April 2019 by Bandra Buzz newspaper

BandraBuzz creating community connect since 2010

April 2019 | Volume 10 Issue 4 | www.bandrabuzz.com | 16 pages | Price: Rs. 5/-

Can Priya Dutt reclaim Mumbai North Central seat from M.P. Poonam Mahajan? Monday, April 29th 2019, is when all eligible citizens can exercise their constitutional right of voting – to decide who will be our next Member of Parliament (MP) from Mumbai North Central constituency. This time, the two main contestants are: Poonam Mahajan (BJP), the sitting MP – who won in 2014; & Priya Dutt (INC), Ex-MP – who had won in 2009 and lost in 2014. Unlike 2014 - this time the battle is fierce, as both lady candidates are strong in their own ways. So, citizens can expect an exciting finish - with razor edge margins. Results will be announced on 23rd May 2019.

YEARS OF LEGACY WORTH TALKING ABOUT

Bandra Buzz has exclusively interviewed Poonam & Priya; so that our readers can make an informed decision - and vote sensibly. This issue has compiled key election-related information on both candidates - election counts of 2009 & 2014, areas covered in Mumbai North Central & most importantly, the roles & responsibilities of MPs. This election special issue will statistically empower our readers, to think clearly & vote accordingly. Continued on Pages 8, 9, 14 & 15 >>

NEWS

BANDRA BUZZ | APRIL 2019

Remembering a Legend - Darryl D’Monte Saturday evening, 16th March 2019 when the sad news of Darryl D’Monte’s death first surfaced on social media, the world was shocked. His last WhatsApp group message to Bandra Gymkhana members, was at 11:31am, on the day he died. A person whose simplicity & sincerity was his way of life – in spite of his great background, was indeed incredible. He was a renowned statesman with a powerful intellect – always working towards the best interests of everything he cared for. His void will be difficult to fill. Condolences and Tributes started to pour in: - Bandra Gym President, Dr. Cheryl Misquitta, “I am grateful to have served as President, under this gentle statesman. So much to learn from him, in the most provoked & humiliating situations. Darryl was still so humble & a thorough gentleman. Someone, whose family has contributed immensely to our beloved Bandra Gym, cannot be forgotten. We must always be grateful.” - Bandra Gym Trustee, Roger Pereira, “Darryl was a wonderful human being! A brilliant editor & super fellow trustee.” - Theresa Aguiar, BEIA Secretary, “Darryl was a much loved and admired person. Even in difficult times, he carried himself in a composed manner.” Darryl was a man who wore several hats. He was essentially an ardent activist – focussing on environment & climate change. He was totally against the Coastal Road, being built on Mumbai’s Western shores – for all the un-repairable damage it will do to the natural beauty (unhindered open sandy & rocky beaches) & the only livelihood of fishing community (destruction of mangroves & coastal sea fauna) – besides cancer-causing pollution. His fiery campaign speeches on Carter Promenade were testimony to what he felt, deep down in his heart. BANDRA GYMKHANA As Bandra Gym Trustee for several years, then as President and again as trustee, till his death – Darryl always stood up for community values, like a true guardian of The Bandra Gym (BG). He always up-

held the welfare of BG members – with Bandra Gymkhana was closed. On Monday evening, 18th March, a very well atan attitude of ‘no compromise’. tended & touching Condolence Meeting in memory of Darryl D’Monte; was held EAST INDIAN He was an East Indian icon of at the Bandra Gym D’Monte Pavillion. Perfect arrangements were made the highest calibre – guiding the local community towards prog- by Dr. Cheryl Misquitta, Ajit Rodrigues ress, with his vast knowledge & Roger Pereira (the wind beneath the & experience. D a r r y l wings of new talent), complete with an AV presentation. Spontaneous & inwas a valuable help came from Denita, Naomi, Nikhil, Erika, David, Carlisle, Anna, Sidhart, Dallas, Zach, Delrose, Ainsley, Bronwyn, Erdmann, Jude and many others. This team act of getting inputs & putting them in chronological order (with a show of this magnitude), within a short time was a herculean task. Indeed, suppressed talent surfaced – at this event. Everything was done with a touch of class – surely a hope of regular participant at better times ahead. Darryl would the Annual East Indian have been proud & delighted to conclaves and an active member of the Perception M a n - see the unifying effect of his life. Shyaagement team. He had organised a meet at his residence – as recent as 14th July 2018. MGP had awarded him ‘East Indian of the Year in 2015. MEDIA Darryl D’Monte was Resident Editor of The Times of India & the Indian Express in Mumbai and also an independent journalist and author. He was the Chairperson of the Forum of Environmental Journalists of India and was the founder President of the International Federation of Environmental Journalists (IFEJ) in Dresden, Germany. He was a trustee of ‘Celebrate Bandra’ – a group that organizes wonderful events in Bandra. He was one journalist who really believed in what he wrote, whether it was environment or human rights. He never sold out. He did stuff other editors dared not. This kind of journalism is rare.

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DONOR FAMILY If it wasn’t for the generosity of Darryl’s ancestors, donating the land; that is now the DPRC & The Bandra Gymkhana – an interactive community club, at various levels, would never have existed. It was Dr. Sir Dominic Anaclete D’Monte (18581938), (Darryl’s grandfather) who donated & founded the Bandra Gymkhana & D’Monte Park (now DPRC); for which all members should be thankful & grateful. BG CONDOLENCE MEETING As a mark of respect to his departed soul, the Sunday morning Housie on 17th March was cancelled & the entire

ma Kulkarni aptly summarised it in two words, “Excellently Organised”. From the D’Monte’s residence at ‘Kinara’, Carter Road; Darryl’s son, Samir responded to the collective condolence messages, saying, “The family gives deep thanks to all the messages of love & support. This really makes us feel like we are all one extended family. We thank you from the bottom of our hearts for the deep thought, effort & organization that went into the Bandra Gymkhana condolence event.” As of going to press, we have just learned that Samir will replace his dad Darryl, as the new Bandra Gymkhana Trustee. Taking on the mantle of trusteeship, Samir has responded, “I can promise to uphold the values that my dearly loved father clearly did during his life: integrity, honest, truthfulness, humility & compassion. I thank everyone who supports me – will need it going forward.” In closing, we pray that the Almighty grants the D’Monte family the strength, to bear their loss. May his soul rest in eternal peace. Hubert D’Costa

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BANDRA BUZZ | APRIL 2019

NEWS

Bandra boy has written to the Queen of UK to bring back treasures that belong to India 39 year old Vinod Roshan D’Souza, a Social Activist from Bandra, has communicated by physical letters to the Queen of England and the British Government to revert back treasures that historically belong to India. These include the prestigious Kohinoor Diamond, Jagadamba Sword, Tiger Claws of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and the Golden Throne of Maharaja Ranjit Singhji. He has consistently followed up this demand from 23rd February 2009 till 5th January 2019 – setting a world record for the maximum number of letters sent for a decade. His interest in India’s cultural treasures grew after reading online how our country has lost several national treasures during British Rule in India. After initiating efforts to get them returned failed, he wrote to U.S. President Barack Obama, who directed him to the United Nations. Then, with repeated reminders; the UK Government responded. Recently British M.P. Keith Vaz agreed to debate in the British Parliament regarding

