As most of us know him for his stellar performances on the zonal stage and the Bombay stage, Bandra’s very own Leandro D’Sylva has done Bandra proud yet again. This over achiever is an MBA from N.M.I.M.S. and an MDP from The Indian Institute of Manage- ment (IIM Ahmedabad) and now has recently got into Harvard University, one of the most prestigious universi- ties in the world for a PDP in Ad- vanced Executive Communications which has always been his dream. As humble as he truly is, he owes a lot of his success to his parents Win- ston and Wendy D’Sylva. I caught up with Leandro and here’s what he had to say: What made you apply to Harvard? Well, it’s always been a dream for me to get into a top Ivy-League University. What was your reaction when you first received the letter from Har- vard? I was ecstatic because I couldn’t believe the fact that in my very first attempt I got in and now I am a step closer to achieving my dream. How difficult is it to get into a top prestigious university like Harvard? It’s actually very difficult because Har- vard boasts about its finest students which include 8 US Presidents, Noble Laureates and other big names. So it’s a huge honor for me to study in this very same University. What have been your past achieve- ments? I topped my MBA in Industrial Psy- chology and also won a lot of awards in Theater. People who have helped you achieve this dream? Yes, there have been many people. From the educational side, Dr.Marie Fernandes and Prof. Lorna Barrett who were major influences in my life. From the theatrical perspective, Carl Mendes and Etienne Coutinho and from a com- municative aspect, Muriel Carvalho, Betty Vincent, Partap Sharma and Roger Pereira. Who has been your biggest inspira- tion? First of all, I thank my parents for the upbringing and values. They have thought me 2 most important charac- teristics which is honesty and humil- ity. Secondly 2 very important people I admire are Peggy Noonan and Jon Favreau, leaders in executive commu- nication. They were President Roland Reagan and Barrack Obama’s Director of Executive Communication respec- tively. Dujon Fernandes Pic Courtesy: Olav Rodrigues CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 >> Bandra’s top entertainer gets into Harvard’s February 2013 | Vol. IV Issue 2 | Published Monthly | To Advertise: 9820783686 www.issuu.com/bandrabuzz | [email protected] | 16 pages | Price: `2 creating community connect BandraBuzz
Transcript
As most of us know him for his stellarperformances on the zonal stage andthe Bombay stage, Bandra’s very ownLeandro D’Sylva has done Bandraproud yet again. This over achiever isan MBA from N.M.I.M.S. and an MDPfrom The Indian Institute of Manage-ment (IIM Ahmedabad) and now hasrecently got into Harvard University,one of the most prestigious universi-ties in the world for a PDP in Ad-vanced Executive Communicationswhich has always been his dream.
As humble as he truly is, he owes alot of his success to his parents Win-ston and Wendy D’Sylva. I caught upwith Leandro and here’s what he hadto say:
What made you apply to Harvard?Well, it’s always been a dream for meto get into a top Ivy-League University.
What was your reaction when youfirst received the letter from Har-vard?I was ecstatic because I couldn’t believethe fact that in my very first attempt Igot in and now I am a step closer toachieving my dream.
How difficult is it to get into a topprestigious university like Harvard?It’s actually very difficult because Har-vard boasts about its finest studentswhich include 8 US Presidents, NobleLaureates and other big names. So it’s
a huge honor for me to study in thisvery same University.
What have been your past achieve-ments?I topped my MBA in Industrial Psy-chology and also won a lot of awards inTheater.
People who have helped you achievethis dream?Yes, there have been many people.From the educational side, Dr.MarieFernandes and Prof. Lorna Barrett whowere major influences in my life. Fromthe theatrical perspective, Carl Mendesand Etienne Coutinho and from a com-municative aspect, Muriel Carvalho,Betty Vincent, Partap Sharma andRoger Pereira.
Who has been your biggest inspira-tion?First of all, I thank my parents for theupbringing and values. They havethought me 2 most important charac-teristics which is honesty and humil-ity. Secondly 2 very important people Iadmire are Peggy Noonan and JonFavreau, leaders in executive commu-nication. They were President RolandReagan and Barrack Obama’s Directorof Executive Communication respec-tively.
Dujon FernandesPic Courtesy: Olav Rodrigues
CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 >>
Bandra’s top entertainer gets into Harvard’sFebruary 2013 | Vol. IV Issue 2 | Published Monthly | To Advertise: 9820783686 www.issuu.com/bandrabuzz | [email protected] | 16 pages | Price: `2
c r e a t i n g c o m m u n i t y c o n n e c tBandraBuzz
Bandra Buzz ENTERPRISING LOCALSFebruary 201302
Armed with his passion for music andimpeccable mixing skills, DJ Udayrocks the dance floor by immersinghimself into the songs that he plays.For him, DJing is much more than justmixing sounds and playing tracks. Be-fore he steps on to the floor, he visual-izes the dance floor and chooses songs,accordingly. Then, he understands andanalyses each song, mixes the sounds,creates the track, and turns the dance
floor into a different world, entirely.His first ever act as a musician wasduring his college days. He was sur-prised and delighted when he discov-ered his DJing skills and crowd-pullingabilities.He was even more delighted, but
not at all surprised when he went onto win the ‘War of DJs’ in his first everparticipation itself. He, then, repeatedthe act four times in a row!
Before he could realize what washappening, his career as a Disco Jockeyhad already taken off with style -through private gigs and college festi-vals. Soon, he became an instant hit inthe local partying circuits. He took hisskills and crowd-pulling abilities tonewer heights under the guidance ofDJ Lloyd, and by working with the oneand only DJ Akbar Sami.Today, DJ Uday is one of the most
versatile DJs on the circuit. His expert-ise extends from hip-hop to house,club to commercial bollywood, andfrom electro to everything. His tracksare highly influenced by the cultureand tradition of Mumbai. In each ofhis sound track, he blends the uniquetradition, culture and flavour of the
city along with the conventional ‘oldschool’ and the cutting-edge ‘new cool’,and brings out a very unique sound -that cannot be described throughwords.It has been more than a decade
since DJ Uday entered the world ofDJing. Today, his reputation as a DiscoJockey crosses the boundaries of India.If you ask him the secret of his success,he will reply, "For me, DJing is notabout how I do it, it’s about why I doit."
DJ Uday Lapsia can be contacted on9820137734 [email protected] facebook.com/DjUday.Mumbionic
A corporate life of thirteen years didnot deter Dipika Singh to leave it alland follow her passion for homedécor. Magical Homes, a home stylingservice in Mumbai started by Dipikastyles and revamps homes to givethem that ‘magical’ look at a reason-able price. What sets Magical Homes apart
are the home and décor workshopsconducted by Dipika. ‘There is no rea-son why your home shouldn’t lookdifferent every time your friendscome over. And you don’t need tospend a bomb, just a few tips and youcan give your house that stylish look.’says Dipika. These workshops includecreative table settings, unique flowerarrangements, tips on decorating
homes for a party, easy napkin foldingtechniques and so on. Held once a week, these interactive
workshops are conducted at conven-ient locations. So next time at yourkitty party or when your friends areover for coffee, learn while you havefun from Dipika. Some quirky and afew formal tips for table and flowerarrangements will make you ready forthe next soiree at your house. Usingeasily available materials like flowers,candles, T Lights and basic crockery,she demonstrates how to make yourhouse a party place.Get in touch withDipika Singh on +91 9167791934. Theworkshops require a minimum of 5participants.
Bharat Gupta
DJ Uday - your all seasons ‘Music Man’
Make your home magical!
There are some DJs who play goodmusic - and then there is DJ Uday -who knows your mind & plays to getyou addicted to his music. He playedmusic for two functions at our wed-ding and the crowd's tired feet re-fused to stop dancing on tunes fromHollywood to Bollywood - till themusic stopped early in the morning. Uday is a true genius in music, he is aDJ ‘with a soul’ !
