March 2020 by Bandra Buzz newspaper

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Indian Naval Fighter plane ‘Sea Harrier’ now installed at Bandstand

Residents of Bandra along with tourists can now have an opportunity to get a sneak peek of the functioning of the Indian Navy as the Jet Fighter plane ‘Sea Harrier SH 617’ has been installed at BJ Road, Bandstand. This Indian Naval Ship (INS) Viraat sea fighter plane has been installed by the Indian Navy on request accepted by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). Peter deSouza, Convener and Director of the Brihanmumbai Interschool Republic Day (BIRD) parade group, initiated this project along with the Rear Admiral R Pedankar of the Indian Navy. deSouza said, “We started working on this project in October 2019. This plane was the last Sea Harrier standing so it is a special one.” This plane will be accessible to the common public, visitors and tourists alike, says Asif Zakaria, BMC Corporator. Zakaria said, “We have displayed the Sea Harrirer in a suspended manner so that it projects as if it is taking off. Anybody and everybody walking around Bandstand will be able to look at this installation as there are no grills or barricades.” The fighter plane installed weighs around 4.5 tonnes approximately. It was part of the INS Viraat, an aircraft carrier of the Indian Navy, which was commissioned to the Indian Navy on May 12, 1987 and served for 30 years till it was formally decom-

misioned in March 2017. INS Viraat was the last British-built ship serving with the Indian Navy and was the oldest aircraft carrier in service in the world. Officers of the Indian Navy installed the Sea Harrier SH 617 at Bandstand on March 14, 2020. Captain Paresh Kowli, Indian Navy, said, “We helped in the installation of SH 617 at Bandstand.” Along with the installation, Architect Rinka D’monte has designed the space including the pathway around the plane. D’monte said, “In order to enhance the installation of the Sea Harrier, we have designed a pathway around it. We will lit up the space so that it serves as an iconic tourist attraction. There is going to be a seating place too in the space around the plane.” For the maintenance of this project, deSouza has suggested the project will be maintained by every school of Bandra for one month on a rotational basis. deSouza said, “We have many schools in Bandra who are willing to maintain this project on a monthly basis. Students and faculty members of a school can visit the site and manage basic maintenance like cleaning the space around, watering and gardening. It will provide an opportunity for students to interact with the Indian Navy and BMC while gaining a sense of responsibility.”

Peter deSouza (in a blue shirt) initiated the Sea Harrier IN617 installation project at Bandstand along with the Rear Admiral R Pedankar of the Indian Navy back in October 2019 In addition, the BJ Road where the Sea Harrier has been installed has a strong military tradition. deSouza said, “The BJ Road where the Sea Harrier is now installed has had four Vice Admirals, two Lieutenant Generals and three Air Vice Marshalls hosted there along with many senior military officers since 2014. Also, this road has dis-

played the MMCB (Mobile Missile Coastal Battery), the Pechora Missiles, the L70 Artillery of the Army and Air Defence major hardware during the Republic Day parade.” According to the BMC, the entire project costs about Rs 30 to 35 lakhs. A senior official of BMC said, “People who have worked for this project have done it for free.”

This project comprising of the installation of the plane was accepted by Sharad Ughade, former Assistant municipal commissioner (AMC) H-West ward. After Ughade, the project was led by current AMC offficer Vinayak Vispute. Ronald Rodrigues Pic Credit: Paula deSouza

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BANDRA BUZZ | MARCH 2020

The Sea Harrier brought in to Bandra atop two trucks on 13th March

The Indian Navy Sea Harrier now atop its perch at Bandra’s Bandstand: 13th March

Top Gun, Too: Air Support It seems Bandra has received Air Support. Perhaps the “powers that be” have called it in. On Bandstand, we have a new modern monument. This time, it’s one from up above. On 13th March (a Friday), two trucks rolled into Bandra. One carried the fuselage (body) of an airplane, while the other, its wings & external fuel tanks. This airplane which has caught everyone’s attention since is the decommissioned Indian Navy fighter jet, the Sea Harrier. The next day (14th March) it was re-assembled & put atop its new perch in the triangular garden at the intersection of HK Bhabha Road & BJ Road, at Bandstand. This Sea Harrier, made in UK by British Aerospace was a Naval Fighter that served in the Indian Navy & was based aboard the former Indian Navy aircraft carrier INS Viraat. A marvel of cold war military technology, the Sea Harrier was ordered by India in 1979. In 1983, the first 3 Sea Harriers were delivered & were based in Dabolim, Goa; which was its home on terra firma.

The Sea Harrier was unique in that it had true V/STOL (Vertical/Short Take-Off and Landing) capabilities, and designed to be based on an aircraft carrier. It could literally “lift-off” vertically, or make the short jump off the deck of the aircraft carrier. This earned it the title of “Jump Jet”, in naval aviation circles. Due to its abilities & uniqueness, the Sea Harrier didn’t have much competition in the kind of aircraft it was. The only rival it had was a similar Soviet aircraft, the Yakovlev Yak-38. However, that aircraft didn’t quite live up to its potential & was no match for the British built Sea Harrier. The Indian Navy’s Sea Harriers did not see wartime action. However, the Sea Harrier itself proved its mettle in a very well known conflict of the 1980s – the Falklands War. The 74-day war between Argentina & the United Kingdom was fought in early 1982 over the Falkland Islands (called Islas Malvinas by the Argentineans), an inhabited archipelago in the South Atlantic Ocean, claimed by both nations. The flagship of

the British fleet sent to the Falklands to engage the Argentineans was the aircraft carrier, HMS Hermes. Ironically, the HMS Hermes later was sold to India & became the INS Viraat (just as its predecessor, the HMS Hercules had once become the INS Vikrant). The carrier Hermes & its sister ship, the HMS Invincible were laden with 28 Royal Navy Sea Harriers. These aircraft laid waste to the Argentinean Air Force, shooting down 20 enemy fighters. At the end of the conflict, Argentina surrendered, and it was the Sea Harrier that emerged the hero of the Falklands War. The Indian Navy has since replaced its Sea Harrier aircraft with Russian built MiG29K naval fighters, just as it has replaced the aircraft carrier INS Viraat, with the INS Vikramaditya (itself the former “Admiral Gorshkov” of the Russian Navy & before that, the “Baku” of the Soviet Navy). The Indian Navy operated a total of 30 of these “Jump Jets” over 33 years, between 1983 & 2016. Sadly, around half the fleet of these aircraft was lost due to peacetime ac-

cidents over the years. At the time of its retirement in 2016, only 11 aircraft survived. Of those 11, one now sits in Bandra. And while the Hollywood movie “Top Gun 2” is due to be released this summer, Bandra has already received its local Top Gun. Let’s hope this bird has a happy retired life in her new home at the edge of the Arabian Sea, right here in Bandra. Debasish Chakraverty

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Girls = Boys embedded on the revamped St. Andrews High School Basketball Court

Through sport we have the power to change lives. Following this train of thought, St+art India Foundation, teamed up with Adidas and Asian Paints to bring to life a one-ofa-kind urban arts intervention on the basketball court of St. Andrews High School (courtesy Fr. Magi Murzello) with New Delhi-based artist Khatra to celebrate a positive moment in sports culture. The collaborative effort is a testimony to the fact that Change Is A Team Sport and aims to eradicate gender imbalance in sport and culture by influencing a change in ‘mindset’. The art piece celebrates gender inclusivity and was unveiled on International Women’s Day. The revamped basketball court in one of the most iconic neighbourhoods in Mumbai reflects the changing narrative around women in sports by conveying an impactful message of equality. The court highlights the bold and insightful claim of how whether it is boys or girls, ‘Sport doesn’t discriminate’. As sport meets art, this space encourages children and the community at large to change or view sports culture through the lens of equality and inclusion with a simple yet powerful message that reads ‘GIRLS=BOYS’. Featuring bold & colourful typographic artwork by artist Khatra the spirit of inclusivity in sports has been embedded on the school’s very own basketball turf with an impactful message of equality that reads ‘GIRLS = BOYS’. Khatra is well-known for his body of work including calligraphy, typography & abstract works amongst others. For this special project, he has used an impactful yet minimalist approach for his design, working with variations in typography to illustrate the concepts of equality & inclusion in a comprehensible manner.

The iconic urban arts intervention at St. Andrews is not only a beautiful addition to Mumbai’s burgeoning street art scene but also represents the importance of changing mindsets when it comes to sport, street & urban culture. By bringing together different mediums, this base sits as an edifice of ‘change’ in the community as well as stands as a symbol of equality & inclusivity. The initiative is being taken under the larger project base of ‘St+art Courts’ which seeks to enliven playgrounds in our country with urban contemporary art interventions. Contributing to the foundation’s vision to create art that is inclusive & capable of reaching a wide audience, St+art Courts strive to bring popular spots by the locals using artistic means & utilise the immense power of public art to further both the spirit of sportsmanship as well as community building. Arjun Bahl, Festival Director, St+art India Foundation, “This urban art intervention on the basketball court of St. Andrews has been possible thanks to the collaboration with Asian Paints & Adidas. The coming together of two brands to further a shared vision of making art for all, this project has allowed us to see & repurpose a traditional court with a design-led intervention, an example of which is also the Matunga court we created in 2017. Given the prominent location, we hope that Khatra’s bold & impactful design will encourage people from all walks of life to pick up the sport & inculcate it in their daily routines.” Manish Sapra, Senior Marketing Director, Adidas India, “At Adidas, we believe that through sport, we have the power to change lives. This International Women’s Day, we wanted to take the changing narrative around women in sports right onto

the streets of Mumbai & celebrate cultural transformation. We are excited to team up with St+art India Foundation & Asian Paints to deliver an impactful message of equality & inclusivity in sports culture through one of the most powerful mediums of expression – Art! We believe that Change is a Team Sport & we aim to bring about a ‘change’ in the mindset of school children by encouraging them & the community at large to view sports through the lens of equality.” Amit Syngle COO, Asian Paints Limited, “We at Asian Paints have always endeavored toward beautifying spaces with colour. Our association & partnership with St+art India Foundation is a step in the direction of making art more accessible & gender inclusive so that it can be enjoyed by everyone. Sports today knows no gender bias, so we are delighted to once again lend our support to St+art’s effort in revamp-

We believe that Change is a Team Sport & we aim to bring about a ‘change’ in the mindset of school children by encouraging them and the community at large to view sports through the lens of equality.

