Vol. IV Issue 9 (ii) by Bandra Buzz newspaper

BandraBuzz NOW FORTNIGHTLY

creating community connect

September 2013 | Vol. IV Issue 9 (ii) | To Advertise: 9820783686 | 9920299787

E-paper: www.issuu.com/bandrabuzz | 16 pages | Price: ` 2

BJP Dares Congress at Rang Sharda Rajnath Singh has dared Congress to declare a PM nominee

Digital Photography Instilling Passion, Creating Hobbies At a well attended meeting, BJP President Rajnath Singh has dared the Congress party to declare its prime ministerial candidate for the 2014 elections. The air was filled with a lot of rhetoric, which spelled the start of the upcoming national elections in 2014. Both leaders, Ashish Shelarji & Rajnath Singhji greeted their audience – who were mainly from all communities, living in the Bandra – Khar - SantaCruz area. Speaking to a packed auditorium "The BJP has declared Narendra Modi as their NDA nominee for Prime Minister. I want to know from my friends in the Congress party, whether they are willing to make public their PM candidate. The country would like to know, who will be the Congress PM nominee." He was addressing a press meeting at a Rang Sharda, Bandra Reclamation.

While interacting with reporters, he initially tried to downplay Mr. L.K. Advani’s discontent over choosing Modi. But, when grilled over the latest letter of Mr Advani to him, Rajnath Singh admitted to the inhouse rift for the first time. He added, “It is an internal matter of the party. But, Advaniji is our guardian - and I will listen to what he has to say. If something has gone wrong, I will rectify it.” “There are no differences over Modiji being named as the PM candidate. He enjoys the undisputed support from all within the party. You must have seen that, just after the announcement, Modiji even went to meet Advaniji at his residence. Advaniji is active in the party functioning and will continue to remain so in the future.” Jayesh Deo Pic Courtesy: Naresh Kumar

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02 September 2013

Bandra Buzz

‘Laughter Club’ Members meet with Police “Senior Citizens Should Get Registered To Get Police Protection & Stay Safe”

Laughter Club, Bandra on Saturday early morning of 31st Aug 2013 was bubbling with excitement as usual – but this time there was an added agenda concerning a majority of those present. The Bandra-Khar Police were to come & speak about senior citizens safety. The Police told the crowd that if anyone had given their flat on lease, the names and details of the people staying should be registered. Even if your trusted domestic help or security has been working for the past many years, it is vital to register them (full name and home address (village) – along with a photograph. This ensures better tracking and search, in case of any crime. Then, core members of the Laughter Club felicitated the ACP & Shyama Kulkarni, followed by a lot of healthy interaction between the local police and senior citizens. To see the action at Bandra’s Laughter Club, please visit: w w w. b a n d r a b u z z . c o m / l a u g h t e r club.html The ‘Laughter Club’ members were given the Police Helpline Numbers: Bandra - 26423021 / 26513716, Khar -

26496030 / 26494977 Sir, What is your take on the Safety of Senior Citizens in the Bandra-Khar Area? Today I (Shivajirao Kolekar, ACP-Bandra) was called by the Senior Citizens Forum, more specifically Shyama Madam – who told me that I need to meet senior citizens. Accordingly, I’ve come here. We have expressed our views to increase the security of senior citizens of Khar & Bandra area. Along with my other colleagues, we have given them all the hints how to ensure registration of the names and details of their domestic help, utility service people & society security staff. They should be registered with your closest Police Station – so that senior citizens are safer and live longer.

LOCAL

ALTINA ESSAY CONTEST 2013 As a part of our Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) every year we conduct as essay contest on subjects pertaining to entrepreneurship, with a view to identity and subsequently mentor the selected participants. The selected participants are then provided with training - which includes mentoring sessions, Leadership Sessions, Communication Sessions, Industrial Tours etc. Altina Essay contest 2013 which opened on 15th September 2013 closes on 31st October 2013. The Essay which should consist of 800 to 1000 words - is titled “A Business Idea that can change my life” The Cash prizes are as follows: 1st prize - Rs 12,500/2nd prize – Rs 7,500/3rd prize – Rs 5,000/The Non-Cash prizes are: a) 3 night complimentary stay at Chances Resorts & Casino (5 Star) Dona Paula, Goa (2 prizes) b) Induction cooker (2 prizes) Also all entries received on or before 15th October would be entitled a flat discount of 20% on all professional courses and a 10% discount on all degree career programmes conducted by St Angelo Profes-

sional Education, while a 5-10% discount will be offered by Malaika Appliances on all electronic products at its stores. The Jury would comprise of Mr. Clifton DeSilva Director of Altina Securities Pvt Ltd and Mr. Walter Viera Past chairman International Council of Management Consulting Institution USA and Asia Pacific. Altina Securities promotes the spirit of entrepreneurship both at the start up level and the scale up level. At the scale up level, there are several companies that are at an advanced preparatory stage with firm plans to take these companies public and list their shares on the Stock Exchanges, thus unlocking value for the promoters. In summary, we play the role of an incubator for start ups, helping them not only to raise capital but also with regulatory compliances. Entry for the Altina Essay contest 2013 should reach either by post or email with recent photographs to the following address: Altina Securities Pvt. Ltd 303, Anand House, 13th Road, off Linking Road, Khar (w) Mumbai – 400052 E-mail info@altinasecurities.com Tel.: 022-66942416/17/18

This type of police-citizen interaction, can help to pre-empt crimes – so many more venues across Bandra-Khar have been planned in the coming months. Please attend such events to know more or to get your queries answered. Dev Sanghvi

PEOPLE’S POWER - AT ITS PEAK BEFORE THE SATYAGRAHA MARCH COULD BEGIN ON SEPTEMBER 14TH AT 9.30 A.M, THE POLICE HAD ALREADY ALLOWED DEVOTEES ACCESS AND USE OF THE TRADITIONAL ROAD (now called Cement Road), NEXT TO SHAHRUKH KHANS' RESIDENCE. THIS IS VICTORY TO PEOPLE'S POWER When devotees gathered at the site of the Satyagraha March, we pleasantly noticed that the police had already allowed access to use the traditional road to Mount Mary Church. This was otherwise shut till this morning, for which we had organized the Satyagraha March. Devotees began the prayerful march to the Mount Mary Basilica, with prayers. Then they moved down back to the entrance of the Traditional Road. This was people's power in action - that resulted in a change of heart of the Bandra Police and the authorities; to listen to the just demands of the devotees.

Road Residents' Association said he was ready to go to jail for the sake of Mother Mary. “Why is it - that this traditional road should be closed”, he stated. - Adv. Godfrey Pimenta of Watchdog Foundation felt that this government was not paying attention to the concerns of the Christian community - and this would reflect in the way the community would vote at the forthcoming elections of 2014.

- Shri Nicholas Almeida, the former Municipal Corporator and Trustee, Watchdog Foundation warned the Police authorities not to test the patience of the community. He said, “What is due to us must be given to the community, without any harassment”.

- Shri Dolphy D'Souza, Spokesperson of Save Our Land [SOUL] Committee (and immediate past BCS President), expressed that Christians were always considered as soft targets. The community is always at the receiving end of attention - and their just demands are always ignored. “Will the authorities dare behave in the same manner towards the other communities, when they conduct of their festivals”, he stated.