Maharaj and the Golden Throne of Maharaja Ranjit Singhji, was in their museum. Then a letter of appreciation for his efforts came from Prof. Namdevrao Jadhav, descendant of Rajmata Jijabai, mother of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Another appreciation letter for Vinod’s untiring efforts came from Archbishop of Jalandhar. A disappointing response from the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport, Parliament Street, London – on 28th June 2018; stated that Shivaji’s Jagadamba Sword was part of the Royal Collection and the UK Government’s view is that there are no legal grounds for its return. Vinod was felicitated by World Records India with a Medal & Certificate – for his decade long consistent letters Vinod Roshan D’Souza alongside British M.P. Keith Vaz to various authorities, across the globe. his request to return the Kohinoor Dia- Gradually, responses trickled. The Victo- We congratulate Vinod on receiving his mond (the world’s most expensive dia- ria & Albert Museum, United Kingdom. award and wish him the very best in all mond) to India. On 10th January 2019, – Acting Keeper, Asian Department, Su- his endeavours. the British M.P. followed up by meeting san Stronge confirmed by e-mail; that Prashant Kulkarni the Tiger Claws of Chhatrapati Shivaji Vinod at Hotel Leela, Mumbai.

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NEWS

BANDRA BUZZ | APRIL 2019

AGNI’s 12 suggestions to MP candidates Suggestions made by AGNI (an apolitical organization) representatives of H/West Ward (JAAG), contesting candidates, to raise the following issues on the floor of the House, if elected MP : 1. Candidates must stand from only one Constituency.

6. Adopt the right to breathe clean air. Health care – make it compulsory.

3. When any large project is being planned and the money is from the exchequer (which are our taxes) there must be a public Notice issued inviting suggestions and objections; a public Hearing must be held before finalization.

9. Print & electronic media should be totally independent & not owned by political party.

7. Judicial and Police Reforms – All constitutional bodies should be Autonomous - including appointment of Governors. Both, judicial and political reforms should not come 2. The Anti-Defection Bill must under any political influence. be passed and strengthened & once elected, nobody should 8. Scrap the Sedition Law and be permitted to cross the floor. do not call it anti-national.

4. Safety of Women. As Voter Registration of Women has gone up considerably, 33% of representation of women in all Government bodies should be made compulsory.

10. Electoral Bonds should be banned. 11. Perks for Elected Representatives: - No Pension; - No allowance when absent. - Travel by air – Economy Class, & not more than 10 tickets per year. - If Foreign travel, the purpose is to be produced & a Work Report to be presented.

5. Fast Track Courts: Specially where rape & killings of minors are involved, a death sentence 12. No discrimination against religion, caste, food habits. should also be considered.

Who will be Bandra MP?

There is no Bandra MP as it is part of Mumbai North Central constituency along with Khar, Santa Cruz & Vile Parle. They are represented by one MP. Collectively these Members from the State speak in one voice on major infrastructure development like building airport, highways, etc. So our MP doesn’t do much for Bandra associated with traffic congestion, hawkers on Hill Road, overflowing garbage, cleanliness etc which are important to the voter. We cast our ballot by pressing that bogus button on a machine, which automatically goes to favoured party as in Gujarat and UP elections. EC is taking note, censoring UP Governor who is canvassing for Ruling Party. How those in power are hungry & want to grab more, so they can change constitution, usurp rules & regulations for the benefit of one community, one religion & one party. The present UP CM is another joke. He says Indian Army is now ‘Modi Sena’. What sort of country have we become in just four years? India made a great blunder in 2014 by bringing in a religious party that is and trying to convert the whole of Hindustan so they

will have only Ram Mandirs in all places, including the naming of a Railway Station. Isn’t this a joke? Mumbai North Central has two candidates while others do not make any difference. Both are women. Both are young and not old stalwarts who still do not want to leave the ‘chair’. It’s typical mentality in all political parties. There is no such thing as retirement in politics. Once the old hog cannot walk, the son or daughter takes over. Nothing wrong with that but voters fed-up of seeing same faces on posters and following same old policy of promises. But there is one difference in both the candidates that is one has a solid support from her party from the grass root level to almost the top position. But that is not the case with the other candidate, whose party seems to be more involved in fighting among themselves and trying to defeat their own candidates. So here the Ruling Party seems to be having a slight edge. But then all said and done to whom do one vote for? Do you vote for the candidate or do you vote for the party? The objective of this exercise is to put

all your trust in the candidate and pray that he or she does not get swayed by the temptations of power and greed, provide selfless service for the people he or she represents and be their guardian angel. We in Bandra face umpteen problems each day from traffic congestion, hawker menace and beggars squatting on roads, potholes and uneven surfaced pathways, the unhygienic living condition of people living in slums, haphazard policy of redevelopment and favoritism by elected representatives on needs of the society. Our vote is valuable to our country. We should not vote on caste lines or religious leanings. Just because we attend the same mosque or temple or church or gurudwara, it does not mean we should vote to uplift our sect. We should vote to uplift of our country from poverty, disease, hunger and malnutrition. Why is there such wide spread resentment against the present Ruling Party when they came to power on a popular slogan of Ache Din? The people of this country were taken on a ride for four years. Isn’t that enough? Amar Singh

BANDRA BUZZ | APRIL 2019

Can EVMs be hacked to support a Political Party?

With the April-May 2019 Indian elections, this is a ‘Burning Issue’ that plagues voters across the country. Many debates have led to verbal arguments & physical fights, over the pros and cons of EVMs. Here is an un-biased view-point. The thought of a rigged election, may cause much discomfort to even the most hardened person. According to numerous reports, the devices used to tally our votes can be manipulated via wireless and wired methods. Although, it may require a substantial investment, which may include creating a sophisticated mobile software; to physically altering components of an Electronic Voting Machine (EVM), so that it creates the desired result. If so, the 2019 election may not be the first; to fall prey to hackers. A report that surfaced in January 2019, of a self-proclaimed US-based cyber expert named Syed Shuja - that reportedly helped designed the EVMs in India; demonstrated to an audience of journalists, how to hack an EVM, in an event that was set up by the Indian Journalists’ Association (Europe). He went on to claim that the 2014 Lok Sabha elections were rigged, and that Gopinath Munde, a senior member of BJP, was murdered as a result of his knowledge of the rigged elections. The Election Commission of India (ECI), has written a formal request to the Delhi Police; to file an FIR - and subsequent investigation into the matter. Another report claims that in May 2017, Aam Aadmi Party displayed how EVMs can be tampered in the Delhi assembly; demonstrating that the machines can be altered to support a given party. Whenever probed about EVM tampering, the Election Commission of India has always claimed that the devices are ‘hack proof’. Ironically, the Election Commission of India (ECI) introduced EVMs in the late 1990s, replacing paper ballots in an attempt to curb manipulation of results. With many allegations surrounding the possible marring of EVMs, it is important to note that there is an equal number of reports supporting the integrity of the machines. Every political party has spoken for or against the possibilities of EVM tampering depending on whether their party has won or lost an election. Ryan Rodrigues

NEWS

Bandra, Please Go Vote!