Deep Malhotra, Managing PartnerGemini New Media Ventures
Awesome music, fantastic - under-standing of the pulse of the crowd,never a moment of lull. Always keepshitting you with surprises… such hasbeen the experience of listening to DJUday play in all his events that I haveattended.A thorough entertainer who lets
his music do the talking… Can't getenough of the music, from the con-sole of DJ Uday. A rock star all theway…
Orijit Mitra, Manager Vodafone India
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
What is your plans ‘post Harvard’?Post Harvard, either I would look toconsult with corporate houses on Lead-ership Communication or also look tostart up my own training firm.
What advice would you give to young
individuals looking to enter your lineof work?Well, there is actually a lot of hard workinvolved. 10 years of training experiencehas finally paid off for me. Also it is veryimportant to have a good mix of work,education and extra curricular activitieswhich really helps you in the long run asan individual and my motto in life is “Dowhat you do, do well boy!”
February 2013 03ENTERPRISING LOCALS Bandra Buzz
When unconventional careers havetaken over the regular ones, OlavValentino Rodrigues joins the band-wagon, but in his own unique style. Ata young age of twenty one, this avidphotographer has got his focus rightand has already got his work displayedat the Delhi Photo Fair 2013. Bharat
Gupta caught up with Olav to knowwhat lies in front of, and behind hiscamera.
What made you take up photogra-phy?There are quite a few reasons! You cancapture a memory that lasts forever;
you can live in the present through aphotograph and capture the beauty ofthe everyday. It allows me to capture arange of emotions and love, more im-portantly it is a disconnect from allthe worries. Last but not least, it’s acreative outlet.
What is the inspiration behind everyphoto that you click?I always look for a frame that tells astory. Rather than creating a scenariofor portraits, I shoot it in a naturalway so it tells a real story that can im-pact people.
Is it just a passion or are you lookingat making it your profession?As they say, Love what you do, dowhat you love, I am definitely think-ing of turning my hobby into a profes-sion!
Have you faced any difficulty in get-ting the photograph that you reallydesired?Yes, there are places that are difficultto shoot in, but that’s what makes itfun! Even if you’re dismissed by peo-ple or you miss the shot you werelooking for, I’d say don’t give up, justhang in there and you’ll get anotheropportunity to seize it!
Which is the best place in Bandra toget an ideal photograph?Bandra villages and street s reveal
Bandra’s true identity; those are idealplaces to shoot. Even the marketplaces or catching uncles and auntiesgossiping after mass; just the realemotion of people here make reallygood clicks. It’s hard to name just onebest place in Bandra especially whenthere is always constant activity here;you’ve just got to be at the right placeat the right time to get the best photo-graphs.
What are you doing when you arenot behind the lens and clicking?I’m very fond of music. So if you don’tsee a camera in my hand, you’ll eithersee a guitar or a Jewish harp!
Where do you see yourself in thenext 5 years?A renowned photographer and maybeclicking for the National Geographic.
What advice would you give to aspir-ing photographers like youTry everything! Photojournalism,fashion, portraiture. You won’t knowwhat know what kind of photogra-pher you are until you try it. Workevery day even without assignmentsor money. Work, work, work with dis-cipline for yourself and not for editorsor awards.
Olav Rodrigues 9619652777facebook.com/pages/Picture-This
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Bandra Buzz EDIT PAGEFebruary 201304
TWO CARS IN FLAMESOn 31st Jan 2013 at about 2 am I wokeup to a loud sound. When I looked outof my window, I saw two cars inflames. I later came to know that a sta-tionary (parked)car was hit by a speed-ing car with such an impact, that bothcars caught fire. I immediately alerted the Police
control room and the fire department.The Police arrived in 10 minutes, andthe Fire Brigade 25 minutes. The cou-ple in the speeding car had a narrowescape just in front of ‘Sheltry’.It is to be noted that St Paul road
has a very high traffic inflow from HillRoad. When the foot path from ‘CasaAlmeida’ Bldg to ‘Dil Kush’ buildingwas removed a few years back, it re-sulted in cars parking on BOTH sidesof the road. Repeated requests to offi-cials, to put ‘No Parking’ signs on oneside of the road have fallen on deafears.While St Cyril’s, St Leo's, St An-
drew’s and D’Monte Park Road have‘No Parking’ signs on one side of theroad; St Paul’s Road does not have NoParking signs on one side. Will the con-cerned ALM or our elected rep's waittill more accidents take place ????
Leslie Almeida
ANITA – THE FEARLESS All the citizens of Mumbai are sick totheir gills, with the arrogance of someof our useless politicians.Anita Lobo a 'H'(W) Ward Federa-
tion member, has been a VoluntaryTraffic Warden over many years, onduty, in various places in Bandra, Khar,etc. Last week whilst she was on duty,on 20th Road - one of Narayan Rane'sson, was driving down and happenedto park his car along the kerb side atthe junction of 20th Road and C.D.Marg, Khar. With their usual disregardfor everyone around, his securityguards immediately stopped their ve-hicles alongside his car. Followingthem in another jeep was a Police jeepwhich also stopped. This caused a traffic jam on the
road. So, Anita requested the securityguards to move the vehicles to oneside. They turned round, abused herand asked, who the hell she was to di-rect them. She replied, that she was onduty, hence this request. ImmediatelyNitesh or Nilesh, one of Mr. NarayanRane's son came up asked, "Do youknow who I am"?Unafraid, She replied "Yes I know
you are a Minister's son". With great
arrogance he said, "I'm the People'sParty man - and who the hell do youthink you are". He asked his SecurityGuards to call up 100. The Police ar-rived and instead of supporting her -she who was on duty, as a Traffic War-den; took her to the Khar Police Sta-tion and took down her statement,which she was unable to read, as it wasin Marathi - and detained her. She requested them to let her go as
she was on duty - but her pleas werenot heeded to. Her sister called me andtold me about Anita being detained atKhar Police Station. I rang up Sr. P.I.Mr. Pote - who released her after 2.30p.m. The incident took place at about11.30 a.m. On an earlier occasion, a couple had
parked their car on Union Park Road,just outside Sagar Bldg. As they werejust driving off, one of Rane's sonbrushed the couple's vehicle. So thiscouple parked in the lane and walkedup to meet him. When the gentlemaninquired why they had deliberatelybrushed his car the Security Guardsstarted beating him up.Frightened, he rushed back to his
vehicle, but not before the Guards gothim - and beat him till he fell on theground, when they started kickinghim. His wife pleaded with them notto beat him, but they threw blows ather as well. Sensing it was an influen-tial person involved, the lady pulledher husband into the car and droveaway. Local residents called the KharPolice, but by the time they arrived,the couple had vanished. Hospitals inBandra, Khar and Santa Cruz werecontacted, as also the Police Stationsbut there was no trace of them. This is nothing but ‘dadagiri’ by the
Rane sons. There are many such inci-dents taking place on our roads in Ban-dra and Khar, but they get away witheverything… not to mention the bulletthat was fired at some one some timeago and no action taken. Will justiceever prevail????
SAISA SIMMERING…SAISA is a wonderful facility, whichhas been created for the Pali Villageand surrounding residents. It is a won-derful effort put in by selfless workerswho work tirelessly for the good of theH West Ward. The lack of renewal ofthe lease has caused confusion, whichmay lead to the land being usurped byanti-social elements. This is constantlyhappening to land which belongs to
the Collector, as the Collector and thePolice (for reasons best known tothem) are unable to protect the land.There are not enough open spaces forchildren to play safely, and SAISA -which provides so many activities,should receive the support of all of us.Let us all work together.
Sandra R. Shroff
I have always loved the vibes of SAISA- and PJ Club earlier. What caught myattention in the article was the factthat the lease has not been renewed.Why is the government not renewingthe lease? It is this vague and amor-phous situation that leads to misuse. In the meanwhile vested interests
can make trouble. I hope clarity isbrought to the situation. SAISA, keepup the good fight, if indeed right is onyour side. Mrs. Thakoor is a dear friend- and has stated 'All is well'. I wouldlike to go with that.
