On your marks
Junior athletes train at the Mumbai University Sports Pavillion in Marine Lines
Voice for a cause
Amit Trivedi in performance and Anita Peter
The man behind the famous song Iktara from the film Wake Up Sid, and Namo Namo from Kedarnath, Amit Trivedi, is all set to sway the city with his melodious voice at the Amit Trivedi Live! — Music For a Cause on May 25. The initiative by the Cancer Patients Aid Association is for patients with cancer caused due to tobacco consumption as a build-up to World No Tobacco Day (May 31). Anita Peter (inset), executive director of the association, shared how the funds will be utilised, “This fundraiser is dedicated to supporting cancer patients who have lost their voice to tobacco. With the funds raised, we will raise funds for voice prostheses to help survivors speak again and reclaim their lives with confidence. It’s not just a concert; it’s a movement for awareness, healing, and human connection.”
Look who’s bagged the golden triple
Fareez Vasania; (left) the medals. Pic Courtesy/Fareez Vasania
While most of us experience aching knees at 40, Fareez Vasania is leaping to new records. The Dadar Parsi Colony resident bagged three gold medals this week at the ongoing World Masters Games being held in Taipei. This is not Vasania’s first rodeo either. “I participated in my first Masters Games at Sydney in 2009 where I bagged a silver medal in triple jump. I followed it up with a bronze at the Auckland Games in 2017,” the 61-year-old shared. This time, he earned gold in high jump, long jump and triple jump categories. “You tend to compete in your age groups. I was in the 60 to 65 years. I must say at 61, I am fairly junior and have an advantage,” Vasania said, with a touch of Parsi humour. However, he does not intend to slow down. “This is not just my victory — it is for everyone who believes that age is no barrier for greatness,” he told us.
Stories to nurture
A photograph of the transplantation of the baobab in 1972 (right) the largest banyan tree in Mumbai. Pics Courtesy/Rajendra Gumaste; Wikimedia commons
Did you know that the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR) has a little forest of over 35 species of trees, and 50 species of shrubs and greens? Rajendra Gumaste, officer in charge of parks and gardens at the institute has been familiar with them for over 30 years. Along with Dr Shyam Palkar, assistant professor of Botany, DG Ruparel College, he has documented them in the book titled Trees of Tata Institute of Fundamental Research.
Funded by TIFR alumni association and Friends of Trees, the book will be released today. “The gardens were an initiative of Dr Homi Bhabha who valued nature just as much as science. The trees were moved here to protect them from being cut down in the 1950s,” Gumaste shared. Among them is a century-old baobab that was moved to the campus in 1972. “It was fully grown, and required a lot of attention. JRD Tata (right, inset) and Dr Bhabha (left, inset) were involved in the transplantation. We need such people today,” he told this diarist.
Back in the box
A view of the interiors at the new Juhu space. Pic Courtesy/Red Box
After a hiatus of almost 15 years, Asian restaurant Red Box is back in the city with a makeover. “Over the past few years, we’ve seen how much people crave honest, bold Asian flavours. The dining culture today is more open to fast, flavourful, no-fuss food that still feels premium. It felt like the right time to revive something beloved, with a fresh perspective for a new generation of diners,” Krishna Tamang, chairman, China Gate Group shared with this diarist. Moving away from its earlier Bandra address, the restaurant has trenched a place in Juhu with a menu that includes a diverse fare, ranging from Chinese and Italian dishes to good old favourites like Red Box sizzlers. “The interiors now reflect a playful, urban chic vibe. The interiors reflect a playful, urban chic vibe. With the relaunch, we were looking for a space that’s buzzing, evolving, and full of opportunity — and Juhu felt just right,” Tamang elaborated.
