Mumbai Diary: Friday Dossier

A sitting contradiction: Despite rising cases, this unmasked shopper and his ‘lazy but crazy’ tee make quite the statement at a store in Mulund West. Pic/Sameer Markande

Art to inspire

A 16-ft wall near the police quarters at CBD Belapur is now a colourful symbol of the feminine power of nature, not only because of the thematic graffiti it sports, but also because its creators include young girls who dream of being future cops. Artist Avantika Mathur who initiated the wall art as part of the Ladies First Street Art Festival, shared she's glad that the artwork is protected by future policewomen. "It was inspiring to have these local girls paint with me. It gave me an insight into why they want to become cops - to make the world a safer place for women." More power to them.

Indra's story in her own words

Former CEO of PepsiCo, Indra Nooyi needs no introduction. The trailblazing leader, who stepped down from her post in 2018, currently serves on the boards of Amazon and the International Cricket Council. Born in Chennai, Nooyi has earned numerous accolades for her leadership style. And now, she is sharing insights into her luminous career in her much-anticipated tell-all titled My Life in Full: Work, Family and Our Future (Hachette India ). It will also disclose her views about blending work and family and supporting women in leadership. Nooyi shared, "I saw how my own story relates to our evolving global economy and how it may inform our progress on better integrating work and family... I hope this book inspires business leaders, policymakers, and all women and men passionate about easing the work-and-family burden to come together and create change." The book releases on September 28.

Global stage for desi artistes

Independent artistes across genres have been making their presence felt in music festivals abroad. That trend will continue today when Mumbai musicians Josh Fernandez aka JBabe and Ambika Nayak aka Kayan play a set each at SXSW, one of the biggest festivals in the US, which is being held online this year. They will perform as part of a showcase being put together by Third Culture, a city-based music firm. The fest also features two other Indian names - Rounak Maiti from Mumbai and Chennai-based alt-rockers The F16s. Speaking about the experience, Nayak shared, "SXSW has always been a festival I've wanted to attend and of course play at; the diversity that comes through is totally exciting and it's thrilling to be a part of that." Fernandez added, "This festival is like the Olympics of independent music, so my heart is filled with gratitude to be able to represent my country."

A cool story

Bombay was a cool place to be in the mid-19th century. The Bombay Ice House, as it was known, was located in Fort between the Scottish Church and Hornby House. Its story will be explored in depth this evening by Dr Jenny Rose, an expert in Zoroastrian Studies. The talk, she said, "will consider the background to the ice trade from Boston to Bombay, and the commercial and cultural exchanges that accompanied it." Visit @localbombay on Instagram to register.

Of mermaids and fisherwomen

The profession of fishing has fascinated artists and art enthusiasts over the years. With his new exhibition that opens on March 23 at Jehangir Art Gallery in Kala Ghoda, artist Santosh Kumar Sahni is offering more art for rumination. Sahni, who hails from the Mallah fishing community of Darbhanga, Bihar, is putting up his first exhibition of paintings that depict fishermen through socio-economic and socio-cultural lenses. "My muses are the mermaid and the fisherwoman. The boat and fishing net play an integral role in our daily lives," he said.