Bindu
I have never heard of an institute hav-ing a bar. I live in this area - and hap-pened to pass by when a lot of highprofile cars were parked late in thenight. Imagine my surprise, when thewatchman told me that a 'CabaretShow' was going on at SAISA. With these concerned citizens re-
vealing facts, backed by documentedproof, I feel that the trustees have noright to continue in office. The govern-ment should take over - and use thepremises for better use.
Gurmeet Singh
I attended the meeting at SAISA, in re-gard to the illegal demolition of thefence & tracked the story since. I haveread the Concerned Citizens views,scrutinized their documents. Now, Ifeel guilty for believing all that wassaid at the meeting. For starters, very impressive & con-
vincing presentation with details asrecorded by the Trustees. From the ex-planations given, it appeared that theTrustees were victimized first by agroup of disgruntled citizens & then bythe Collector's office. Surprisingly, during the presenta-
tion however no documents weregiven, shown or mentioned by theTrustees. Some people asked for docu-ments. There was a reluctance to give -which seemed odd. Some colourful plan depicting the
division of plots was displayed. Sincethe other side of the facts with docu-mentary evidence, are on the net
(www.bandrabuzz.com/saisa-docu-ments.html) for all to see, I feel dutybound and responsible to commenthaving participated at the meeting,added to a show of hands for solidarity,believing at that moment, all that wastold & ignorant of facts. The Trustees seem a disgruntled lot
at the loss of the playground that wasfetching them undisclosed income &for which as per RTI reply, no accountswere submitted. While a ‘pandora box’ may have
been opened, the manner in whichconcerned citizens were named & de-scribed, was certainly not in good tasteand unbecoming at a public meeting.The Trustees presentation of theirfacts, now appear distorted in compar-ison to what has been uploaded by theConcerned Citizens. The ConcernedCitizens version is an expose of viola-tions, which the Collector and Com-missioner have taken serious note of.Their order to take back land for publicuse makes interesting revelations. Many, like me, must have consid-
ered retracting their support afterreading the Concerned Citizens ver-sions with documentary evidence. Citizens seemed to have spared no
efforts to unearth these. Informationfrom government offices is an ordeal &do require time and patience which aredifficult today. Congrats to them whohave done this. Surprisingly, while important doc-
uments are seen on the citizens ver-sion, no mention or reference wasmade at the meeting, on the Commis-sioner's rejection of stay application &no document provided for permissionsto shut down the school. No mentionwas also made of the notice served bythe Collector's office to remove illegalenclosure. One wonders why the Trustees kept
these under wraps at the meeting. Ona recall, there was no transparency - forpeople to understand the facts of theissue at the meeting. Conducting somesports activities on payment is tolera-ble, the way the Trustees have engi-neered this issue, is deplorable.The Trustees seem to mislead the
public - and possibly believed that theycan handle & sway the situation at theappropriate time. It’s time they allowthe government to be the custodians ofthe place for public use. They should beabove board, set an example of lawabiding – and concern themselves inmanaging the club building and its ac-tivities.
Rosey F.
CARROTS & STICKS vs PEOPLE’S POWER
Dear Readers,With the cool weather creating theright romantic ambiance, February isthe time for lovers to get closer. Bandra– the eternal social hub is the centre ofhectic activities. Carnival events add tothe gaiety – even as ‘King Momo’ hashis moments of glory. For many ex-pats, this is an amazing experience.These come to a crescendo till PancakeTuesday… and then it’s Lent.A time lent to us to repent. Mean-
while, our governing groups seem to be
working overtime, on how to divertour minds. They have turned up theheat – with unreasonable property taxincrease, raising the crosses (and reli-gious structures) issue once again (re-peatedly asking for documents – inspite of it being given a few yearsback).
There is also a brighter side. Manyinner roads are being re-surfaced,sewage lines added in areas ‘forgotten’in the past – and practical plans areafoot to decongest traffic in andaround Bandra (soon to be imple-mented). Garbage collection has im-proved immensely. Our local electedrepresentatives have done their bit toensure more Adhaar Card Centres at
hub areas; to make it easier & faster forBandraites to get their UID Card. TheBandra Police & BMC are co-operatingand seem determined to keep HillRoad free from hawkers – but howlong will it last? Bandra’s well-informed residents
will not take this ‘carrots & sticks’ ap-proach lying down. This is evidenteverywhere. Anger is seething at thesurface. Now, very soon it will be ac-tion time.The coming months will see plenty
of public protests, opposing the unrea-sonable civic decisions of our govern-ing groups – that are at the helm ofadministrative affairs. Local activistswill play an important role in issues
that affect the common man. If ‘the-powers-that-be’ don’t see the writingon the wall – and take corrective steps,they will witness people’s power onceagain. The impact will be seen in the2014 election results.Let’s work with unity, towards a
reasonable solution to avoid this stand-off – for the common good.
Regards,Merck N. D’SilvaEditor-In-Chief
February 2013 05CAMPUS NEWS Bandra Buzz
Two days of hectic workshop activity,with over 150 participants from morethan 20 states of India (including aca-demic scholars, students & corporate);got Rizvi College, Bandra on the na-tional map - for hosting a mega-event;that has brought US-Technologywithin the reach of research scholars,working in India.
SPSS is a US-based (with headquar-ters in Chicago) highly inter-activesoftware (Windows based); that is es-sentially a statistical tool, suitable foraccurate data analysis. Indian re-searchers will now be able to reachworld standards.
This was sponsored by U.G.C. &SPSS Inc. at Bengaluru – who collabo-rated to distribute demo CDs. Theyalso sent two professional SPSS In-structors to oversee the entire pro-gramme. This has opened a newchapter of academic & corporate part-nership. The inauguration was done byDr. (Mrs.) Indumati S. – the Hon. ViceChancellor of Davangere University,Karnataka, who spoke on the impor-tance of research in higher education.She elaborated how collected organizeddata was useful to resolve differentproblems.
The hectic ‘hands-on training’schedule was inter-spaced with somevery sumptuous snacks & meals.
On the second day, the ValedictoryFunction was chaired by Dr. FurquanQamar – Hon. Vice Chancellor of the
Central University of HimachalPradesh. He is also the Chairman ofthe special Universities of Minorities –set up by the Ministry of H.R.D. Thisfunction was also attended by the ViceChancellor of Mumbai University - Dr.Naresh Chandra, Dr. Bhavani Prasad –Dean faculty of Management, Kaka-triya University, Warangal; Fr. ErrolFernandes – Principal, St. Xavier’s Col-lege of Commerce; Dr. Mohd. Khalid,Head of the Commerce Dept., BurhaniCollege and Dr. Shakeel Ahmed – Vice-Principal of Poona College. Just beforethe Valedictory Function, BandraBuzzinterviewed the Principal, Vice-Princi-pal (of Rizvi College) – and Dr.Furquan Qamar, as well as Dr. NareshChandra. To view this – and get adeeper insight about the SPSS Pro-gramme, please visit www.ban-drabuzz.com/rizvi.html A sense ofsatisfaction could be seen on the facesof all the participants.
The Principal, Dr. Farooqui M.Z.thanked Dr. A.H. Rizvi (R.E.S. Presi-dent) and Mr. Abis Rizvi (R.E.S. Secre-tary) for their continuous guidance &support. He praised the organizingskills of Mrs. Anjum Ahmed (Vice-Principal, organizing secretary), Mr.Ashfaque Karim (Vice-Principal – de-gree), Mrs. Swati Vora(organizing sec-retary), Mrs. Nuzhat Farooqui, Dr.Farooque B. Ansari, Mr. Alkama Faqih,Ms Rafat Khan, Mrs. Shida Shaikh, Dr.Prahad Dattatraya, Mr. Amin Mulani,
Mr.Furqan Shaikh – and the entireCS/IT Team for organizing a very suc-cessful international-level workshop.This event was very ably compared byMrs. Mariyah Ghori.
