Bliss by the beach
A photographer holds up the lights during a photo session by the Madh Island seashore
Oxford University nod for Nazaria
(From left) Moments from a previous documentary workshop. Pics Courtesy/Nazaria Arts Collective
The Nazaria Arts Collective is one of seven arts, health, and ethics collective partnerships offered a Creative Research Collaboration under the Antitheses platform of the Oxford University this year. “The idea is to enable artistes and researchers to work together to open up academic knowledge production. So that we can find more ways for research to emerge from within communities. It is a special moment, since I studied at the University, and this is a collaboration with my alma mater,” admitted co-founder Nandini Kochhar (left). Armed with a seed grant, the collective will now collaborate with researcher Zeba Kokan in a research exploring the ideas of voice and agency among youth and women in Mumbai in the coming months. “We will work to understand their ideas of agency, voice and resilience to be put out through a short film, a podcast, and a study report,” she revealed to us.
QR codes and silver linings
A view of the QR code pendant (right) Akshay Ridlan
SOME inventions take on a life of their own. Sion-based Akshay Ridlan’s creation of QR tags to help identify and relocate strays has now evolved into a technology that can also assist people. Under the initiative, Project Chetna, he has created QR pendants that serve as assistance for specially-abled children, and adults, even those affected by Alzheimer’s, dementia or other neurological disorders. “The simple use of QR codes can help prevent the loss of a loved one. The solution was to allow them freedom without risking their lives,” he shared. Encased within pendants, these codes can be scanned by any phone, allowing the relatives and loved ones to retrace their family. “We have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Navy Welfare and Wellness Association (NWWA) in New Delhi, who will offer these to the specially-abled children. The INHS Asvini in Colaba is also trying them out,” he shared.
Cafe Arpan bids goodbye, for now
A dated picture of the Juhu cafe
In a city where cafes come and go within the span of six months, the Juhu-neighbourhood haunt of Café Arpan has built up a strong community over the last seven years. In January this year, this page had reported that the café and its outreach will move across the pond to Vile Parle. “It will be our last day at the café today.
A dated photograph of the notes left by customers at the cafe. File Pics
We do have time till October 31, but we need that time to pack and prepare,” confirmed Ashaita Mahajan, trustee, Yash Charitable Trust. With renovations and permissions still to be completed in Vile Parle, she shared that the team will be back on the ground soon. “We still have some details to complete, and renovations to take care of. We are eyeing a tentative December opening. Till then, the team will undergo retraining, and prepare for the return,” Mahajan told this diarist.
These legends are lit
A moment from the 2024 edition. Pic Courtesy/Godrej Lit Live!
The shortlists for the Godrej Literature Live! Literary Awards for 2025 have been released, recognising excellence across multiple genres. Island (Speaking Tiger) by Sujit Saraf, Rising Sons (Penguin Random House India) by Kavery Nambisan (below) and The Last Knot (Pan Macmillan India) by Shabir Ahmad Mir have made the cut for The Book of the Year in the Fiction category.
(Right) Sujit Saraf. Pic Courtesy/Speaking Tiger
The Non-Fiction category has a strong competition between Golwalkar: The Myth Behind the Man, The Man Behind the Machine (Simon and Schuster India) by Dhirendra K Jha and The Identity Project: The Unmaking of a Democracy (Westland Books) by Rahul Bhatia, among others. Other categories include Best First Book Fiction being Hot Water (HarperCollins Publishers India) by Bhavika Gohil and Rama Bhina Soma: Cultural investigations into Modern Karnataka (Westland Books) by Srikar Raghavan for Non-Fiction also made the list. The winners will be announced at the Mumbai LitFest’s finale on November 9.
