastien Soriano, Chairman, ARCEP France, Mr. Daniel Brower, Vice President, Program, Deutsche Telekom, Mr. Julius Knapp, CTO, FCC USA and Dr. Wu Yong, Senior Standards Expert, 3GPP as well as Senior Spokesperson from BSNL, INTEL, Google, Savitri Telecom Services, Syniverse, Keysight Technologies, UTStarcom, Cambium Networks, CSG International, Rohde & Schwarz, Commscope, Infineon and Siae Microelettronica.

About Bharat Exhibitions

In a world where technology is erasing borders, it is indeed ironical that professionals find it increasingly difficult to maintain peer to peer contact on regular basis. Bharat Exhibitions fills in this space by managing and hosting some of India’s premier Telecom & IT events. We own niche and prestigious conference properties in the new generation technology arena such as 100 Smart Cities India, Cloud & Network Virtualisation India, 5G India, Data Centre India, Broadband Tech India, Smart-Sustainable Cities Technology & Innovation Summit, Cyber Security India, SMC Technology India and Telecom CXO Summit. We have a simple mission: Establish & deliver contacts that create value for your business.

For further details, please visit http://www.bharatexhibitions.com

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Telecommunications service provider Ericsson on Thursday introduced a new category of radio products called Street Macro in India to enable a smooth evolution from 4G to 5G.

Street Macro is a new site type that addresses the need for operators to grow in cities with limited available radio locations.

The company also launched new radio products that support "Massive MIMO" technology to simplify use for wider 5G adoption.

"Operators today are looking at ways and means to increase network capacity, especially in urban areas. Ericsson's Street Macro adds a new layer in the network layer to boost capacity enabling service providers to cater to the growing demands of data users," Nitin Bansal, Managing Director, Ericsson India, told reporters here.

According to Ericsson's new economic study of enhanced mobile broadband, evolution to 5G will enable 10 times lower cost per gigabyte than current 4G networks.

To help operators capture growth opportunities presented by new 5G use cases, Ericsson has expanded its 5G Core System offering with new capabilities to support 5G New Radio (NR) standard and also enhanced its Distributed Cloud solution.

The announcement came on the sidelines of Ericsson's annual technology roadshow in India, where the company recreated a "Do Zone" to showcase the highlights from Mobile World Congress 2018.

To date Ericsson has signed 39 memorandums of understanding with service providers for trials, the company said.

Aiming to disrupt India's mid-segment smartphone market, Samsung is set to launch four new smartphones -- two each in Galaxy "A" and Galaxy "J" series -- this month.

The upcoming Galaxy A6 and Galaxy A6+ smartphones could be priced between Rs 20,000 and Rs 25,000 while the devices in Galaxy "J" series could cost customers Rs 15,000 to Rs 20,000, industry sources told IANS on Friday.

Two of the four smartphones in the upcoming line-up would come with dual camera set-up, the sources added.

All of them will be made at the company's Noida facility. The smartphones will feature Samsung's super AMOLED "Infinity Display" -- bezel-less screen that creates an immersive viewing experience.

Notably, Samsung's flagship smartphones such as Galaxy Note 8 and Galaxy S9 series feature the "Infinity Display". Now, with the upcoming devices, the display feature would be introduced at lower price points in the Indian market.

The South Korean giant first introduced the "Infinity Display" in Galaxy S8 series in 2017.

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Targeted at millennials, Chinese smartphone maker OPPO on Tuesday debuted its sub-brand "Realme 1" smartphone in India for Rs 8,990 (3GB RAM and 32GB internal storage model).

The 6GB RAM and 128GB internal storage variant is priced at Rs 13,990.

The smartphone comes with the world's first 12-nm Artificial Intelligence-based MediaTek Helio P60 chipset with "AI shot" technology.

"Realme 1 is focused at young online consumers and is primed to be a market disruptor with a stylish design," Madhav Seth, Chief Executive Officer, Realme India, said in a statement.

The device will be available on Amazon India, starting May 25, in diamond black and solar red colour variants.

A third variant with 4GB RAM and 64GB onboard storage, in moonlight silver and diamond black colours for Rs 10,990 will go on sale in June.

Realme users will have access to over 500 OPPO service centres across the country with guaranteed 90 per cent repair cases resolved within an hour.

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Representational picture

In India, gaming is considered as a hobby and was less than inclined towards gaming from the get- go. But the scenario is slowling changing. Looking at the growth of the industry over the years, we have finally come to a point where families have started being supportive of this career choice. Rather than opting for a 9-to-5 job, more and more gamers have started taking their careers seriously and are transitioning into professional esports athletes and streamers.

So what is gaming? Gaming is a form of entertainment which is consumed via interaction, participation and viewership. It encompasses PC gaming, mobile gaming and console gaming and is multi-billion dollar industry globally. This industry comprises of gamers who can be a casual or an enthusiast, an amateur or a professional, a player or a viewer. Gaming can be as simple as picking up your mobile and launching some birds at hostile pigs in a castle, or as complex as dedicating years to learning and mastering a game and competing against other similarly dedicated players globally with millions of dollars at stake.

The term 'esports' seem new but the concept isn't. Esports is the part of gaming that’s competitive, where various genres of games are played competitively against other players, on different platforms. From fighting against your friend at the local arcade with a barrage of virtual punches and kicks to being seated together and connected to 100s of other gamers and being the last person alive in a perilous deserted island. Esports is as old as gaming is. The only difference we see nowadays, is the higher stakes and the dedication gamers put in to reach the top. With prize pools running in the millions and a loyal audience who travel halfway across the globe to watch their teams play, esports has become a global phenomenon with major brands investing heavily in the industry and corporations building stadiums larger than conventional sports stadiums.

Professional athletes train their body and mind, regularly to stay at the best of conditions and are supported with the state-of-the-art facilities and a salary for playing their game. Another term people might be unfamiliar with is "video game live streaming”. Streaming is a form of online video broadcast on specialised platforms where you play games and entertain your viewers. A viewer might be engrossed by your playstyle or your witty humour. There can be thousands of players watching you at a point of time and cheering for you. Streaming has become a full-time job for a lot of people with them earning a comfortable six-figure income monthly by just regularly entertaining their viewers. Brands sponsor these streamers to advertise and endorse their products on their stream.

The global gaming industry is still growing at a rapid pace with a valuation of $108.9 billion and a YoY growth of 7.8% in 2017. The Asia Pacific region contributes to 47% of this with India ranked 17 th globally valued at $818 million with an 11.14% CAGR. Gaming in India is still nascent with a lot of scope for growth and recognition. Esports plays a huge part in gaming with $696 million market and whopping 385.5 million viewers watching their favourite teams and players fight for glory. That’s thrice as many subscribers Netflix has.

So how far has India come? India is slowly catching up with the rest of the world. We have 253.2 million gamers in India with 81% of them in the age group of 16 – 30. We have professional teams in India who compete globally against other teams. We have people who have taken up streaming as their jobs. Rather than pursuing a regular career like your average John and Jane, we have emerging brave souls who want to stand out and make their dreams come true. And the space is filled with brands who want to work hand in hand with these people, empowering and enabling such a career into reality.

Insight of target audience by COBX games

Gaming in India has been given a boost in the recent years with the advent of 4G and FTTH. Prices have grown more competitive which has helped not only companies but also gamers across India. We have seen a spike in mobile gaming with 4G being introduced in India and will play a major role in the industry. FTTH, which is already being deployed in tier-1 cities, provides high-speed internet connection over optical fibre directly to your home from the ISP which has increased the quality of service. In tier-2 cities, gaming cafés and colleges act as hotspots for gamers and most tournaments are hosted in these colleges, due to the presence of stable infrastructure which, in turn, promotes the growth of gaming.