All had a feeling of fulfillment –that the goal of the workshop wasachieved. This introduction of SPSSwill now help in improving the re-search & statistical skills of re-
searchers. BandraBuzz spoke to MsRafat Khan, lecturer at CS/IT lab, andshe told us, “This workshop was de-signed to provide an inter-active plat-form and to enhance theunderstanding of Research Methology& Statistical Techniques, using SPSS –and we have done just that.”
Sir Minaz
Rizvi College hosts National Level Workshop
Dr. Farooqui M.Z. (right) presenting a memento to Dr. Furquan Qamar (left) Vice-Chancellor of the Central University of Himachal Pradesh. Dr. Bhavani Prasad(center), Dean – faculty of Management, Kakatriya University, Warangal
Bandra Buzz UPCOMING EVENTSFebruary 201306
iTantra opens this season on the 15th of February allthe way to 16th. These two days will mark IT depart-ment's 2nd annual celebration.
Last year, iTantra pretty much popped out ofnowhere! In as less as 14 days, iTantra manifested asone of the biggest festivals in 2012. Rappelling,sumo-wrestling, glow-cricket, tug of war betweenthe departments, an all teacher coding competition
were few of the entries that were welcomed mostenthusiastically by the students of TSEC.
Thadomal Shahani Engineering College akaTSEC, is a college in Bandra along R.D national col-lege. We share campus with MMK as well. The ITdepartment is one of the accredited courses listedwithin the college's achievements. Last year Rap-pelling had receive an enthusiastic response not onlyfrom the students but also the teachers. One of themost exciting things about iTantra 2012, was thecricket that teachers played and enjoyed. Our veryown principal, Dr. G.T Thampi, couldn’t help but toindulge in Laser Tag more than a few times. It wasproud moment for all of us, to see, that putting ourshoulders to the wheel had paid off.
This year, we continue to have a few events fromlast year, such as Sumo-Wrestling(aka Ultimate Sur-vivor), Glow Cricket, Codies(an all teacher codingwar), and a few others. However a slew of innovativeideas has resulted in a new event-list includingworkshops sure to attract attention and participa-tion. We list these new additions.
COMEDY NIGHTIts comedy night! We welcome you to a night oflaughs, hoots and squeals. And bring forth, the bestof the very best, Mr. Vir Das. He who knows the 'his-tory of India', always keeps the 'News on the Loose'and certainly still hasn't solved the mystery of 'wholet the Das out'. He will be here and he will be wait-ing for you.
DRAGON BOAT RACINGFor the 1st time, a college has dared to host Dragonboating. Set around the scenery of Chowpatty, TSEC
will hold training sessions to ensure enjoyment andsafety for teams who will participate followed by anall day event in which teams will compete heads onwith each other.
STREET DANCE (360 DEGREE DANCE)No engineering college has ever hosted an all themed‘street dancing’ competition. As the fever of thiswestern dance-form is spreading like wild fire, weencourage crews to come forth and compete in sup-port ‘Street Dance’. So pop lock your way in!
THE FASHION SHOW (OOMPH!)It’s a fashion show. It’s not just about the clothes butit’s about the people too. The confidence to walk, theconfidence to stay calm, the confidence to portraywhat your college is worth, comes alive on thisramp.
TECHNICAL PAPER PRESENTATIONWe are an engineering College after all. The presti-gious Technical Paper Presentation is for, about andby the future.
Other events include Two to Tango(Duet Dance),Solo Singing, Technical Quiz, A Food-Related Com-petition and much more. In addition to this we areintroducing unique workshops like HairstylingWorkshop, Self-Defense Workshop, Video-EditingWorkshop and B-Boying Workshop.
We have put together all our engineered heads tocome up with a festival that is fresh and new andwill make you eager to join us in this journey.
You can find us on Facebookwww.facebook.com/iTantra2013
iTantra is back with a bang this year
February 2013 07CAMPUS NEWS Bandra Buzz
St. Stanislaus High School, Bandra,hosted the Sesquicentennial Inter-
school Hockey Tournament on theirDonnelly Gym grounds from Tuesday,
29th January 2013 to Wednesday, 30thJanuary 2013 - to rekindle the interestof hockey our National Sport in allschools.The hockey tournament was inaugu-rated by Fr. Vernon D’Cunha - theProvincial of the Bombay Jesuits.The Chief Guest at the culminatingevent was Mr. Francis D’mello, an ex-International hockey player and analumni of the school. Other alumnihockey stars who were present at theoccasion were Mr. Joaquim Carvalho,Mr.Marcellus Gomes and Mr. JohnFernandes.There was a hockey exhibition matchbetween the ex-Stanislites and a selectMumbai team.As a highlight for the tournament, weinvited our alumni International andNational hockey players to join theSchool principals in pledging supportfor hockey to the extent possiblewithin the school structure. We want
schools to boost up interest in hockey.A total of eight schools, from all overMumbai, participated in three differ-ent categories i.e. Girls Under-14, BoysUnder-12 and Under-14.The results of the Tournament are asfollows:The winners in the U-14 girls categoryis St. Joseph’s Convent School, BandraThe Runner up is Carmel of St. Joseph,Malad
Boys –U-12The winners in the U-12 boys categoryis St. Stanislaus High School, BandraThe Runner up is Don Bosco School,Matunga
Boys U-14The winners in the U-12 boys categoryis St. Stanislaus High School, BandraThe Runner up is Don Bosco School,Matunga
Fr Jude Fernandes S.J.
Sesquicentennial Interschool Hockey Tournament
The Government’s project of 25%reservation for underprivileged chil-dren in private schools is yet to takeoff, but Navjeet’s Inter-School exper-iment had BMC and Private Schoolscompeting on the same platform.
So which school had the dramaticedge? The tri-lingual – Hindi,Marathi, English – contest had “SocialIssues” as the theme. Each school,code-numbered for anonymity, wasgiven 15 minutes to address any issuethat plagues society. The young hostsof the event, Rajiv Jaisavar and MinalKolaviya set the tone for each play.
St. John the Evangelist HighSchool, Andheri produced a hard-hit-ting play “And She Died” which fo-cussed on the taboo subject of familialabuse. The Chapel Road MunicipalSchool had little ones highlight theruinous “Addiction”. Prabhat ColonyMunicipal School zoomed into “ChildRights”. Bazar Road Marathi School’splay on “Female Foeticide” skilfullybrought out the gender bias in society.Jeevan Utkarsh (popularly known as
the Andrean Social Service Centre)displayed great acting skills in “Eve-Teasing”, Anjuman-E-Islam GirlsSchool showed that Gandhiji is stillrelevant in “Mother of Gandhi”. GloriaConvent, Byculla used humour andhistrionics to show how the bully of“Corruption” can be kicked out. St.Stanislaus High School enacted an al-legorical play on how “Addiction”should be tackled when it is a dwarfinstead of waiting to be overpoweredby the giant. Finally, Navjeet’s ruralDhaigaon School staged a play onwhat they want most – “The Right toEducation”.
In a keenly fought competitionwith great concepts, scripts and act-ing, the Judges – Shripat Tite, SantoshChaurasiya, Sanjay Kadam – all fromtheatre, said it came down to thewire. Anjuman-E-Islam walked offwith the top prize, closely followed byJeevan Utkarsh and Bazar RoadSchool.
Sr. Bindhu
The Inter-School Drama Competition
Winners: Anjuman-E-Islam Girls School in “Mother of Gandhi”
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Bandra Buzz VALENTINE FEATUREFebruary 201308
As we celebrate love this month, let’s allow cupid tostrike not a person, but a place this time around!And no ten points for guessing the destination we’retalking about, yes it’s Bandra! This place loves youunconditionally, and just when you think you’veseen enough, Bandra never ceases to surprise you.So Bharat Gupta lists out the reasons, why Bandrais an ideal Valentine - and just exactly why we loveit so much!