- Shri Anil Joseph, Chairman of the Perry

All the devotees in one voice stated: We do

not want a repeat of such a road blockade for the next Mount Mary Festival. To watch this peaceful protest march, please visit: bandrabuzz.com/cement-road-protest.html Among the other community leaders were: Adv. Shane Cardoz from CROSS, Shri Alphi D’Souza from Mobai Gaothan Panchayat and several others. All the Satyagrahis were only asking the question: Why???? WHY???? … was this access blocked in the first place. We thank the Vice-Chairperson, Smt. Janet D’Souza of the Maharashtra Minorities Commission; for taking this issue up with Shri Sadanand Date, I.P.S, Jt Commissioner of Police, Law and Order - who willingly gave instructions to the concerned Police Officials to allow access to this traditional road. We thank Shri Sadanad Date, Jt. Commissioner for his just action. We thank Smt. Thanksy Thekkekara, I.A.S., Addl. Chief Secretary, Minorities Development Dept. of the Maharashtra Government; for taking up this issue with the Chief

Minister's Office, Chief Secretary, Government of Maharashtra, Municipal Commissioner, Police Authorities and for intervening & allowing access to this road for the devotees. We would like to also thank the Police Authorities - specifically, the Addl. Commissioner, West Zone, Shri Vishwas NangrePatil, DCP Shri Chhering Dorje, Sr. Inspector of Police, Bandra, Shri Abhay Shastry and the entire police team - for making excellent security arrangements for the safety of the devotees. Thank you all - and God bless you. This Satyagraha March was supported by the following organisations: Watchdog Foundation, Wake up Bandra, CROSS, Mobia Gaothan Panchayat, Perry Rd. Resident's Association, Members of The Bombay Catholic Sabha, Save Our Land [SOUL], several other organizations and devotees. Dolphy Elma D'Souza

EDUCATION

Bandra Buzz

September 2013

MCubed Library – the Math of Great Books I’ve passed by the place a million times. I’ve kinda peeked at it through the car window while using the “shortcut” early right when I could see, coming onto Perry Road from the Carter Road end, that St Andrew’s Road was congested. But, I set foot in it, for the first time, to do a book reading two weeks ago, almost to the date. My publisher had arranged for me to read my first picture book, Alphabet Dress-up, at MCubed Library. “Where is it located?” I’d asked. “D’Monte Park Road. Very close to you,” she replied, giving me directions.Which is when I realized that MCubed Library was the same place I’d peeked at, through my car window, all those times I’d used the “shortcut.” I stepped in that Saturday morning, interested in seeing what it was like, smile on my face, but admittedly, with my expectations a little low. I couldn’t have been more off base. For starters, it’s a lot bigger than you think it will be when you just peek in from the outside, while driving past on the street. It’s bright, it’s airy, it has bursts of colour on the walls and shelves,sunny yellow curtains on the windows and Warli paintings on walls tucked between shelves of books. But most importantly, it is full, absolutely full, of beautifully coloured books, for children of every age. There’s a huge, well chosen selection of books for children, divided by genre and by age. From board books, peekaboo books and touch and feel books, to beautifully illustrated picture books by Eric Carle, Julia Donaldson, Dr Seuss andShel Silverstein, to the Enid Blytons that we grew on, the Jigsaw Jones series, the Judy Moody series, the Magic Tree House series, the entire collection of Geronimo Stilton, A-Z Mystery series,the Nancy Drew series, the Hardy Boy series, Roald Dahl books, R. L Stine’s Goosebumps series, the Harry Potter series, the Twilight series, Percy Jackson collection, the Huger Games books.. I could go on and on. It’s loaded with something for every child, in every age group or at every reading level, and for every adult like me, who still nurtures the child in her. I honestly could curl up there and voraciously chomp through all these children’s books for hours on end. A year ago, they decided to make the adults who like reading adult books,happy too and opened a section for adults. Three full shelves, with space for

more, dedicated to our very own Indian Authors, like Amish, Amitav Ghosh, Aravind Adiga, Chetan Bhagat, to name just four. There are shelves upon shelves of booksfor fiction lovers. Books by Ken Follett, Dan Brown, Wilbur Smith, Robert Ludlum, Jeffrey Archer, Michael Crichton, John Grisham and loads, loads more. There’s non-fiction too, if that’s your thing. Shelves of books on Spiritualism, Poetry, Art, Literature, Travel, Autobiography, Reference, Hindi books and Marathi books. And a lovely little loft where you can ignore the world and read in peace. Quite magical to find serenity tucked away in a corner, so close to so many busy, bustling streets in Bandra. I couldn’t help but question how it all started, and heard that three very passionate ladies – Sonal Bimal, Vaishali Shinde and Vibha Kamat, founded it. One of these ladies, got inspired by her little six-year-old nephew, in the US. His public library made him pledge to read a certain number of books over the summer. The little boy pledged to read 20 and ended up

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reading 162 books! What’s amazing is instead of just praising the little boy, tapping him on the back, and forgetting all about it after her holiday, this lady clung onto the idea and decided to make a difference. The determination and relentlessness of these three ladies, led to the birth of this beautiful library on D’Monte Park Road. They have a calendar full of interesting activities for both children and adults. There’s a book club for 8 to 12 year olds, 12 to 16 year olds and 18years and above, there’s a film club for both children and adults, there are book readings and poetry readings, art and craft activities, creative writing workshops and authorreader meets. MCubed Library’s busy calendar neatly tucks a community feel into literature, without you even realizing it. I also found out that MCubed is celebrating their second anniversary on 29th September, with a program bound to entertain both adults and children. If you are in Bandra and can’t think of how to spend that Sunday morning, (10.30 am to 1.00

pm) do pop in. There’s a puppet show and movie on the cards for the children, and Shanta Gokhale, author, journalist, theatre critic, will spend time with the adults. But more than the huge selection of books for both children and adults, and the varied activities, there’s a warmth to MCubed Library that’s not related to the sun shining in the sky or the fan being on low. There’s a positive, feel-good vibe to it, that you hold in your heart and that lasts even after you’ve returned that book you’ve borrowed. Something that’s not easy to come by in today’s world. (To find out how to become a member of MCubed Library, please drop in or visit their webs i t e http://mcubedlibrary.com) Nalini Sørensen

04 September 2013

EDUCATION

Bandra Buzz

Safari Kid – The New Kid in Town If you are the mom of a preschooler, you will be delighted to hear that there’s a new pre-school right here in Bandra, worth considering. I spoke to Jitendra Karsan Boricha, also known as Jeetu Karsan, CEO of Safari Kid India, who is the man that has tied up with Safari Kid, a US pre-school, and bought the all India rights, to provide customized interactive learning to pre schoolers in India. The very first branch of Safari Kid India opened in Bandra in June, barely three months ago. It looks spotlessly clean, has bursts of colour everywhere in the classrooms - and has a lovely purple caterpillar with multi coloured shoes, among the other things set up in the play area, outside. But more than the colours and the facilities, the passion in Jeetu’s dream is what impressed me. He’s out to make a difference to the way children are educated today. Something our children really need. I can only hope that he succeeds in his ‘brighter tomorrow’ endeavor. As a mom, I would say, “Another pre school?” What makes you different? Yes, that’s right. There are play schools and play schools at almost every busy junction in this city. Most have indoor facilities and help develop the gross motor skills of children. This is primarily because in a city like Mumbai, space is a big problem. But these kinds of pre-schools, providing the indoor training to children, basing their program on a fixed curriculum, do not do justice to the children going there. I believe that children are born with their own personalities, with certain abilities that are inborn. They are curious and creative. They copy and imitate those around them, and can get competitive with siblings in the home. Our school understands that all children are different and have different learning curves. We encourage and pace the learning and growth of the child on the child him/herself. So it’s not a ‘one size fits all’ kind of philosophy. Research has shown that between the ages of 0 and 6 years, the synaptic connections in the brain are formed. That basically means that your child’s wiring is

taking place in those crucial years. It’s also been proven that basically 85% of your child’s personality is formed by 6 years of age. Our school takes all this research into consideration and we have developed a program where age does not determine how much a child learns. We believe that children have the capability to acquire knowledge when taught the correct way. That’s what makes us different from the other pre-schools around. As an educator, what brings you greatest satisfaction? The thought that I can change the world for the better, brings me more satisfaction that I can ever communicate. From starting your first IT company at age 21, to advertising and now to education... What gives? It might look like it’s been a long road, but my calling has always been education. Right from my young years, I never got pocket money from my parents. I earned it through giving tuitions. I spent free time helping educate children in slums. I’ve always felt that there are children from these backgrounds that study hard and do well in their SSC examinations. Then unfortunately they struggle in college and to get good jobs due to poor communication skills. That was something that stuck with me and affected me and I always wanted to change that. One fun tid bit about Safari Kid India for mums and dads? Well, it’s a fun learning system. We don’t drill concepts, but create a love for learning in your child, something that’s life long. What can be better than helping your child learn through fun? You are fairly young, how does it feel to start something as big as the first of many Safari Kid India pre-schools at such a young age? Yes, I was born in 1976 and I think I’m an idealist at heart. The music I listened to shaped me to some extent. I remember listening to Bob Dylan, GNR, and Deep Purple. I remember ‘Winds of Change’ by Scorpions, was one song that affected me,