Esports is on the rise in India with multiple tournaments being announced with unprecedented prize pools. Esports is dynamically changing the industry with numerous brands joining in and helping the space flourish. Monthly tournaments provide a scope for professional gamers to sustain a living and also provides growth to multiple domains attached to esports like cosplayers, shoutcasters, and analysts and so on. From small tournaments in cafés and college labs to huge events filled with gamers, esports has come a long way in India. 2018 saw numerous companies invest heavily in esports by announcing multiple tournaments with prize pools of over Rs 1 crore.

Mujahid Rupani, Co-founder & C.E.O of COBX Gaming says, "We are also expecting an increase in VR and AR gaming in India. VR gears are being readily accessible to people and families are opting in for the virtual reality experience. Mobile phones are growing powerful every day and proving to be effective AR devices. New games are being launched every day which take advantage of augmented reality and taking use experience to a whole new level. Mobile gaming is also on the rise in India due to the ease of entry and affordable and stable internet connection. With the amount of time people invest on mobiles, a lot of developers are shifting their focus to mobile games and catering to a big chunk of gamers who prefer mobiles over expensive PCs and consoles as their gaming gear. With the number of game development studies in our country, the next big title might be from India."

With the ecosystem growing and evolving every year, the future for gaming in India is bright. Gaming in India is an incipient industry and has a long way to go. We hope to see more professional players, more streamers and more parents supporting their kid’s dream. There was a time when you would idolise a sportsperson, the day is here when kids idolise their favourite professional gamer or streamer. We have a generation of parents who are gamers too and encourage their kids and help them balance gaming along with other life priorities. We hope to see more companies and brands invest their time and resource in the gaming industry and maybe one day, a kid who wants to grow up and be a professional gamer.

Also Read: Hrithik Roshan: Gaming In India Gaining Exponential Popularity

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Facebook has rolled out new updates in its Stories feature that are available for the users in India first and will reach the global users later.

One such update is "Voice Posts" that will let users share their thoughts via audio to their friends and families.

"Voice posts lets you share in the moment without having to share a photo or video. This could also help people who can't necessarily write in the language they want to share in," Connor Hayes, Director of Product Management, Facebook Stories, wrote in a blog post on Wednesday.

People will now be able to save the photos and videos they capture through the Facebook camera, where only they can see them when they log into their Facebook account.

"This allows people to save the photos and videos they capture without taking up space on their phone," the post read.

It can also be used to save photos you might want to share later, so you don't have to edit or post them while you're out with your friends and instead enjoy the moment and share them later.

"In the coming weeks we're rolling out an archive for people to save the stories most important to them. After a photo disappears from your story, you can find it in your story archive - a place only you can see. You can always choose to not save them," said the post.

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Illustration/Amit Bandre

New Delhi: On an average, a college student in India checks his mobile phone over 150 times a day, according to a study conducted by Aligarh Muslim University and the Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR).

The research, titled "Smartphone Dependency, Hedonism and Purchase Behaviour: Implications for Digital India Initiatives", has been conducted in 20 central universities, where 200 students each were interviewed.

"Anxiety and fear of missing out on information make university students check their mobile devices as many as 150 times a day on an average, an activity which can have adverse effects on the students' health as well as academics. "Only 26 per cent of the respondents said they use smartphones primarily to make calls. The remaining respondents use smartphones for other purposes such as accessing social networking sites, Google searches and for entertainment such as watching movies," said Mohammed Naved Khan, the Project Director.

At least 14 per cent of the students use smartphones for three hours or less in a day while around 63 per cent of them use it for four to seven hours daily.

"It came as a shock to us that around 23 per cent (of students) use the devices for more than eight hours a day," Khan added.

According to the study, eighty per cent of the students own a mobile phone and most of them prefer smartphones owing to convenience in the installation of applications, host of features, and ease of use and also work as affordable substitutes for a computer. The study conducted by researchers at AMU has been funded by the ICSSR with an aim to understand various facets of smartphone dependency and addiction among college-going students.

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Cousins Ayush, Aryan and Arjun Asher enjoy some quiet book reading time with their friend Rudra Shukla at their Worli residence. Pic/Ashish Raje

Of gods and humans

Author Arshia Sattar is no stranger to mythological retellings. Best known for her English translation of Valmiki's Ramayana, Sattar recently released a new children's collection titled Garuda and the Serpents (Juggernaut Books), which draws from the Puranas, the Mahabharata and the Ramayana to deliver stories that will evoke both wonder and delight. From tales of why the gods and the asuras churned the ocean, to how Vishwamitra and Vasishtha became enemies for life, these marvellous adventures of gods and humans is not to be given a miss. And, with Sattar, who has a PhD in South Asian Languages and Civilizations from the University of Chicago, helming the narrative, these stories, we know, rest in safe hands.

Garuda and the Serpents by Arshia Sattar
Age Group: 10+
Price: Rs 350

A rare friendship

The recently-released graphic novel, Indira (Context, Westland), definitely has a special place in history. The young adult novel, which has been brilliantly executed by writer Devapriya Roy and animation filmmaker and illustrator Priya Kuriyan, begins with the story of Indira Thapa, a Std VI student at a government school, who is given an assignment to write an essay around her namesake. Over the course of a long, hot summer and a curious friendship with an artist who is working on a biography of Gandhi, Thapa gets tangled up in the life and times of the country's only female prime minister Indira Gandhi. Through graphic panels and beautiful prose, Roy and Kuriyan lead us through Gandhi's rich legacy, including her rise during the Bangladesh War (1971) and fall, post the Emergency (1975-77). This one is for teenagers who'd like to revisit history differently.

Indira by Devapriya Roy and Priya Kuriyan
Age Group: 13+
Price: Rs 599

Magic on wheels

Lavanya Karthik's Neel on Wheels (Duckbill) is what we think, should be on every kid's must-read list. The book, illustrated by Habib Al, tells the story of Neel, who is wheelchair bound. But, that's hardly holding him back. Neel's wheelchair transforms itself to fight dragons and monsters and chase away scary creatures of the night. One of the prize winners in the Children First contest — started to create more books featuring children with disabilities as protagonists — this book deals sensitively with his challenges and the lovely relationship between Neel and his younger brother, who regards him with awe and respect.

Neel on Wheels by Lavanya Karthik and Habib Al
Age Group: 5+
Price: Rs 299

Family matters

Sharanya Manivannan's poetry is a sheer delight to read. With The Ammuchi Puchi (Puffin Books), the poet and writer has collaborated with illustrator Nerina Canzi to tell the story of Aditya and Anjali, who love listening to their grandmother's stories. Unfortunately, their lives fall apart on the night their grandmother passes away. Suddenly, her stories seem to lose their meaning. It's only when something magical happens that they feel their grandma is with them, after all. The dreamy illustrations complement the poetic prose, for a poignant story.

The Ammuchi Puchi by Sharanya Manivannan and Nerina Canzi
Age Group: 4-7
Price: Rs 199

Grandma knows best

No summer reading is complete without escaping into the stories by author Ruskin Bond. In his new book, Memories of Hills and Dales (Rupa), Bond's protagonist is an affectionate, brimming-with-stories grandmother, who shares tales of the past with her granddaughter Koki. From a mysterious kiss by a stranger in the dark to schoolboys taking off for a trek to a glacier, an old kite-maker reminiscing about his heydays and a beautiful village girl whose charms a city boy can't resist, this slice-of-life collection — many of which are autobiographical — takes us through the life in the hills and the joys, sorrows and excitement it holds.

Memories of Hills and Dales by Ruskin Bond
Age Group: 8+
Price: Rs 195

Suitcase memories

Nidhi Chanani's heart-warming debut graphic novel, Pashmina (HarperCollins India) weaves a tale about the hardship and self-discovery that is born from juggling two cultures. The story revolves around Priyanka Das, who has many unanswered questions — why did her mother abandon her home in India? What was it like there? And, most importantly, who is her father, and why did her mom leave him behind? Pri's mom avoids all these questions. For Pri, her homeland only exists in her imagination, until she finds a mysterious pashmina tucked away in a forgotten suitcase. When she wraps herself in it, she is transported to a fantasy world more vivid and colourful than anything she could have ever imagined. But to know whether this world is for real, she needs to travel further. For young readers, Chanani creates a world that magical through her prose and illustrations.