FOOD PARADISE: Whether it’s the chaat at Elcoor the sushi at Global Fusion, the series of eateries
at Carter Road or fine dining stand alone across Ban-dra. There is a meal for every budget and variety ofcuisine for every palate. What also gives Bandra anedge - is the famous ‘Candies’, that’s always packedand the speed of service wins extra points (even theslight wait is worth every bite). So if you love food,you’ve got to love Bandra!
STAR POWER: We aren’t the only ones vouchingfor this western suburb, the presence of certain wellknown ‘Khans’ that reside here make it a starry ex-perience. And if you take a drive across Bandstand
or through Pali Hill, keep your binoculars ready be-cause you’re sure to spot your favourite BollywoodStars. If you aren’t able to find their houses, just lookout for pesky tourists, who’d have already crowdedaround on a Sunday evening to catch a glimpse oftheir idols.
‘LINKED’ TO BANDRA: To add to the beautyof this ‘Queen of the suburbs’ is the Bandra- Worlisea Link. Not only has the travel time been cutdown, but a drive down the sea link sets the mood.Strategically situated, whether you’re travelling totown of further down the suburbs, commutingfrom Bandra is pretty convenient.
SHOPAHOLIC: If you want to dress to impress,Bandra is the place to shop. The street shopping atHill Road and Linking road are a relief to the pock-ets, and you end up with the best bargains and a coolwardrobe. However, if you want to go the brandedway, you name it and you have it!
SEA TO SEE:The promenade at Carter Road is anexcellent place to go for a walk or a jog, sit and read,spend time with friends - or just sit and introspect.With the newly added ‘Walk of Fame’ at Bandstandis also an interesting attraction. Watch the sun riseor the sun set, the entire experience can be quite sur-real.So this fourteenth of February share your lovefor Bandra, with Bandra! Take a walk around, visitthe churches and revel in the tex-mex of traditionand modernity. Be a part of the buzz that Bandracreates!
Bharat GuptaPic Courtesy: Fabian Franco
YOU’VE GOT TO LOVE BANDRA!
February 2013 09FLAVOURS OF BANDRA Bandra Buzz
There is a reason why people in Ban-dra are so content and I think it hasto do with food! This 'Queen of theSuburbs' definitely knows that theroute to win our hearts are throughour tummies. We're spoilt for choicewhen it comes to deciding what to eatand where to eat it at.
If it’s local cuisine you're inter-ested in - you can choose from Mogh-lai, Punjabi, South Indian,Manglorean, Goan, Parsi, Indian-Chi-nese (I've made up this category as wecan proudly say that this is our veryown cuisine and really has nothing todo with China), Hyderabadi food, thelist goes on...
And that’s just the different typesof Indian food available in Bandra. Ifyou fancy some global cuisine you canchoose from Japanese, Thai, Oriental,Italian, Arabic, Mexican, Spanish, andFrench cuisine.
If you are in the mood to indulge,then you just must try some ‘Muslimdishes’ but be warned they'll be sureto pile on the kilos. My most favouriteBiryani is still from Lucky's - but youcan't go wrong if you'd like to try it atJeff Caterers or Tavaa. A healthier andequally mouth watering option wouldbe to go for something from the tan-door. If it’s Parsi food you want thenhead straight to RTI for some BerryPulav or Dhansak or you can enjoy aquick Chicken Farcha at Snack Shack.
Goan prawn curry or Malvani fish
curry - if you're missing the coastaldelicacies stop by Soul Fry for a deli-cious Fish Thali or Jai Hind for somePrawn Gassi or even Saayba for aseafood meal followed by a refreshingdrink of Sol Kadi.
Soul Fry or Cafe Goa also serves upsome other great Goan dishes likeChicken Cafreal and Prawn Xacuti -that I'd suggest you eat with pav in-stead of rice.
If its desert you're interested in -you'd be sure to find Indian sweetsfrom all over India; available in ourlittle Bandra. The best of Bengal'ssweetmeats can be found at SweetBengal, North Indian sweets at Pun-jab Sweet house and Mangloreanshort eats at Mahima Stores.
The biggest choice of internationalfare can be found at Global Fusionwhere you can sample a little bit ofevery cuisine, Kofuku or Aoi - Ban-dra's newest additions are bringingthe tastes of Japan to our plates. In-digo Deli for the best pizza's this sideof town, dip into a 4 cheese fondue at‘Out of the Blue’ or slice into a deli-cious steak at ‘Corniche’ that sitsacross the ocean.
If you fancy some middle easternfare try the Lamb Kebab roll at ‘Sufra’on Carter Road or their deliciousBaklava which is a speciality desertthat will guarantee to melt in yourmouth. For delicious Mexican foodand not the tex - mex fare drop in to‘Sancho's’ which is a few baby stepsoutside Bandra. You can sink yourteeth into a juicy Burrito and enjoy aplate of nachos, dipped in guacamoleand drizzled in sour cream.
So the next time you complainthat the streets have gotten morecrowded, and the traffic is ‘bumper tobumper’, remember that the sweetaroma of some speciality is waitingfor you ‘just around the corner’.
Francesca MascarenhasPic Courtesy: Olav Rodrigues
To Eat or Not To Eat
CHICKEN FARCHA, SNACK SHACK
BIRYANI, JEFF CATERERS
MAHIMA STORES, HILL ROAD
SWEET BENGAL
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Bandra Buzz LOCALS BLOGFebruary 201310
If you are like most ladies out there, sometime in your life you may have hada Valentines Day that was memorable, but for the wrong reasons.I remember, my best friend and me were doing some male battering over cof-fee the day before Valentine’s. Both of us, whining about our boyfriends - whohad not made any plans yet for D Day.But then, of course, on 14th Feb we woke up - with fresh hope in our hearts.My door bell promptly rang at 11 am that day and a pretty bouquet lay there -with red carnations and a huge teddy with a musical heart. He had remem-bered! I opened my closet , what was I going to wear? Not that he had asked me yet,but I had passed a hint the previous week that some restaurants in Bandrawere having a Valentine theme - and both of us being Bandraites, we wouldfind a common date place(they even had the corny heart shaped deserts).He had not wished me personally yet, but it was only 4pm.By 6 pm my patience wore out - and I called him, ''So, where we going?''''Are we going somewhere?' he asked.Confused as hell - but not wanting to lose the spirit of things, I added ''yousuch a pretender, sending me gifts and all - and now ....''Pause, long pause ''Oh crap I forgot today is Valentines. Oh happy Val dearest.Have a conference call at 10, can we do it tomorrow? Anyway it's only a hall-mark day.''Absolutely fuming with the mixed signals, I banged the phone down andcalled up my best friend. But before I said anything she asked, ''So you likedall your surprises?''Yes of course... That's what best friends are for, to cheer you up and make upfor those who are not around. But all that didn't seem reasonable to me then,and I yelled at the poor girl for caring!(of course we made up later) As for the guy, let's say it was the last time heever forgot Valentines day or any day for that matter.It made me think, who was St Valentine and what was his story?''Lore has it that in 269 AD, 'Valentine' a Roman priest and doctor was perse-cuted by the emperor Claudius II for marrying Christian couples. Claudiussentenced him to an ugly death...a three part execution where he was beaten,stoned, and finally beheaded for performing marriage ceremonies of couplesagainst the Emperors wishes.Some accounts state that this priest had fallen in love with the blind daughterof his jailer, and signed a letter that he wrote to her. “From your Valentine”were his last words - and she was cured of her blindness - so she could thenread his letter.''No he wasn't a saint of flowers, chocolates and diamonds nor did he wine anddine his lady or promise her the world. He was a simple man who was on hisway to excecution - and left his heart for his beloved before his final breath.True or not, such a romantic Valentine story - nevertheless!