The hectic pre-election campaign of the 2019 general elections in India is upon us. Political parties indulging in mud-slinging, playing the blame game, are not helping. Every citizen hopes for a better India; development that will lift up all sections of society. Every Indian seeks a government to bridge the widening gap between rich & poor. We wish for harmony, fraternity and brotherhood! Discrimination against on the basis of religion, diet, dress, class or caste and denial of equal treatment or opportunities to develop, cheats us of what the Constitution of India promises: to “secure to all its citizensJUSTICE, social, economic & political; LIBERTY of thought, expression, belief, faith and worship; EQUALITY of status and of opportunity; and to promote among them all FRATERNITY assuring the dignity of the individual and the unity and integrity of the Nation. How can people in a Democracy be deprived of their right in the country of their birth? Present conditions cry out for employment, healthy agricultural, easy & affordable access to health care, protection of environment & infrastructure meant for the use of all classes of people. But aspirations & hopes are trampled under the juggernaut of corruption, favoritism, prejudices and blind allegiance evident in society today. We are disillusioned and brand all parties and politicians as ‘good-for nothing’ and either boycott the elections or press the NOTA button with vengeance! Eminent & enlightened citizens are expressing the view that the ‘Secret Ballot’ or VOTE is a weapon given to every citizen above 18 years by the Constitution to elect a government ‘For the people, by the people, of the people’. If we fail

to vote, do we have the right to sit in our comfort zones and grumble about the deterioration around? Do not WASTE your right to vote. Become an enlightened voter, the candidate you elect to the Parliament, Legislative Assembly or Municipal Corporation will have the power to make or break your life. It is imperative to know the functions and responsibilities of elected representatives at all rungs of the government, lest we ask our MP to clean our roads and the Corporator to make laws! Educate yourselves! The noble Statesmen, capable administrators and persons of integrity wanting to serve India & its people, may have passed on, but it is our duty to cast our vote & elect the one candidate who has the potential & the willingness to be a ‘public servant’. You owe this to your country, to the next generation of Indians & to the millions of Indians struggling to survive. Check the track record of a candidate, intentions, economic status, agenda, honesty & do not be disappointed if none of them measure up to your expectations. Vote on the basis of your own experience, vote for better living standards, future of your children and a peaceful existence, vote for yourself! Pitted against the dismal conditions prevailing in the country, a list of demands by the citizens seems to be futile! But at every elections, citizen groups come together and prepare a “Citizens Charter”, a list of their ‘preferences’ to present to the candidates. That promises to abide by the charter have been freely made & broken, is another matter. But we must do what we can – here is another attempt at communicating with the future government. These points are meant to create awareness & trigger a thought-process among Indians, to be read and discussed.

1. Candidates elected on the ticket given by one political party, must not be permitted to jump to another party till their term ends. 2. Each candidate should contest from one Constituency only. The irony of it is, if he or she gets defeated even in one Constituency, means citizens do not wish him or her to join the government. And where does it stop- two or ten constituencies? 3. If elected they should be accessible to the voters and make every attempt to honour the opinions expressed by them. It is the general belief that if the government uses the tax-payers money for projects opposed by them, such people are not working for the welfare of the people of India. 4. Being elected to form the government is not a job, it is a service. There is no age limit, no restrictions, and it comes with hefty salary and perks so why pensions? Also elected representatives, who do not attend Parliament or Assembly, should be paid only for the days they attend. 5. Laws for Indians should be enforced in a similar manner for all. Everyone is equal. The image of the politician bowing low before us, asking for votes will soon be replaced by the very same ones expensively clad, in luxury cars, amidst a posse of guards zooming from place to place. But do not lose hope. How can we remind those in power that water, forests, natural resources & clean air sustain life & are the only thing that will make India a leading economy in the future. We want sustainable development which ensure equal opportunities for all generations. So stand up & be counted among those shaping the destiny of India, by voting! Vera Alvares

CAMPUS

BANDRA BUZZ | APRIL 2019

At Shenvi, Dance is not Students of TSEC nail just an expression, its life Trifles - their cultural fest If there’s one language that can be called universal, it’s the language of dance! The art sometimes conveys emotions more accurately & powerfully than words. Movies like ABCD & Step Up are a case in point. Kiran Shenvi, a trained and passionate jazz, contemporary & modern ballet dancer and teacher couldn’t agree more with these words. For him, dance is more than just a language, he breathes it; it’s his life. A trained Jazz, Contemporary & Modern Ballet artist & teacher for preliminary, elementary & advance training programs, Kiran Shenvi has travelled extensively all over India to perform, teach & choreograph at various dance events & festivals. In the interim, he has rubbed shoulders with the who’s who of the industry including dance educators like Ghislaine Carrara, Josephin Wikstrom, James Morrow, Steve Rooks, Swati Mohan, Santosh Nair, Pamela Pietro, Brandy Lee, Robert Moses Kin, Tanusree Shankar. Kiran has also taken teaching assignments with Sumeet Nagdev Dance Arts (SNDA) & worked as an assistant choreographer & rehearsal director there, all this while completing his diploma in advance dance studies. With the richness of all his experiences, Kiran established the Shenvi School of Dance also known as SSD in April 2018 with him at the helm: the Artistic

Director. Kiran says, “SSD was founded with the idea of providing an easily accessible platform of dance education to aspiring dancers, willing to make a career in dance. Our aim is to impart quality dance training & we strive to teach & promote accurate dance techniques, fitness, flexibility, musicality & emotion through movement.” SSD conducts Community courses for students who are passionate about dance & Advance Training Programs for students willing to establish a career in dance. The Advance Training Program is a comprehensive program aimed at educating & emancipating young artists by facilitating extensive & rigorous training & research in the field of dance. “The program is structured with ut-

“

SSD was founded with the idea of providing an easily accessible platform of dance education to aspiring dancers, willing to make a career in dance. Our aim is to impart quality dance training & we strive to teach and promote accurate dance techniques, fitness, flexibility, musicality and emotion through movement.

most planning to build on physical endurance, dance techniques, performance skills & professional attitude in dancers,” says Shenvi. The Community courses of SSD encourages students to build creativity & individual expression through dance in a fun learning atmosphere. The course helps students in enhancing their focus & discipline, improves fitness & flexibility & promotes communication & presentation skills with a range of subjects including Modern Ballet, Modern Contemporary, Jazz & Modern HipHop, Kathak, Yoga & Gymnastics. With his vast exposure in the industry: he has had the opportunity to p e r f o r m for dance festivals l i k e Kala Ghoda

Dance Festival - Mumbai, Expressions International Dance Festival - Delhi, Beyond the Spotlight Festival - Pune, Contemporary Dance Festival – NCPA Mumbai, World Dance Day – NCPA Mumbai, Elephanta Festival - Mumbai, Erasing Borders Dance Festival – New York, Bombay Fest – Mumbai, Serendipity Arts Festival – Goa to name a few besides having performed in more than 400 shows, Kiran is well equipped with the much more advanced nuances of the language of dance & surely hopes to give this universal language a new dimension with you in tow. Valerian D’Costa