as I saw change in my country and my city, but not necessarily change for the better. I wanted to work toward bringing change for the better, lots of love and respect for different ideas and views. So, Safari Kid India is a dream come true, as it helps bring those winds of change to children who will make a difference to the India of tomorrow. What are your future plans for Safari Kid India? India is a big country and we’ve already received lots of franchise requests. We are however looking for like-minded people who understand what we are trying to do and who are looking to bring quality education to India. So yes, big plans to grow, but only with people who share the same dream and are as passionate as us about the work we do. I love the name, Safari Kid, I love your by line – “a jungle of knowledge.” I’m so used to hearing names that ring academia. What’s the thought behind the name? When you go on a Safari, you don’t know what you might see. You don’t know what’s going to happen and you pretty much write your own story. We believe that children come to us looking for an adventure and not knowing what they might learn in the process. We believe that children are looking for a jungle of knowledge. Hence, the name. Since this is for Bandra Buzz, why did

you select Bandra for your first school? Bandra has a list of good schools that have been around for a long time and created a really good name for themselves. So yes, Bandra is the toughest place to be, really. Bandra is full of well-educated mums and dads who ask lots of questions and want to know details about their child’s education. I think actually it would be hardest to succeed in Bandra. So that’s part of the reason for selecting Bandra. The other part is that of course, it is very much in our brand image to be in Bandra. It’s an important suburb to be in. What system is your program based on? Montessori? IB? Waldorf? We follow the “Safari Kid” way. We’ve taken the best practices from leading international philosophies of education and integrated them to form our own program, which we believe optimizes the way children learn. We’ve taken the good from current systems or programs employed by schools today, and truly believe that our way suits children the best. We keep our class size small, not more than 16 children with 2 teachers in each class. The high student-teacher ratio is part of our philosophy and part of the Safari Kid way. Nalini Sørensen

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FEATURE

Bandra Buzz

The Bandra Gym – Simply the Best! Forging ahead at an incredible pace, to beat all the rest From humble beginnings in 1935, the Bandra Gymkhana still retains its ‘oldworld-charm’. While being the bastion of culture, sports, literature & talent – it is more importantly, one of the most convenient places where minds meet for forging futuristic views. Many-a-times these interactions materialize into awesome results. It is undoubtedly, the ideal social place in Bandra, for creating community connect – ‘one-on-one’. From 2004, the management’s dynamic expansion plans started to take shape. The years that followed, saw many modern & creative changes that took many (especially those who came back to Bandra, after many years) by surprise – a state-of-the-art swimming pool, restaurant, bar; along with a wide variety of upgraded sporting facilities. The ‘traditional feel’ has been tastefully maintained, creating an ambience that is truly unique. Its 75th Anniversary celebrations in 2010 highlighted the progress thru the years - culminating into a club that prides to be ‘simply the best’. To get some interesting insights, we spoke to some of the office bearers & trustees, who ‘run the show’. This is what they said: Cornel, what has been your greatest achievement during the recent past, in upgrading facilities of the Bandra Gym? Cornel Gonsalves: I (alone) have not upgraded anything – it has been the entire Managing Committee, that came forward and decided to move ahead – first with the tennis court lights, then - the dining room, the badminton hall, the table-tennis room, the swimming pool, the billiards room, including air-conditioning. These expansion plans are quantifiable – for all to see. Do you have any future plans? I would like this to be announced at our 77th AGM on Sunday, 29th Sept. 2013 Ajit, you’ve been one of the longest serving trustees of the Bandra Gym. Could you take us into the recent past – and about how it has been upgraded, step by step? Any plans, in your opinion, that should be implemented? Ajit Rodrigues: Well, the Bandra Gymkhana has been upgraded in steps, from its inception. It was founded in 1935, I’ve been an active trustee for the last 30 years. In the late 80’s, we did an

extension of the front porch – and later, a library & exercise room on the D’Monte Road end, where earlier we had a garden. In the mid 90’s, we had plans for further expansion, but it did not get done till 2003. In between, we improved the tennis courts lighting. However, all this has been done step by step. This Gymkhana primarily is for the members of the East Indian Community and the Salsette Catholic Housing Society. We do have associate members, but the growth of the Gymkhana was always in keeping with the needs of the community - and the type of facilities that could be afforded by the community. That’s why, probably, this club did not grow (initially) as fast as other clubs in the city.

Ajit, in comparison to other clubs, do you think the upgrading here has been fast enough? Here, we don’t look at upgrading in terms of physical facilities, We look at upgrading the general ambience of the club, while catering to what the community needs. We have to change. The thinking for change in the next fifty odd years – is in process. The actual implementation will be in step with our capacity and the growing needs of the community. Above all, we will keep the ambience intact – which we feel is unique, among most clubs. Roger, you’ve been a trustee for the past 3 – 4 years. Could we have your views on The Bandra Gym? Roger Pereira: Yes, I came in as a trustee after all the good work was done. But, I can tell you that 27 years ago, I was the

President of the Bandra Gymkhana. At that time, we started envisioning the future. But our one big problem was that we had no money – and quite honestly, we were not as united as we are today. Unfortunately, everyone had his own agenda, which was not in the interest of the Gymkhana. But, now – as Cornell said, our present managing committee works hard – and more importantly as a team. Now, this is something unique – and the reason why so much is happening. When I was President of the team

(27 years back), I used to often share with my team that the Catholic Gymkhana was there (raises his hand high); the Willingdon was there (raises his hand a bit lower or midway) and the Bandra Gymkhana was way down (his hand goes even lower than the table height). Nothing much had really happened, since it had started in 1935. Then, Willingdon Gym improved, Catholic Gym started going down – but Bandra Gymkhana stayed where it was. Now, for the last 6 – 7 years, the Bandra Gym is right on top: ‘Simply The Best’ – as we call it (raises his hand real high). The others are trying to catch up. In fact, I find it difficult to walk on Carter Promenade, as people stop & ask me, “Roger, when is the membership opening?” Now, that is something. I remember nearly 45 years ago,(when I used to live in Bandra)

September 2013

Otter’s Club was started by my friends; there were no takers for membership. They requested me to invite all my friends to become members of the Otter’s Club. Today, there are a lot of takers for Bandra Gym, but we don’t have the capacity. So, now we have to look at how we can improve, and go further - by raising the bar further; so that we can increase capacity, wherever possible. Roger, what is your vision for the Bandra Gym - in the year 2020? Our Vision Statement is summed up in three words: Simply The Best. And we really want to be first the best in Bandra, then in all of the suburbs – and then in all of the city. This will be tough, because we do not have the space like the Catholic or Willingdon Gymkhana or the CCI has – but, we’re getting there. To watch the interview at the Gymkhana Office, visit: www.bandrabuzz.com/bandra-gym.html The present Bandra Gymkhana Team of Office Bearers are: - Ladislaus Pereira – President of The Bandra Gymkhana - Cornel K. Gonsalves - Hon. Treasurer & Jt. Hon. Gen. Secretary - Leon Curzai – Hon. Gen. Secretary - Denita Gomes – Hon. Cultural, Literary & Senior Citizens’ Secretary - Naomi Fernandes – Hon. Social Secretary - Ryan D’Monte – Hon. F&B Secretary & Jt. Hon. Social Secretary - Leo Dharmai – Hon. Outdoor & Indoor Games Secretary Among their achievements in the recent past are: Draught Beer Application filed, expansion plans and continued maintenance, relief from BMC Shops & Establishment Act, Tennis Courts redone, Aadhar Card application facility, CCTV installed at main areas, etc. This ‘Super Seven’ team promises: implementation of solar energy conservation systems, bio-metric system of entry, to strive towards BMS approval for a Squash Court… and continuation of facilities, quality food, varied menus & schemes at reasonable prices. Those who are eligible should come and cast their precious vote at the elections on Sunday, 29th Sep 2013 (after the AGM) – so that we can have progress through teamwork. The approx. voting time is 11am to 12:30pm. With a strong and united team at the helm, The Bandra Gymkhana can continue to be ‘Simply The Best!’ Naresh F

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06 September 2013

CAMPUS

Bandra Buzz

CASE XYZ’ 13 – DETECTIVES WANTED!