Pashmina by Nidhi Chanani
Age Group: 8+
Price: Rs 399

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Over a phone call from Kolkata, Vikram Rajan*, an audio engineer and guitarist formerly based out of Mumbai, wants us to listen to a track that he has composed. It's available on Soundcloud and, as we stream it, we more or less agree that its flavour of electronica-jazz could accompany a languorous Sunday evening. "For a long time, I had been unable to come up with something good. And, then, I composed this around March while I was microdosing and sometimes, megadosing on acid," says Rajan.

The 33-year-old is referring to a way-of-life that's effectively snapping the ties between drug abuse and the creative arts. This is a lifestyle experiment that some of the brightest techies in Silicon Valley are engaging in, and has got psychiatrists and anti-drug crusaders distraught. "From a 100 mics paper, I take about 20 mics, twice a week, giving the doses a 2-3 days gap. The effects of acid last for about six hours for me," says Rajan, who started experimenting with drugs as a teenager.

After a litany of prescriptions failed to control her mood swings and depression, Ayelet Waldman found relief in LSD. The former federal public defender authored A Really Good Day: How Microdosing Made a Mega Difference in My Mood, My Marriage, and My Life, in 2016. She wrote: "(It) made room in my mind not necessarily for joy, but for insight. It allowed me a little space to consider how to act in accordance with my values, not just react to external stimuli. This, not the razzle-dazzle of pleasure, was its gift." Pic/Getty Images

In need of a quick glossary before we proceed? Acid is officially called Lysergic Acid Diethylamide (LSD), a psychedelic drug banned in India, the possession of which can lead to imprisonment from one to 20 years under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act. LSD is often illegally sold in the form of stamps, with the hallucinogen embedded on blotter paper. Mics is micrograms, that's one-millionth of a gram. A microdose is when you have about one-tenth of a recreational 'party' dose, which starts at about 200 mics.

"With microdosing, you are not tripping — this is not a trip. The euphoria isn't there. It's not about feeling good, it's about calmness," continues Rajan. Microdosing first hit headlines after Steve Jobs' passed away in 2011, when a number of inspiring tales on how LSD became the new go-to substance for enhanced performance by tech employees hit the net. Espresso became passé. 'Flow states' were the new yoga. While Jobs did more than just microdose (he was known to have gone all the way), Silicon Valley techies are reportedly doing acid in quantities such that their effects are 'sub-perceptual', where you won't "see stuff" but you harness its "positive" effects.

A dropper with CBD cannabis oil, used for medicinal purposes. Initial research in the area has shown that patients can reap the benefits without its full-blown 'high' effects

Paul Austin, founder of The Third Wave, where you will find a manifesto on microdosing, defines it as, "the act of integrating sub-perceptual doses of psychedelics, such as LSD or Psilocybin Mushrooms, into your weekly routine for higher levels of creativity, more energy, increased focus, and improved relational skills." The Third Wave, according to Austin, follows the first two waves, in which psychedelics were used indigenously for thousands of years, and then, in the 60s and 70s, when they were a part of American counterculture. Austin writes that The Third Wave is upon us, "brought about by recent developments in cannabis legalisation and psychedelic research — and it will change the way mainstream culture perceives psychedelic use."

Classically acid, now weed
For Rajan, however, it wasn't sub-perceptual Silicon Valley that got him to ration his 100 mics stamps, each of which costs about R2,000. It was simply a matter of demand and supply. Mumbai had better stuff than Kolkata, and more availability. Microdosing has classically been associated with LSD, but now has been extended to cannabis as well. Austin's website has guided instructions for microdosing on nine drugs, including cannabis and ayahuasca. Mumbai-based communications officer Varna Kumar*, 25, smokes a mandatory post-work joint every night in order to cope with anxiety and panic attacks. "I feel I have worked enough through the day, without much time to understand what I am going through. At night, when I am by myself, I smoke a small joint to achieve REM sleep," she says. The joint, a mix of two strains, sativa and indica, help her body relax. It makes her anxiety seem defeatable, is how she describes it. Her counsellor, who also smokes up, has not advocated this as a coping mechanism. "It's different from when I am smoking up recreationally during the weekend or when I am away on a vacation. I will do three to four joints when I have nothing to take care of," she says.

Rajan doesn't buy it. He offers an example that may be best contemplated upon or contested by those who have done both LSD and cannabis. "With weed, you are either stoned, or you are not. You will need to smoke up as soon as the high wears off. When you get stoned, your mind becomes passive. But, microdosing on LSD allows you to be calm enough to multitask, allowing a lot of information to be funnelled into your brain easily. You are alert, you are awake," he says, adding, "What is LSD all about? When you start tripping, you see a shift in perspective." You need not agree with Rajan, as he himself says, "We are all chemical reactions", with each of us reacting differently to drugs.

Covert, not convenient
Microdosing will often be compared to that hard-earned and well-deserved one drink after work hours. It's nothing like that, microdosers will tell you, and so will psychiatrists and rehab therapists. For one, microdosing has none of the ease of getting a drink at your favourite pub. You will be persecuted in your search for your creative spell or a calmer mind. Next, it's not even like getting a drug prescription that your GP advises you to have for the course of a fortnight. Kumar and Rajan know it all too well. Microdosing means self-experimentation, knowing when you are crossing the threshold into recreational high dosages. Cannabis, for instance, is best microdosed through edibles, like space brownies, which are available legally in some parts of the world. It's probably the reason why microdosing is yet to take on Silicon Valley proportions in India. "Here, we don't often get to know what strain of cannabis we are using, or where it is sourced from," says Kumar. Saying "this stuff is craazzyy" is, therefore, not enough if you want to microdose. "If you are living with family, it's hard to make edibles. All this means that the convenience factor associated with a drink is not the same with this covert process," she adds.

The idea of the junkie, with matted hair and piercings, is a stereotype that microdosing is replacing. It's no longer cool to be a junkie, especially in the vegan-conscious, gluten-free, aerial yoga health lifestyle that we are seeing around us. Microdosing may be the most metrosexual among the various kinds of drug use, and it carries the allure of high-performance and alleviation of mental health issues, with published studies to back these up. But doctors and psychiatrists are warning us about the glamourisation of microdosing, even as research to mainstream it for mental health is going on. Psychiatrist Dr Samir Parikh says, "Microdosing encourages the thought process that you need a drug for enhanced performance or better creativity or to calm your nerves. This will mean that students microdose before exams, athletes before a run, couples before a wedding, and the next thing you know, because someone has to attend a birthday bash. There is no end to important situations in life. We are making people believe that a student could have scored an additional five marks in an exam had she just microdosed. Can you imagine the perils of this philosophy?" he says. He backs this up with the number of risks associated with prolonged drug abuse, such as a permanent change in brain circuitry, cerebrovascular diseases, and panic attacks.

Then there are those who will argue that moderation as 'one-drink-a-day' is more addictive than the weekend drunken revelry. Is addiction, even in microdoses, still addiction, where the brain searches for rewards compulsively? Kumar disagrees. "Microdosing is the difference between dependence and addiction. For example, I am dependent on a cab to take me to the station. Can I get through my day without it? Can I walk to the station? Yes, I can. That's what microdosing is. I can get through my day without a joint, but a joint just makes it a little easier," she says.Psychiatrist Dr Yusuf Merchant, who runs a rehabilitation centre at Kalyan, says microdoses pose the risk of turning into overdoses. "With any drug, the body learns to metabolise it faster. Which means, that the quantity for a microdose will keep increasing and your hold on reality will keep getting more tangential."