Trifles, is held at Thadomal Shahani Engineering College, Bandra for the past 18 years, is a National level, Inter Collegiate Annual Cultural Festival. TSEC, is known for it’s cultural activites. The TSEC dance and TSEC drama team, both secured first place at the national level at Chaos 19, IIM Ahmedabad. Every year, Trifles hosts a set of enthralling events of grand stature which witness nationwide participation and celebrity judges. In the last five years alone, Trifles has witnessed stellar performances by renowned Bollywood artists like Siddharth Mahadevan, Sona Mohapatra, Papon; popular DJs like Nucleya, Zaeden, DJ Teri Miko and standup troupes like Zakir Khan, Kenny Sebastian, Varun Thakur. This year, Trifles was held in full pomp and fanfare from the 13th of March 2019 to the 15th of March 2019. With the very funny Piy-

ush Sharma and Vipul Goyal for Comedy Night, the very talented Arjun Kanungo for Bollywood Night and the dashing and energetic DJ Shaan and DJ Meraki for EDM night. Lastly, Trifles wouldn’t have been such a huge success without all the sponsors. TSEC Students’ Council would like to thank Title sponsor - Haldiram, Co-sponsor - Jawa (K.K. Motors ), Apparels partner - IDM, Print Media partner – Bandra Buzz, Cravings partner – Foodiez, Socializing partner - Tinder, Fitness partner - Gold’s Gym, Education partner - GoGenius, Energy partner – Monster for their association and helping Trifles reach new heights. Every year the hype keeps on increasing in the college and TSEC Students’ Council has surely lived up to the expectations of the crowd! Hemant Rajpal

BANDRA BUZZ | APRIL 2019

IN FOCUS

Brendon Barretto achieves childhood dream to become a Doctor They say the first impression is the best impression. One look at Brendon Barretto & you wouldn’t believe he is a doctor. Tall, lean & handsome is not the way you would usually describe a doctor. But then he has gone about breaking stereotypes for a while now. Having dreamt of being a doctor since age five, when he dressed up as one at a fancy dress competition and took along his stethoscope and toy animals as patients, Brendon has brought his dream to life and how! At the age of 23, when most of us are or were busy deciphering our next step in our lives, Brendon already prefixes the term Doctor before his name. When we did catch up with him, he had just finished giving a dance class and we learnt that besides dancing he also dies a lot of modelling himself! Brendon explains, “I didn’t like Maths too much and enjoyed Science. I was always inquisitive and Science had the answers. Biology was something that I was inclined towards. I opted for the Physics-Chemistry-Biology combination in my 12th. And then I appeared for the NEET entrance exam after my HSC through which I got admission into KJ Somaiya Medical College.” Throughout the four years in his college, he aced his exams ranking first in every single annual exam. To top it up, Brendon was also placed third in Ma-

harashtra in his first year exam. But that’s not all; he achieved this without attending any private coaching classes. “For only a three hour exam, I had to refer to around fifteen different huge books. I also referred to online videos sometimes. Usually, the exams also came around Christmas when there are parties and weddings and I had to skip them just so that I could focus on the exams. To attend classes which lasted a r o u n d eight hours on a daily basis didn’t appeal to me. I tried to do things myself by taking notes from others. Besides, whenever I had any difficulty I approached my teachers in the college who were more than gracious to help me out. They would explain the detail to me while attending to a patient. That was a better way to retain knowledge that learn by rote.” In the in-

terim, Brendon secured plenty of scholarship awards from various associations and organisations. Currently, the young lad is completing his internship at KJ Somaiya Hospital where he is learning the practical aspects of his trade which include suturing, writing prescriptions, dressing wounds and the like. When he isn’t on call, he likes to conduct dance workshops. He has completed his probationary training with the Danceworx Academy and is also a qualified dance instructor. In fact, in his final year of his MBBS he

even took part 3 batches of the Danceworx Summer worshop. Besides, when he isn’t in the clinic or at the dance studio he does quite a bit of modelling as well. Brendon, who is a more reserved person also enjoys cooking and baking in equal measure. So much for being a doctor. His mother, Donna who is a teacher (at St. Joseph’s Convent School) herself, chips in, “He is a very studious and disciplined child. At the same time he enjoys a lot of other extra-curricular activities. It goes to show that one need not be

“

For a three hour exam, I had to refer to around fifteen different huge books. Usually, the exams also came around Christmas when there are parties and weddings and I had to skip them just so that I could focus on the exams. To attend classes which lasted around 8 hours on a daily basis didn’t appeal to me. I tried to do things myself by taking notes from others.

a bookworm but if you manage time well then you can do a whole lot of things. Initially, we didn’t know about the process of getting Brendon into medical college since no one in our family has gone down this path. But Brendon has since his childhood wanted to be a doctor even playing one himself at a fancy dress competition in KG class and now his dream has become a reality.” For him, the journey has just begun, “I am looking to specialise in a particular field.” But when asked which one, he remains modest, “It depends on the rank I am able to get in the entrance exams based on which I can then decide.” Valerian D’Costa

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APRIL 2019 | BANDRA BUZZ

KNOW YOUR

PRIYA SUNIL DUTT

Born: 28th August 1966 Residence: Bandra, Mumbai Website: www.priyadutt.in 2009: When Priya Dutt won PARTY

CANDIDATE

VOTES

INC

Priya Sunil Dutt

3,19,352

BJP

Mahesh Ram Jethmalani

1,44,797

MNS

Shilpa Atul Sarpotdar

1,32,546

EDUCATION: • She received her B.A. degree in ‘Sociology’ from Sophia College, Mumbai University. • She has a Post Graduate Diploma in television production from the Center for Media Arts, New York, United States.

Member of

SOCIAL ACTIVITIES: Founded the Nargis Dutt Memorial Charitable Trust (NDMCT), which was started by her father Sunil Dutt, in memory of her mother Nargis Dutt. How confident are you of winning back your MP seat, this time? I am never over-confident. Every election is a challenge – not particularly this one. You need to reach out & make them understand your vision. This election, I am quite confident, because I am seeing people’s reactions – the feedback I am getting at ground level, is good. Any local & national issues, that you feel need to change? For an MP, its all at the national level. The national policies that would affect people in Mumbai North Central Constituency would be my concern – Reservation for Women & others, Government Jobs, etc. Local issues get a little mixed up. On my campaign, many come forward with local civic issues – basic issues, like water, gutters, housing, which I cannot ignore. What were your top three successful projects, in your constituency, when you were MP? I can break this down. In infrastructure, we usually have very large projects. We, as MPs, ensure that funding comes to Mumbai, when a proposal is given. This is not easy for development projects, as people are affected. Our major challenge is how to rehabilitate them. During my tenure, a lot of development was done. A major infrastructure project was the SCLR, the Milan Flyover (over the Milan subway, which used to be a bottleneck, in terms of traffic – mostly flooded during the rains). The Chembur-Mumbai Link Road (though not in my Constituency),

was done by my government. Then, the Sahar Elevated Road, when the new airport was developed. The Bandra-Worli Sea-Link was done with Central Govt. Funds – although a part of it came in my constituency. These have all been very successful projects. In all these projects, people were rehabilitated within 2-3 kms. Most importantly, we ensured a ‘humane face’. My inputs came in, here - with a lot of negotiations. With our compassionate interaction with those who are affected, no one felt that they were an obstacle to our developmental projects. If elected, how do you plan to ‘make a difference’, to the people of Mumbai North Central, using your MP Funds? MPLad Funds are so over-rated. I have a constituency of 60 lakh voters across 6 Assembly Constituencies. This is huge. We get Rs. 5 crores p.a. Using this fund is like a drop in the ocean, as there is so much work, that needs to be done. My fund utilization was almost 100%. Getting the funds is a tedious process. So, I have focussed a lot on toilets, beautification of open spaces, etc. This was done, only with local inputs – ALMs, local residents. After doing a survey, we got things done. The money had to be divided across constituencies – which are very diverse. Each area has different needs – so my priorities are also different. Drinking water, drains, toilets, community centres, in the east and the Bandstand & Carter Promenades, gardens, tiling, etc. on the west side. After we get these projects done, we