The euphoria at St. Andrews College remained adamantine and overwhelmed, with media students coming from colleges across Mumbai for a good two days at the annual festival XYZ, hosted by students of the self-financed courses at St. Andrews College, Bandra. After having themes like The Vortex and The Ultimate Battleground, XYZ’ 13 decided to go on a trail of mystery and suspense with it’s theme “Detectives Wanted”. Every participating college was assigned a specific detective to go as it’s contingent. So it was quite a bedlam of enthusiasm with the likes of Sherlock Holmes, James Bond, Chacha Chaudhary, Detective L, Kate Beckett, ACP Pradyuman , Martin Mystery, James Carter, Karamchand Jasoos and many more, battling it out at various events to win the coveted XYZ trophy. The 19th of September, saw the turnout of a bunch of a massive, poignant, excited media students on the campus to kickstart first day of XYZ’13. The event schedule for the day had events under the literary, journalism and fine arts category. Also the flagship event of the fest, The Treasure hunt continued to enthrall the excitement and expectations of the participants. The street play event hoisted on the grounds, brought to light many a highly debated social issues to light, and the message being brilliantly executed. Also the radio and movie events brought to light the extraordinary fiesta of movies and acts by probably the upcoming jocks and moviemakers of the nation. Amongst the sport events, the day witnessed the basketball and football finals as well as the pretty innovative and complete fun telegames. The day having kick-started at around 8.30am with the registrations for the events which went on till 5pm in the evening, but the energy and excitement only getting better, and voices only going lower as each student was seen screeching slogans heralding their contingents and cheering their team members to glorious wins. The turnout was overwhelming and day 1 ended on an eventful note.

OLIO 2013 “We’ll see you for Olio 2014!” were the last words from Prof.-in-charge, Desiree Gonsalves, at the end of the event, just before the auditorium emptied out. And we will surely be there, because Olio 2013 blew us away with the bone-tickling fillers, the dances and the plays! It was definitely a “Royal Affair!” One of the most famous features of Olio every year is the fillers. And why wouldn’t it be, when you’ve got characters like Rajnikant, Sorpotel expert Bandra aunty and Stella from Byculla who really made us laugh out loud. Along with these characters’ crazy antics, the dances put up were not only professional, but also a lot of fun to watch. The stars of the show of course were the four selected plays based on the

20th September, the last and most highly anticipated day of XYZ saw students coming in larger numbers than day 1 and only with more zeal. It saw the different contingents battling it out in the auditorium in events like the Band, Dance and The fashion show. The auditorium was packed was bustling college goer’s cheering their contingents with elaborate posters, slogans and chants as one mesmerizing performance after another was staged throughout the day. Also, the special appearance by the most amazing singer Shaan made XYZ all the more exciting. The contingent of Chacha Chaudhary emerged deservingly as the winners of XYZ’13, taking home the trophy and the glory that came along. What started off as an idea several months back,

theme, “A Royal Affair”. These plays were put up by St. Andrew’s College, K.C. College, Pravin Gandhi Law College and Wilson College, all of which succeeded in capturing the audience, leaving them hanging on the every development onstage. There was a lot of breath holding moments and a lot of comedic moments all ending in loud well-deserved applause. The performers whether a part of the fillers or play; the dancers, singers and actors, all seemed to have achieved the aim of Olio which was to showcase new talent, develop appreciation for theatre and to overall entertain the crowd. We spoke to a few Bandra Buzz readers present in the audience and here’s what they had to say about the event,“This is the first time I’ve been for Olio and it was a great show. Great work & effort by the team. The fillers were hilarious & the plays were very interesting... it was Royal

now saw itself in the form of a brilliantly managed and executed fest. Thanks to the 100 and so volunteers and the makers of the fest, The core committee of The CP being Ornellius Saldahna, The VCP Jaunita Dsouza , The events head Keith Sequeira, The PR head Joel Thottan and of course the marketing head Sumit Shetty. It were the centralized efforts and chutzpah put in by the core that eventually led the torch of XYZ to only getting better and better. All said and done, XYZ lived upto the expectations of every student on campus and it’s delirium of pure bonding makes me can’t wait for next year already. Maria Shumusti Pic Courtesy: Tanvi Eliza Thomas

indeed!” Mark Gomes. “It was great. Got to see an amazing amount of talent and the Andrew’s Auditorium is one of the best platforms to showcase that talent.” Nicole D’souza “A very well laid out display of plays that were not only unique, but also powerful in terms of the acting and well balanced by the comic timing of the hosts.” Aaraddhye Manwati We approached a member of the Olio organising committee asking her about her experience. She said, “Olio 2013 was hectic! While everyone was awaiting this event, our team was busy running about preparing for it. We’ve got a great response and we’re happy about that. It was great fun, the show was a hit and if I had to, I would do it all over again.” And here they are, as declared by the judges; Mr. Prahlad Kakkar, Ms. Genelia D’souza and Ms. Erica D’souza.

The winners of Olio 2013:Best Play – K.C. College Best Runner Up – Wilson College Best Actor – Navaneeth Venkateshwar (K.C. College) Best Actress – Rhea Kotak (K.C. College) Best Runner Up Actor - David Lobo (St. Andrew’s College) Best Runner Up Actress – Anoud (Wilson College) Best Script – Keith Sequeira (St. Andrew’s College) Best Sound and Lights – Surel Ingle (K.C. College) Best Filler – Franklin Lewis (St. Andrew’s College) So, there you have it! Olio 2013 was a big success! If you missed it this year, be sure to catch it the next time around in September at none other than St. Andrew’s College! Tanishka D’lyma

CAMPUS

Bandra Buzz

September 2013

St. Elias High School, Chuim, completes 175 years in 2014 St. Elias School has its humble beginnings in the small village of Chuim in 1839 - where Portuguese, Music and the basics of the language was taught and functioned under the name of ‘Mount Mary Primary School’. It was then shifted to the present ‘Babulal Shop’. In 1914, it was shifted to present ‘Nirmala Niwas’ - and was known as St Elias High School. The foundation for the new building at 20th Road, Khar - was laid in 1963. Here it developed into a fullfledged High School. It’s time to celebrate and thank our Almighty Father, for showing us the way to carry out this tremendous task of educating children. Various plans have been drawn up and committees set up, to usher in the celebrations on 25th and 26th January 2014. We invite all our ex-students, well-wishers, benefactors, parishioners to come forward to render valuable assistance in the form of sponsors, donors, and help us to scale greater heights. St. Vincent De Paul Church, Chuim: Nestled in a corner of suburban Khar, St Vincent de Paul Church is the heartbeat of the locality. The parish church continues to reach out in service, to an ever-growing neighbourhood

with varied needs. St. Vincent de Paul completes 70 years. We have planned twin celebrations. A Vincentian Mela has been organized on 8th,9th, 10th November 2013. This event will be on a grand scale - and will be held on the school quadrangle and on the ground adjacent to our school. So get set and join the celebrations. Come on, friends put on thinking caps and dancing shoes - and get ready to celebrate this event to togetherness, which will bond people from all walks of life. Stalls are available on hire. As part of the Seventieth Anniversary Celebrations, the parish has planned ‘Carols 2013’ - a festival of Choral music on Sunday December 15th, 2013. This programme is open to all the parishes in & around Bandra Deanery.We trust and hope you will ensure that your parish will be represented at this event. The Carols will be sung in St Vincent de Paul Church after our 5.30pm evening Mass, i.e. at 6.30pm. Each group consisting of 25 members (maximum) may sing up to three choral pieces in English or any Indian Language. A memento will be presented to each group. The last date for entries is 25th November 2013. Steffi Dias

Career Guidance My brother is very fascinated with airplanes and wants to do Aeronautical engineering after his 12th Science from Maharashtra. But there are not many colleges giving this course. Can you suggest some colleges? – Mr. Glen D’sa To seek admission to Aeronautical or Aerospace Engineering, your brother will have to give entrance exams such as JEE-Main after his 12th Science with PCM. I would advice to take Mechanical or Electronics Engineering for his Bachelors degree; and then if interested go for Aerospace or Aeronautical Engineering for his Masters degree. It is always recommended to do a core course in graduation and a specialization courses in post graduation. You can get the list of colleges from AICTE website.