ing the basketball court at the renowned St. Andrews School in Mumbai. This is our small attempt to bring focus on sports & support sports brands like Adidas who also invest in projects that aim to brighten up play areas through fun art interventions. We are positive the outcome of this collaboration would be appreciated by the students, basketball players & visitors alike.” Sneha Iyer

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BANDRA BUZZ | MARCH 2020

(Wrong) Sign of the Times Mumbai as it is known today still has the reputation of being the best city in India. But what does that really mean? Surely, this is based on a wide variety of criteria. Undoubtedly, we are truly ahead of the rest of India in most of these. We also boast of being a “world-class city”. But that is a very subjective term. One of the several & varied factors that a world-class city needs, and perhaps an oft-overlooked one, is street name signs. After all, as the city grows, it is impossible for an individual to know every street without proper signage. However, in this sphere, we are truly a third-world city. A look at Bandra’s street name signs reads like a Shakespearean comedy of errors! Take St. Sebastian Road, for e.g. A keen eye would notice that there are not one, or two, or even three; but four name sign boards on the street, each spelling the Saint’s name in a different way. And only one gets it correct. Perhaps you need to guess which one it is, if you want to live on St. Sebastian Road. Moving on, yet another Bandra street named after a Saint has its name “desecrated”. St. Roque Road has been mis-spelt “St. Raque Road”, and this wrongly pronounced “rack”. And while the legibility of the street name sign has been almost obliterated with time, the error is plain to see. Further hilarity ensues as one sees the fate of what is arguably one of Bandra’s best known streets – Mount Mary Road. For the longest time, the street name sign had it mis-spelt “Mount Merry Road”. While being Merry is always a goal for most of us, it actually led to even stores in that area being named after “Merry” rather than “Mary”. Perhaps we should be thankful for having been spared the ignominy of it being unceremoniously re-named “Mount Marry Road”! One of Bandra’s most interesting streets is Tertullian Road. The name originates from Quintus Septimius Florens Tertullianus, an early latin author from Carthage (present day Tunisia) in the Roman Empire. Tertullian was also known as the father of Latin Christianity, & the founder of Western theology. Today, the street name sign bearing this name has been corrupted to

The four signs on St. Sebastian Road in Bandra West – only the first one is spelt correctly. “Turtollium Road” (named perhaps in honor of one of the fictional Roman garrisons in Gaul, as I recall so many of them in the Asterix comics)! Ironically & perhaps fortunately, the street name sign lies right next to another sign put up by the local ALM, that bears its correct name, spelt as Tertullian Road. So to Quintus Septimius Florens Tertullianus, we perhaps, in Latin, owe a “mea culpa, mea culpa, mea máxima culpa”. Besides these, there are several streets in Bandra that do not have signage at all. Pereira Road, connecting Mt Mary Road to HK Bhabha Road at Bandstand is one of them. Often confused as being a stretch of Mt Mary Road, however it is very distinct & separately named. Convent Road is another road that is devoid of signage, and infact residents have put up home-made signs to mark their road. To many, accurate street signage is an irrelevant concept. Thanks to apathy & in-

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difference, combined with ignorance, this is seen to be “no big deal” in this day & age. Yet this seemingly insignificant concept goes a long way in persevering not only local history & heritage, but also goes towards

giving us what we truly aspire to – living in a world class neighborhood. After all, how are you supposed to get somewhere, when you don’t know where you are truly going?! Debasish Chakraverty

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Left: St. Roque Road as “St. Roque Road” Right: Convent Road is marked with home-made signs, thanks to its residents

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Top Right: “Mount Merry Road” or “Mount Mary Road”? Bottom Right: “Tertullian” or “Turtollium” – are both Roman?

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Carmelites SC celebrate Golden Jubilee Club to organise tournament to mark the occassion over two weekends With a legacy of 5 decades, the Carmelites Sports Club has earned quite a few accolades, with the passage of time. The most notable amongst them, the Nadkarni Cup victory in the year 1990. The club’s founding father, Mr. Joe Pereira, also lovingly referred to as uncle Joe, was and continues to be a source of inspiration for the current management. As stated by Mr. Eudes Kinny, who has been the team’s manager for the past 26 years. The sports club had a slow and steady evolution, founded in the year 1970, initially, the team solely comprised of players who resided in Carmel Co-operative Housing Society, Bandra. As they fledged, the club expanded their reach and eventually started recruiting players from all over Bandra. And eventually attracted players, not only from all the corners of the country but also trained talent from international hubs such as Nigeria, England & Italy. Currently basking in the fame of competing in the 1st division category of the MDFA (Mumbai District Football Association) League, their journey has been one of twists and turns, of defeats and thereafter relentlessly training to overcome challenges in order to get back on the pedestal. An inspiring figure who must be given an honourable mention is coach Eudes, who is undeniably credited with rejuvenating the club’s morale when it was looming in nadir. Given the fact the plummeted soon after reaching the pinnacle of the Nadkarni Championship. This was due to the disintegration of the team, owing to factors such as some players had to dedicate time to building a career, while some progressed to playing professionally. None the less under the guidance of coach Kinny the reformed & rebuilt a team from scratch & once again traversed from the ground up. Post, 1994 the club only participated in local tournaments & worked their way up to their current standing all over again. Rising akin to a Phoenix the club boasts of having trained players who have played for distinctive teams such as Air India, Mumbai FC, Dena Bank & ONGC. The club has also played a crucial role in nurturing the talented Henry Picardo, who is the only Bandrite to have represented India in Football & later managed Mumbai FC in

the prestigious I-League; Walter Pereira ex-FIFA referee & Altaf Mansoori who represented Junior India now represents Reserved Bank of India. Staying true to their motto, “Harness Raw Talent into Future Prospects” the club continues to inspire and support young talent such as Manuel D’souza former Maharashtra Under-15 and former Captain Mumbai FC Under-19, Rohail Shaikh who played for Maharashtra, Sheldon Raghvan former ONGC and currently with Ozone FC Bengaluru (I-League 2nd Division), Azzar Noorani former Under-20 Mumbai FC player (I-League) & currently with Team Air India and Denzil Mascarenhas, currently with Team Dena Bank. Another important and commendable shift that has occurred due to the club’s perseverance, is the sanguine perspective parents share with regards to their child’s future as a professional sportsman. The team trains thrice a week at Dr Norman Lewis (Supari Talao) ground and aim to break into the Super-Division category. The best testimonies of the club’s impact on the lives of the players can be chronicled through the quotes by some of their players, Smit Devkar, 22 years, who has been with the club for the past 6 years states “The club’s ex-members still come to train & interact, which gives us great exposure & also inspires us to go the extra mile.” However, Jenish Satra, who has been with the club for the past 14 years sums it all up perfectly “The club, coach Kinny and all the players are like an extension of my family, and I have gathered great memories during my time here.” Carmelites Sports Club is a self-funded institution & has organized a tournament to celebrate its golden jubilee. The tentative date (due to coronavirus concerns) to the event takes at Supari Talao ground place on the 18th & 19th of April & concludes the following weekend, on the 25th & 26th of April. All sports enthusiasts & prospective sponsors are invited to partake in this celebration that marks, Carmelites Sports Club’s glorious journey of 50 years dedicating to nurturing talent for the future. Sidhant Nayangara

Carmelites SC played a crucial role in nurturing the talented Henry Picardo who is the only Bandrite to have represented India in Football & later managed Mumbai FC in the I-League

The club’s founding father, Mr. Joe Pereira (white shirt) alongside the Carmelites SC that beat Maharashtra State Police to win the Nadkarni Cup in 1990

Carmelites SC beat Dadar 11 to win the 2nd division Bombay District Football Association (BDFA) finals in 1889-1990

Carmelites SC finished 2005-06 Munshi Cup as runners-up at the 3rd division MDFA when the club had just restarted after a long break

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BANDRA BUZZ | MARCH 2020

25 years of Fountainhead MKTG The Bandra connect - Ideas which continue to build our Community

Last month, Bandra rocked the night away at the 10th edition of the Mahindra Blues Festival. That wasn’t the only reason to celebrate; it also marked the 25th-Anniversary celebration of Fountainhead MKTG, the ubiquitous name behind this landmark music festival. Most of us know Fountainhead as one of India’s premier experiential marketing agencies, but few are aware of its humble beginnings and the journey behind its success, inextricably linked to Bandra. I caught up with two of Fountainhead’s co-founders, Brian Tellis and Neale Murray to discover the untold story of these self professed Bandra boys; their insights into what it takes to stay the course in business and how they define professional success contextually for the next generation. Back in 1995, offering brand experiences, formerly called ‘event management’, wasn’t a mainstream career option. It certainly wasn’t an obvious choice for 3 young men with promising careers & families. So what made them quit their comfort zones & start navigating relatively uncharted territory? “Confidence in a solid friendship. More importantly, community involvement; parochial initiatives such as the Zonals & collectively having spent a lot of time in the Arts had a lot to do with it…” recounts Brian, of himself, Neale and Otis D’Souza, who made up the co-founding triad. Additionally, they humbly acknowledge the support from their families, and for those of us who have the privilege of personally knowing them, it is the undisputed truth. There are places I remember They attribute much of their early success to Bandra, a suburb that generously offered a confluence of opportunity to explore unbridled passion, a launchpad to fuel ambition, and a talented pool of resourceful youngsters who formed an early part of their team. Of course, there were naysayers who questioned their entrepreneurial dream. Not just because of its elusive payoff but also because back then most events were managed internally by corporates; there was very little incentive to partner with an outsider. Competition could strike at any time due to this industry’s low barrier to entry, which exists even today. Don’t stop believing The next hurdle meant having to articulate this venture to their incredulous parents. “Part of it stemmed from our ambition. The challenge in our jobs was dying & we wanted to do more. And that’s where Bandra came in. The exposure we had growing up & the fact that we were de facto event organizers even in the community made this decision seem like the natural way forward” says Neale of their decision to strike out on their own.