Rajan himself admits to a 'bad trip'. LSD users will tell you that recreational doses are best done in settings that you feel comfortable in, to enjoy, or cope, with the hallucinations. With microdosing, you are headed into your office or your studio to function better. Rajan had once taken more than a microdose, leading him to have a panic attack, the kind where he couldn't even see his hands. The golden rule, he says, is that if you don't go on a full trip, you will never know what a microdose is.

That ailing pain
The push for microdosing is coming from a quarter where its future seems to be most secured — pain management. Mumbai-based homemaker Susheela Kamath*, 48, was diagnosed with stage II breast cancer a couple of years ago, and having undergone nearly a year's worth of chemotherapy and radiation, the accompanying pain and nausea, were all too real. Her daughter provided her with high-grade hash oil. The dealer provided her with a tiny spoon, the kind that you are handed inflight to stir your coffee with. "I had to initially understand, through a lot of trial and error, by gauging my mother's mood, on what a microdose for her would be. Hash oil is very potent," says the daughter.

A little drop of it on her toast every day, helped Kamath cope with pain. "From the third day to the tenth day after chemotherapy, my mother would have about three to four spoons a day, and, on other days, just half a spoon," says the daughter. Coping with the pain meant she could do more during her day, and also have an appetite. Now, months after she has wound up chemotherapy and radiation, she has bid adieu to the prescription drugs that came along with it, and the hash oil as well, without yearning for that high. Unfortunately, unlike medical grade marijuana that is available in some countries, and still not permitted in India, the daughter did not know if the oil had cannabidiol (CBD), which gives marijuana its medical properties, or tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) which gives you the "high".

Dr Kailash Kothari, interventional spine and pain management specialist at Fortis Hospital, Mulund, says that there is not enough evidence to either prove or disprove that microdosing on cannabis can help with pain management, the way opioids, such as morphine, act on the nervous system. "Do cannabinoids work like tranquilisers or do they have long-term effect? There is not enough research as of now," he says, adding, "Getting dependent on these takes a lot of time and not something that can happen in about 15 days of use." In the meanwhile, you can enjoy a night of quiet or a better track on Soundcloud by rationing your stash. But, is it short-term solace or long-term abuse?

*All names have been changed on request to protect identity

Palash Kothari. Pic Courtesy/Fahama Sawant

It's a hot, toasty afternoon in Mumbai. We can see bits of the pumpkin-coloured sky through the window blinds. The phone rings once, twice. On the other end is 21-year-old Palash Kothari aka Sparkle and Fade. "I really don't know what to expect," Kothari admits, speaking about his upcoming gig with Bengaluru-based producer-drummer duo Nikhil Narendra and Shreyas Dipali.

The Fringe is a new gig series to be launched in the city, which will feature artistes who create hybrid music. "Hybrid is very open. It can be analogue or digital, classical or jazz, acoustic or electronic, basically the coming together of conventional and non-conventional methods," explains Sainath Bhagwat, programmer at Mixtape, a Mumbai-based artist and event management company.

Nikhil Narendra + Shreyas Dipali. Pic courtesy/Mayuresh Vartak

"In the current scenario, there's a bulk of electronic and live music being made, which cannot be performed/consumed in a traditional club space. The idea for this night was born out of a collective desire to create a platform to showcase these artists in the right environment," Sainath adds.

Unsure of what to call Kothari's music, we dawdle between electronic and bedroom producer (a term used for musicians making and producing experimental music in their bedrooms) hoping to understand the use of Hindustani classical samples in his older EPs. "I am not sure what to call my music either. I began playing the synth when I was three and then, I trained in Hindustani classical. That was my first step into music, so the influence comes from wanting to put a little bit of me as a child into the music I make now," he elaborates.

"I was listening to pop and EDM in high school. Swedish House Mafia's concert in India inspired me to finally put my music out. Then I got bored, because it wasn't satisfying. So, I started making music that I felt right about. I mellowed down a little as a person and I guess that comes through in the sound, which is more solitary now," he says.

For Kothari, while the influences are aplenty, not mimicking takes conscious effort. "I am working on something now. So, I am going to stop listening to other music because it's difficult not to emulate them. I don't see any point in making music that already exists. In effect, this will probably also be my last gig before my new stuff is out," he signs off.

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Stretching from the imposing skyrises of Colaba and Malabar Hill to the fishermen's colonies in Worli, the prestigious VVIP Mumbai South Lok Sabha constituency is the richest in the country making it a high-stakes affair for the two main contestants - Shiv Sena sitting MP Arvind G. Sawant and rival Milind M. Deora of the Congress.

Despite being wealthy, the constituency is barely 'generous' in exercising its franchise - it was way back in 1967, when George Fernandes won on a single point agenda of providing sufficient water supply to all, that 67.42 per cent electorate voted.

Again in 1991, the voting percentage plummeted to an abysmal 38.65, giving credence to the belief that people in high-rises remain indifferent to the political process. But in 2014 the percentage went up to a modest 52.48.

The population of Mumbai South is approximately 20 lakh and the voter strength is 14,85,846 including 15 per cent of some of the country's richest, a large 70 per cent dollop of middle-class and a sprinkling of 15 per cent eking out an existence in slums in what is one of the few fully urbanized constituencies of India.

Unconcerned by the turnout figures, Shiv Sena's Sawant exudes is optimistic of winning again.

"I am the voice of the masses and the classes. I have been present whenever and wherever I was needed in the past five years," Sawant told IANS.

On his rival Deora, he shot back: "Where was he for the past four years and nine months? This is what commoners and business community ask me. It is my work for all sections and my contacts with the masses that will decide the election."

Though incommunicado despite repeated attempts by IANS, the former Union Minister Deora has remained unflustered by the opposition barbs.

After all, in a political-corporate coup of sorts, last fortnight, he secured the open support of key players from India Inc, sending panic waves in the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party-Sena combine.

Ranked as one of the most cosmopolitan constituencies, Mumbai South is beset with many problems that have remained unresolved over the years.

"There are hundreds of old buildings, ancient sewage lines, house gullies, traffic congestion and slum pockets in Darukhana, BPT, Colaba and Worli which are of great concern," Waris Pathan, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen's sole Mumbai MLA, told IANS.

Though there is the ambitious Coastal Road project coming up, Patyan says "a lot will depend on its implementation, or it will be disastrous for the entire city".

Besides, there is the gnawing problem of security in the region which has witnessed two of the worst terror strikes in the country - the 1993 serial bomb blasts and the 2008 terror strikes.

Not surprising, since this constituency is home to the country's most affluent business districts which contribute hugely to the national exchequer, some of the poshest residential complexes, Indian and foreign banks, and national and international firms are headquartered here.

There are also offices of global corporates, airlines, embassies, luxury hotels, swanky restaurants and pubs, global tourist attractions, open shopping plazas, malls and multiplexes, reputed schools, colleges, an array of heritage buildings, the official residences of Maharashtra Governor, Chief Minister, the Chief Justice of Bombay High Court and other judges, the Legislature and the Mantralaya.

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Mumbai: Bollywood actor Kangana Ranaut has said Indians were, in the past, enslaved by an 'Italian government', in a veiled jibe at the Congress party. The 32-year-old, while speaking to reporters after casting her vote at a polling station in Khar area in Mumbai on Monday, said, "This (polling day) is a very important day for us, it comes only once in five years. I feel India is gaining independence today in real sense. Earlier, Indians were slaves of British, Mughal and Italian governments. Please exercise your Swaraj (independence) and vote."

The 'Italian government' remark is an apparent reference to UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, who was born and raised in Italy. Gandhi was the president of the Congress party for nearly two decades before handing over responsibilities to her son Rahul Gandhi in December 2017. Kangana went on to say that the situation that prevailed in the country was the worst during Congress' government at the Centre.

"The political leaders used to chill in London and the country used to suffer from an array of issues like poverty, pollution, rapes etc. The situation in our country was worst when Congress was in power. Now that our time has come, we should vote in large numbers," she added.