Remember, fascination for airplanes does not mean your brother will perform well in the course. Please consult a career counsellor and confirm if engineering is right option for your brother. I want to give UPSC Exams and pursue civil services. But my GK is very poor. Can I still pursue civil services? – Mr. Rajeev Kapoor Poor GK should not be the reason to drop out form civil services preparation. You need to put extra effort in improving your GK. Start reading the basics from various NCERT books, newspapers, and magazines. Also, solve previous years question papers. My son is in 12th Science with PCB. He likes biology, but is not interested to pursue medicine and surgery. Can you help us with other options where he can study biology as a career? – Mr. F. D’Mello

Other than medicine one can get into para medicine fields such as Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy, Speech Therapy, Nursing, Pharmacy, Medical Laboratory Technology and Optometry. He may also look at options of such as biotechnology, biochemistry, genetics, microbiology, botany, life sciences and forensic sciences courses. Answers queries of students and parents on wide range of career and education topics.

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08 September 2013

IN FOCUS

Bandra Buzz

One-on-one with Bandra's Star, literally With the city of Mumbai being known as the ‘City of Dreams’, you would expect a lot of dreamers. And when those dreams do come true, it’s the most fulfilling feeling. Here’s a one-on-one exclusive interview, by Bandra Buzz with India’s youngest Opera singer as well as my former classmate, Tara Sutaria. How did you start your journey in the world of music? I've been exposed to music since I was 5, as my twin sister and I accompanied our mum to her choir practices. That is also when I started learning classical ballet. I soon started singing with the "Glee-Hive" choir and later joined the "Stop Gaps Junior Ensemble". I first sang as a soloist at the NCPA when I was 7, opening "The Festival of Festive Music". It’s been a thoroughly satisfying journey right from the start. What has been your biggest achievement yet? I think having sung for and worked with true artistes and musicians that are inspiring, like the legendary Louis Banks, Karla Singh, Marie Paul, Merlin, Joe Alvares, Alfred D' Souza, Indrajit Sharma (Tubby), Tony Lakatos, Mikey Mc Cleary among others, would be at the top of my list. What are your plans for the future? To continue making music and to explore what the world has to offer in the way of the performing arts-and-bridging the world with song remains a constant dream and ambition. What or who has been your strength and support through this process? Definitely my family. They're my biggest strength and support system. They’ve re-

ally been there with me through it all, especially my mum. I'm also humbled to have a lot of people who love and cherish me, admire what I do, and when I see them happy after every performance, it really makes me smile. Knowing what I do makes a difference to people, really gets me through rough patches! What is the biggest hardship you have faced by far? I wouldn’t really call it a hardship, as I’ve done it of my own accord. Ever since I started singing professionally over 10 years ago, I've given up a lot of wonderful things. So I ensure not to eat or drink foods that are artificially coloured, cold, deep fried, chocolaty, or citrus based. That practically rules out everything yummy. I have disciplined myself now and am used

to living without these so it doesn’t bother me very much anymore. I live for the feeling of being out there, on stage, when the lights come on and the music plays ----nothing else matters after that! How was it to be the main lead in a musical as legendary as ‘Grease’? ‘Grease’ has been a journey within, for me. I have discovered facets to my personality, I didn’t know existed. Rehearsing for a year has been long, fun, tiring, but wonderful. Playing ‘Sandy’ has been quite a dream really, because I'm probably one of the biggest Grease fan myself, having watched the film over 23 times before I got offered the part! There's a lot of pressure to play Sandra Dee because Olivia Newton John had made it iconic in the film. But we've all

worked very hard and have had a ball performing and can’t wait for another run of the musical to experience that euphoria and rush of adrenalin again. Is there anything else you would like me to add? Any message you’ve got to give out? I’d like to add here that Mumbai has such a lot of talent and so much opportunity. Why then are we doing such few musicals? I would also like to tell everyone to follow their dreams, work hard and the world will be theirs! Anjan Sachar If you know of someone from your area who is at the top of their game, send us an email on news.bandrabuzz@gmail.com

YOUR HANDWRITING TELLS A LOT ABOUT YOU Our handwriting plays an even more important role in our lives than we think. Many aspects of our lives are based on how we write and we are judged by others according to our handwriting. Penning words legibly can sometimes mean the difference between passing an exam or a job interview. Rich handwriting is an initiative by Priti Pereira, a resident from Ranwar. It is a franchise of Mastermind Tutorials. The courses offered here use tried and tested scientific methods which guarantee to improve your child's handwriting in 7 days. The center also caters to adults who wish to gain the extra edge in the craft of writing. The course is for an hour a day for 7 days. It promises to improve your English and Hindi script with special emphasis given to your pace of writing. They also help children who have Dysgraphia, a rare handwriting disorder. Priti says that writing is a hand and mind coordination game which once mastered can yield spectacular results in our lives. Analysis is done on sitting postures, elbow positions, angle of the book and letter formation based on these analysis, mistakes are rectified and various methods such as the air brush technique are used to help you improve. Special classes are offered for children during school vacations. Unique and personal attention is given to every individ-

ual to enhance their writing skills at a pace comfortable to them. In our schools, hand holding is not practiced in terms of handwriting improvement which results in poor writing skills. Parents have an exam-based thinking and writing skills are neglected. The importance of writing legibly and with the right pace cannot be stressed more as in an exam paper our handwriting is our first impression. Graphology the science of handwriting analysis helps us understand how our personality is reflected in our handwriting. If such is the case then what we write and how we write it assumes greater importance than we previously thought. Parents who have sent their children for the handwriting improvement classes have not regretted their decision and have offered positive feedbacks like “My family is truly amazed at the beautiful handwriting my

son has achieved” “ My son has improved to a very large extent and it has given him a great boost and encouragement to take part in competitions”. A national level writing competition called the Handwriting Olympiad will be held at Rich Handwriting. The competition is open for all students from class 2 to 12. There are big prizes to be won and a world of experience to be gained. Priti also conducts English conversational classes for one parent and child. This she says helps parents with limited or no knowledge of the English language to speak to their children, teachers and understand what is spoken during parent teacher meetings. All those interested please contact Priti: 8691999668/26436138 or richhandwriting@gmail.com Sairaj Borkar & Pic Courtesy: Nelvin John

CELEBRITY

Bandra Buzz

September 2013

Journey of a star: Shehzad Khan What made you choose your career as an actor? My father (Ajit Khan) was an actor. Halwai ka beta halwai hi banta hai. Your father being an actor, did you go through a struggling period in your life? Of course, it wasn’t easy. When you father is a legend, it becomes even more difficult, as the expectations are higher. How did you bag your first film? My first film was with Aamir Khan. I heard Nasir sahab was starting a new film. So one day I went up to him and asked him to let me know if there was a role for me. 7 months later I got a call and that’s how I bagged my first film ‘Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak’. This year we celebrated 25 years of the film. At your first experience before the camera, were you nervous at all or did it naturally come to you? I have actually seen my father acting a lot. I used to go on sets and see the shooting. Infact it was Dev Sahab’s film Jaaneman. We were shooting in Mehboob studios. So around the sets one day instead of going to my fathers makeup room, I went to Dev Sahab’s makeup room. There in front of the mirror I was trying some of my fathers lines, and all those things that he does. I didn’t know that Dev Sahab was watching

from behind, so he came to me and said “Hey young man who are you and what are you doing in my room’’. I said, “I am Ajit Sahab’s son and this is my fathers room’’, he said no your fathers room is the next room come let me take you there. He took me to my fathers room and told my father “ye bada hoke actor hi banega’’. I was lucky enough to work with Dev Sahab in his last film Chargesheet. The movie featured myself, Naseeruddin Shah, Jackie Shroff and Dev Anand.

away by success. Always be like a tortoise, because your alone at the top and success is very temporary. It’s always good to be slow and steady and be on the ground. Have you worked in both movies & TV? The T.V. industry wanted me. The series that I have done like Shaka Laka Boom Boom were hugh successes. I have been very lucky. I am a very different kind of person - I run behind quality rather than quantity.