LtoR: Co-founders and partners of Fountainhead MKTG Neale Murray, Brian Tellis, Otis D’Souza, V.G. Jairam and Owen Roncon So, after a few ‘test the water’ events in the early ‘90s, they took the plunge with a thought that if it didn’t work out, they would cut their losses and move on. On 10th February 1995, Fountainhead Entertainment was born in a 10 x 12 rented room of a founding partner’s home. They’re often asked about the story behind the company name. “It defined what we were setting out to do” smiles Neale with a nostalgic smile “Fountainhead was destined to be a source of ideas and energy; the implied reference to Ayn Rand’s famous novel was a happy coincidence”. Over the years, even though the original logo underwent some adaption, it has always retained its integrity to the original message, while evolving into “ideas that build communities” - their current tagline. Ain’t No Mountain High Enough What’s really interesting is how their upbringing taught them to prioritise relationships in business. “Over the years, we’ve mindfully protected our roles in each other’s lives as friends, brother-in-laws (they’ve married sisters), and partners. This called for maturity and in many cases, sacrifice” says Neale when he explains how this is the bedrock of the Company’s value system, percolating down to every layer of the organization. The true test of a value doesn’t show up in good times; it does in tough times. During 2008, the catastrophic global meltdown saw many agencies downsizing. At Fountainhead, the leadership believed that going through this ordeal together was its priority. In a strategic move, the leadership took a pay cut; but they ensured the team stayed intact. And the result? A team

that emerged stronger than ever. Over the next two decades, as the Company grew beyond local events to claim a global presence, it has attracted specialists in multiple domains. From an original operations team of 4, they are up to a 300 team strength today. In 2015, Bandra finally bade sad farewell to ‘The Fountainhead’ at 38, Pali Village, as the company moved mid-town to be able to consolidate its 5 specialized business divisions under one 17,000 sq.ft. space when it was acquired by international advertising giant, the Dentsu Aegis Network and became Fountainhead MKTG. Celebrating Bandra Amidst all this growth, it would have been easy to forget its roots. Instead, the focus continued on giving back to our vibrant little hamlet. ‘Celebrate Bandra’ was conceived by Fountainhead in 2003 and continues to date. A festival that brings people together through world-class free entertainment, accessible to all, while showcasing Bandra’s talent and supporting social projects in the local community. “It’s important for us to surround ourselves with people who are grounded, find the joy in reality and never forget our humble, yet valuable beginnings. Not because we want to be projected as virtuous but because it really works for us.” admits Brian, who attributes this as their ‘secret sauce’ to not getting carried away with the trappings of success. In 2015, Aadyam Theatre, another initiative by this company, brought worldclass theatre to St. Andrew’s Auditorium, putting Bandra on the city’s cultural radar once again.

We don’t just create jobs, we help people find a passion for life “As leaders, we acknowledge that we don’t know everything. That isn’t our job. Our job is to spot opportunity & then find people who have domain expertise, even if they know more than us in that space so that collectively we stay progressive” says Brian speaking on behalf of the entire senior leadership. Their foray into digital marketing in 2012 was one such example. Not being 100% conversant in this area didn’t stop the leadership from acquiring a boutique agency run by a former intern & growing it to what is now an established business vertical – the Texperiential space. Consistently creating stakeholder wealth – on the outside & inside is another non-negotiable. Today, 2 of the 6 senior partners & co-founders, Owen Roncon & V.G. Jairam, worked with the company before they transitioned into leadership roles. “No one can create passion. So we look for its presence when we hire & we reward it when it’s demonstrated” says Brian when asked why they continue to do what they do. They believe that it’s been this passion for what they do that’s kept them energized as they learned to enjoy the “journey” over the “destination”. “There’s much to be achieved. I’d like to be able to leave a legacy as one of the people who helped create a Company that’s truly admired” says Neale when asked why he continues to do what he does. “By admiration,” he clarifies, “is to have left a mark in the community.” Their website states “We don’t just create jobs, we help people find a passion for life”. “From our clients, who consider us strategic partners, to our team members past & present; we aren’t afraid to surround ourselves with stars” admits Neale. Notes to my former self The obvious question on our minds was what they could share, especially with the younger members of our community, who nurture similar aspirations. “A quarter of a century ago, you asked yourself what you wanted to be professionally & went ahead & followed that with the hope that it would all work out. In hindsight, there’s an inevitable question each one of us will likely have to answer honestly to ourselves and reach some level of acceptance with: who am I, and what makes me happy? And then having the courage to act on it. The ride won’t always be linear, especially in the dynamic experiences industry and you need to learn very quickly to take the smooth with the rough. It’s what builds sustainability, focus and resilience to see your ambition through and helps you shape your perception of events as they unfold” reflects Brian.

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BANDRA BUZZ | MARCH 2020

NEWS

Tête-à-tête with Chimbai’s talented Bodybuilder Atik Khan aka Mr. Mumbai “When the going gets tough, the tough get’s going”. I met a living testament of this proverb, Mr. Mumbai, whose journey to this title wasn’t a bed of roses, Atik Khan, 24, winner of Sr. Mr. Mumbai 2020 title, was equally elated & emotional while talking about his achievements. Atik, Bandraite by birth, is a proud winner of a Silver medal in Jr. Mr. Mumbai 2016, Gold medal in Mr. Mumbai Novices 2019, Silver Medal in Mumbai Shree 2019, Gold medal in Mr. Mumbai 2020. Well, the list is endless as he secured top spot in several other bodybuilding championships. Atik wasn’t born with a silver spoon in his mouth & had to beat all the odds on his way through to the top. Let’s prick up our ears to what Mr. Mumbai has to say which will definitely leave you with ‘Wow, is it real’ feeling. Participating in sports wasn’t exactly your cup of tea during college days. So where did this all start from? Can you imagine that you’re sitting with a guy who was a walking skeleton once upon a time? I was a skinny pale guy weighing 38 kgs, & bundle of laughs for my classmates more so as I rode a bullet gifted by my dad. And that’s when it all began in the year 2013. With a simple motive to put on a few pounds, so that I & my bullet looked like we were made for each other, I hit the gym & the first six months passed without any results. Luckily after six months, I gained 2-3 kgs & within a year my body was in a good shape. In 2014, I won an inter-college bodybuilding competition that sowed the seed which I’ve reaped now as Mr. Mumbai. I started working, in 2015 when I was in the final year of my college, as a floor trainer in Leena Mogre gym. That was the only time when I asked my dad to sponsor the personal trainer course for me t o get started. What about fiParticipating in ing competiinvestment in supplements, family at My heart member that

nances? bodybuildtions requires training, diet etc. Was your your back? sinks when I rethose days when all

my pocket had was just 10 bucks. Unnecessary spending was not in the picture. My only emotional & financial support was myself, I pumped in all my savings in preparation when I decided that I’m meant to be a bodybuilder. Savings were not enough to fund my training, so I used to sell diet supplements & provide personal training sessions to keep my training going. The gem can’t be polished without friction, nor the man can be perfected without trials, isn’t it? I owe all my achievements to my mom. Though my family wasn’t able to support me financially & otherwise, though they weren’t in favour of me making my career in bodybuilding, I still remember that my mom used to wake up by the crack of the dawn. By no means, bodybuilders can compromise on their diet. We need to consume eight to nine protein and nutrition-packed Atik Khan bagged a gold medal in the Men’s Physique category meals in a day and preparing them apart at the recently held Mumbai Shree 2020 Sports Championship in Andheri from taking care of the requirements of other family members is not a joke. Salute left with is a broken heart & unforgettable in my hands. Believe in yourself even if the raspy words: “You are a loser & always will whole world is against you. I’m from a midto mom, she is irreplaceable. be one…” As devastated as I was, I walked in dle-class family & participating in bodyWe are all ears to know if there was any a dark alley of depression, hanged out with building competitions needs an investment of lakhs of rupees. I worked in the morning brats, smoked, slept, wept for 7 months. twist in the story? One fine day, I glanced myself in the to earn enough & practised at night, didn’t 23rd December 2017, the darkest day in my life. It was just like an unpredicted storm mirror & saw a guy starring at me asking: borrow a penny from my folks. I would end on a bright sunny day. My life was a “Are you meant for this?”. With a ray of by saying that don’t hit “I can’t do it” or “it’s rollercoaster after I had won the Sil- hope entering my dark alley, I contacted my over” button in your mind, & you will find a ver Medal in Jr. Mr. Mumbai 2016. mentors, Atul & Sanjay who still had confi- way to conquer your dreams. Keep dreamNot content with my achievement, I dence in me & encouraged me to partici- ing, keep achieving!!! Jasmine Keshwani started preparing for Jr. Mr. Mumbai pate in Mr. Mumbai Novices 2019. My jour2017 as my coach, Atul Ambre, money, right from August 2018 when I started tivated me that I was meant preparing till January 2019 when I was for Gold Medal. Luck was crowned as Mr. Mumbai Novices 2019, was Japan Karate Association not on my side, I was patchy but worth a lifetime. Karate Training denied participation after a year-long of Mr. Mumbai sounds an achievement at preparation as I your age. What went in the making? was six days Atul Ambre and Sanjay Chavan are not older to the defined only my immutable mentors but I owe the age criteria of the world to them. Without them, I aka Mr. competition. I didn’t Mumbai won’t be here today interacting take a sigh, as my with you. After I won Novices 2019 title, I coach then, Sanjay got the wings & then there was no looking Chavan, encouraged me back. Within a fraction of a month, in Febto participate in Mr. Mumbai ruary 2019, I won Silver medal in Mumbai Novices in January 2018. I Shree 2019. With 29,000+ followers on Instarted training in full swing, stagram, Mr. Mumbai Novices 2019 now days & nights were alike wanted to be Sr. Mr. Mumbai. Confidence & no force on earth could of my fans & their faith in me, rigorous have stopped me winning training sessions by my mentors, fire in Novices title until I got my belly & my self-confidence are the key Learn Karate from a Qualified, hospitalized just 10 days ingredients that went in the making of Sr. Japan Trained, 4th Dan Black Belt! prior to the competition on Mr. Mumbai 2020. 23rd December. By the time St. Aloysius High School I recovered, the competition Your story is a real-life rags-to-riches tale. Monday & Friday - 6:30 pm to 8:15 pm was over & now only love was Do you want to give any message to our Wednesday - 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm there in the air. My love-story, readers? Apostolic Carmel High School a short-lived one, left me shat- And either victory or else a grave. These Saturday & Sunday - 9 am to 10:15 am tered in the end as my girlfriend words of wisdom by William Shake& I parted after being in a relation- speare kept echoing in my mind until I 9820153822 / 9820153951 ship for six months. What I was held the trophy of Sr. Mr. Mumbai 2020