Kainaz
Mama, did you know…I wasn’t sure how I’d react
When they brought you home.The word ‘beautiful’ escaped my lips over and over
As looked upon your face, I was at peace.People came from miles around; a stoic priest faltered
We marched, and you, who detested ‘Hell Road’ caused a traffic snarl.Yet not one did honk as they edged around you in silent reverence
As you lay in silk, looking your best.You rode under Republic Day streamers like royalty and over a red carpet
To Jesus who welcomed you with open arms, ‘Come’.We were early - a tribute to your punctuality;
Mass was blissful; the hymns handpicked, a joyous harmony of guitar andvoices.
The congregation had gathered within and without the church;They listened enraptured and some broke when we thanked God for you,
The wind beneath our wings.The respects were never-ending and I feared the sun would set before we lay
you to rest.Now you sleep under a mountain of flowers;
Red and pink and yellow and orange and white piled two feet high;Surrounded by people you touched and who will go forth to touch.This passing brings omni-presence; time and space loose meaning;
As you look down and smile And guide and protect us, my mother.
Douglas Misquita, Jr.
Today, eating is just not for survival ofthe fittest. It has become an art ofsorts, a passion that travels all the wayfrom the presentation on the plate - tothe varied flavours on the tongue. Agroup of food enthusiasts, called High-way on my Plate Mumbai Group(HOMP) keep their forks and knives intheir pockets, ready to dig into any del-icacy that catches their fancy.A concept initiated in November by
Shilpa Chawla, an avid foodie; thisbrings together enthusiastic diners todo what they love most, eat. A judge for the Times Food Guide,
Masterchef and Highway on my Plate,her experience and interest in foodmade her start HOMP - that had threemore people in the first eating out ex-perience. Within a few months, theword spread - and now this group of
fourteen meet every month to try outeateries. And this love for food, makesthem travels miles as a few of themjourney all the way from Pune.‘My concept was very simple, to get
in touch with people who share thesame passion for food - and bring themon a common platform. The responseby placing announcements on socialsites brought strangers together - andit became famous instantly; withbranches across India. We’re soon plan-ning on a national HOMP meet inMumbai’, says Shilpa. So if exploring restaurants in your
calling - and you like to experimentwith what’s on your plate, get in touchwith Shilpa Chawla([email protected]) to eat thefinest, without reservations!
Bharat Gupta
Highway on my plate ''Mr or Miss Valentine?''
MONTH'S MIND MASSJoshua John, son of Owen & Joan John - residing at Kalina, age 20yrs.
Month's Mind Mass on 10th March 2013 at 9am - at Our Lady of RemediesChurch, Poisur, Kandivili (West).
Shilpa Chawla (second left) with members of Highway on my plate (Mumbai)
February 2013 11EAT OUT Bandra Buzz
Hand rolled to perfection just like your favouriteSushi , ‘Aoi’ - Sid Hospitality’s newest Japaneserestaurant is an intricate culinary adventure fromthe word go. Simple, flavoursome and quirkily Japanese, the
food at this vibrant new eatery is a mouth wateringjourney between the old classics and the new agecontemporary edgy. Think Sushi, Ramen, Donburi, Bento, Katsu,
Miso soup (and much more!), the menu at Aoi notonly retains the traditional elements derived fromJapanese food, but also showcases the modern edgi-
ness of the country - with cuisine that has gained in-spiration from all over the world!Certain must tries are ‘Japanised’ innovations
such as the ‘Chicago styled batter fried maki withgrilled squash, gherkins and sweet soy sauce’, the‘Tom Yum ramen set with lemongrass broth’ and the‘Japanese Gyoza with shredded greens, pine nuts andparmesan cheese.’ All delicious and wonderfully bal-anced with flavour. The restaurant has also paid equal attention to its
vegetarian fare, with ample options in each sectionof the menu. Tea lovers can rejoice as the restaurant
also serves a handpicked selection of 15 flavouredand dessert teas from around the world ranging fromthe traditional Genmaicha and Kukeicha (Japan) tothe Ginseng Pu-Erh and Lapsang Souching (China). For those who like their meal on the go, Aoi rec-
ommends its distinctive ‘Bento Box’: traditional tif-fin meals with various courses such as flavouredrice, mini sushis, stir fried greens, a grilledmeat/vegetable and miso soup. The interiors are art inspired - a visual composi-
tion of Origami and Modern Manga art, with handpainted Anime walls that further personify theeclectic Japanese fare the restaurant offers. The 3DOrigami cranes that line the ceiling add a stunninglybeautiful feel to the restaurant, transporting thediner to a discerning Japanese café in the heart of thecity!Also on display is an inimitable collection of
Manga comics and art books along with a unique toycollection that helps unravel many a stories on howthe East met the West to create great Japanese liter-ature. Nestled in a the quiet suburb of Bandra, this 30
cover concept restaurant initiates you into an open,young, bright and affordable Japanese adventure thatbreaks all clichés.
We recommend you reserve a table today! Open from noon till midnight.1, Gloria, St. Baptist Road, Near Mount Mary Steps,Bandra (W), Mumbai – 50
For free home delivery and reservations call02269995000 / 01 and 26404004
The French patisserie opened by Sev-erine and Mark, a young enthusiasticduo from France, stands opposite Rizvicollege. The gold embellishment of thehuge welcome sign that says’ “MarieAntoinette'' cannot be missed.
Inspired by the theme of coffee andcakes, the speciality here are the mac-arons which are hand prepared by Sev-erine, who fell in love with Mumbaiand wanted to open something right inthe heart of the city. Targeting mainlythe European community in Mumbai- who miss out eating authentic Frenchpastries, they also want their Indianclientele to experience what Frenchbaking is all about.
The Macarons are priced at Rs 40/-a piece - and though small like they
normally are in France, they taste de-licious, with chocolate, caramel, straw-berry, lemon and coffee being some ofthe introductory flavours. The outermeringue is crisp and delicious - and soare the inner fillings in each of themwe sample and that makes us want tosavour the banana slice and apple piein front of us too.The cake slices which are called 'fi-
nanciers' are priced at Rs 30/- for plainand Rs. 50/- for strawberry. They tastebest with your coffee, which can bemade the way you like it. They alsomake quiches at Rs 120/- and Panini’sat Rs 170/-, tomato, onion, basil, moz-zarella, mushroom being the main in-gredients in both of them. Everything they serve is baked
fresh, right upstairs in the kitchen onthe mezzanine floor of the cafe. The couple who are only 24 years of
age have surprised us with theircourage to start something this big ontheir own in a foreign land. They in-form us that they are doing this for anexperience of life before they go backto France. ‘’Everyone has been so help-ful and encouraging and we have metonly good people until now in Mum-bai.'' The best part about the cafe is the
decor, wrought iron chairs, expensivechandeliers, antique mirrors and thewhite finishing’s give you an airy andposh feel. The name ‘Marie Antoinette’comes of course, from the Frenchqueen who loved her coffees, macarons
and beautiful dresses; the latter ofwhich Severine plans to design on themezzanine floor of the cafe - and dis-play them to clients in the near future. Though making everything from
scratch everyday is hard work, theydon't want to compromise on quality -and so using the best ingredients andkeeping the ‘French touch’ to it, is apriority for them. The stylish cafe does look promis-
ing once Bandraites catch up on it ......
9819435957, 98194359421B, White Rose bldg, Sherly Rajan rd,Bandra (w), Mumbai 050
Kainaz JussawallaPic Courtesy: Nelvin John Patil
Marie Antoinette - A bit of France in Sherly Rajan
Bandra Buzz LOCAL NEWSFebruary 201312
The welcome view of a ‘seemingwider’ Hill Road has given Bandraitessome faith and hope in the Police andBMC. Many oldies are reminiscingabout the “Golden Days of Bandra”.Traffic snarls are much rarer now.Shops have seen soaring sales.