Andaz Apna Apna was a classic comedy. How was your experience working with actors like Aamir & Salman? Salman and others, we have grown up together. We are like ‘chaddi buddies’. We used to go to Bandstand and hangout together back in the old days. I remember we used to meet near Mannat, Salman, Rohit, Rafiq & I. We all had a gang. They were not stars back then, now they are super duper stars. I am very happy for my friends.

What kind of qualities do you think an actor must have? Patience, patience and patience and hard work, no short cuts. Short cuts many times will back fire.

For the public, an actors life looks glamorous. Is it really like that? Have you felt like that being an actor since such a long time? I am born in this industry. The blood that runs through my body is the result of the hard earned money of my father. But a very necessary thing that an actor must keep in mind is that never to get carried

What would you like to share with our readers? What’s new in your life these days? Well these days my wife (Shabnam) & son (Faris) have started a Spa called ‘Body Beautiful’ in Bandra. We have Akram who is a very talented famous hair stylist, Then there is Aditya and few other people. We have professional masseurs.

Any advice for aspiring actors? Yes of course. I would like to tell them rather than your body, concentrate on your acting.

We have all the facilities as all the big spas. It’s my wife’s baby and I am here to support it. Big Bollywood stars come here. Of course the rates are reasonable, from a common man to an Ambani are most welcome here. Other than that, I am producing a new film called 'Funda Apna Apna' with Arshad Warsi, Jackie Shroff, Johnny Lever, Sunil Shetty and it’s going to be released in ’14. So am looking forward to it. Do you plan to retire one day or will you continue working till you can? Dev Sahab has been my inspiration. He worked till his last day. so I think I will continue working in this industry till I die. Sairaj Borkar

10 September 2013

SPORT

Bandra Buzz

Riding off towards glory! Desmond Miranda is a name which is synonymous with cycling for most Bandraites. The lanky 24 year old, an exalumni of St. Stanislaus School, lives and breathes the sport of cycling. Though he excelled in school level athletics, cycling was something which he picked up rather late, during his high school days. Desmond, who also customises bikes as per customers budget, has a slew of cycling trophies to his credit, which may give any competitive athlete a big complex! Considering that you were quite brilliant in athletics, how and when did you take up cycling seriously? Though I excelled in events like the 1000m sprint and the 500m relay races during my school days, it was not until the age of 18, that I could think of taking up cycling as a full fledged profession. Any specific reasons for switching over to cycling? Yes. My grandfather, who was a former endurance cyclist, inspired me to take up cycling seriously, which I initially only considered as a passion along with athletics. A word on your daily training schedule? My daily training involves cycling a 90km stretch from Bandra to Mulund and back, a four hour long schedule which I have

followed since the age of 18. This has helped me turn into a professional cyclist over the years. Your take on the scope of cycling in India? Cycling as a sport is just beginning to grow in India, so it can be considered as a developing sport. So, what needs to be done to ensure that cycling attains a mainstream sport status in India? The first and foremost thing that needs to be done is to organize more cycling tournaments at the grassroot level, a system

My daily training involves cycling a 90km stretch from Bandra to Mulund and back, a four hour long schedule which I have followed since the age of 18. This has helped me turn into a professional cyclist over the years.

both the Road and Dirt Race categories, 2nd place in Pune district level, 2nd place in Bombay district level at Bandra-Kurla Complex , 1st place in New Bombay district level Vashi - Khopoli - Vashi, 1st place in MTB category Bombay district level, 1st place in XC MTB category at the Bangalore Bi-Cycle championship.

which has produced excellent results in countries like the United States. The much needed funding for setting up such a system can be achieved from local political bodies, despite the lack of sponsors for cycling as a whole in India.

Your favourite cycling moment? My favourite cycling moment is definitely winning ‘Vashi-Khopoli’, since I won despite riding on with an injured thigh and also won the ‘Most Hardworking Cyclist’ award in that event! That was the most memorable 115kms of my life.

What major tournaments have you won in your cycling career? I have won 7 BMX races. 1st place in all

Which international cyclist inspires you?

I love watching Alberto Contado of Spain in action. as he inspires me with his never -say-die attitude. Do you dream of participating in international level tournaments? Yes, my dream is to win an international level BMX dirt race event and also make it a national level recognized sport in India. And... last but not the least, what is your advice to budding cyclists? My advice to anyone who intends to take up cycling seriously. would be to train hard, have fun and enjoy! Vineet Varma Pic Courtesy: Nelvin John

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LIFESTYLE

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September 2013

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12 September 2013

Bandra Buzz

Letters to the Editor

sist it be righted immediately and never ever repeated again under any guise whatsoever. Denzil Rego

CONVICTED POLITICIANS Dear Priya Dutt, we have elected you as our representative in Parliament. Please let us know your stand on the Supreme Court judgement on banning MPs, MLAs and others, who have been convicted of heinous crimes; with jail terms of two years or more, from contesting elections or continuing as MPs or MLAs. Look forward to your immediate response. +91 9820094125 Felix A Fernandes

For once our like minded Catholic Community have joined hands - and demonstrated what Peoples Power can do. Enough is Enough - No More testing the patience of the community. For the first time something is achieved without one running to our Elected representatives, who only capitalise on an issue for want of Vote Bank Policy. It is also a Big Body blow to Ms Lillian Pais, who being a Catholic, protests against the Bandra Fair & files PILs. A girl of her age should be working in a good reputed company - rather than filing vestiges & litigations against her own Community. By now, every body knows who is funding her. She is having connections with high Profile Politicians, as is seen by posing with them in photographs. We have to thank our activist groups: Watchdog Foundation, Wake up Bandra, CROSS, Mobai Gaothan Panchayat, Perry Rd Resident's Association, Save Our Land [SOUL], etc. - for getting together to put up a brave front. This was a battle won, before it ever began. Finally, we have to thank BANDRA BUZZ for doing this excellent video coverage – for all to see. Leslie Almeida

MINORITY GRANTS The proposal by CM Prithviraj Chavan, to modernise 1889 madrasas in the state, with an initial outlay of Rs 10 crore - is laudable & to be congratulated. We hope this largesse extends to other minority institutions, as well. There are a number of Christian orphanages, in urgent need of funds, for the welfare of their students. Dr. Peter Rodrigues CEMENT ROAD ISSUE A bus stop was made by the BMC at the Bandstand end of Cement Road, years before any actor came to stay there – to let pilgrims and fair-goers alight and go up. These specially made cement steps, eased the climb, leading to the church entrance. This road was church property that the BMC acquired. Now, with it shut, the number of people visiting the church, fair and the stalls has dropped; as senior citizens find the climb along Kane Road and Mount Mary Road steep. The result is that the Bandra Fair is being killed softly. Adv. Shane Cardoz Sadly times have changed. There are CCTV cameras everywhere due to terrorist activity - and so it is practical for the police to define entrance and exit routes for the safety of all. Pressurizing authorities to open more entrance routes than exit routes is indeed questionable in the present situation of terror threats. Are we stuck in the past? Besides the queue of devotees for offerings and worship starts at Mehboob Studio - Cement road leads to the top of the queue - how fair is it to the people who stood in queue! Has anyone been to the fair on Mt Mary steps... there are 8 FIRE EXITS marked to dead lock plots, locked gates, bushes... etc. All death traps! Innocent people visiting could loose their lives if there is any mishap.... I think public support should be got for such exit routes! There are stalls that came up on Cement Rd, after it had been opened. Groups who are all, not local residents recently forced Mumbai Police to open Cement Rd during the fair, claiming it had been closed due to pressure from SRK, who was not even in Mumbai - while on the other hand on Mt Mary steps there were 8 fire exits marked, which in reality are death traps(you can go check them even today) - then why have these groups not pressured Mumbai Police / BMC / Mumbai Fire Brigade to regulate these fire exits, when lakhs of people converge on church property to enjoy the fair. Their intent to open roads is questionable.

