Mumbai Diary: Sunday Dossier

Wagging in the wavesThis pooch seems to be enjoying splashing in the sea off Juhu as much as his humans areIndiarsquos bold new designDesign POV offers a window into the future of spatial and sensory designThis weekend Design POV 2025 has marked a defining moment for Indian design Held at Jio World Convention Centre the threeday showcase that ends today reimagines the future of design through a powerful blend of innovation materiality and storytelling Under the visionary theme ldquoEchoes of Tomorrowrdquo the event has brought together Indiarsquos leading architects artists and material innovators for a boundarybreaking conversation on whatrsquos nextAt its core literally and conceptually is The Core a central installation where 19 of Indiarsquos top studios were given complete creative freedom to build without briefs or limits The results Bold personal and rooted in the Indian context mdash each a window into the future of spatial and sensory designldquoDesign POV isnrsquot just another design show mdash itrsquos a rare space for bold unapologetic expressionrdquo says founder Asif Sataar ldquoIt proves that design thinking knows no boundaries mdash and that Indiarsquos creative future is already taking shaperdquoConceptualised by Totality Solutions and powered by Tabu EBM and Birla Opus Paints Design POV 2025 proves that the future of Indian design isnrsquot arriving quietly mdash itrsquos here loud and beautifully designedWhat to do when parenting your bachchaAalap DeboorMuch Much Media is launching a new chat show on parenting in Hindi hosted by developmental paediatrician Dr Vibha Krishnamurthy Aimed at middleclass Indian families the show offers sciencebacked insights by experts and realworld conversations with people with lived experience for parents raising children aged 0 to 18 From screen time and mental health to disability and inclusive parenting it covers the most pressing issues of modernday childrearing The inviteonly launch is on July 5 and episodes begin airing midJuly on the Much Much Media YouTube channel with a social campaign on Instagram at MuchMuchSpectrumldquoAs a clinician Irsquove always been struck by how open to change families of any background can be provided we give them the language and opportunity to start such discussionsrdquo says Dr Krishnamurthy who has founded Ummeed Child Development Centre ldquoTherersquos parenting advice everywhere but most of it is in English and feels too clinical We wanted to change thatrdquo says founder of Much Much Media Aalap DeboorStrangers in the night on songMedha Sahi centre leads the Strangersrsquo ChoirHow does one get a group of complete strangers to sing in tune and time with absolute harmony within a matter of hours And is this the answer to world peaceThe Strangersrsquo Choir thestrangerschoirgoa on Instagram led by founder and facilitator Medha Sahi is for the first time bringing this experience to Mumbai with two sessions today at Method Art Gallery in Kala Ghoda and Anaahat Wellness Centre in Juhu The Strangersrsquo Choir does not need any prior experience in singing mdash anyone can sign up Anyone whorsquos accustomed to singing will know how hard this is to do in a choir even with practice so itrsquos another feat altogether that Sahi manages to accomplish this with strangers in a matter of hoursHow does she do it She says ldquoThe most crucial part of Strangersrsquo Choir without which it would be impossible is that people working together thrive Most people can already sing Itrsquos just a matter of putting them in a situation where they feel comfortable Plus they support each other more than they know theyrsquore able to harmonise well because no one sings any part alonerdquoA selector in a playing XI YesCyril Washbrook PicGetty ImagesOur inhouse cricket nut has got hold of another rare book mdash The Test matches of 1956 by EW Swanton the welltravelled departed English writerCricket nut informs us that it was in this Ashes series that England recalled 41yearold batsman Cyril Washbrook for the third Test at Headingley the ground where the Indian team succumbed to a fivewicket defeat in Leeds last weekRecalling a player for a Test at that age is extraordinary but what was more astonishing was that Washbrook was part of the England selection committee Apparently the selectors wanted to make some changes after the loss in the previous Test at Lordrsquos Washbrook was asked to leave the selection meeting when his name was discussed He made it in the Peter Mayled XI scored 98 and England won by an innings and 42 runsAs for Swanton the author of the book he quoted Washbrook as saying before the Test ldquoOne does not refuse to play for England I will do my very best mdash but it wonrsquot be easyrdquo It turned out to be so true