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BANDRA BUZZ | MARCH 2020

Auxilium Convent High School in Pali wins the Green Schools Campaign Schools in Bandra are at the forefront when it comes to inculcating sustainable practices and lessons. Following the footsteps of Greta Thunberg, school kids are striving for saving the environment. Auxilium Convent High School in Pali Hill has taken it further ahead by bagging the coveted Greenest School Award 2020 in the Green Schools Campaign on 29 February 2020. The award comprises of memento and a cash prize of 1 lakh. The Green Schools Campaign is an exciting hands-on programme, open to all schools in Mumbai, that educates children on their responsibility towards the environment while offering the opportunity to involve in relevant environmental projects. This campaign started in 2010 with 12 participating schools and now has over 50 schools. The topic for the year 2020 was ‘Breathe Free’. The activities were carried out by students of the Eco Club, under the guidance of Mrs. Yolanda Ferreira and Sr. Judy Gaikwad. Eco club members went around the school and identified different signs of

Auxilium Convent students received recognition for The Greenest School environmental issues like leakage of taps, moulds on the wall, cobwebs and construction work. Tr. Yolanda explained to the students which are the air pollutants and what causes pollution. Students from the 5th to the 10th participated in the event. Students wrote letters to the housing societies to repair and carry out maintenance of

Are you a ‘QuaranTeam’ Household? Hello and hope alls well with you & your family. Let’s continue to stay one in prayer. Whilst we give a shout-out to our medical workers, our civil service employees, sanitary workers, bank employees, journalists, farmers, pharmacy workers, mail carriers, factory workers, grocery suppliers, utility workers, our frontrunners, army & military forces and all those who are working to keep things going in these trying times, I’d like to add one more to this list … A shout out to moms! Way to go, mommies, let’s keep going, we can do it! Change is all around us during this time of lockdown. There’s no doubt that everyone is adjusting to this change: physically, mentally, emotionally & spiritually. Let me talk about how our lives as mothers have changed. Whilst on lockdown we have now also been assigned daily roles of part-time cleaners, cooks on 12-hour duty, gym instructors, Sunday school teachers…you name it! That’s we’ve become as of now. As for mums who are a part of the corporate world, a work from home schedule can be added to this list too. Besides the fact that we continuously hear cry outs like mom, what’s for breakfast? Mom, where are my earphones? Mom, I’m on a video call! Mom what’s for snack? Mom, what’s for lunch, evening tea, dinner,

dessert, fun snack? Mom, my towel please… mom help! Well, all the joys of motherhood coming in double portions at this time. It’s at this time that women, part of societies who still believe that ‘housework’ belongs to women only, should introduce the concept of ‘QuaranTeam’ in their households. Be politely assertive & introduce this change. The time is now if you’ve not done it already! A ‘QuaranTeam’ at home may best be described, according to me, as a team (The family) who works collectively to keep the household up & running. A team that works towards maintaining the house as a home. I watched a live chat recently on how to work effectively from home. A significant issue highlighted was how women are feeling burdened right now, battling between corporate work & housework with not much additional help coming in. To this group of women, I say: Stand up & build a QuaranTeam! There’s a great possibility that this concept of QuaranTeam could well turn into a habit after lockdown. After all, we are on lockdown for 21 days or more & it takes 21 days to form a habit. We’ve all been waiting for this habit to be formed; now is the time! Seize the moment, build a QuaranTeam household today! Natalie Fernandes Motha

the affected part. They also went to several neighbouring societies to explain about the pollutants and its effects on human health. The activity taught students about various pollutants at home and at school. Students also learnt about phytoremediation, the importance of plant functions and so on. Students of the Auxilium school are ac-

tive participants in several environmental activities in the city. Students took part in a rally at Carter Road on the climate crisis. The School had also organized an eco-friendly Diwali Dhamaka & emphasis was given on ‘breath free’ & ‘climate crisis’. The students were asked to adopt trees which were not cared for & they started nurturing them. Students designed and created eco-signages for school to convey the message for ‘making eco-friendly choices.’ To enhance the green lifestyle, students grow outdoor plants & vegetables in the school premises. Vegetables like celery, broccoli, spinach, chillies, carrot, beetroot, rosemary, mint & coriander grow in their garden. These amazing works are carried out under the guidance of teachers Mrs. Yolanda & Sr. Judy Gaikwad & the support & cooperation of Principal Sr. Shiny Alphonse and Manager Sr. Leema Rose Joseph. Gathering motivation from Auxilians, let us hope for more participation from students in the city for creating a greener planet. Jessica Bernard

SJC Ex-Students Association Celebrate Womens Day Empowered women, empower women. We brace this concept when we find the ex-students of St. Joseph’s, uniting for a special evening of rekindling friendship & parting the spirit of womanhood! On 6th March, the school commemorated its reunion for their members as well as companions at Kosmic Kitchen and Bar. It was a grand occasion that not only included delicious lip-smacking food and fantastic music to let loose and dust the blues off but also encompassed a thoroughly engaging time for Karaoke with DJ Sehandeep and Saagar, in which most of the members participated as well as unveiled their inner, Lata Mangeshkar! There were also unique games where new bonds were formed & terrific prizes sponsored by Sirf Events, which created a truly unforgettable night for everyone present. The menu contained varied appetisers, non-alcoholic beverages, dinner as well as dessert & as a special treat, members were not only enabled with a fancy complimentary shot per head, but also enticing offers on alcohol. At the commencing of the program, the members felt nostalgic while introducing themselves, hosted by the most beloved & highly reputable Ms. Genevieve Martin’s, they were asked to share their year of passing from school and cherished memories

they experienced still being students. Sakshi Sarvade, batch of 2017 says, “I was really happy, we enjoyed loads. I never thought that meeting outside of school like this was possible. I became more confident to sing a song on the karaoke & I look forward to the next reunion happening soon!” Saima, her classmate says, “It was an awesome experience! We all shared fond memories of school & also keenly listened to the elder ex-students tell us every exciting trick they knew in the book. It was a very memorable function & I will love to attend some more reunions like this in the near future.” Kusum Ballal, batch of 1975 says, “Celebrating womanhood on World Women’s Day, singing & dancing away, alongside a gang of girls I grew up with was great fun! I equally enjoyed to see a group of 1970’s batch, huddle together & chatting away as well as a young batch of 2017 dancing, making me feel lively & youthful! What a beautiful mix of girls of all SJC batches, enjoying a wonderful evening together.” The reunion thus was distinguished in the way it brought previous memories back to life & reunited these women, stronger than before. We can’t wait to meet again & hopefully see you too... As to reiterate the SJC motto, “Forward God helping!” Anushka Dutt

BANDRA BUZZ | MARCH 2020

NEWS

Fr. Frazer alongside Rev. Bishop Dominic Fernandes & senior members of YSS

The YSS team behind the Golden Jubilee celebration that was held at St. Peter’s Square

St. Peter’s Youth Social Service (YSS) celebrate half-a-century First of March 2020 was a red-letter day for the St. Peter’s Youth Social Service, popularly called the YSS, as it completed 50 years of commendable service to the parishioners of St. Peter’s Church & the residents of Bandra. The YSS was founded by Fr. Douglas Rowe, S.J. on 1st March 1970 along with a handful of dedicated youth with its objective of implementing activities with its motto “We Serve Others To Show We Care”. The five founder members, Clarence Gomes, Fr. Richard D’Souza, late Claude Barretto, late Jimmy Machado, and late Benjamin Saldanha, opened a bank account by investing Re. 1/- each. However, with the purpose of having a long-lasting organization, youth of various caste and creed studying in colleges have been a strong backbone that has helped the YSS to complete this milestone. The activities and projects that are being implemented by the St. Peter’s YSS are: The Summer Holiday Club - Organized during the month of May since the past 50 years for kids whose parents cannot afford to take them out for summer holidays & the activities undertaken help the kids to be occupied with healthy recreational activities.

Medical and Blood Donation Camps - Annually blood donation camps are organized to donate blood to the poor and needy residents of Bandra. Medical Camps for patients suffering from cancer, cardiac ailments, and ophthalmic issues were also regularly organized. Employment Bureau - During the formation period of the YSS, there were many dropouts and neglected youth that were misusing their talents indulging in many nefarious activities. With this purpose in mind, the YSS established the Employment Bureau for those who were not so educated by placing them in offices, factories and were even employed abroad wherein thousands have benefitted and changed their lives. Tournaments - To keep the youth occupied with healthy recreational activities, and also to encourage local talent, the YSS has regularly been organizing tournaments for girls and boys in Football, Hockey, Volleyball, Football, Cricket and Throwball where hundreds of sportspersons were employment in reputed companies.

The Parish Library - With its rich & varied Civic Awareness Programmes - To enselection of books and having very nominal lighten the youth and their parents on civic fees, attracts readers from all over Bandra. issues and law and order problems, regular inter-action meetings were held in the YSS The Free Text Book Distribution Scheme Conference Room with the police and mu- At the commencement of the academic nicipal authorities. year of schools and colleges, poor and deserving students from all over Bandra, irre- Counselling Cell - In order to help and asspective of caste and religion, have been al- sist parishioners and local residents with lotted textbooks and other stationery items. their various problems, free advice and counselling was given to them. The Parish Christmas Tree - During the season of Christmas, a Christmas Tree Party Besides the above projects undertaken by for all the children of Bandra and also chil- the YSS, we would like to pay homage to all dren from various orphanages are invited for the hardworking YSS members who have a grand celebration. supported and given their time, energy and

resources to the organization and are now resting in eternal peace. Furthermore, it is our honour and pride to place on record that besides the commendable work undertaken by the YSS, we have given to the vineyard of the Lord a few of our members like Fr. Richard D’Souza S.J., Fr. Conrad Pesso S.J., Sr. Lavinia Almeida DOC and Deacon Navin D’Silva. Not forgetting those members who have been employed in reputed NGOs and other social service organisations in the city of Mumbai. We also take this opportunity of thanking all our sponsors, benefactors, well-wishers and especially the youth of Bandra for their active and timely participation in keeping the flag of the YSS flying high with honour and pride. On Sunday 8th March 2020, a concelebrated Mass was held at 6.00 p.m., at St. Peter’s Church with the presence of Rev. Bishop Domnic Savio Fernandes, Rev. Bishop John Rodrigues and 8 other Priests who were closely associated with the organisation. This Holy Eucharist was well attended by all members from Mumbai and also abroad. The concluding Thanksgiving Prayer was presented by Mr. Michael Gonsalves, who is associated with the YSS Library. Thereafter, a grand Golden Jubilee celebration was held at St. Peter’s Square & the 2 Golden Jubilee Cakes was cut by Rev. Bishop Dominic Savio Fernandes, Fr. Frazer Mascarenhas Parish Priest & other senior members of the organisation. One of the cake was made by a YSS member Denver Coelho. The Welcome Address was presented by Mr. Clarence A. Gomes, President of the YSS who elaborated on the need-based projects implemented by the YSS for not only the residents of Bandra but also for many of the unemployed youth that used to visit the St. Peter’s Employment Bureau to seek jobs in factories, offices and also abroad. Mr. Gomes