hand it over to local residents, to maintain them. Even maintenance funds were arranged. If you are elected as MP, would you propose to make it a national law; that once any candidate is elected to political office, they cannot change parties, till their full term is complete? I completely believe in this – the anti-defection law. Do you have plans for regular ‘MP Citizens Meetings’ – for constructive interaction? Yes, I think this is wonderful. I want to continue working in collaboration with citizens. As an MP, I do not think anybody can work in isolation – as eventually, citizens will be affected. I had launched my website in 2005 – to connect with people. Today, social media is huge. What is your message to citizens residing in Mumbai North Central? My message is that it is most important for citizens to come out and vote. It is our right – but it is our responsibility, as well. We need to vote sensibly. We need to vote a government that is secular and which upholds the sovereignty & democracy of this country. Sometimes, people do not realise how powerful their votes are, in the democracy that we have (in India). Utilise this strength in the right direction. All along, different communities have co-existed in harmony & mutual respect. We need to maintain & uphold that. I have seen this being corroded in the last 5 years

Roles & Respons To represent the views and aspirations of the people of their constituency at a National Level i.e. in the Parliament of India. (Lok Sabha) LEGISLATIVE: When a Bill is introduced in either House of Parliament, MPs are supposed to debate on various provisions of the Bill, & propose amendments if they so wish. DELIBRATIVE: MPs can ask questions to government ministers, including the Prime Minister, in Parliament. The rules of procedure in each House of Parliament have provisions for a Question

Hour and a Zero H written and oral asked by MPs. Th questions specific constituency whic resents.

DEVELOPMENTAL 1. MPLADS – Und Parliament Local A Scheme (MPLAD 1993, every MP is a per year - meant fo opmental works in ency, in the catego cation, Social Welfa & Centrally Sponso

CANDIDATES

BANDRA BUZZ | APRIL 2019

POONAM PRAMOD MAHAJAN Born: 9th December 1980 Residence: Worli, Mumbai Website: www.poonammahajan.in 2014: When Poonam Mahajan won

Parliament

PARTY

CANDIDATE

VOTES

BJP

Proonam Mahajan

4,78,535

INC

Priya Sunil Dutt

2,91,764

AAP

Phiroze Palkhivala

34,824

NOTA

None of the Above

6,937

EDUCATION: • She studied at the Brighton School of Business Management SOCIAL ACTIVITIES: • She’s the National President of BJYM, the BJP’s Youth Wing. • In 2016, she co-founded Mumbai Youth Forum, a non-profit institution that encourages youth to collaborate with elected representatives & policy makers to enable inclusion of their ideas & efforts, with the aim of enabling positive social impact in India. How confident are you of winning back your MP seat, this time? Actually, confidence comes from your work. It is important that people had put faith in me and wanted me to work – so they voted me in. As their Member of Parliament, I tried my best to perform, during the last five years. My intent is clear. As MP, people expected a good level of accessibility & accountability from me. Mumbai North Central is a large constituency (Bandra West / East, Vile Parle, Kalina, Kurla & Chandivali) and I tried to reach out.

sibilities of an MP

Hour during which questions can be hese could include to the State or the ch he or she rep-

2. Representation in Local Bodies – Local bodies such as Panchayats & Municipalities, have an important role to play in bringing development at the grass root level.

L: der the Member of Area Development DS), launched in allocated Rs 5 crore or initiating develn his / her constituories: Health, Eduare, Infrastructure ored Schemes.

3. Vigilance & Monitoring of government Schemes – MPs have also been assigned an important role in the monitoring of some Centrally Sponsored Schemes in their respective constituency. As elected representatives, they also have legitimate political authority to engage directly with the private / corporate sector for development of their constituencies.

Any local & national issues, that you feel need to change? The interesting part is, that when you are a Member of Parliament, your job is to a) make policies b) the voice of your people. Especially the voice of your constituency in Mumbai itself, needs to be heard in Parliament & you need to ask the right questions. You need to attend on time, follow up of Bills (that you have proposed and want that law to be enacted). I will not shy away from resolving any local issues. Especially in Bandra, I have a good team – Alka Tai, Ashishji, Swapna, etc. We are creative in solving problems. Basically, I am the link from the ‘Gullies to Delhi’. What were your top three successful projects, in your constituency, when you were MP? Housing is a very big issue for all of us, especially middle class people & slum dwellers living on collector land. There are 4,000 societies in Mumbai cannot be transferred (on

their name), as they are on Collector’s or MHADA land. People could not resell or repair their dilapidated houses – inspite of paying for it. We helped around 60% of such people (by changing policies, which is the most important factor) and I am very happy about this – because a home is everybody’s dream. I am known as a ‘Toilet MP’, with 1428 toilets. My Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLAD) is used 100%. I have tried my best to be the people’s representative in Parliament. There are many more examples. If elected, how do you plan to ‘make a difference’, to the people of Mumbai North Central, using your MP Funds? This time, I really concentrated on my MP Funds, more than sanitation; because that is the need of the hour. The constituency is so large, that the MP Fund distributed may not be enough. Thankfully, we have our BJP MLA Ashishji and our BJP Corporators, to help out with fund sharing. There are non-BJP MLAs in some constituencies, so I need to concentrate a lot more, there. We will make a difference in sanitation & education, which are people’s basic expectations. I work with a lot of NGOs – it’s my passion. I am an animal activist. I have supported many U.N. Sustainable Development Boards, where I have worked for education, water quality & sanitation. I will make a difference, using CSR. My slogan: ‘Public Participation Partnership’, will continue to be put into action.

If you are elected as MP, would you propose to make it a national law; that once any candidate is elected to political office, they cannot change parties, till their full term is complete? There is already a law of defection already in place, but I agree that it should be stronger law. How to take it forward? We need to come together & have a discussion on this topic. Do you have plans for regular ‘MP Citizens Meetings’ – for constructive interaction? I would love it. My office is right in the centre of Mumbai North Central Constituency – in Kalina, Santa Cruz. So, from Powai, to Bandra West & East, Vile Parle, etc. people are welcome. I am connected on Twitter, Facebook and other social media. My contact number is on my website. If people text me, I will try my best to resolve their issues. If it concerns any councillor, I will forward it to them. So, I am accessible. I plan to start an e-newsletter for connecting to people via e-mail. Though I have it on my website (what I have spent, what I have spoken), I am sure that a personal e-newsletter; sent every three months, by e-mail will make a difference to reach out. What is your message to citizens residing in Mumbai North Central? My message is that I will try my best to connect will all people (although my constituency is huge, from slums to hi-rise apartments), wherever & however they want it. I appreciate their love for me.