Yes, at last… the authorities havereacted positively to public pressure.
We asked locals around Hill Road.Jayesh told us, “It is like a breath offresh air, to move more freely aroundHill Road. Now, our neighbourhoodseems much more quieter and morelike a normal home”
However, when we met Farah, whohad come to Bandra from Kalina for anoutfit to match her new pair of shoes,she had just bought from LinkingRoad; she said, “The whole ‘happeningscene’ has disappeared.” She quicklyadded, “The charm of Bandra is in theshopping and food outlets – now, wewill just go elsewhere.”
All in all, the co-operation of thecops & the BMC has kept away illegalhawkers – but the million dollar ques-tion is: How long will Hill Road behawker-free?
Kathy MunimPic Courtesy: Olav Rodrigues
How long will Hill Road be Hawker-Free?
Although we in Bandra, are proud toreside in the ‘Queen of the Suburbs’,just getting around our immediateneighbourhood is a nightmare, espe-cially at peak traffic hours – i.e. morn-ings and evenings. Weekends are evenworst.Hold your breath – somethingpractical is on the anvil.
PRESENT SITUATIONMost traffic ‘in & out’ of Bandra come& go from 5 points. These are: From theNORTH & WEST – Danda/Carter Road& S.V. Road/Linking Road. The SOUTHEntry & Exit points are: Mahim-S.V.Road & the Bandra-Worli Sea Link. TheEAST has the Western Express High-way. Being a ‘happening hub’, Bandra’straffic gets congested easily. Any localevent or traveling VIP, adds to the mis-ery. Most of these wide roads lead to
the narrow lanes & bye-lanes of Ban-dra. So a motorist from ‘outside’ whoneeds to ‘cross Bandra’(or visit some-one in Bandra) is just adding to thelocal traffic – and gets stuck ‘bumperto bumper’ at peak hours. This impactslocals traveling within Bandra. Evenpedestrians get affected. What innova-tive ideas can we use to resolve thismajor issue?
WHAT WE CAN DOWell, there are several suggestions thatcan BY PASS the local traffic that usesthese narrow roads, just by creatingSHORT CUTS at critical points. Study-ing the demographics of Bandra, andunderstanding the fact that this is nota planned suburb (it has evolved grad-ually through centuries), a littletweaking can work wonders. Plans
should take into account local sensibil-ities – and see that their views aretaken into consideration. Here aresome suggested solutions to help re-solve this issue:
SOLUTION # 1 If a ‘link road’ is cre-ated between Bandstand (opp. Viren-dra) & Jogger’s Park – behind St.Andrew’s Church, near the ChimbaiBeach; it will act as a by-pass - and helpdecongest Hill Road, St. Andrew’sRoad, St. Paul’s Road & Perry Road toa great extent. Residents around CarterPromenade / Pali Hill / Rizvi Complex- would benefit a lot.
SOLUTION # 2 If a ‘link road’ iscreated between the ‘Bandra End’ ofthe Bandra-Worli Sea Link & Band-stand Promenade near Taj Hotel; it will
act as a by-pass – and help decongestthe entire stretch of the roads at thereclamation and near Lilavati Hospital& Mehboob Studio. Residents aroundBandstand Promenade / Mount MaryHill - would benefit a lot.In fact, a‘short by-pass road’ from the Reclama-tion Road near Bandra Bus Depot(Reclamation) to St. John the BaptistRoad(a location shift of land areas canexchanged with societies concernedand BEST, for the common good) willsurely be a blessing to KadeshwariMarg residents. Residents around Su-pari Talao would benefit a lot.
SOLUTION # 3 If a ‘link road’ (orrather – a fly over the railway tracks)iscreated between the S.V. Road TrafficJunction near Gaiety Galaxy Geminiand the Western Express Highway,with an offshoot to the Bandra Termi-nus; the entire Linking Road and S.V.Road stretch adjoining Bandra Lake,Bandra Masjid will surely have re-duced traffic pressure. These link roadsshould be wide enough for two waytraffic – with an ‘exclusively pedes-trian’ parallel road. This would alsohelp in the free flow of traffic in manynarrow bye-lanes, easing tense mo-ments for locals – and avoiding acci-dents due to impatient drivers.
If you have something to say. Be anactive part of the change. Your feed-back is vital. We need your views. Ifyou have any constructive ideas (prac-tical) on this traffic, that’s a dailyissue, please send us your suggestionson [email protected]. This‘Think Tank’ can help spur action to-wards a better Bandra.
Bandra Buzz TeamPic Courtesy: Olav Rodrigues
Decongesting Bandra’s Tra∞c TraumaHill road has 3 major ‘bottlenecks’that hinder the smooth flow of traffic.They are: 1. Front of Kohinoor Cycle Shop – thisspot witnesses countless accidents,due to the narrow stretch on an im-portant arterial road.2. Front of Godrej Nature’s Basket(now shifting ahead) – this narrowstretch creates difficult situations.3. Front of Patel Stores – at this spot,car-owners/travelers alight to shop,blocking vehicle movement.
The concerned authorities shouldlook into these spots that are creat-ing daily problems for the generalpublic – by fast-forwarding casesthat have been kept on the back-burner for many decades. Do we needa major accident to wake us up?
In view of the variation in the currentassessment tax bills, MLC Adv. AshishShelar organized 2 public meetings inBandra, Khar-Santacruz which wereattended by over 800 residents. A BMC
official Mr. Pralhad Kalkoti- Superin-tendent (New Tax Cell) was present toanswer all queries. He explained in de-tail the modified tax calculation to benow based on capital value of the prop-
erty. Residents were provided guid-ance as to filing their objections in caseof any discrepancy in their bills.Residents wanted clarification over
issues like: Would age of the buildingmean from the time of commence-ment, the time of completion or whenthe Occupation Certificate given? Peo-ple also enquired if BMC would belevying taxes on unauthorized struc-tures? Senior citizens demanded con-cession in the taxes as they had noincome source any more.
Adv Ashish Shelar has alreadywritten to the Mun. CommissionerSitaram Kunte asking for time- exten-sion in payment schedule and also in-stallment wise payment facility - toease the burden on the public, as therewas a retrospective demand for thesame.The Civic and Political Cell of St.
Vincent de Paul Church, Khar WestMumbai along with The Watchdogteam, organized a Seminar on the re-cent Property Tax Hike.
Advocate Godfrey Pimenta and histeam, addressed a seminar on the sub-ject of Property Tax based on CapitalValue system and how to deal with it.There were around 150 people who
attended this informative session.The legal basis of challenge, the
faulty base value, the glaring and de-liberate mistakes committed by BMCetc were highlighted - for Gaothans,Housing Societies and all other cate-gories affected by the property tax. Citizens were shown how to effec-
tively deal with the said increase inproperty tax. There was a presentationto illustrate the same - and an explana-tion of the item wise billing, for peopleto understand and query. The seminarwas enlightening - and the reason andmanner to complain was explainedand discussed. People left better in-formed – and wiser than before.For further info, please visit: www.the-watchdog.in
Haresh Verma
Property tax hike and its implicationsFebruary 2013 13LOCAL NEWS Bandra Buzz
The award function of Altina Essay Con-test 2102 was held on 9th February 2013at Hotel Sukh. Mr. Arvind Inamdar –Former Director General of Police (Ma-harashtra) was the Chief Guest. MrClifton Desilva - Director of Altina Secu-rities made a presentation on the objec-tives of the contest and the road ahead.Our very own Bandraite – Christo-
pher Rodricks received his award - thefirst prize – a cheque of Rs. 10,000/- for
his prize-winning essay: The Power ofInnovation. There were more than tenothers who also won awards for theiressay entries.Altina Securities over the last several
years as a part of its Corporate Social Re-sponsibility (CSR) has focused on pro-moting its twin objectives namely- a)Promoting the equity Cult (Which re-sults in funding of projects) and b) Pro-moting entrepreneurship (Promoting
Projects) Dimensions was formed to pro-mote the spirit of entrepreneurshipamongst the Christian community &thus change the mindset. Dimensionscommitted itself to supporting the de-velopment and growth of the Christiancommunity and was proud to be in-volved in the development of a sustain-able and prosperous future of thecommunity. Mr. Freddy Mendonca thefounder of Dimensions was keen thatthe Christian community should changeits approach from risk averse to risk tak-ing and therefore made a request thatthese twin objectives of Altina Securitiesbe extended to the members of the com-munity.Altina Securities considered and ac-
cepted the request of Mr. Freddy Men-donca of promoting the spirit ofenterprise amongst the Christian com-munity. Various initiatives have been un-dertaken and one such initiativelaunched in 2010 is the Altina Essay Con-test through which potential entrepre-neurs are indentified.The title for Altina Essay Contest
2010 was ‘How to cultivate and grow aStart up business” which was judged byGlen Saldanha – Managing Director ofGlenmark Pharmaceuticals and the win-ners were awarded cash prizes.
