A 17-year-old boy from our neighbourhood leads the way
May – 2026
In a significant step toward improving access to safe drinking water, the NGO Sparsh recently carried out a distribution drive in collaboration with Prerit Mody, a 17-yearold student who realized the importance of simple everyday habits that ward off illnesses – in a project called “Let’s adopt a filter”. The recipients were families of Raksha Foundation pupils, a local NGO that educates children from adjacent slum neighborhoods. Prerit led the project alongside his volunteer team, which included Aria Jasdanwalla and Falak Modi.
As part of the initiative, 265 non-electric water filters were supplied to households without access to clean and safe drinking water. These filters, by Eureka Forbes, are meant to operate without electricity, making them perfect for situations with limited resources. Vaswani Projects Pvt Ltd provided Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funding for the project, totaling 5,00,000. The beneficiaries are Raksha Foundation affiliated families, many of whom confront everyday difficulty in accessing potable water. Women & children, who have to collect & store potable water collection , stand to benefit greatly.
Prerit played an important role in organizing the effort. He is a student of Aditya Birla World Academy. Their team, along with Raksha Foundation personnel, made on-the-ground visits to
select deserving families and ensured transparent distribution by personally handing out the filters and teaching how to use them. Their efforts are expected to reduce waterborne infections while greatly improving hygiene and quality of life. (By Smriti Mody)
Champions are made in the heart!
May – 2026
Sue Barker so rightly said Everyone loves Sport. And everyone loves a quiz!
So kids are you ready for a Sports quiz? Score big Win big:
1) A massive football venue in Kolkata.
2) Specialized athletic shoes with protrusions on the sole to provide traction.
3) FAI has recognised this as the safest air sport in aviation.
4) The World’s fastest regulated road course racing cars.
5) The hub of Formula one racing with six out of eleven teams based here.
6 ) A Malaysian retired professional squash player who has won 8 World Open titles.
7) A fast-growing paddle sport combining tennis badminton and table tennis.
8) Often dubbed as The God of Cricket.
9) A fast-paced high contact team sport played on ice, each team comprising of six players.
10) An action sport involving riding on a wooden board with wheels
Put on your sporty cap and email the answers to me at jdevangi@gmail.com
Devangi Jhaveri is a syllabus tutor (home visits to teach). She organises creative writing,
reading motivation , art sessions . Sheorganises
workshops for NRI kids/
EXPATS too can contact her at 75750xxxx for details (20 years of work experience).
Jog that mind of yours
May – 2026
Let’s be honest here, very few of us can mind our own business. Everyone is curious about
someone’s Insta life, since it all looks so rosy and perfect. I think if we did remove the rose-tinted glasses while scrolling, we’ll realise soon enough that all that glitter is not really gold. Whether it’s people clicking pictures with their families, or friends, or the exotic destinations they are visiting, everything seems a little too perfect to be true, and somewhere along the way, we hope it is. Not true, I mean. We are all a teeny tiny bit jealous, admit it. Does that make us low, shallow, or a horrible person? Maybe. It also makes us human. There is, however, a thin line between behaving like a human and an idiot.
Obviously, there is no excuse for envy. Even though we may not like it, people are envious of us or vice versa. Social media just makes it easier to keep tabs. Trolls aren’t those creepy demons that live under the bridges in children’s storybooks; they are now real people hiding behind screens. One may wonder where all this envy, jealousy, and hatred is coming from.
Unhappiness, insecurity, or plain old jealousy. Not all trolls are some poor sods living in unhealthy environments. Some are working in big companies, are married with families, or are just college-going kids. We apply bandages to even the tiniest scratches, we use ointments for our sore muscles, and tablets for various physical ailments. However, we forget to care for our
minds. We forget that mental health is equally important. We assume only others have mental health issues. People living in plush apartments, with their happy families and
well-placed jobs, don’t have these problems. We are quick to judge others but never really look at ourselves. Why are we so angry? At what? At whom?
Let me tell you something that I experienced recently. This is a true incident. I went for an early
morning jog to one of our popular Sobo gardens. I am no athlete, so you can imagine my jogging was more like fast walking. Whilst halfway around the garden, this lady comes up to me screaming her lungs out. “Don’t jog here, this is a garden for walking, go and another garden you Ba$#@rd”. I was gobsmacked. I was so fabbergasted it took me a minute to realise she’s speaking to me. Not only was I surprised, but I was also deeply upset. I don’t know the last time someone used this expletive. Not to be rude, but really, who calls anyone this anymore?! It’s crucial, and I can’t stress enough how important mental health is. We desire to look young, to be physically fit, to eat healthy, and to dress in the best of threads, but we ignore what makes us who we are, our minds. We prioritise everything except our mental peace. I am not sure if that lady in question was having a bad day and I bore the brunt of it, or if she is someone who is just fed up with everyday life issues, and this is a constant with her. Whatever it was made me realise how fragile we are. Our mind shapes us, and we ignore that the most. Every day, stress eats us slowly, turning us into reallife trolls.