EVENTS

BANDRA BUZZ | APRIL 2019

Classic Chic at this Fashion Feast

Geeta Handa (centre) alongside Neeraj Parswani & models The toast of London was the buzz of Bandra. Yes, delightful designer Geeta Handa who has been creating waves in London was here at our very own Olive Bar & Kitchen. It was yet another exciting edition of The Olive Canvas with Ranjit Rodricks, the once-a-month fashion feast at the Mediterranean-styled eatery and bar. It was time to view the Geeta Handa London label in association with jewellery brand Chiara Casa De Cristales at the preview of her new collection called Boudoir Beauts. Well-known faces like Pooja Gor, Nivedita Basu, Chahat Khanna, Asha Bhatt, Susanne Bernert, Gunjan Manaktala, Sandhya Shetty & Achla Sachdev were seen at this stylish soiree. On view were some eccentric designs for both men & women in soft palettes & a hint of men’s wear in Geeta’s signature nostalgic style. There were four exquisitely curated outfits with embel-

lishment studded with pure Swarovski crystals from Chiara. Boudoir Beauts is an aesthetical celebration of women embracing their ultra-feminine prowess in a man’s world. It is a sassy, luxury range in pastel hues from rosy peach to soothing sage colours in subtle yet sexy silhouettes. It incorporates beautiful ruched fabric into each piece and ornamented with Swarovski crystals, polished to perfection. The collection is reminiscent of timeless global classic beauties such as Bianca Jagger, Gayatri Devi & Brigitte Bardot with a modern-day edge from the 1940s to 1970s. Music for the show at Olive was mixed by Major C of ‘Gully Boy’ fame. And the fashionable folk sipped Skyy vodka cocktails and Fratelli wines, complemented by hors d’oeuvres. Marcellus Baptista

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BANDRA BUZZ | APRIL 2019

IN FOCUS

Woman Power: Lavinia Hansraj rolls back the years!

ou’re a woman in your mid-forties and you have a family to take care of. When you were younger in your childhood, you excelled at a talent, you were better at it than most others, it was your passion. You pursued it because it brought you joy. As age caught up with you, so did other responsibilities. That talent was slowly put on the back burner and eventually it faded into a memory. For most women, that passion that brought you to life continues to remain a memory because of your inhibitions and because you’re too caught up with your everyday mundane lives. Lavinia Hansraj has had it like most women but her inhibitions did not deter her from letting that spark die down in her. In fact she has rekindled that spark and how! Born into a family where her father was an athlete himself as well as her brothers too, Lavinia had it in her blood. Back in her school days in Canossa Convent, she was a top athlete and continued winning laurels into her college life. But once that phase passed, responsibilities crept in and sprinting took a back seat. Fast forward to a few years back, when she tried to relive her passion through her son, Ethen, by getting him into high-jump training at VPM Club in Dahisar, given his tall athletic frame. That’s when the spark in her was reignited. “I spotted a group of middle-aged

adults jogging on the track and I just happened to ask one of them if they were training. And they were! That’s how I made up my mind that I wanted to start training again!” says an excited Lavinia. While her son, Ethen, decided to pursue football because of his interest in the game, Lavinia herself started waking up at 4am four days of the week to attend trainings at 5.30am in the mornings. After a few months of rigorous training, she decided to test the waters & entered into the Maharashtra State Masters Open Athletic Meetin November last year in the Women’s 40s category & effortlessly won Gold bringing back mem ories

of her heyday. Not one to rest on her laurels, Lavinia undertook her next challenge a couple of months later: the YMCA Annual Athletic Meet. The YMCA Meet draws top athletes from all over the state and so it was a real test for Lavinia, both, physically as well as psychologically. But boy, not only did she surprise herself by winning the 100m race in the Women over 40 Category, she also shattered the long-standing record and created a new meet record of her own! Spurred by her performances, Lavinia decided to take the next step and so she went on to participate at the National Level meet in Nashik in February. Here, she was up against the whos who of athletics: the country’s best athletes. You wouldn’t want to bet otherwise because Lavinia won the 100m race breezing past the finish line first. To top it up, she also went on to win gold in the 200m, 400m, Long Jump and 4x100m relay along with her team! “I’ve surprised myself with my performances. Initially, I was worried if I was ready at all

but my coach Sir Sandarsh Shetty has always pushed me to test my limits. He has really helped me believe in myself. In fact, when the athletics coach, Mr Cyril, at Ethen’s school learned about my achievements, he was overjoyed!” So much so Ethen has now stated attending athletics training himself. “I’m really proud of my mother’s achievements. To be able to do what she has done is really amazing. And it has kind of motivated to give athletics another shot in school.” Lavinia’s husband, Chetan was as excited and expressed it himself in as many words. “What Lavinia has done, to go back to training now and remain dedicated – wake up at 4am in the morning – is really fantastic. In fact, I was on set when I learnt of her victory and when the crew got to know about it, they went bonkers. I think women have been doing better than men in the sporting arena for quite a while now.” For now, Lavinia keeps going at it, training four days a week on the track and in the gym. Her next step is the National Level meet in Sri Lanka. “Sri Lanka hold their own national meet in August and they invite the top athletes from the country to participate. It will be my first time going abroad to participate and in a way I’ll be representing the country. While working hard on myself I’m also looking out for sponsors as costs really go through the roof.” But most importantly Lavinia says she really appreciates when people, especially women, come up to her and congratulate her. “Women can do wonders if only they overcome their inhibitions. There’s always the time to do what you want to do. You just have to learn to manage it better.” As Amilia Earhart, the famous solo aviator summed it up, ‘The most effective way to do it, is to do it.’ Valerian D’Costa

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BANDRA BUZZ | APRIL 2019

EDITORIAL

The Heat Is On

Where to find Bandra Buzz in print We are available at nearly 30 locations throughout Bandra. Below is a list of some easy-to-find locations to pick up a Bandra Buzz: HILL ROAD · Outside Bandra station ticket counter · Near Bandra station rickshaw stand · Shankar Sidh (near Lucky Restaurant) · P.S. Chavan (outside Studio Perfecta) · Sheshmani Yadav (near Wanton House) · Ajit B Shelar (outside ICICI Bank) · Good Luck Café S.V. ROAD · Shubangi Chandrakant Torasker (opp. Bandra Talao) WATERFIELD ROAD · Indian Express (opp. Post Ofﬁce) KRISHNA CHANDRA MARG · R K Yadav (outside IES College) CHAPEL ROAD · Shiva (outside Mt Carmels Church gate) · Rajendra Yadav (near Starbucks Coffee)

TURNER ROAD · B.M. Khambe (near D’Decor showroom) · R.K. Yadav (opp. Cafe Coffee Day) · The Bandra Gymkhana · Mcubed Library · Surendra Amberkar (near Peace Haven) CHIMBAI ROAD · S.R.N/L.R. Yadav (opp. Solanki Chemist) DR. AMBEDKAR ROAD · Bhushan newspaper (opp. 5 Spice) · Uday R Pai (opp. Bombay Barbeque) · Suresh More (near St. Elias High School) NARGIS DUTT ROAD · Temperance JUNCTION OF 24TH & 30TH ROAD · Rajkumar Yadav (opp. St. Theresa) JUNCTION OF 24TH & 32ND ROAD · Patwardhan Udyan (opp. St. Theresa)

ST. JOHN BAPTIST ROAD · Sandeep bookstall (near Mt Mary Steps) BAZAAR ROAD · Kalidas Vishram General Stores · Rohit Newspaper (near Kalidas Stores)