Polling was held on Monday for 72 seats across nine states including five seats in Bihar, one in Jammu and Kashmir, three in Jharkhand, six each in Madhya Pradesh and Odisha, 13 each in Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, eight in West Bengal and 17 in Maharashtra. An overall voter turnout of 64.05 per cent was registered in the fourth phase of polling. Seven-phase elections will end on May 19, and results will be declared on May 23.

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Haitham with Shah Rukh Khan on the sets of Dil Hai Hindustani where the two sang SRK’s chartbuster Jabra Fan

When we meet Haitham Mohammed Rafi inside the dimly-lit sets of a popular music reality show, he stands out from those sitting beside him. The white of his traditional dishdasha and the colourful turban — called the massar — make him look like an anomaly. The 23-year-old appears to be closely observing his fellow singer — a girl half his age — who is on stage and singing the famous DDLJ-towel song, 'Mere Khwabon Mein Jo Aaye,' when we raise our hand and call for his attention. There is instant recognition.

"Wallah!" he yells out in Arabic. "How come, you here?" he goes on, in his Middle-Eastern accent.

It has been three years since we first met Haitham. The last time it was in his hometown Muscat, the capital city of the Sultanate of Oman. "I will sing in Bollywood, someday, Inshallah!" he had then rapped, much to the amusement of this correspondent. At the time, we had wished him luck, without mocking his expectations or pointing out the risks.

Last week, when a video of filmmaker Karan Johar sitting in stunned silence after Haitham’s performance of Naina Thag Lenge, went viral on Arab social media, this writer was glad she had kept mum then.

Haitham, an Omani national, has just made it in the final 11 of the first season of music reality show Dil Hai Hindustani. Being an Arab, has only worked in his favour. For the judges, Johar, Badshah, Shalmali Kholgade and Shekhar Ravjiani (of Vishal-Shekhar fame), the first question on their mind was, “Can an Arab sing in Hindi?”

"Okay, maybe!" "But, that good!"

"I have Mohammed Rafi’s blessings," Haitham jokes. Not like, we hadn’t been meaning to ask him the story behind his namesake. Haitham al Balushi takes his middle name, Mohammed Rafi, from his father, who was surprisingly christened by the veteran Hindi singer himself. "Though Omani, my grandfather was a huge fan of Mohammed Rafi," he recounts. “When my father was born, Rafi saab was performing in Bahrain. My grandfather, who was working there, went for the show and managed to have a quick chat with him backstage," he says, adding, “He told Rafi saab, I want you to name my newborn.” The rest, as the Balushi family recalls, is history.

Until seven months ago, Haitham worked as a personal banker with a leading national bank in Muscat. “It was so boring. I hated going to work...it was suffocating," he says. Unable to take it anymore, Haitham put in his papers, and ferociously started looking for opportunities to sing. "I wanted to pursue my passion," he says. We ask him what that is? And, pat comes the reply, "I want to become the first Arab playback singer and composer in Bollywood." Haitham has been harbouring that dream since he was 11.

In Oman, Haitham says, there is no concept of vocal training. "If you're a good singer, you're a good singer." His only source of Bollywood music was audiocassettes and CDs as a child, and later YouTube. "So, when I told my Omani friends that I wanted to become a singer, they laughed. They said, 'You can’t make it big in India…it is so tough'."

On an Indian friend’s advise, he started listening to a lot of ghazals. "I was told that it would help me get my nuances and accent right," he says. His favourite ghazal singers are Jagjit Singh and Rahat Fateh Ali Khan. But, that's how Haitham’s Bollywood dreams first took flight.

In 2012, he became the first Omani to win Muscat Idol, which sees participants mostly from the Indian Diaspora. From there on, due to dearth of a great body of work, Haitham started composing music for Omani TV shows. “But, I realised that I wasn’t enjoying Arabic music. Each time, I sang in Hindi, I was happier,” he says. Of the 500 songs he has composed, 450 were in Hindi. “My mum knew I wasn’t meant for Oman. So, she kept pushing me to try my luck at Indian reality shows,” he says. He tried thrice and failed. The fourth time, he decided to think practically and opted for 'The Voice Ahla Sawt', the Arabic version of the international music show. “Even there, I could not fit in,” he says. This December, after five years of working towards his dream, he got the call. And, that too, from India.

Here, he is still just another contender at the show. But, back home, things have changed for Haitham. After a video of his performance went viral, Omanis in Muscat, who he claims love Hindi cinema, have gone into an overdrive. “I’ve already signed 13 shows in Muscat and Dubai,” he says. “My friends are buying the Indian digital channels, just to watch my show.”

"I think it's a proud moment for my country," Haitham says. Just as we end, he gets his cellphone out, and shows us a photograph of his, clicked with Shah Rukh Khan, where the two are facing each other, striking the latter's signature pose. “India has already opened its arms to me," he gushes.

Last Sunday evening, nearly 400 people made it to Juhu's Novotel Hotel to watch a screening of Pulp Fiction. What made the evening special was that the "seats" i.e. the gaddas were laid by the pool, with cool breeze blowing in from the Arabian Sea.

It was the first film screening in the city organised by SteppinOut Movie Nights, which has presence across Chennai, Delhi and Bangalore. Ojal Kulkarni, the brand head for the firm, says they chose Novotel for its cool vibe and plan a movie night at the venue every two months.

In a city that's brimming with cinephiles it only makes sense to have non-commercial venues that will screen the classics as well as the indie films. And, Novotel promises to be a killer of a venue. Tickets will range from Rs 300 to Rs 400 and the movies will be chosen after a poll is conducted on their FB page.

But, if you can't wait until then to catch a screening of some well-curated films, along with other lovers of cinema, here are the some of the other venues in the city to watch out for.

RD Burman composed for more than 300 films in a career spanning 30 years

This weekend, a group of music enthusiasts is going to deconstruct the thin line between imitation and inspiration at a talk on Hindi film music. The works of RD Burman, Shankar-Jaikishan and OP Nayyar will be discussed at the event.

Shankar-Jaikishan ruled from 1949 to 1986

“Many tried to imitate a sound that worked well with listeners in that period. In fact, film producers would encourage music directors to do so. The music of Laxmikant-Pyarelal and Kalyanji-Anandji was close to the sound created by Shankar-Jaikishan and Burman,” says Ramesh KV, one of the speakers. “If you listen to the orchestration of a song, you will think it belongs to Burman, but it actually is by someone else,” he adds.

The full panel includes R Balaji, Shankar Iyer, Archisman Mozumder and Subramanian Iyer.

On: April 15, 7.30 pm
At: Pitaara – The Art Box, Yashwant Nagar, Goregaon (W).
Call: 9820393001
Entry: Rs 250

Make heads turn by carrying a stylish umbrella that tells a story. In this engaging art revival workshop, you could learn to paint with a play of colours to create an illusion of varying textures that ensures that it isn't any run-of-the-mill print. Hosted by Blue Bulb, the workshop starts with an introduction to Gond painting, a folk art of the Gondi people of Madhya Pradesh. It then progresses into understanding freehand drawing and painting, directly using paints and pens. "One need not be an artist to be a part of this workshop. Once you've got the hang of it, you could even paint your t-shirt, canvas bags, shoes, stoles, wall art and furniture too," informs Ritika Jhunjhunwala, co-founder of Iteeha, organisers of the event.

Our society thrives on myths and fictitious stories and Gond art is an embellishment for those stories. The art form allows the artists to use more of their imagination than the somber rules. However, it has evolved considerably from its ritual storytelling days.