I am not blowing my own trumpet, but Art therapy is real. It’s the easiest way to relax and feel
good. The more I teach and incorporate it, the more I feel how important it is. I recently had an art exhibit of all my students’ artwork. Children and adults alike. It was truly a pleasure to see that art had touched so many lives. These budding artists were not only proud of their achievements but also acknowledged how art helped them feel happy and content. A lot of them felt they were finally able to express themselves through this medium. Some second-guessed their work, but let me tell you, each one of them, youngest being 3years old, had created masterpieces. Their hard work, their dedication, and their passion were seen and appreciated by all. It’s not about being good at art. It’s about art being good for you. One of my favourite artists, Frida Kahlo, said, “ Nothing is worth more than laughter. It is a strength to laugh and to abandon oneself, to be light. Tragedy is the most ridiculous thing.” So stay happy, laugh a little more, shine bright like a star and keep on creating art. Don’t let anyone take that away from you. Paint, be messy, be yourself. Art can make you happy. Trust the process
By Rakhi. Write to me at artnsoulbyrakhi@gmail.comRakhi is an artist & an art therapy practitioner. She does commissioned art and teaches adults/kids mindful art at her studio at Om Chambers, Kemps Corner.
Celebrating the November Tree Festival
In November 2025, naturalist Gaurav Soman of the Butterflies of Mulund conducted a Tree Appreciation Walk in the Hanging Garden. This free walk was a joint initiative with SeasonWatch and Save Hanging Garden to celebrate the November Tree Festival. The aim of this particular walk was to encourage the participants to notice seasonal changes, learn basic plant distinctions, and understand ecological interactions within an everyday open space environment. A total of over 35 participants attended the walk, and together they observed 54 plant species – about 30 of them trees, with the remaining representing a wide range of plant groups.
“What we realised is that people are genuinely curious about the trees around them. With just a little attention, this interest can grow into a daily habit of noticing and appreciating the greenery in their lives” said Gaurav.
Ever grateful for the support of environmental conservationists who, with their knowledge-sharing, are raising awareness, of the wealth of biodiversity and wildlife that abounds in the Hanging Garden and Kamala Nehru Park, and on Malabar Hill, too.
Photo credit: Mriganka Awati, naturalist and a participant of the walk & Gaurav Soman.
(By Pervin Sanghvi)
Local residents and Hanging Garden walkers, Jayshree & Ajay Dodia are delighted to share with their neighbours that their daughter, Shraddha Lakham Sawant Bhonsle, has been elected Mayor of Sawantwadi. The proud parents said, with the guidance of the Sawant Bhonsle Royal Family, and the dedication of her entire team at the Sawantwadi Nagarpalika, she will work tirelessly for the town of Sawantwadi. This town is near the border of the States of Maharashtra & Goa.
Hello. I’m Netra Baria. I am in 9th Std. and my hobby is reading books. As a reader, books have inspired me profoundly; I have had thoughts like, why can’t I write books? That’s when I started writing.
My first book ‘The Unexpected Distraction’ is about distractions that teenagers face. Adults believe that we don’t have any distractions, but we do, and this book is about how to overcome them.
I’ve been writing two more books. Second book is ‘Fifteen years with my father’. I recently lost my father, who was fighting with cancer, and I’ve written about how my most precious 15 years were with him. ‘Goodbye’ is the third book I’ve been writing. It’s about the goodbyes we have to say, even if we don’t want to.
Netra Baria (Picture on the right) is the niece of Shri Sunil Makwana, who is Jr. Supervisor, in SWM of D-Ward, BMC.
Indira Sonawala & Pradipa Bhasali. local residents wins Prime Women Pairs held from 7-8 November 2025 at Bombay Gymkhana Club. Runner up were Monica Jajoo & Jesal Dabriwala. The winners got 89 points and the runner-up got 39 points. (By Rtn Ashok Bhansali)
Warmest congratulations to Malabar Hill resident Shri Gautam Ashwin Ankhad
Warmest congratulations to Malabar Hill resident Shri Gautam Ashwin Ankhad on his appointment as the Additional Judge of the Bombay High Court!
On July 4, 2025, Justice Ankhad took oath before the Chief Justice of Bombay High Court, marking a remarkable milestone in his illustrious career. As a distinguished Senior Counsel specializing in
Corporate and Commercial laws, he consistently demonstrated exceptional expertise and acumen in the High Court and Supreme Court.
A proud alumnus of Government Law College, Mumbai, Justice Ankhad’s academic excellence was evident in his stellar record and gold medal wins. His appointment as Judge of the Bombay High Court is a testament to his hard work, dedication, and passion for justice.
We extend our heartfelt wishes to Justice Ankhad for a distinguished and impactful judicial career, inspiring confidence, fairness, and integrity in the lives of countless individuals.
Seen in the picture above is Justice Gautam Ankad with his proud parents Adv Ashwin & Mrs Nayana Ankad.