The title for Altina Essay Contest2011 was “Why I aspire to be an entrepre-neur” and the essays were judged by IvanFernandes - CEO – Regent Technolo-gies.The title for Altina Essay Contest2012 was “The Power of Innovation” andthe jury comprised of Rajesh Athaide-CMD of St Angelo’s Computer Educationand Vivek Mendonca – Marketing Direc-tor – Lawrence & Mayo. Cash and otherbenefits were awarded to the winners.Also to promote entrepreneurs ses-
sions regular sessions are held in theform of 1. Monitoring session2. Entrepreneurship Workshops3. Leadership Workshops4. Public speaking workshops5. Industrial Tours
Members of the community havequickly responded to the initiatives andas many as 6 companies are at an ad-vanced preparatory stage to take theircompanies Public and list their shares onthe newly launched Small & MediumStock Exchanges (SME).The road aheadis to set up a one stop solution shopwhere under one roof Legal, secretarial,Financial, Human Resources etc. serv-ices will be offered.
Simran Doshi
Christopher Rodricks wins Altina Essay Contest
Bandra Buzz LOCAL NEWSFebruary 201314
What’s quite interesting - and whatmany Bandra residents do not know isthat every year for the past 7 years, asmall village in Bandra known as‘Cosmo Colony’ near Mount MarySteps organizes a festive carnival justbefore lent - on grand scale.
Bandra Buzz got an opportunity tospeak to the main organizer, whoplans to take this carnival on a biggerstage and a larger platform. GlyndonD’Silva is also the Nationalist StudentCongress President of Mumbai (Ward96). He says the concept of the Carni-
val is huge in Goa - and was intro-duced here by the Portuguese. Heplans to make this bigger here in Ban-dra - on a grander scale and alsobring out its meaning andspread the Goan culture.“Carnival” is derivedfrom the latin word “tothrow away meat” andthe main Purpose of theCarnival is to have aFinal Celebration beforethe 40 days of Lent. In thedays before Lent, all richfood and drink has to be dis-posed off. The consumption ofthis, in a giant party that involved thewhole community, is thought to be theorigin of the Carnival.Getting the youth involved is his
main priority. He has plans for eventsand activities like this all over Bandra.The preparation for this Carnival be-gins a month before. The locals fromthe village voluntarily chip in to pre-pare snacks and food, which is servedthroughout the day. Water tankers,sprinklers and water balloons are also
set up, which adds to the joyous occa-sion. Palm leaves are used as the maindecoration for the Carnival. To add to
this gala celebration, people alsodress up in costumes addingto the Fun and excitementof the event. This one day carnival
begins at 9 am with asmall prayer followed byMusic, Dancing,Singing, Feasting andMerrymaking - wherepeople of different agegroups take to the dance floor
and this goes on till about8:30pm. Every year about 450 to 500people come to participate from allover Mumbai. This celebration is opento all. So if you’re looking for a Spec-tacular Celebration and a rain danceparty like never before, then this Car-nival promises to be bigger and betternext year. So see you there...nearMount Mary Steps
Dujon FernandesPic Courtesy: Nelvin John Patil
Cosmo Colony’s Little Carnival
Baba Siddique promotes moreAdhaar centres in Bandra
The BMC Conference Room at Water-field Road was packed to capacity – withthe local MLA, all Municipal Councillorsof Bandra’s H/West ward - and thoseheading the UID Card drive at variouscentres in Bandra.Recently, at an Adhaar Centre in Ban-
dra, there were heated arguments thatalmost came to blows.In view of this situation, Baba Sid-
dique got the persons concerned to com-
mit for having many more operationalcentres in Bandra (6 to start with – andthen regular additions), at hub areas – forthe convenience of Bandraites. He saidthat the H/West ward had many activeALM groups; and if there were any issuestowards having more centres, he wouldhelp to resolve it. Thus, the process ofgetting a UID Card would be easier andfaster – with the load divided.All present were satisfied, that this
assurance from the authorities – of co-operation towards having more UIDCard Centres, would speed up matters.
Ajay Jain
The Bandra Gymkhana Open Rink Foot-ball Tournament will be held on theD.P.R.C. grounds from 16th to 24th Feb'2013.The tournament this year has re-
ceived a record entry of 64 teams in theOpen Men section from various clubs inMumbai, which will be played on aKnock-Out basis. In the Veterans sectionthere are 16 Teams and the Women sec-tion 8 teams who have confirmed theirparticipation. This will be played on aleague cum Knock-out basis.
The tournament is being conducted byThe Bandra Gymkhana - and is spon-sored by Kotak Mahindra Bank.
For further details contact: The Bandra Gymkhana Office Mr. Leo Dharmai -(Out-Door Sports Secretary)
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COACHING CLASSESShalom Classes Bandra. Attention Std. IX &X. Shalom welcomes you to come &experience. Batches have small nos. (15-20)
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LOCAL TUTIONSS.S Tutorials. Class for Science Arts 8th / 9th/ S.S.C. / F.Y.J.C. / H.S.C. Waroda Road, be-hind St. Stansilaus High School, Bandra (w)Mumbai 400050. Contact Sir Santosh9821121982 Sir Cyril 9821859580. Email:[email protected]
ree Star Repairs, Service, Installation,Buying, Selling of A/C & Fridge. ContactGeorge - 9930951611. Chuim Khar (w).
For Radio & TV mechanic. Contact :Shantaram Yadav 98203 58155. MountMary Steps, Bandra (w)
Repairs: Washing Machine, Gas Stove,Microwave, Fridge, & A.C. Call Ramesh -9892387330 Bharat Service Centre, Pali Naka.
STITCHING CLASSESLearn to stitch your own clothes the easyway in Bandra(West)! Special classes forkids (age 10 and above) Learn the Basics injust 4 to 8 classes regular classes onSaturdays 10:00 am to 12 pm, 2:30 pm to4:30 pm. Orders accepted for bridal gowns,communion dresses and formal outfits De-signerz 9819471550/26411318
USED CARSBest price for used cars spot finalization,Any make / Model / Registration /Condition. Contact: Zuber - 9820030777.SMS imore 1209910 to 5667755
WATCH REPAIRSReliance Watch Co. – Sales & Service -specialist in Quartz, Automatic & Winding129, Bazar Rd, Near Variety Emporium,Bandra (W)- Irfan-2640 7360 (10-1 & 4-9)
D I S C L A I M E RReaders are recommended to makeappropriate enquiries and seekappropriate advice before sendingmoney, incurring any expenses, acting onmedical recommendations or enteringinto any commitment in relation to anyadvertisement published in thispublication. Bandra Buzz doesn’t vouchfor any claims made by the advertisersfor products and services. The Printer,Publisher, Editor and Owners of BandraBuzz shall not be held liable for anyconsequences, if such claims are nothonoured by the Advertisers.
February 2013 15LOCAL CONNECT Bandra Buzz
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