"The fine lines, dots and dashes of traditional Gond Pradhan motifs were introduced to the world by the late painter J. Swaminathan, who discovered a talented 17-year-old Jangarh Singh Shyam decorating the huts of Patangarh in Madhya Pradesh. The combination of vivid colours and distinctive forms, gives the traditional art a modern look and yet maintains its originality," says Jhunjhunwala for whom monsoon is the perfect time to unleash the creative side. "What you get is a full-size umbrella, all art supplies required and garma garam chai and kande pohe to enjoy the rains," she adds.

What: Umbrella Gond Painting Workshop
Where: Shivaji Park
When: August 27, 10.30 am - 1:30 pm
Fees: Rs 1,200 + plus taxes
Call: 7506122332

Cars honk as they make their way through Bandra-Kurla Complex to get to offices or to the newest eatery that has set up shop in the swanky financial district, the people in them all but oblivious to a small park in the back lanes that acts as a haven for the city's youth.

Annul Pale from the Meteoric crew trains at City Park, BKC

You will find them all here - collegians skipping classes, teens on their skateboards, and a group of young men performing exhilarating tricks on their bicycles. These are the city's BMX riders, for whom cycles are not simply modes of transport, but a way to express themselves.

The Sharptune crew at the Cycling Festival of India, held last weekend at Nehru Centre, Worli. Pics/Ashish Raje

"There is a community of approximately 45 BMX riders in Mumbai. Many of us prac-tise here at City Park daily," says 22-year-old Manoj Jaiswal, a Sion resident who was introduced to the sport by his neighbour in 2011. "We used to train along Carter Road promenade and the streets of BKC, but cops would arrive and shoo us away. And no public park allowed us entry with our bicycles. We ran out of places, but eventually, this park's management allowed us to use it."

This struggle is not new to the BMXers, who often end up travelling to far-flung - and thus less crowded - locations like Kalyan and Navi Mumbai. After all, in a city starved of space for even pedestrians, it's hard to imagine people giving up their precious streets to a sport they view as - in Jaiswal's words - a circus act.

Dipak Panchal

The beginnings
BMX racing took off in California back in the 1970s, inspired by motocross. It didn't take time for its popularity to rise among the youth, and soon, you could find them trying tricks on their own cycles across the world.

Rahul Mulani

Bandra resident Rahul Mulani was among the first few to bring the BMX movement to Mumbai three decades ago. "When we started out around 1987, we used to practise at a parking lot near Scandal Point in Breach Candy. There were fewer cars in the city back then, so there was plenty of space for us," he says.

Manoj Jaiswal

Not just empty parking lots; the seafront promenades used to be fair game, too. Thirty-year-old Dipak Panchal, who dropped out of college to pursue his passion for BMX and now runs a bicycle store in south Mumbai, shares that even as late as 2005, he could be found practising his moves at Marine Drive.

"Lately, whenever I have tried to practise there, policemen passing by have come and stopped me. They have even deflated my bicycle's tires, and there have been times they've threatened to throw me in the back of their van," he says, adding, "If there is a rule preventing people from cycling on promenades, they can tell us that without being rude. They allow elderly gentlemen to cycle peacefully, and even though we're not causing any damage to people or property, we are treated like criminals."

So, to avoid such conflicts, his crew, Sharptune, practises at a space they have rented out in Bandra. Last week, at the city's first cycling festival, amidst panel discussions and stores exhibiting the latest gear, they got a chance to show off their skills, but such events are few and far between. Though Panchal and Mulani try and organise jams and competitions, sponsors are hard to come by.

Need of the hour
Today, Mulani and Panchal, as well as the rest of the community, stick to a handful of spaces, including their own building compounds, that they know won't draw any unwanted attention.

"Even skateboarders are now getting recognition. In 2015, Khar Social set up a ramp, but it is too small for us to practise on, even though our requirements are not too different from a skateboarder's," says Jaiswal, whose crew, Meteoric, comprises skateboarders too. And because BMX is hidden away from the spotlight, the community is growing slower than it would have, had its members been given the chance to showcase their skills in public without any fear of repercussions.

The problem in India, Panchal believes, is that cricket overshadows every other sport. This leads to other sports, especially extreme sports like BMX, being ridiculed and even neglected by the public and the authorities. "The country's first pump track came up in Hyderabad this year, and it was built by a private body. We don't see the Cycling Federation of India [CFI] taking any interest in the BMX community," says Mulani.

VN Singh, assistant secretary, CFI, which is based in New Delhi, says they can't do anything for the sport until it is officially recognised. "I know it's an Olympic sport, but until there are enough practitioners of BMX in the country, we can't provide any support," he says. He follows this up by saying that a pump track in Delhi is in the offing, but quickly adds that he doesn't know how long it will take. "You see, we don't have the funds for it."

Why Cheat India
U/A: Drama Satire
Director: Soumik Sen
Cast: Emraan Hashmi, Shreya Dhanwanthary
Rating:

The 'curse of the second half' in Hindi pictures is simply so severe, especially when it comes to films with well-known faces, that even as I find myself really enjoying a movie, there's a radar at the back of the brain constantly cautioning one to only hope that the post-interval portions even live up to the first half — by half. If so, then as an audience, you're pretty much through.

Is this movie an exception in that regard? Well, it eventually starts descending to such levels of random, thoughtless spinning of the yarn that by the end of it you're not even too sure it's the same film that you had started with in the first place. And hell yeah, it begins really well, what with highlighting the academic strains of being a teenaged 'padhaku' kid, Sattu (the boy's so brilliantly cast), in a lower-middle class family in Lucknow, coaxed into cracking a coveted engineering entrance exam (they don't call it IIT for some reason). For, how else does the father who's invested all his money into his child's supposed dream see his pension scheme through?

The film shines much-needed light on a common Indian teenaged nightmare, as sincerely presented in stand-up comedian Biswa Kalyan Rath's rather under-rated Amazon Prime series, Laakhon Mein Ek (2018). While sticking to searing realism — getting its time-setting, the year 1998 right, down to baggy trousers, and Force 10 type sneakers — the filmmakers manage to give the hero, Emraan Hashmi, a filmy sort of entry, smartly slipping in a soothing ballad, as well. Well done!

Hashmi plays a one-man racketeer who sneaks in smart kids, with counterfeit hall tickets, to max entrance tests on behalf of rich children, sitting at home, paying their way to top colleges as a result. You sort of know where the film might be going with this. And, maybe, that's the problem. Proxy contestants at overcrowded competitive exams for key educational institutions, where even well-prepared students wait for Godot to get in, is a huge multi-crore, organised industry, involving a system wholly corrupted, from top to bottom. Technology would have plugged some of the holes already; one's unaware to what extent.

If you haven't heard as much about this underworld, one should legitimately blame the news media for it — particularly in the case of the 2013 Vyapam (Madhya Pradesh Professional Examination Board) Scam, for instance, where close to 40 people, most of them whistleblowers, have mysteriously died, while the investigations are still on (or not quite) —but largely under-reported in the mainstream press.

And I thought this is what the film could be about — unearthing an earth-shaking scandal that should ideally knock you off your head. But, no, this is a film that attempts to combine strong commentary on the education/examination system, with a high-paced, heist thriller, with belaboured twists and turns, while trying to balance all of it with the urban slickness and high-life that Hashmi's inevitably romantically inclined, unscrupulous characters aspire for, and achieve, in his typical capers.

Watch Why Cheat India Trailer

So whatever fault you may find in the film possibly exists in the story/script to start with. And perhaps the reason is Hashmi himself, for he can't help but get on the big screen with strong baggage of the sort of flicks that have made him the star he is. The audience is obviously to blame for it, and the fact that Hashmi remains still an under-rated actor, because he is hardly commercially lauded for parts where he wholly goes off the beaten path — Dibakar Banerjee's Shanghai (2012), I'm told, tanked; Danis Tanovic's Tigers (2018) went straight to OTT (Zee 5), both being his career's best works.