Subject to availability. If you’d like your business or place of work to be added to this list as a valued distribution point for Bandra Buzz, please call 99202 99787

Dear Reader, April is when the heat really sets in. This year, heat has two major manifestations. One is the hot season and the other is connected to the upcoming national elections. In Bandra, we are concerned about Mumbai North Central – and who will be our next MP. Temperatures are rising, as campaigning is getting fiercer by the hour. The heat is on – it’s on the streets. Two powerful & experienced women candidates – Priya Dutt (INC) & Poonam Mahajan (BJP) are vying for M.P. Both are campaigning with vigour, knowing well that every vote can add up to make the difference between winning and losing. Bandraites and the rest of the six constituencies are feeling the election heat being turned up. Potential voters are being wooed with endless promises. Allegations & counter-allegations are being made. Past differences are getting forgotten, even as alliances are being formed – after all, votes are important. Every promotional formats are being used to the hilt – from personal meetings, road-shows, print to social media. The ‘pitch’ will soon reach a crescendo – as Voting day: 29th April 2019, draws near. To help our dear readers make an informed decision, we at Bandra Buzz have collated important information

in this issue. True to our policy of being un-biased, we have given you both sides of the story. You will be equipped with enough data to choose the right candidate. You are urged to use your constitutional right to vote. Non-voters have no moral right to complain. Do use it, by coming out and voting! We cannot miss remembering Darryl D’Monte – a hardcore Bandraite, till the end. He upheld community values, to his heart – more than just material gain. May his soul R.I.P. May this Easter season – bring us all ‘new beginnings’. Till next time, take care.

Regards, Merck N. D’Silva Editor-in-Chief DISCLAIMER: The opinions expressed in this paper, are of the authors - and do not reﬂect the opinion of the publishers and editors, unless otherwise stated. Readers should act on the information provided, only after consulting with their own independent advisors.

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KNOW YOUR CANDIDATE

BANDRA BUZZ | APRIL 2019

Poonam Mahajan: The youth will make me win Dear Friends, Since the announcement of my candidature, I am busy meeting visitors and party workers at my party office located on the first floor of a commercial building in Santa Cruz. SOCIAL Many call on me with flowers to congratulate her on my candidature and click pictures with me. When I am asked if people in public life don’t get tired of meeting visitors all day long, I reply, “That’s why I don’t socialise after work. I don’t go for dinners, parties. I go home and spend time with my family.” I am reduce the rate of premium to be levied married and have two children. I am in and will benefit thousands of societies my late 30s and confident of winning a in Maharashtra.” second term. PROMOTIONS Apart from road shows, rallies, door-toHOUSING Housing is a major issue in Mumbai. I door campaign, and the Prime Minister’s have requested the Chief Minister for upcoming public address in Mumbai in the conversion of the collector’s land April, I have the backing of a social mefrom leasehold to free hold. This will dia team.

SOCIAL MEDIA The team manages my Facebook page, coordinates my Instagram live videos, stories and monitors my Twitter feed. I have 6,19,000 followers on Twitter and 1,29,000 followers on Instagram. My social media campaign is being led by Madhukeshwar Desai, vice president of BJYM and the great grandson of Morarji Desai.

YOUTH POWER I have formed a team of “millennials” to woo youths in her constituency. For this, I have formed a team of “millennials” to woo youth in my constituency. This social media team is targeting firsttime voters, highlighting my hard work for the past 5 years, in Mumbai North Central. They are helping us tap the potential of the youth. I do realise that a large number of youth who were firsttime voters, did it for that ‘selfie’ with the inked finger’. But this time, those who will vote, should do it for exercising their right to vote - which is a right as well as duty. They will be going to colleges to reach out to the youth and inform them of my work. They will create awareness on the need to step out and vote. On Monday, 29th April 2019, do come out to vote. It is your democratic right and it is your duty to use it. Poonam Mahajan

Poonam Mahajan – Dynamic, Hardworking MP Ms. Poonam Mahajan is a Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha from BJP representing Mumbai North-Central Constituency. She is also the National President of BJYM, the youth wing of the BJP. She has been described by many as dynamic, astute, passionate and hardworking. Striking a sound balance between her role as a MP and the President of BJYM, her work with NGOs and taking care of her family; she epitomises the progressive Indian women of the 21st century. Ms. Mahajan strongly believes in the ‘Public-Politician Partnership’. She has steadily worked with the Public in solving problems pertaining to her constituency and the country at large. Her core areas of interests include urban infrastructure, gender equality, sanitation, animal welfare and environment conservation. Ms. Mahajan has, through various interventions in Parliament as well as through her interaction with the Government, pushed for

renewed Importance towards development of Mumbai. Furthermore, she has been at the forefront of making Mumbai an International Financial Service Centre (IFSC), with ‘Mumbai Next’. Ms. Mahajan is also a member of the Chief Minister of Maharashtra’s war room that oversees implementation of marquee infrastructure projects of the State Government of Maharashtra. She has raised several issues in Parliament including provision of free legal aid, need to expand work of the National Translation Mission, Community based programs for malnutrition, environment related offences, occupational diseases, Food Early Warning System, research and development for hybrid vehicles and atrocities against women and children among other things. She has specifically raised issues relating to Mumbai such as the issue of rehabilitation of slum dwellers living on airport

land, rejuvenation of Mithi river, issues relating to Mumbai’s suburban rail and rehabilitation of street vendors. Being an avid animal lover, Ms Mahajan has been at the forefront for conservation of animals and equally contributing towards preserving the environment. Apart from this, Ms. Mahajan also serves a mentor to Swachhalay, a non-profit organization led by a group of enthusiastic teenagers inspired by PM Narendra Modi’s vision for a Clean India. Aims to improve cleanliness and hygiene standards in Mumbai, working to meet the Sustainable Development Goal on sanitation, easing access to clean water and eliminating open defecation. In the year 2016, she co-founded Mumbai Youth Forum, a non-profit institution that encourages youth to collaborate with elected representatives and policy makers to enable the inclusion of their ideas and efforts with the aim of enabling positive social impact in India. Ms. Mahajan played a vital role in organising the first ever Global Citizen Music Festival in India at the MMRDA Grounds in Bandra area of her constituency. Ms. Mahajan is a member of the Parliamentary Consultative Committee on Finance and Corporate Affairs and a member of the Committee of private Member Bills and Resolutions. Ms. Mahajan participated in the Georgetown Leadership Seminar (GLS) course conducted by the Institute of the Study of Diplomacy in Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service of Georgetown

University in 2016. The GLS aims to promote dialogue on global affairs among emerging and dynamic leaders who will shape the future. She has been recently appointed as the Chairperson of India-Israel Forum of Parliamentarians by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI). To improve the quality of life in villages, Ms. Mahajan adopted two villages – Charoti and Vaghadi – under the aegis of Sansad Adarsh Gram Yojana, a scheme launched by PM Narendra Modi in October, 2014. She credits her commitment to working with NGOs to her father who shared the same sense of empathy towards those less fortunate. Ms. Mahajan has been actively involved in social work through NGOs like Pramod Mahajan Pratishthan and Tapasvi Public Charitable Trust.