also highlighted his achievements that he had imbibed from the experience and the projects undertaken by the YSS. Fr. Frazer Mascarenhas in his address praised all the former and new members of the YSS for the service they were daily rendering to the poor & needy persons of the suburbs. Mr. John Murzello, Hon. Secretary of the YSS proposed the Vote of Thanks to all the dignitaries, sponsors, and well-wishers who had contributed in a very big way towards the growth and progress of the YSS till date. A Golden Jubilee March was conducted by the Compere, Mr. Darryl Loyola which culminated in a game of “Bombing the Years”. There was a dance performed by the girls of the Summer Holiday Club captioned “Years May Come, Years May Go’, choreographed by the talented Shivraj, which was appreciated by all the audience present. To crown it all, this was followed by a Fashion Show designed by Deurell Fernandes, bringing back memories of the Golden Jubilee Era i.e. from 1970 to 2020. Later, a lively Sing-Song of old party songs was sung by Mr. Lawrie D’Souza. During the function many past & present eminent members who had done commendable service to the organisation were honoured & felicitated with gifts. The function ended with Grace Before Meals recited by Sr. Lavina Almeida, one of the former YSS member & all those present relished the delicious snacks donated by The Ambassador Hotel through the good offices of Mr. Aniceto Gomes & the sumptuous dinner sponsored by various renowned caterers of Bandra. Every guest present was presented with the Golden Jubilee souvenir i.e. a keychain given by Mr. Angelo Mascarenhas & family. Clarence Gomes

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BANDRA BUZZ | MARCH 2020

Divya Kala Kendra students sparkle at Annual Day at Prathnalaya The annual cultural day is a very important day for all schools, even a music school, says Verus Ferreira

Sr Cecilia Dabre presents Sr Cecilia Dabre presents the Certificate of Excellence the Student of the Year to Krish Paliwal certificate to Denelle D’souza The 4th Annual Day of the Divya Kala Kendra (DKK) – Fine Arts centre for Education was held last Saturday 14th March, 2020 at Prathnalaya at Bandstand in Bandra began with the auspicious lighting of the ceremonial lamp by distinguished assembly of guests Chief Guest film actress Ms. Vaishali Irani, Guest of Honour bass guitarist Mr. Sheldon D’Silva and Special Invitees Bollywood music composer Ms Merlin D’souza and Dr. Paschol Carvalho (Doctorate in Microbiology and violinist) and the daughters of the Chief Guest. This was followed by the cultural programme starting with the Lamp Dance, which exemplifies the importance of the lamp that leads us from darkness towards light. The perennial existence of Music and its spiritual essence was felt in the song I’d like to build a world a home that symbolizes ‘Harmony’ was truly exhibited in the scintillating performance by the tiny tots of DKK. All this in keeping in tune with this year’s theme – ‘Living in Perfect Harmony’. The Provincial Superior Sr Rose Mary, who could not be present, gave a very inspirational message which was read out by Sr Amita Mascarenhas. In her message, she emphasised that everything comes to us from above with grace and blessings from God and the support and care of parents and teachers. She quoted the late Dr. Abdul Kalam “All of us do not have equal talent. But, all of us have an equal opportunity to develop our talents.” More entertainment came forth with a Fusion Dance, a combination of Bharat Natyam, Kathak and Western dance performed by the dance students of DKK presented with great enthusiasm. DKK has music courses on Electronic

Guest of Honour Sheldon D’silva presents a certificate to a student

Keyboard, Bharatanatyam, Tabla, and Harmonium, Hindustani vocal, guitar and even yoga. Since 2016 they have prepared students for Trinity grade exams London and Bharatanatyam grade exam under Akhil Bhartiya, Gandharva University, Meerut. So far around 250 students have passed through this centre, out of which at present there are 120 students who attend classes on a regular basis. At the event, 40 music students who appeared for the Trinity Grade Examination & 14 dance students who appeared for Bharatnatyam grade exam were presented Certificates of Excellence. All passed with 100% result. It was a joy to see parents & friends cheering each student as they climbed the dais to receive their certificates from the distinguished guests. This year the award for the Best Student of the Year 2019 was awarded to Ms. Denelle D’souza, while the Certificate of Excellence 2019 was awarded to Mr. Krish Paliwal. For the first time since DKK began, the teaching staff instituted a Best Teacher award 2019, with the first award presented to Sr Amita Mascarenhas. The well-orchestrated Yoga Dance by 7 students brought to the fore, how yoga helps in controlling an individual’s mind, body & soul, thus bringing with it physical & mental disciplines to achieve harmony & balance in our lives. The students of DKK gave their own interpretation of the Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder classic Ebony & Ivory to the accompaniment of the keyboard and guitar. Talking about unity, you had the song Sagar Ke Lehere that gave the message that there is only one nature and one God, and we’re just different people, having differ-

LtoR: Guest of Honour bass guitarist Mr. Sheldon D’Silva, Ms Merlin D’souza, Chief Guest film actress Ms. Vaishali Irani (green sari) with her daughters to her left and Dr. Paschol Carvalho alongside students of DKK with the Staff at the Annual Day ent paths to follow it and the end we all reached to one destination. Chief Guest Ms. Vaishali Irani was visibly impressed by the impeccable performances showcased by the students across different grades. In her speech she appreciated the choice of theme and its immense impact on the minds of youth. She appreciated the efforts of the teaching staff at imbuing a strong value system in the young aspiring students and urged parents to lay emphasis on inculcating the same. In his address to the students Guest of Honour Sheldon D’Silva, pointed out that if one wanted to take up music as a profession, it’s a way difficult world out there. “We can develop an environment that’s very good by just involving professionals & what they do. Parents need to keep pushing their kids letting them come out and perform, let them enjoy whatever they want to do”. He also explained the nuances of the bass guitar and its importance in a band. Ms Zenia Parmar a teacher for English vocal presented the Annual Report accentuating the progress of the school since its inception & also highlighting the milestones achieved during the last academic year. It’s been 10 years since The King of Pop passed away, but his songs, especially those for Mother Earth always linger with his fans. Heal the World a slow anthem on the state of the planet was sung by students from the age group of 10 to 60 years, accompanied by the keyboard & guitar. The audience was taken by surprise when the woman behind ‘You are my Sonia’ the spirited, feisty, and teeming with joie de vivre Merlin D’souza played keyboard with a few students and charmed the audience

All of us do not have equal talent. But, all of us have an equal opportunity to develop our talents. - Dr Abdul Kalam

with the song, fusing it with a Gospel melody. Merlin who has represented the country globally got the audience on their feet. Another surprise that evening was when the daughters of Chief Guest Anaheeta and Namrata gave a dance performance. The dance students once again took the audience all the way to Tamil Nadu with an enchanting performance of a Tamil Folk Dance with the students dressed in traditional Tamil finery. The setting sun, an unexpected cold breeze on a March evening, brought an end to another well organised Annual Day. Sr Valencia part of the teaching faculty, gave a vote of thanks while the audience cheered in unison. The DKK Annual Day wouldn’t be a super success without the contribution & hard work from each parent who contributed in their own way to make it happen. On that note, we cannot forget Ashwin D’souza a parent who compeered the show along with students Cassandra and Andre. Finally, the National Anthem was sung concluding an evening of grandeur. Verus Ferreira Photos by Mario Almeida

BANDRA BUZZ | MARCH 2020

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Connect N Care: Spreading cheers & solace around Bandra

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The days of joint families have gone & with better incomes as well as changing lifestyles the youth mostly aspire to live independently. A survey of 15,000 older people, by the Agewell Foundation says that 47.49% of elderly people in India suffer from loneliness. The condition is worse in urban regions where about 64.1% elderly were found suffering from loneliness. We have in our communities many elderly & not-so-elderly homebound-members. They may be lonely, depressed or may just crave for company, as their loved ones are possibly not close or not readily available. Discussions with members of the community reveal widespread awareness of this “Need” and a strong “Concern” to address it. These concerned members come from a wide cross-section of the community. There is the youth, working professionals and even retired members who wish to contribute in their own ways to be a part of a mission to help the elderly living alone. Recently-retired professionals, senior citizens and housewives, all are willing to sacrifice some of their valuable leisure time to address this shared ‘‘Concern”. These like-minded individuals have come together to form Connect n Care. The vision of Connect n Care is “To create a caring community committed to improving the quality of life of its most vulnerable”. Started in January 2019 at St. Andrews Church, it is a group of trained volunteers, supported by experienced professionals, providing well-defined regular services to identified vulnerable members. The group aims to develop Standard Best Practices through documentation, assessment & continual improvements, for promoting & encouraging the widespread formation of similar groups.