And so he goes back to being himself: the trademarked flawed hero, who eventually justifies his wily actions as a natural outcome of a multiple-choice, rote-learning system that gives very few kids a choice beyond acing it to get ahead. How a scamster like his character is the solution still, and not the issue, is beyond me. Have to say though, what the audience will empathise with is the fact that far too few fine courses/colleges exist for far too many desi children: a progressively massive problem staring us in the face and an even uglier future. This affects everyone. To be fair, the government is just as clueless on how to deal with it as this totally confusing 'pop-con' pic.

Also read: Emraan Hashmi: Change of Cheat India title is illogical, ridiculous

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The Escape Room

U/A: Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi
Director: Adam Robitel
Cast: Taylor Russell, Logan Miller, Deborah Woll, Jay Ellis, Tyler Labine
Rating: 

These so-called 'live' reality game movies occupy a sub-genre of their own and Hollywood has been churning out quite a few of them following the Young Adult's obsessive fixation with material that encompasses it in entirety. But they are not all as thrilling or compelling as the first few that made it to hit franchise levels.

'Escape Room' is basically a set-up to get rid of six nondescript lone survivors through a series of life-threatening puzzles designed to test their survival instincts. And why pray does that have to happen? There's not much explanation here for that. Just swim with the tide, is all they ask. Unfortunately, it's not that easy for the audience because the viewer has to constantly suppress the disbelief that springs up every time the participants go through haranguing moments that willy-nilly put their lives in peril.

Check out the trailer here:

This is a far more perilous version of the more recent spurt of high-risk Telly games and since we don't get to know or understand the participants' motives (other than the 10,000 dollar prize money) it's difficult to empathize or find a reason to pay attention to their trauma. The writers also use some uninteresting physics theory to justify the random six players' participation in a largely predictable schema of disjointed thrills. They are made to go from intense heat to intense cold, then to a gas chamber, a space crusher and a few more vicarious routines before the winner can be decided.

While the production design is vivid, there's not much holding it together. Nik Dodani as nerd Danny, Jason Ellis as irritating yuppie Jason, Tyler Labine as trucker Mike, Deborah Ann Wolf as the tough, capable war vet Amanda, Logan Miller as a young alcoholic Ben and Taylor Russell as a withdrawn college student Zoey put in imminently indistinct, forgettable performances. The writing is largely formulaic too and the helming lacks serious edge. There's really nothing here to hold your attention for the near 100 min runtime.

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India post – a subsidiary of the Ministry of Communications – stepped in to help the residents of Madh Island, after a report in mid-day highlighted their plight regarding cash. They had been plagued by dysfunctional ATMs since the national lockdown was announced due to the COVID-19 pandemic. But very few transactions were successful, since most residents didn't have their active mobile numbers linked to their Aadhaar cards — which is a must for availing the service.

After reading mid-day's April 26 report, India Post sent a team of three postmen to the area on Monday, to provide door-to-door cash withdrawal services — at no extra charge — via their mobile phones. Using their government-authorised mobile phones, these postmen helped residents withdraw money from their bank accounts and handed the cash to them—provided their bank accounts and active mobile phone numbers were linked to their Aadhaar accounts. Although a handful of residents were able to carry out successful transactions, a majority of residents could not avail the service since either their active phone numbers were not linked to their Aadhaar cards or their bank accounts.

One postman = 1 micro ATM
Speaking to mid-day, Saranya U, senior superintendent of Post Office of Mumbai North Division (under whose jurisdiction Madh Island falls), said that each of the postmen deployed for this service is equipped with government-approved mobile phones that are pre-loaded with the India Post Payment Bank (IPPB), as well as a biometric scan device that can be connected to the mobile phone. "For us, each postman acts like a micro ATM. Using their mobile phones, each of them could enable people to withdraw up to R50,000 from their bank accounts," she said. This limit was extended from R10,000 to R50,000 in the light of the COVID-19 situation.

She explained that a person had to simply run their biometric fingerprint scan through the device connected to the postman's mobile phone (Aadhaar requires thumbprints to cross-confirm). "If a bank account has been linked to the Aadhaar account, then money can be withdrawn from that account. The person's current active mobile number is also required since an OTP will be sent to it. Another step also includes authenticity confirmation from UIDAI," she said.

If all these criteria are fulfilled, people can withdraw money from the comfort of their homes. "However, we were able to distribute only R11,000 in total because most people either don't have their Aadhaar or active mobile numbers linked to their bank accounts. We carried out a total of 25 transactions, but only 4 of them were successful," said Saranya, adding that India Post's door-to-door cash withdrawal service is more popular in rural areas.

'It was easy'
India Post also reached out to Manisha Suryavanshi, a resident who is disabled with polio in a leg, and was mentioned in the mid-day report. "I was surprised to see them. They ran me through the entire process… and I got the amount instantly in my hands. I also received a debit message on my mobile phone…it was easy and we were not charged for the service," she said.

4
No. of successful transactions

25
No. of total transactions attempted

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The HRD Ministry is prepared to conduct the pending board examinations for classes 10 and 12 for 29 crucial subjects at the first possibility, officials said. The ministry has also directed states to start the evaluation process for the exams already conducted and facilitate the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) in evaluation of answer sheets. "We are prepared to conduct board exams for class 10 and 12 pending due to lockdown in wake of the COVID-19 situation in the country. The exams will be conducted for 29 subjects crucial for promotion and admissions to undergraduate courses, at the first possibility. The students will be given at least 10-days notice before exams are conducted," a senior ministry official said.

"States have been asked to start the evaluation process for the exams already conducted and have been advised to facilitate evaluation of answer sheets. CBSE will also issue instructions for marking or assessment of non-important subjects not included in the list of 29 subjects," the official said. HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal 'Nishank' had on Tuesday interacted with education ministers of states. Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia had suggested that students be marked on basis of internal assessment as it is not feasible to conduct the pending exams now.

Sisodia, who is also the education minister, said students of Delhi will be more effected due to delay in conduct of exams as different states have their own boards, while the national capital only follows CBSE. Education ministers from different states also put forward deliberations being made about their respective state boards.
The Bihar board has already announced results for three streams of class 12 and is in the process of evaluation of class 12 exams. The Uttar Pradesh board is yet to begin the evaluation and will take a call in this regard soon.

¿Recently there has been lot of speculation regarding CBSE board exams. It is reiterated that board's decision to take board exams for 29 subjects of class 10, 12 stands the same as announced earlier,¿ the CBSE clarified in a tweet on Wednesday. According to the HRD ministry officials, as of now there are plans to conduct competitive exams including JEE and NEET in June for admission to engineering and medical colleges.

For other undergraduate admissions, the University Grants Commission (UGC) is working on an alternative calendar for the new academic session which will notify the timeline within a week. A seven-member panel set up to study the issue has recommended that the undergraduate admission process be started in July-August and the new session for freshers be started from September. However, no final decision has been taken in this regard yet.

The CBSE has already announced that it will not be conducting any exams for students in foreign countries. Universities and schools across the country have been closed since March 16 when the Centre announced a countrywide classroom shutdown as one of the measures to contain the COVID-19 outbreak.

Later, a nationwide lockdown was announced on March 24, which has now been extended till May 3.

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A 25-year-old woman allegedly committed suicide by hanging herself from the ceiling fan at her four-bedroom flat at Lokhandwala Township in Kandivli (East) on Tuesday afternoon.

According to police sources, the deceased has been identified as Bhavna Bora. On March 13, she had returned to Mumbai from Ireland, from where she was pursuing her Masters' degree and was staying with her parents and brothers in their four BHK apartment in Green Meadows Apartments in Lokhandwala Township.

Preliminary investigations revealed that she was upset after attending online classes for more than 16 to 18 hours a day.

When her father, a businessman by profession, and her brother entered her room to call her for lunch, they found the door locked from inside. “After Bora did not respond, they used a key to open the door only to find her body hanging from the ceiling fan and informed the police soon after,” the officer said.

“On the basis of primary information, we have registered an accidental death report (ADR) in the case and further investigation is underway,” said Senior Inspector Raju Kasbe from Samta Nagar police station.