2019 LOK SABHA ELECTIONS Constituency: Mumbai North-Central Date of polling: April 29, 2019 Timings: 7am to 6pm

BANDRA BUZZ | APRIL 2019

KNOW YOUR CANDIDATE

Priya Dutt Manifesto - Together, For a Better Future - Promote workshops through corporate Congress, NCP, PRP, RPI (Gawai) & in and around Mumbai to be protected. opment. and NGO partnerships for Skill DevelopAdvocate for Slum Dwellers residing on Strive for the Mithi river to be cleaned Swabhimani Shetkari Sangathana ment. upper floor of slums eligible under SRA. and beautified. Advocate for mangroves Alliance

LOCAL POLICIES I WILL SUPPORT AT THE CENTER: - Reservation Bill for women in Parliament. - Minimum wage guarantee. - Independent Investigative agencies and Judiciary. - Creation of a new Ministry to protect and promote the profession of fishing and their communities. - NYAY guarantees minimum income of Rs 72,000 to 5 crore poorest families. - 33% Reservation for Women in Government jobs. - A simpler GST capped at a moderate rate. - Exemption to young entrepreneurs for 3 years for all applicable rules and regulations. - Angel tax to be abolished. - Increase in the education budget from around 3% to 6% of GDP. - Increase in the healthcare budget from around 1.5% to 3% of GDP. - Right to Healthcare Act. Local Policies I will support & strive for: ENVIRONMENT - Ensure Coastal Road constructed in line with environmental specifications. Ensure that all green lungs / forest areas

to be fully protected and enforcement of stringent laws against destruction. - Support for 100% ban on use of plastic and alternates to be introduced and enforced exert influence such that all major infra projects must have proper environment clearances and approvals. - Strongly address the issue of felling of trees for urban development. - Protect Aarey and other forest lands being taken over by metro. - Reduce vehicle congestion with plans that have citizen consent and involvement. - Create a steering committee of experts to look at all environmental issues holisSOCIAL LIVING: tically. - Strive for Drug Rehabilitation in every government hospital. Lifecycle monitoring, rehabilitation, awareness, prevention, actively back and empower NGO’s. - Create a steering committee of motivated citizens and experts to look at all issues holistically. - Increasing dialogue with the public through town halls/mohalla sabhas with action items noted at the end of each session. - Strive for the PCA act to be strengthened with hefty fines and jail term, support animal groups. - Work towards understanding and facilitating a better equipped and people sensitive police force. INFRASTRUCTURE: - Strive for BEST fleet size, services dou- - Advocate for legalization and availabilbled and made more comfortable and ity of medicinal marijuana for the termipush for the introduction of technolo- nally ill. gy/Apps review and where appropriate, - Support police reform, upgradation construct metro underground in the and modernisation of police force with constituency as per wishes of residents. appropriate use of technology. - Ensure walkways, foot over bridges - Support measures to allow for affordmust be stringently audited & monitored able treatment of cancer including pro- Ensure laying of roads as per Supreme curing cheaper drugs and hospitalization. Court Order of 26th July, 2018. - Ensure there is transparency and ac- - LGBTQ: raise awareness, prevent discountability around the hiring of BMC crimination and create an environment that allows for integration into society. contractors. - Empowering NGOs so that they can contribute to their full potential. URBAN LIVING: - Strive for clean beaches and open spaces through Public-Private participation WOMEN & CHILDREN: programs. - Ensure open spaces mapped, protected and made available to public. - Strive for clean drinking water to all communities which is a basic human right. - Advocate for preservation of Urban Gaothan and autonomy of development. - Ensure easy access to public transport and utility services for differently abled and elderly persons consistent with enforcement of the disability act. - Strive for minimum 1 BHK or 500 sq. ft. free homes under SRA, PAP, Re-Devel-

- Help to facilitate small scale industry and self help groups. - Continue to work for guidelines around safety and security. - Advocate for all female police stations. - Explore the setting up of creches for working women which will ease the childcare burden on them. - Extend sexual harassment of women in the workplace act, to all workplaces.

YOUTH MANIFESTO: We are going to institute a Listening to YOUth agenda. Our main guiding principle will be Youth Employment and Development to that effect we will have the following in place: • Increased youth dialogue and engagement through monthly youth specific town-halls where we will listen to the burning issues of the youth. • Mentorship programs for underprivileged youth where they are paired up with members of the corporate world for Skype calls or coffee meetings. • Providing opportunities for underprivileged children from vernacular/government aided schools, through scholarships, tie ups with corporates and with universities in India and the west. • Advocating for a safe environment for the enjoyment of night - life with a clear set of rules and guidelines that are enforced in a consistent fashion.

2019 LOK SABHA ELECTIONS Constituency: Mumbai North-Central Date of polling: April 29, 2019 Timings: 7am to 6pm

NEWS

BANDRA BUZZ | APRIL 2019

Full steam ahead: A steamship named Bandra Bandra has always been associated with maritime culture & history. We all have a friend or relative in Bandra who is, or who has been a part of the Maritime Industry. And we in turn have been wowed by tales of their travels & adventures. Bandra is home to all echelons of ‘Shippies’, like the ubiquitous Pepe Fernandes of St. Paul Road, and the legendary master of the high seas, Capt. Ram Java of Carter Road. But what is not commonly known, is that there was once a ship that bore the name of the suburb itself – the S.S. Bandra. One of the many ships owned by the British-India Steam Navigation Co. Ltd. of Glasgow, Scotland; the S.S. Bandra was a Passenger / Cargo vessel, officially described as a “Steel Screw Steamer”. She was built by the shipbuilders Barclay, Curle & Co. Ltd., at Yard No 507 of the Clydeholm Yard in Scotland, at a cost £68,500, over a century ago. Launched on December 15th, 1913, the “Bandra” had gross tonnage of 3300 tons, was 341 feet in length & could carry 36 passengers (12 in First Class & 24 in Second), in addition to her cargo. Primarily designed for the company’s Per-

with a small Dhow, in the Bahrain harbour. By incident accounts, the “Bandra”, under the command of Capt. Arthur Danbrook, rammed the local pearl craft at around 6 am. While the Bahraini Dhow was damaged & later sank, there was luckily no loss of life. An out-ofcourt settlement between the owners of the Dhow & the British-India Steam Navigation Co. Ltd was reached for an amount of Rs. 3000 . The “Bandra” sailed under the ownership of the British-India Steam Navigation Co. from 1914 until 1951, when she was sold to the Whangpoo S.S. Co. Ltd. Her new owners based her in Hong Kong, where, the S.S. Bandra ended her service life & was broken up & scrapped, in mid 1952. Thus ended the little-known saga of the “Bandra”, a Scottish built ship, that flew the flag of the UK, saw The S.S. Bandra, of the British-India Steam Navigation Co. Ltd. was a two World Wars & bore the name of this Passenger / Cargo vessel, officially described as a “Steel Screw Steamer” suburb. So the next time your seafarer sian Gulf routes & use in the Red Sea, the WWI, she was also used as a troop ship friends in Bandra like Pepe Fernandes or the good Capt. Java regale you with “Bandra” also was used on routes within for the British Forces. nautical tales, you can tell them about a India, like the Calcutta to Bombay run, Steamship named Bandra. as well as on other routes from Bombay. “Bandra” at Bahrain – 90 years ago Perhaps she often sailed past the suburb On the morning of 12th August 1929, the Debasish Chakraverty from where she got her name. During S.S. Bandra was involved in a collusion

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