The activities include family visits, meetups for the elderly, support for basic chores like banking services, going for consultations with doctors & so on. The team has a database of all members visited & another directory for essential services which the members can readily use. The activities have now grown to include the churches of St. Michael’s Church & Mt. Carmel Church. There are also large events at times to bring the entire community together. An event Eve by the Sea on 17th December 2019, was conducted at Bandstand Promenade for homebound and seniors. Few testimonials from the members of Connect n Care shows the power of this growing community. Anil Bhurani who came to the event at Bandstand with his mother opines, “Thank you for having us over at the Eve by the Sea. It was truly wonderful. The initiative, the audience, the lovely senior citizens, the volunteers, the arrangements were wonderful.” If you are interested to volunteer or wish to register, you may contact Serena D’Sa 9819319305, Loretta Pereira 9819246535 or Roy Fonseca 9820181568. Jessica Bernard

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BANDRA BUZZ | MARCH 2020

Gokul Refreshments – Four Decades of Culinary Journey Hill Road has seen some tremendous ha Pai – started the restaurant in 1980, changes in the past two decades. The sky- as a franchisee of ‘Big Bite Frankies’. The line and the building facades present a very restaurant menu included Tea, Coffee, Misdifferent picture than it was in the years sal Pav & Cold Drinks. In 1984, she handed over the reins prior to that. And of the restaurant the speed at which to her son (Sarvotthe skyline and tam’s father), Mr. façade changed Manjunath Pai. was as if someone From 1984 to fast-forwarded the 2016, Mr. Pai ran a past two decades in flourishing restauthe blink of an eye. rant, whose menu Hill Road (also staples included known as Ramdas South Indian dishNayak Marg) is es, Chaat Items, Pav liberally peppered Bhaji, Handmade with old and new Vegetarian Thali Ice-Creams & Batata Vada. retail shops that deal with varied and assorted items, such as – ready- Sarvottam Pai took over the business from made garments, footwear, novelty items, his father in 2016. He is a qualified hotel imported & electronic goods, bakeries & management graduate. Sarvottam has household items. There are a few banks, a gained a coveted work experience with units of internationally renowned hospifew schools & some really nice eateries. tality greats such as Taj One such eatery is Hotels India, SATS, SinGokul Refreshments gapore & Accor, France. – a Pure Vegetarian He is solely responsirestaurant that has ble for the modernbeen in business for istic look and ambifour decades, since ence of current day 1980. It is owned & Gokul Refreshments. managed by three He has retained and generations of the crowned the old faPai family. The curvourites, Pav Bhaji rent generation – Sar& Chaat items, as vottam Pai – proudly the restaurant’s sigstates that a majorinature & best-selling ty of his clientele are dishes. still old-timers who frePav Bhaji Sarvottam has also creatively inquented the restaurant since the novated hugely with the menu offering, 80s & 90s. Sarvottam’s grandmother – Mrs. Shard- which now includes a varied range of cui-

Mr. Manjunath Pai ran the resto from 1984 - 2016 before handing it to Sarvottam who is responsible for the modernistic look & ambience of current day Gokul Refreshments sines, such as – Indian, Italian, Spanish & Chinese. The foodie customer has a choice of delectable Rice & Paratha Thalis, Paninis, Pizzas, Sandwiches, Rice & Noodles, Pastas, South Indian Dishes, Faloodas & more. Sarvottam plans to introduce healthy options in the menu in the near future. Gokul Refreshment has another unique feature – its handmade icecreams that range from seasonal to regular flavours. So while you are at Gokul Refreshment, you just have to finish your meal with their mouth-water- i n g choices of ice-creams. Today, Sarvottam has firmly entrenched the four decades old flag of Gokul Refreshments. And it is here to stay for many more

decades. Another feather in Gokul Refreshments’ hat is the 4/5 rating on Zomato. We were delighted to have a lovely chat with Mr. Manjunath Pai about the restaurant, regarding its current avatar, & his thoughts about it. As a proud father, he summed it up beautifully – “It is a small restaurant, professionally managed, with a personal touch!” And that line from Mr. Pai says it all in a succinct, yet evocative manner!

<< Ice-Creams Gokul Refreshments, Rizvi House, Hill Road, Bandra (W), Mumbai 400050 Tel: +91-22-26421744, +91-22-66971388 Porus D. Tavadia

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m 12 | Published Monthly | www.bandrabuzz.co December 2019 | Volume 10 Issue

5/9920299787 | 16 pages | Price: Rs. | To Advertise: Call 9820783686 or

ent types Bandra couple grow over 25 differ e garden of vegetables & fruits on their terrac

Air Pollution Turns Effigy Of Human Lungs Black Within Two Weeks

ou can grow any kind of vegetable, fruit or flowering plant in your home with six to seven hours of sunlight water,” every day and adequate supply of couple said Manoj and Smitha Varghese, the Chimwho own Growbites plant centre at started a bai. Both Smitha and Manoj have last five terrace garden in their home since types year where they grow over 25 different banana, of plants like chikoo, mango, fig, leaves, grapes, dragon fruit, turmeric, curry more. pomegranate, pineapple, papaya and VarIn a suburban place like Bandra, the ghese couple says, “We grow our vegetables grow and fruits.” Smitha adds, “When we they our vegetables, we know exactly how them are grown and what content we feed 25 different types of plants last 5 year where they grow over to grow. We do not use chemical fertilizers terrace garden in their home since We can Smitha & Manoj have started a or pesticides so our plants are pure. plants. and have a deep passion for growing and the just pluck and eat without any harm of the Tips for growing your plants growing plants on “In any household, all the members be creative Manoj reveals, “We started taste is natural.” it is Do not throw away garbage, our self-happiness. These family try to water the plants even when Manoj says, “We our terrace just for survive with and use it for your plants. feel happy when we go every you not necessary. Some plants can provided machine as a huge plants make us plants Anyone can grow garden.” require a large used our broken washing morning for a walk in our terrace care minimum water while some container for growing plants. You can know how to maintain & take good the garden says, “We to maintain the perfect level bucket manages got You who supply. Smitha waand prevalent Manoj breaks several myths use paint boxes, used water tanks and enjoy its damage.” 5ml of can pluck any fruit or flower do not of water supply to avoid any among people by explaining, “Plants ter buckets for planting. You can mix plants help to these Besides, beauty. natural nulitre 1 the necessarily need soil. They just need Neem oil and 2ml of liquid soap into planting air and give out so much oxygen to hold Challenges faced in terrace spray it on plants once purify the trients present in the soil & support, a full water- of normal water and for our health.” & pro- Constructing and maintaining natural medicine and which is beneficial roots. We grow some plants in water but a prerequi- a week. It is the best of sun- proof terrace is a challenge get any disease.” vide the nutrients. However, 6 hours Planting says, “In a city your plants will not in a Different forms of Terrace is essen- site for terrace planting. Manoj “Dry eggshells can be powdered light & the required supply of water waterproof Hydroponics it like Mumbai, you need to build a supplement for Aquaponics and tial. Also, plants do not lead to mosquitoes, two differof leakages. mixer and used as a calcium skin, The Varghese couple has started to get terrace to prevent any kind is only when you allow stagnant water be- plants. Similarly, you can add vegetable called Aquaponics & Spending time with plants is important as natural compost ent forms of planting bags tea used skin, collected that mosquitoes start breeding.” fruit leaf cause you need to check whether every Hydroponics. Manoj explains, “In Aquaponfor the healthy growth of your plants.” helps is healthy, every plant is getting adequate ics, we keep fish & the waste of the fish much too plants your water not Do strong. Too not sunlight and all roots are growing the benefits? to grow plants. “Plants are like children, you should plants How did it begin? What are Ronald Rodrigues much of wind is not good for certain rethe Manoj chuckle opines accident,” much,” an too with pamper them blinds if they are “It all began Continued on Page 5 >> lovers due to so you need to have wind vealing that most of the plants die Varghese couple who are both plant He says, facing the seaside.” overwatering or under-watering.

November 2019 | Volume 10 Issue 11 | Published Monthly | www.bandrabuzz.co m|

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Clashes between Fisherfolk Comm unities halt the Jetty Project at Chimbai

In a span of two weeks the giant HEPA-filter lungs installed outside R.D. National College changed its colour from chalk white to black ‘A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words’, therefore this is going to be a short article; thereafter which we urge you to visit National college, in order to witness the reality of the above-mentioned adage. The experience that awaits you there is indeed jolting in nature, none the less, the projection is very much real. The image that we speak of is an installation, a concerted effort between two NGOs namely Jhatkaa.org & Waatavaran. Installed outside RD National College junction and titled- ‘The Billboard that breathes’, this is a first-of-its-kind initiative in Maharashtra, where an interactive art installation has been used to demonstrate the lethal impact of polluted air on human health. Installed on the 14th of January, the unique creation is an effigy of human lungs and is made of Hepa filters and a fan. The idea is to present a realistic visual that represents the catastrophic damage that our lungs sustain, simply by breathing in the city.

On the first day, the apparatus of the installation depicts the virtuosity of a healthy pair of lungs, however as the days pass, it begins to reflect the deterioration ensued by being exposed there. A brainchild of Jhatkaa.org, the said installation was previously mounted in Bengaluru and Delhi as well. The current public exhibit that has been installed outside National college will be available for viewing till the 31st of January. The initiative aims to posit a real-time imagery reference, with regards to the caustic effect of air pollution and its inimical effect on the human repository system. Shikha Kumar, Campaigns Manager with Jhatkaa. org states “Along with Waatavaran, we decided to showcase the installation in Mumbai because air pollution is not thought of as a serious concern yet. The installation is a great way to generate public awareness and get the conversation going, as people get to see the lungs changing colour. It also gives

a real-time reading of the air quality index (AQI). Alongside this, we have an online petition asking Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) and the CM to take steps to clean up Mumbai’s air.” Shikha Kumar added “In a span of two weeks the lungs have become black. High levels of particulate matter in the air, caused in large part due to vehicular emissions and dust…was all trapped in the HEPA filters. This has proven to be one of the simplest yet visually effective ways of showcasing what the deteriorating air quality in the city is doing to our lungs,”. If you would like to support and sign the petition please log onto Jhatkaa.org. Kumar added as per studies carried out by air pollution research group, Urbanemissions.info, vehicular emissions and industries itself contributes 31 percent to the total PM 2.5 concentration in Mumbai. “When I saw these faux lungs, I told the campaigners that these are like my lungs,

which have been put up on a billboard. I will now get to see what is happening to my lungs as well as that of other Mumbaikars. This is the best possible way to demonstrate to people what is happening inside their body when they inhale polluted air,” said Dr. Sanjeev Mehta, Chief Pulmonologist, Lilavati hospital. Apart from this, the organizers are also hosting an exhibition titled ‘Breathless: An Artistic Call To India’s Air Pollution Crisis’ at Bombay Arts Society, Bandra Reclamation and will be open to the public till the 31st of January from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The exhibition features, photographs taken by Ishan Tanka and stories written by acclaimed journalist Aruna Chandrasekhar. With such an assemblage of informative initiatives regarding air, one must simply, just do it, and take it upon ourselves to safeguard the future for the sake of posterity. Sidhant Nayangara