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It took the BMC a full week to quarantine over two dozen high-risk patients, including the family of a Govandi resident who was posthumously found to have COVID-19. Right after the woman's death on Sunday, six neighbours got themselves tested at a fever camp and four returned positive over the next few days.

The woman, 55, was admitted at Rajawadi Hospital on April 24 and died on Sunday. A local social group identified 21 people as her high-risk contacts with symptoms.

While protocol states that family members and high-risk contacts should be tested and quarantined immediately, around 25 people were isolated at Vishnu Nagar in Mahul village only on Friday.

Of the six that visited the Mankhurd fever camp on Monday, one tested positive on Wednesday and was quarantined, two on Thursday. One positive diabetic patient is still at home as they require heightened care at a hospital.

Shankar Patil, president of the Govandi-based social group Rahul Seva Mandal, who highlighted the case in an email to CM Uddhav Thackeray on April 29, said, "The woman already had hypertension and diabetes. Later, her relatives, some family members and neighbours started showing symptoms. All live in Lumbini Baug in Panchsheel chawl so it is impossible to practise social distancing. They also use common toilets."

A neighbour whose husband has tested positive

The mandal had conducted its survey in the chawl on Saturday. Shankar said, "Had they not decided to get themselves tested, it would have been impossible to contain the spread."

'BMC's efforts taking time'

A neighbour — whose husband is one of the positive patients — went to the fever camp on Friday. She has a fever of almost 103°C. "We did not know that the woman had COVID-19. My husband, cousins and other family members took care of her as she already had diabetes," she said.

"After her death, BMC visited the chawl to take the names of high-risk contacts and said they will visit again the next day but no one came. All 21 people should have been quarantined immediately."

The BMC set up a fever camp at the neighbouring KC International School only on Friday

"We usually go out to buy vegetables and if we are positive, we don't want to spread the disease. Most of the people who tested positive were showing mild symptoms. They don't have too high a fever or difficulty breathing," she said. "I understand if the government doesn't test or quarantine neighbours, but at least test those who live in the same house. BMC is doing its work — but it is slow. We cannot directly blame them."

'Testing symptomatic cases'

M East ward Assistant Commissioner Sudhanshu Dwivedi said efforts was doubled at the fever camp in KC International School on Friday. When asked about the lack of testing of high-risk contacts, he said, "The ICMR guidelines say only symptomatic cases need to be tested. Earlier, we had set up a fever camp in a one-km radius of the chawl. It was in Govandi but in surrounding areas such as Deonar, Lotus Colony, etc. We also barricaded the chawl on Saturday, a day after the deceased woman was taken to Rajawadi."

"We also sent out Community Health Volunteers to check on residents' health. They told residents that if anyone is feeling symptomatic, they should visit the nearest fever camp and contact them. The whole process takes five to seven days." He added: "The six people found positive had gone to a BMC fever camp but in a different area. We test only symptomatic patients."

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The COVID-19 lockdown is turning out to be a blessing in disguise for all of Mumbai's pending rail work. Re-girding of a bridge on the Churchgate-bound fast line in the Bandra-Mahim section, which would have otherwise required cancellation of at least 250 local train services, was completed within 14 hours on April 30.

The steel bridge, which spans 9.15 metres and has seven cross-girders of length 5.8 metres is located on the Mithi River. The steel girders needed to be immediately replaced as they had got corroded.

Speaking to mid-day, Western Railway chief spokesperson, Ravinder Bhakar, said, "Mumbai suburban is one of the busiest rail networks of the world and to carry out work of such magnitude is a daunting task. This work required complete shutdown of traffic for eight hours on three consecutive days, which would have resulted in cancellation of at least 250 suburban services and cancellation/delay of at least 60 passenger trains in the section."

Sources said that the Railways decided to utilise the lockdown period and carry out the re-girding work by following all the social-distancing norms. Two cranes of 200 MT capacity, eight Farana cranes, 20 Hydra cranes and 18 excavators were deployed at the site.

Apart from this, the work was carried out by 30-40 track maintainers and contractual labourers, and a dedicated team of supervisors and officials.

All pre-block activity was completed on April 29 and the cranes were set up at the location. On April 30, work started from 9 am and the track part was completed by 8 pm. After that the overhead wires were fitted by 11.30 pm and the track was declared fit for train movement.

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When speaking of Indian mythology, the focus is on the stories, symbols and rituals of major religions such as Buddhism, Jainism and Hinduism. We ignore the mythologies of the various tribal communities of India, who have lived in the subcontinent long before the arrival of Aryan migrants. Their stories are fascinating.
The Santals found in Bengal, Odisha and Jharkhand speak of how humans emerged from the egg of a goose and a gander, created by the gods, which included the High God, Thakur-Dev, the smaller spirits known as Bongas. In the beginning, they say the whole world was water, until the earthworms collected earth and placed it on the back of a turtle. Did this story inspire the Hindu idea of the earth on a turtle upheld by elephants?

The Korkus, scattered across the states of Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra, tell the story of a deer pursued by their ancestors that disappeared in a mountain cave. While waiting outside the cave, they were met by an ascetic, who gave them some rice to eat. The ascetic then introduced himself as Shiva and asked them to permanently settle down as farmers, not hunters. Another story recounts how Ravana strayed into the scenic but unpopulated forests. When he prayed to Shiva to populate those forests with people, Shiva directed his messenger, the crow, Kageshwar, to collect red soil from the hilly region. Shiva made two statues from the soil, of a man and a woman. However, before Shiva could infuse them with life, an angry Indra got his horses to destroy the statues. This, in turn, angered Shiva, who made two dogs out of the red soil, infused them with life and drove Indra's horses away. Shiva then remade the two human statues and infused life into them. Known as Moola and Moolis, they are the ancestors of the Korku tribe. The Korku worship Shiva, Ravana and the dog. And the driving away of Indra does allude to some rejection of 'civilised' Aryans, though Shiva himself is a Vedic god.

The Baigas are a tribe dispersed across Madhya Pradesh. They say that in the beginning, there was only water all around and no land. Then, Brahma made land in the midst of the water. Immediately, two people emerged from the land—one a brahman and the other a sadhu Naga Baiga. Brahma gave the brahmin some paper to start studying and writing. He gave the Baiga a tangiya, or a sickle. He also gave the Baiga some kodo and kutki grains and ordered him to start farming. From that day on, the Baigas have been farming, while brahmins focussed on getting educated.

Because there are over 500 tribes in India, and each one has a unique mythology, their mythology is often ignored when studying wider trends and patterns. They are often seen as being simpler, etiological (explaining causes), sometimes proto-history, but rarely having deep psychological insight. This could be the prejudice of the researcher or simply the nature of tribes, where the focus is less on introspection and more on ritual rhythms of life. It is easy to see the influence of Hindu lore on tribal mythologies, but the reverse flow is also true.

Stories of boars raising earth from the bottom of the sea found in Vedas could very well have tribal origins.

The author writes and lectures on the relevance of mythology in modern times. Reach him at devdutt.pattanaik@mid-day.com

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Eight residents of Panchsheel chawl in Govandi — who were classified as high-risk patients after they came in contact with a deceased 55-year-old woman, whose death was posthumously ruled as due to COVID-19 tested positive on Sunday evening.

These high-risk patients had been kept at a quarantine facility in Mahul over the weekend and after their results came, they were shifted to an isloation centre in Shivaji Nagar. "The reports came in yesterday (Sunday) at 6 pm while we were still in Mahul," one of the eight people who have tested positive said.

"All of us were classified as high-risk patients. We will have to stay here for the next 14 days. This place is much better than the quarantine facility in Mahul. There we would only get vada pav to eat and the place had water issues. The doctors here asked us what our symptoms, but not many of us have a fever. We have been allotted rooms here and two people can stay in one room," the patient added.

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