I had previously sent you documents and a few home truths about the CROSS organization - please re read what I mailed you. It is clear that protection money is received by such parties and they have interests in opening new roads to conduct their own auction of stalls. Alternately, sewage from Mt Mary Basilica is coming into Ashiana Bldg... why don't you report such ground realities about the fair... or is it a religious issue, because sewage is from the Basilica! Contact me on 9920663748 - and you can check the sewage problem. As you can see if the Bandra Fair is 300 years, so is the drainage system - and residents are paying the price, due to the topography of the hillock. Why don’t they take up such valid causes? If you attend civic meetings, you will know that SRK is Anil Josephs pet peeve. In 2011 - Anil Joseph had made the same request at the public meeting for Bandra Fair- 90 percent who attended that meeting were not from the locality - just loud voices that like publicity. At that meeting, when he proposed opening of road, the Sr. Insp. Bandra Police station - Mr. Samad Sheikh told Anil that he would give him 10 Eagle Brigade T-Shirts - and he and his friends could volunteer on Mt Mary Rd. Then, he could decide which roads should and should not be opened for the fair. At that time Anil bowed out of the issue. Seeing he could not get his way with the Sr. Police Inspector Mr Sheikh, he had to import the Watchdog Foundation - to get numbers. It is important to differentiate between irregularities on public road / in SRK's private property and the Bandra fair entry and exit routes. The issues cannot be mixed, if you want a solution. How different was this agitation from what a political party does - both use religion to get their way. Please report fairly at all times! Lillian Pais Lillian Pais is an outsider to Bandra – recently migrated here. She has no knowledge about the locals of the areas around the Mount. She only confides with people of other communities – and is not happy about the success of her own community. She is more concerned about Shahruk Khan being out of town. Is she an official spokesperson for the actor or the current government? A particular party is making proper use of her to work against all Catholic groups who love Bandra. In fact, the Bandra Fair Draft Policy was framed in her presence. Why? At that time, she never asked the authorities to regulate the fire exits (which she now claims is a death trap), so her intentions are very much questionable. CROSS Organization It is ridiculous that we accept this farcical ruse to harass hapless pilgrims. Isn't it the duty of the powers that be, to ensure that Bandra plays a gracious host to its guests, who are devotees of Our Lady of the Mount; instead of playing to the whims of vested interests? HELM & St John the Baptist Road ALM strongly condemn this atrocious closure of a traditional convenience and in-

BANDRA FAIR Through your newspaper, I would like to ask the ALM and Lillian Pais; what benefit do you all get by making poor families starve and not letting their children receive education? Remember this fact through the business generated at the Bandra Fair, Our Lady of the Mount blesses the poor with food for a year and the children with education money for a year. So do you think that what you are doing is a good or bad deed? I know that poor stall owners of the Bandra Fair and hawkers at John Baptist & Rebello Road are your bread ‘n’ butter at this time; because if you and your group talk about Nargis Dutt Nagar, Bandra Station, Linking Road and Badi

EDITORIAL Masjid, you will not receive your bread ‘n’ butter - and the support that your political party provides you. I pray to Mother Mary, that she blesses you, your children and family with food and proper education through out the year - it does not matter if we starve, or our children don’t receive education. Dinesh Shelar A PLACE TO WORSHIP NOT TO VOTE I am a senior citizen, who has been an activist in Bandra for almost half a century. Unfortunately, health does not permit me to be as physically active as I used to be. However, I receive innumerable complaints on the phone, which I forward or take up with the concerned people. Over the last couple of days, I have received calls regarding the visit of politicians to Mount Mary Basilica; during the days of the Bandra Fair. Mr. Rajnath Singh, BJP President; along with other party leaders, paid a visit to the Basilica of Our Lady of the Mount. We welcomed him, like we welcome people of different faiths. What was upsetting was that he was accompanied by a motorcade of 23 cars – which held up the movement of traffic. The long line of devotees, many of whom were senior citizens, had to patiently walk up after waiting for around 15 minutes, till the politician’s church visit was over. Bringing guns into a peaceful place of worship is unacceptable. If you believe in Our Lady, then visit & pray to her like other devotees. With the large crowd present, what would have happened, if there had been a violent attack? Which makes one think – do our public servants care for the safety of the common man (the aam aadmi), or are they only interested in impressing their potential vote bank, in view of the coming elections? Sybil Sequeira CROSSWORD PUZZLE #1: Please note all winners and answers will be published in the October issue.

FESTIVE FERVOUR Dear Readers, Mid September has most of us all ‘busy’ – planning for the festive season ahead. Shopping gets a new beginning, with new product launches going into overdrive. The receding monsoon gives way to let us enjoy the great outdoors. The ‘lungs’ of our superb suburb – the Reclamation, Bandstand & Carter Promenades, have an increased footfall rate. Bandra is back to her ‘happening’ mode. On a more serious note, this issue covers a format for protesting against the steep rise in ‘BMC Property Tax’. BandraBuzz is keeping you updated, so that your tax payment will not automatically imply your approval of the new system. Please download the format from: www.bandrabuzz.com/new-bmctax-protest-payment.html - fill it and attach with your tax cheque. Do get an acknowledgement of the BMC receiving the protest (Xerox copy: stamped & signed). If done correctly, this will safe-

guard your interest in the future. As the Bandra Fair ends, we have another spell of festivities – Ganpati immersions, that makes our streets come alive with joyous activity. And then… pre-plans for major festivals and events that will impact our lives. Festive fervor is filling our minds. AGM time is on us. Clubs, associations and institutions have their presentations all set to woo their vote bank, at local elections. Now-a-days there is a lot of ‘power play’ in action – for all to see. It is important to note how ‘extra good’, people can be to you at this time of the year. The good thing about this is that, in the bargain, a lot of good gets done. Regards, Merck D’Silva Editor-in-Chief 98207 83616

TAKE-A-BREAK

Bandra Diaries Sitting at dinner the other night, I happened to hear a couple on the next table get into a heated argument. Suddenly unaware of their surroundings, their fight became more personal and caught the attention of almost all other tables. With the drama of one walking out and the other following, eventually they were cuddling and we all returned to our conversations. And then I thought, were they embarrassed by publicly discussing their private issue, or as outsiders should we have turned a blind ear and focussed on the table that we were on? But eventually I realized, hearing them fight somewhere deep inside we got a sadistic pleasure in the fact that we are not the only ones with problems, there are others who have issues too. And just how they would have resolved their issues, ours would too. And to think about it, how vocal are we about how we feel. Yes, the time and the place were wrong, they could have been more discrete or maybe just gone straight back home and fought within the four walls of their home; but they were free, they were themselves, they took the opportunity to speak their mind at the time of the dispute and resolved it immediately. How often do we take that stand, more often than not it plays in our mind for days, months maybe; till we can’t take it anymore so we either explode or just walk out. And today, when we’re just getting used to accepting public display of affection, are we ready to accept public display of disagreement? Catching the argument from midway, none of them could really figure out what the reason was, but from those candid words it led us to believe it was based on a lie. He had two options, either entangling himself in the web of lies, or just accepting it. Defeat in this scenario is actually a victory. The defeat of an ego and the victory of a relationship. And just the bow of his head, she knew he accepted it and she embraced him, accepted his flaws and the thread of their bond just got stronger. Who doesn’t have skeletons hidden in their closet? All of us do, things that we fear, habits that we’re embarrassed of, a past that scares us. And slowly, one limb at a time - when the skeletons start walking out of the closet, it’s a burden lifted off our chest. We fear ourselves the most. We pick up things from people around us and force it into our being and try to create a distorted imagery of people that doesn’t reflect our true self. Happiest are those people who are content in their skin, accept their flaws and what they are, indoors and outside. And I do believe that they embarrassed themselves more than they achieved anything by fighting in public. But at least with each other they were themselves. And that’s what matters. They will probably never meet me or anyone else in that restaurant every again, but they will face each other every day, and they would rather do that happily. Bharat Gupta