Personal differences and internal clashes between communities of the fisherfolks at Chimbai beach, Bandra west have halted the construction of a boat parking yard for a jetty and 3 boat parking dhakkas. Fisherfolks from the Chimbai East Indian Koli Samaj (CEIKS) are facing difficulties in daily fishing activities with no jetty and parking yard as around 30 people residing at Chimbai have opposed the jetty project. On the other hand, the opposing parties claim the project will lead to the breaking of rocks ultimately resulting in flooding homes. How did it all begin? Chimbai, a well-known beach which connects Carter Road waters to Bandstand, is home to over 1,500 families who mostly depend on fishing to earn their living. In 2008, the active fisherfolks approached the State Fisheries Department to make a society. Davin Candoria

(Vice President) & Mr Raymond Quadros (President of CEIKS), said, “The government was giving a jetty as an obligatory once there was an established fishing society. So, we collected all the required documents to make a society, the government got all necessary permissions & approvals & achieved recognition as a fishing society, which is complete & the registration number is about to be given yet by fishery department.”

three communities existing at Chimbai East Indian Koli Samaj Sanstha, said, mainly Katyawadi Kolis, Maharashtrian “We are facing a tough time as we canKolis & East Indian Koli Samaj. not unload our catch of fish, or carry equipment like nets, oars and fuel to our Jetty project inaugurated but work not small boats without the jetty. We need started yet the jetty as it simplifies our work & helps On August 31, 2019, the jetty project was us to carry out fishing in an efficient inaugurated by Ashish Shelar, the MLA way. Without the jetty, we have to carry of Bandra, along with Fishery Minister huge fishing nets & equipment in small and other government fishery officers boats and do multiple rounds which are and staff, and fisherfolks their families physically draining & a waste of time.” residing at Chimbai. But after the inauWhat is a jetty? How does it help Fisherfolks have questioned in fish- guration, there has been the no construc- stalling of work ing? and delay in the project. tion work done as few families residing Koli added, “There Jetty is a long ramp made in koliwadas has been no work at Chimbai opposed the construction of after the inauguration as some across India for fishermen. It is a walk- the parking yard for families the jetty. way from the shoreline up till opposed the project. Why did people the sea not where boats are floating & parked oppose before the inauguration? in the The problem Why water. Fisherfolks need to walk did the state inaugurate the & get & Fisherfolks from the Koli project if Samaj revealed they did want take goods, fish, ice, equipment’s, to carry on the work? Why fish- the difficulties they are facing in day to give us hope & ing nets, oars, fuel, oil, passengers then do nothing about it!” & day fishing activities without a jetty & fish. Fisherfolks at Chimbai got three dhakka boat parking area. Plasy Koli, a dhakkas & one jetty approved Ronald Rodrigues for the fisherman & Joint Secretary of Chimbai Continued on Page 3 >>

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BANDRA BUZZ | MARCH 2020 BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY Looking for honest, hardworking dynamic individuals to join my team. Remarkable company, fantastic products & unbelievable income. Call Sushil Punyarthi 98210 79832 & 98217 29832. COME (BOOK) "COME" by Joan Mary Pereira. A journey to our heavenly home. A book to gift, for 15-60 years at Christmas, Confirmations and Birthdays. Available Rs. 300/- Amazon (India), Kindle Ebooks or Call 90290 98873. COMPUTER CLASSES Computer Training - Open Source Software √ Learn Microsoft Office Suite (Word/PowerPoint/Excel) for personal & professional use. √ Learn Graphics/3D for students & adults. Training offered at your home or through online media. Call 98215 25921 or email us computertraining.os@gmail.com for more details! COOKING & BAKING CLASSES Learn Mughlai, Biryanis, Starters (Veg. & Non-Veg.), Chinese, Italian, Mexican, Thai, Cakes, Chocolates, Brownies, Desserts, Sandwiches and Salads from an Experienced Homechef in Bandra West (on Perry Cross Road) for over 12 years. Special discount for a group of 5 or more. Call 98213 10728 / 99300 46523 CORNED TONGUE Available, Delicious Buffalo Corned Tongue & Meat Loaf - Home made with best ingredients. No Home Delivery - Call 98203 00751 DANCE CLASSES Dances like the Waltz/Rumba/Jive/Chacha with Alvito Cabral. Learn Social Dancing! Easy and fun for absolute beginners. Whether you’re 20 years or 60 years, doesn’t matter! YOU’LL LOVE IT! No partner needed; Age - 20years+. WhatsApp Alvito on 98201 19553. Experience our class dance videos on www.facebook.com/alssocialdance/ and on Instagram @alvitocabral EVENT MANAGEMENT For Christenings, Birthdays, First Holy Communions, Engagements, Weddings / Anniversaries, Baby Showers, Corporate Events & Picnics contact Queen the Entertainist Elizabeth Carvalho 98928 30169 and 98206 25901. EXPANDABLE SHOE RACKS Sturdy stainless steel 2 tier shoe stand. Lightweight, portable, expandable & stackable. Comes in 1 & 2 footers. Expandable to 2 & 4 footers. Suitable for homes, offices, clinics, hospitals, wherever neatness desired. Price Rs 650 for 1 footers holds 6 pairs. Rs 1200 for 2 footers holds 12 pairs. Free Delivery Bandra, Khar, Santa Cruz, Mahim with assembly if required. Call 98198 40314

CLASSIFIEDS FLATS FOR SALE For sale in Lonavla. 2 bedroom semi-attached bungalow, clean and well maintained is on sale with furniture and fridge TV etc. Owner in Mumbai 9920219038, 9820947130. Last 3 flats available for immediate sale. O.C. received and ready possession only for Catholics. Easy bank loan. Three storey building with 7 flats only. Mountain view flats facing the Church. Two way highway touch. Direct local train service from Bandra to Boisar station. Call Oberoi 97681 32932 for further enquiries. FLATS ON RENT - WANTED Rented Flat, near Mt. Carmel Church, Bandra West - Budget 40K pm - Brokers Excuse - Call 98698 42767, 92220 0841. HOMEMADE FOOD Chicken / Mutton Gravy, Roast Tongue, Cutlets, Fish, Chilly Fry, Pork Sorpotel and Pork Vindaloo, Pulao and Roast. For home cooked hygienic Veg and Non-Veg Tiffins contact Mrs Xaverina D'souza on +91 91672 27296. HOMEMADE HAIR OILS Love Thy Strands brings to you a range of homemade hair oils that stops hair fall, promotes hair growth, nourishes the scalp fights dandruff, dryness and much more. Also good for babies, kids and men. To order you can WhatsApp at 98199 36855 or follow us on Instagram @lovethystrands. Avail offer - one 100ml at Rs. 300/- or two 100mls at Rs. 500/-. JOB VACANCY Progressive housing society seeks manager for handling accounts and day-to-day running of affairs. Knowledge of local laws and handling of staff is required. Part-time / Full time. Kindly mail us your resume to juneblossomschsltd@gmail.com KICKBOXING CLASSES Amit Lalwani’s Kickboxing, Muaythai and self defence for teenagers & adults at St Peters on Hill Road in Bandra (W), Mumbai 400050. Monday, Thursday & Saturday at 7pm. Call 84540 01235 / 98690 36872. KEYBOARD WORKSHOP Golden Rhythm. Summer keyboard workshops. Learn accompaniment techniques, chords and sight reading. 12 sessions. Batch 1: 1st - 30th April. Batch 2: 2nd - 31st May. Monday, Wednesday, Friday or Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday. Maximum 10 students. Private classes also available, contact Joshua Michael 9819705387. Golda Michael - 9920517127 Cost Rs 3000/-. St Joseph's Convent, Bandra (Primary), Mumbai 400050. Please bring your keyboard, music sheets will be provided.

LEARN TO EARN Computer courses (MKCL authorised learning centre), admissions open round the year. Basic, MSCIT/Klic, laptop / iPad / printer, LCD repairing courses (repairing done), tailoring & beautician courses. (stitching of ladies & gents outfits). Contact: 26006258 LOST PHYSICAL SHARES & DIVIDENDS Get doorstep personal service for your lost physical shares/dividends. Duplicate procedure and FIR & notary all in-house. We also offer services in insurance of cars/buildings/ mediclaim and other financial consulting services. B/34 Elco Arcade, Bandra (West) with prior appointment. Call 98211 72450. NURSERY Let your child develop his observation, general knowledge, social skills, writing and singing. Monday to Friday 10 am to 12 noon at B-10 Mount Nirmala Colony, St John the Baptist Road, Bandra West. Call Jean-Ann 97697 22593 / 75066 09236. OFFICE FOR SALE Office for sale at Khira Nagar in Santa Cruz (West). Located on the ground floor the office has a carpet area of 363 sq. ft. and also boasts of 2 cabins and 2 toilets and also comes with a commercial license from BMC. Contact Mr Gupta (owner) on 93235 72448 REASONABLE COST HEALTHCARE Clinics (Open all through the week): - Ayurveda Clinic with Panchakarma Theatre - Dental Clinic with specialities of Implantologist, Orthodontist, Endontist, Oral Pathologist, Paediatric Dentistry, Physiotherapy, Eye Clinic, Foot Spa & Reflexology, Apple Diagnostics Collection Centre. Contact: 26006258 REPAIR SERVICES Kwality service repair of washing machine, microwave, oven, fridge, LED tv, other electronics. Call 9820174984 or 9769324984. Amrit Bldg., opp. Foodhall, SantaCruz West SPANISH CLASSES Hispanic Horizons is an institute for teaching Spanish language. We have weekday & weekend courses suitable for both college students & working professionals. We are an accredited examination center to conduct international Spanish exams like DELE, DIE & specialized Spanish exams for business, tourism & medicine. We have a placement cell as well through which we help our students to get Spanish related jobs. No age limit. Vas Chambers building, 1st floor, Hill road, Bandra West. Call: 022-26409039 / 8082647938 or www.hispanic-horizons.org TUITIONS Marathi and Hindi Lady Tutor, for one-to-one tuition from Std II to V for IGCSE / ICSE / SSC medium at Chapel Road, Bandra West - Call : 9224707192

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Building Immunity for Coronavirus Pandemic (homemade) - 1 tsp freshly ground or organic Turmeric - 1/4th tsp Srilankan rolled Cinnamon - 1/4th tsp ginger powder or 1-inch piece mashed Ginger - 1 Star Anise (chakra phool) - 1 tsp raw cold pressed Virgin Coconut Oil - 1/4th tsp of crushed Black Pepper To Sweeten: Add raw, unheated, unpasteurized Honey or organic Jaggery Powder How to Make: 1. Warm the Coconut or Almond milk with all the ingredients except the oil & honey. 2. Strain & add coconut oil & honey (optional, may also use organic jaggery) Sip warm. This tea is for everyone. Adults and kids.

