Lights and the lady
A young woman dressed like goddess Kali passes a kandeel shop at Matunga
Santoor start
Rahul Sharma. Pic/Keith Getter
There are a few months still to go until we prepare to pound the SoBo pavements for the 26th edition of the Kala Ghoda Arts Festival. But the anticipation begins today, with the curtain-raiser at Jamshed Bhabha Theatre, NCPA. The festival is slated for January 31 to Feb 8, 2026. But the musical celebrations begin early, with a headlining performance tonight by santoor maestro Rahul Sharma, titled Santoor Serenity: Healing Harmonies. The fusion concert also features a stellar ensemble of musicians — Ojas Adhiya (tabla), Vinayak Pol (drums), Avinash Chandrachud (keyboard), and Amit Gadgil (bass guitar). The event is a charity fundraiser for preservation, restoration, and promotion of the historic Kala Ghoda Art District. A cause that’s fun!
From one Padukone legend to another!
With a concert in the city this afternoon in honour of film legend Guru Dutt’s centenary, organised by the Kanara Saraswat Association, former badminton world champ Prakash Padukone has, in a self-shot video, sent “my blessings” for the event.
Guru Dutt and Prakash Padukone
The champ says “it’s immense pride and glory” that Guru Dutt (whose full name is Vasanth Kumar Padukone) belongs to his own Chitrapur Saraswat community. Apparently, destiny had scripted that Prakash’s daughter Deepika would also (like Guru Dutt) hit the big time as a movie actress, instead of emerging a top badminton player.
Therapy mela in the city
Ayesha Sharma
Over the past three days, Dialogue Mental Health redefined accessibility by putting therapy squarely into Mumbai’s community spaces. The second edition of the annual Mental Health Mela was hosted from October 10 to 12 for the ongoing Mental Health Week across Mumbai’s neighbourhoods. Psychotherapist and Dialogue founder Ayesha Sharma says to keep access wide, events were held in neighbourhoods like Versova, Bandra, and Khar. The Mela’s successful run culminates tonight with “Bring Your Own Feelings” being hosted at 3 Art House, Khar, from 6 pm to 8 pm. Priced at Rs 200, it’s the perfect low-barrier way to wrap up a weekend of community self-care. Dialogue is accepting registrations on the spot as well.
Empower the wheelpower
Geeta Chouhan is captain cool. Pic/SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
Mumbai’s Geeta Chouhan has been selected as captain of the Indian women’s wheelchair basketball team for the Asia Oceania Wheelchair Basketball (WCBB) International Tournament 2025 to be held in Bangkok, Thailand from November 3 to 16. Chouhan, who is from Andheri, says, “As a player, my selection is a matter great pride. It is also a good time for leaders and administrators to reflect and hopefully find a solution for the immense hardships faced by the wheelchair basketball team, especially in Mumbai, where players find it very difficult to find indoor facilities to practice and play. We need good surfaces for wheelchairs. The long-drawn-out monsoon meant we could not practise outdoors with wheels marooned in the slush and scrambling to find a training venue.”
Chouhan’s words will resonate with so many of our sporty wheelchair warriors who perform exceptionally, facing not just the opponents but challenges like these too. Our wheelchair athletes have proved that where there are wheels there is a way to win, but give them opportunity, inclusivity and equality — and you have the perfect basketball three-pointer.
Mumbai schools shine in global IB rankings
Kunal Dalal
Mumbai’s leading international schools have secured places among the top 40 schools worldwide in the IB-schools.com global rankings for 2025, underscoring the city’s growing strength as a hub for world-class education. The rankings, compiled by UK-based Education Advisers Ltd, are based on the average IB Diploma scores of students worldwide who completed their exams in May 2025. While provisional, pending final remarks and submissions in September, the results highlight consistent academic excellence across Mumbai’s IB schools.
From Mumbai, Dhirubhai Ambani International School (DAIS) leads the way, securing the 9th position globally, followed by Bombay International School (BIS) at 27th. JBCN International School has made a remarkable mark, with its Oshiwara campus ranked 31st, the Parel campus 33rd, and Oberoi International School, on the under-100 list, in 70th position. These rankings are as of October 1.
Kunal Dalal, Managing Director of JBCN Education, says, “This is a moment of immense pride for all of us at JBCN International School — a true reflection of the passion and perseverance of our learners, the dedication of our faculty and staff, and the unwavering support of our parent community.”