Noreens Bridal Studio is once again having her bridal accessories exhibition cum sale on 5/6th October from 11am till 8pm, also first communion dresses and decoration items. At 10 Church Avenue, 1st floor,Santa Cruz (West), Mumbai 400 054, near Khar Subway Call 9820299299 or 26495508

Bandra Buzz

September 2013

Is Starvation Mode Dangerous Till now starvation was the easiest and most preferred way to lose weight for most people but not after you read further. Very often we fast or starve ourselves and we do lose weight as expected but gradually the weight loss slows down and you reach a plateau, where your weight doesn’t budge no matter what you do. And every morsel of food you eat causes your weight to go up again. Yes, you are a perfect example of ‘Starvation Mode’ victim. Our body is designed perfectly to protect it from all the harm. Starvation mode is the body’s natural response as a defense against starvation (when you do not give it enough food for a long period of time). In that case your body becomes super efficient in making proper use of each and every calorie it gets from food and drink. It stores most of the calories as fat and breaks down the muscle mass to provide constant energy for daily activities and to fuel the vital organs like brain and heart as long as possible. The loss of muscle mass slows down the metabolism which in turn slows down the weight loss process. Your metabolism gets progressively slower with each day you remain on a starvation diet. This resultant slower metabolism needs less fuel, so you consistently have to eat less and less to lose weight. As your metabolism slows down even further and your lean muscle mass reduces, you will also find that you become more and more tired. This in turn means you will get less exercise, which leaves you with less lean muscle, and an even slower metabolism. It really is a vicious cycle. How to prevent this? There is no one size fits all rule to lose weight. The total caloric requirement depends on various factors like age, gender, activity, height, weight etc. So we cannot jump up to common caloric intake conclusions for everyone. The best way to avoid getting into the starvation mode and yet losing weight is to consume 300-500 calories lesser than your daily caloric requirement. This will provide your body with enough fuel to keep it going comfortably, but will still create a sufficient caloric deficit to ensure that you lose weight. To protect your metabolism even further, make sure your diet contains enough protein ie 1gm/ kg body weight and regular resistance exercise like weight lifting, body weight exercises like squats, lunges, push ups, pull ups etc. You can get your proteins from eggs, chicken, fish, sprouts, low fat paneer, curds, milk, soya, tofu etc. Also prevent excess fat intake through direct sources like ghee, butter, oils, margarine and indirect sources like bakery foods, ready to eat packets, diet foods which have hidden fat in them. By now you may have figured out that a starvation diet may help you lose weight quite fast in but in the long run, you will have to pay a heavy price, because you are setting yourself up for a lifetime of weight problems. So eat well, exercise, boost your metabolism, lose weight and maintain it for good. Neha Chandna(Ranglani) Dietician and Nutrition Educator 9820568295 | chandnaneha@hotmail.com

Advertising your business with Bandra Buzz helps you reach 20,000 plus readers across Bandra, Khar & other surburbs via newsstands, gymkhanas, coffee shops, schools, colleges, libraries, events, etc. 9820783686 | 9920299787 advertise.bandrabuzz@gmail.com

An exciting new food quiz to test your Cordon Bleu Credentials. So take the challenge and prove that you know your pizza from your curry! Q. Who is the Patron Saint of Pastry? Q. What type of beef is wrapped in a Beef Wellington? Q. What was Margarine called when it was first marketed in England? Q. Where did Paella originate? RULES: To enter the food quiz challenge, cut on the dotted line and post your entries to: Bandra Buzz 401 ANICA, 28 St. Paul's Road, Opp. Laxmichand General Stores, Bandra, Mumbai 400 050. Only all correct entries will be considered for the prize. If there are more than one correct entry, then a draw will determine the winner. The Editor's decision is final and binding on the food quiz challenge. The winner gets a gift pack.

14 September 2013

SHRADDHA SABURI TUTORIAL

Congratulations to our SSC students!

(S.S. Tutorials)

AGGREGATE PERCENTAGE

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Admissions started for FYJC (Science)

Vol. IV Issue 9 > R.N.I. No. : MAHENG/8-10-2010/12646 Editor: Merck Dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Silva > Printed & Published by Creative Concepts, 401 Anica, 28 St. Paul Road, Near Bandra Gymkhana, Bandra (W), Mumbai - 400 050. Printed at Marwah Estate, Saki Vihar Road, Mumbai - 400 072

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KICKBOXING CLASSES Amit Lalwanis Kickboxing & Muaythai sessions at Bandra (W), Sion (E), Santacruz (W), Charni road. For more info call 98690 36872 / 65025094.

LOCAL TUTIONS English Tutions in Bandra. Conversational English for Housewives. For students of Class 7 and above. Call: 9820947130 or 9920219038 A home tuition initiative 3yr and 2yr integrated course at home. Class X, XI, XII JEE (Main and advanced), ISEET, Complete comprehensive coaching at home. Call 9322159108 Private/Group/Home Tutions for all subjects upto std X. SSC, CBSE, ICSE by highly qualified and experienced TEACHERS in Bandra, Khar, Santacruz. Also CHEMISTRY for XI and XII NEET and JEE. Contact 9819369222/ 9820959886 S.S. Tutorials. Class for Science Arts 8th / 9th / S.S.C. / F.Y.J.C. / H.S.C. Waroda Road, behind St. Stansilaus High School, Bandra (w) Mumbai 400050.

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September 2013

Contact: Sir Santosh 98211 21982, Sir Cyril 98218 59580. Email: schaurasi@gmail.com

MOVING RESIDENCE For sale furniture, glass table, computer table, electronic gadgets, cupboards. Also required 2BHK for lease in Bandra. Call: 9920759586. Mornings/Evenings

REPAIRS & SERVICES Three Star Repairs, Service, Installation, Buying, Selling of A/C & Fridge. Contact: George 99309 51611. Chuim Khar (W). Repairs: Washing Machine, Gas Stove, Microwave, Fridge, & A.C. Contact: Ramesh 98923 87330. Bharat Service Centre, Pali Naka. 24 hrs Home, Sales & Service (Bandra only) Gas Stoves, Hobs, Table Tops & Chimneys. Contact: Mahendra Sales Shiv Asthan, Shop No. 7, Plot No. 31, 16th road, near Shiv Sagar, Bandra (w). Contact: Amrut 93234 31633 / 26486525 Refrigerators / Air Conditioners / Splits / Frost Free Refrigerators / Indian / Imported. Guaranteed Repairs / Installations / AMC - FRIZARE, 30th Road, Bansari Apartments, opp. H2O, Pali Naka, Bandra (W) 98201 97439 / 6544903

USED CARS Best price for used cars spot finalization, any make/model/registration/condition. Contact: Zuber - 98200 30777. SMS imore 1209910 to 5667755

Mumbai BJP Chief Adv. Ashish Shelar MLC

All India BJP Chief Rajnath Singh

conveys their best regards to all the people of

Bandra - Khar - Santacruz

For exclusive content on Adv. Ashish Shelar, visit: www.bandrabuzz.com/ashish-shelar.html