With so much of worry, fear & confusion all around, let’s begin to operate from a space of awareness, responsibility & knowledge. Here are some necessary steps to follow in the coming days. What is Corona virus or COVID 19? It is an unknown kind (new strain) of Coronavirus (Novel Coronavirus/2019-nCoV) that tends to show flu-like symptoms in our body & affects the upper respiratory tract. It is contagious, just like the common cold. Practicing good hygiene is primary DOS: 1. Wash your hands with soap & water (preferably warm) at least for 20-40 seconds as the virus tends to attach to skin surfaces. 2. Choose to greet people by joining hands (Namaste), instead of shaking hands. 3. Social distancing is a must, as human contact is the most common mode of transmission. 4. Sanitize hands frequently with an alcohol-based sanitizer (60% alcohol based) when travelling. (essential oil-based sanitiser may not be enough for this case). Rub the sanitizer evenly on your hands including the webs between fingers. 5. Cleaning & disinfecting frequently touched objects including cell phones since they are closest to your oral & nasal passages. 6. Carry tissues & handkerchief. Cover your mouth and nose with tissues if the person sitting next to you sneezes & then toss that tissue in the trash. 7. Wear a mask (N95) if travelling for prevention, are sick or immunocompromised, are a health care worker or a caregiver of someone who is sick. Wearing a regular surgical mask only works as a barrier & does not protect against the coronavirus. Discard masks after 6-8 hrs of use. Unnecessary stockpiling of masks needs to be stopped. 8. Opt for a work-from-home facility if you can. DON’TS: 1. Avoid visiting public or crowded places like auditoriums, theatres malls and social gatherings/ parties, etc. 2. Avoid using public transport & any unnecessary travel. 3. Avoid touching door knobs, handles, switches in public places. If you do so, sanitise hands. 4. Do not touch your face, mouth and nose with hands. 5. Do not spit in public places. This needs to be stopped once and for all. 6. Carry exact money/change to avoid change of currency through hands. 7. Avoid consumption of undercooked meat / fish / eggs / raw vegetables. NOTE: If you have COVID-19 or suspect

that you do, but have mild symptoms, including mild fever, cough or sore throat, you should self-quarantine. Those with more serious symptoms, such as high fever, chills, weakness, lethargy or shortness of breath, headaches should seek medical care immediately. It is imperative that you seek medical attention if the symptoms persist or worsen beyond 7 to 10 days.

Anti-viral tea (Star Anise) Boil 1 star anise in 2 cups water with 3 black peppercorns, 1 cracked elaichi, a dash of Ceylon cinnamon, 2 cloves, ½ tsp turmeric, 1 pinch piece of mashed or grated ginger, raw & minced garlic (1-2) cloves. Boil & then simmer for 2 minutes & consume IMMUNITY BOOSTING TEA warm. This can be consumed twice a day. Ingredients: Luke Coutinho - 1 cup fresh Coconut or Almond milk good quality A2 yogurt) & prebiotics (garlic, banana, Apple cider vinegar, apple) 6. Top minerals to boost immunity: Zinc (pumpkin seeds) & Selenium (brazil nuts)

Right now, there is no vaccine for COVID-19, although scientists & researchers are at work. The only thing that can fight the virus is our immune system & our body’s intelligence & its through our lifestyle we can support our immunity. Corona virus is more likely to affect those with low immunity, so the only key towards prevention as well as a speedy recovery (if you contract the virus) is to boost immunity. Simple ways to boost immune system: 1. Top immunity boosting foods to include in your diet: - Cold pressed / wet milled coconut oil - Garlic - Onion - Turmeric and black pepper combo. - Tulsi/holy basil leaves - Star anise - Neem - Pumpkin seeds. - Vitamin C rich foods - Amla/Gooseberry, guava, lemons, bell peppers - Moringa - Good quality loose black tea leaves (in moderation) 2. Sleep – A good quality sleep every night recharges our immune system. 3. Movement and activity – A regular habit of exercising in the form of yoga, walking, basic body weight exercises are enough for a strong immunity and healthy lymphatic system. 4. Maintain optimum levels of Vitamin D3 (precursor to immunity) 5. Boost gut health as 80% percent of our immunity depends on gut health. Add foods rich in probiotics (rice kanji, fermented vegetables, homemade pickles, sauerkraut,

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Where to find Bandra Buzz in print HILL ROAD · Near Bandra station rickshaw stand · Shankar Sidh (near Lucky Restaurant) · The Tata Parsi Agiary · P.S. Chavan (outside Studio Perfecta) · St. Peter’s Church · Sheshmani Yadav (near Wanton House) · St. Andrew’s Church · Ajit B Shelar (outside ICICI Bank) · Good Luck Café MT MARY ROAD · Basilica Of Our Lady of The Mount KADESHWARI MANDIR MARG · St. Francis of Assisi Church KRISHNA CHANDRA MARG · R K Yadav (outside IES College) CHAPEL ROAD · Mt Carmel Church · Shiva (outside Mt Carmels Church gate) · Rajendra Yadav (near Starbucks) · Rejoyce (The Cake Gallery) ST. JOHN BAPTIST ROAD · Sandeep bookstall (near Mt Mary steps) BAZAAR ROAD · Kalidas Vishram General Stores · Rohit Newspaper (near Kalidas Stores) TURNER ROAD · B.M. Khambe (near D’Decor showroom) · R.K. Yadav (opp. Cafe Coffee Day) · The Bandra Gymkhana · Mcubed Library CHIMBAI ROAD · S.R.N/L.R. Yadav (opp. Solanki Chemist) DR. AMBEDKAR ROAD · Uday R Pai (opp. Bombay Barbeque) · Suresh More (near St. Elias High School) NARGIS DUTT ROAD · St. Anne’s Church · Temperance · Sundaram General Stores WATERFIELD ROAD · Indian Express (opp. Post Ofﬁce) ST THERESA ROAD · St. Theresa’s Church · Rajkumar Yadav (opp. St. Theresa) · Patwardhan Udyan (opp. St. Theresa) 2OTH ROAD (KHAR) · St Vincent De Paul Church 13TH ROAD (KHAR) · Khar Gymkhana S.V. ROAD · Shubangi Torasker (opp. Bandra Talao) Interested in distributing Bandra Buzz, please Call 9920299787

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25 years of Fountainhead MKTG The Bandra connect - Ideas which continue to build our Community CONTINUED FROM PAGE 6 > It’s what builds sustainability, focus and resilience to see your ambition through and helps you shape your perception of events as they unfold” reflects Brian. At

the heart of it, they continue to do what they really enjoy every day, and in that process have learned to marry it with business opportunity, ideas and fuelling other’s interest in similar belief systems. That pretty much sums it up. Both of them leave younger entrepreneurs with their learning - paying attention to the community in which you are operate is critical, no matter what it is you are doing.

This is often an overlooked part of the entrepreneurial journey where the focus is so much on the client, especially if these don’t happen to be one and the same entity, as in their case. Where do we go from here Neale believes there’s still much to be achieved within the experiential community. To move up the value chain calls for tremendous commitment on everyone’s part within the industry to shift perceptions of finally being seen for the holistic value companies like Fountainhead create for all their stakeholders. 2021 will see another major milestone event as the com-

pany will be acquired a 100% by the Dentsu Aegis. Will the dream fade? “Certainly not” confirms Brian. “We are very invested in weaving our core beliefs into processes so as to protect our company values for posterity”. To end this happy journey & from all of us Bandrites, we would like to think there’s a little Bandra woven into that beautiful story because there’s a little Fountainhead wrapped inside all of our hearts. About Erica de Souza: Erica is a Bandra resident and professional life coach. She’s always curious about why people do what they do.

Coronavirus - Call of Death Coronavirus also referred to as Covid-19, means born December 2019 in Wuhan Province of China. What is the cause of this disease, nobody really knows & so far no vaccine has been invented to cure those infected by the disease. But there are strong indications according to their own medical fraternity that this disease is caused to humans by eating the meat of wild animals. The Chinese eat anything that moves, with legs or without legs – snakes, cats, dogs, rats, bats & whatever that is available. After the outbreak of the deadly Coronavirus epidemic, the Chinese govt. banned slaughter & consumption of wild animals on its territory. In Africa, there is a country called Ghana, where they eat a lot of monkeys. No wonder we humans are constantly affected by new diseases because of reckless habits of preparing & consuming the forbidden meat. In India too there are people in remote villages who hunt for rats. Just as China is known for manufacturing & selling goods cheap all over the world, it is also the originator of all trouble. SARS & MERS were also respiratory ailments a decade ago that did not originate from China, but the manner in which

Coronavirus has affected a large section of the population in China & 90 countries worldwide, has sent alarm signals about the dangers of its life-threatening reach. The global economy has taken a severe hit from the outbreak of Coronavirus. Already 11 deaths reported in the US & more than 600 in Italy & over 200 in Iran. The death toll in China continues to rise over 3100. Oil prices have plummeted & could get worse as demand falls. Rumours are that Tokyo Olympics scheduled for July 2020 is going to be cancelled. Delhi has already registered more than 60 positive cases of Covid-19. The stock market index fell by 1000 points by this disclosure on 5th March. All countries neighbouring China have gone on high alert, especially South Korea where the number of death cases due to Coronavirus has risen sharply. The UN has pledged billions of dollars to help in the eradication of the deadly disease. Some pundits say that such widespread diseases is a curse from nature on people who have no faith in God. In just

a few decades China a feudal country has leapfrogged into a global giant competing with rich & developed nations of the West both in the military & economic might. They have transformed cities & towns into world-class metropolises with state of the art transport systems expanding rapidly by disregarding all concerns of environment, destroying ecosystems that protect valuable human life. Shanghai was once a fishing town and harbour. Today it is a showcase of modernity with glass and marble skyscrapers, industries and a vital trading hub for all Chinese goods. Today the whole of Italy is in lockdown because of Coronavirus. In India, our situation is much better & under control, because the Health Ministry at the Centre has gone into high gear by installing Controls Rooms at all district levels in the States, screening passengers at the airports & immediately stopped all e-visas on arrival at major entry points. A Bandra woman who was in Wuhan with her son died & her body was flown back for cremation rights. Amar Singh