<h2>Say it with flowers</h2>
<p>Staff members hand roses to students to wish them luck for their ongoing SSC Board exams at Saraswati Vidya Mandir in Mahim.</p>
<h2>Styles for all</h2>
<p><img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2024/mar/James-Ferreira_e.jpg" alt="James Ferreira at the charity show. PIC COURTESY/INSTAGRAM" width="1280" height="720" /><br /><strong><em>James Ferreira at the charity show. PIC COURTESY/INSTAGRAM</em></strong></p>
<p>James Ferreira&rsquo;s finishing touch at the recently concluded Gateway of India Pillars of Humanity charity show, is winning all the hearts. The veteran designer introduced a line-up of specially-abled and hearing-impaired youth to present his designs at the show organised by the Kamala Ankibai Ghamandiram Gowani Trust on Thursday. &ldquo;It was an incredible experience. They were easy to communicate with. They simply accepted the vibe of the show,&rdquo; Ferreira remarked. Pranav Hamal, show director, added, &ldquo;Directing them was a peaceful experience. Since they could not hear me, I learnt some sign language, and somehow, it clicked. It was the most fulfilling experience in my 15 years in this industry.&rdquo;</p>
<h2>Pedal power for road safety</h2>
<p><img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2024/mar/Avtar-Saini_e.jpg" alt="Avtar Saini. PIC COURTESY/MUMBAICYCLINGENTHUSIASTS on Facebook " width="1280" height="720" /><br /><strong><em>Avtar Saini. PIC COURTESY/MUMBAICYCLINGENTHUSIASTS on Facebook</em></strong>&nbsp;</p>
<p>Tuning into the city&rsquo;s cycling community&rsquo;s lively escapades on social media after a long day has been a longstanding ritual for this diarist. The otherwise buzzing community came to a standstill with the passing of microprocessor designer and avid cyclist Avtar Saini on Wednesday. The ex-Intel India head lost his life after a cab rammed into his cycle on Palm Beach Road in Navi Mumbai. &ldquo;Even though he was a part of his own cycling group Fast and Furious, Saini would often join other groups to cycle. We remember him as a friendly, joyous cyclist who motivated others in the community,&rdquo; Ravi Agarwal (inset), fellow cyclist from the cycling group, SoBo Cyclists, and Saini&rsquo;s close acquaintance shared.</p>
<p><img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2024/mar/Ravi-Agarwal_e.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p>
<p>In tribute to the late cyclist, Agarwal will lead a group of cyclists, runners, and other fitness enthusiasts from the city in a silent candle march outside the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation building on Tuesday. &ldquo;The aim is to present the authorities with a proposal to amplify safety measures for cyclists in the city. It is a shame that we could not even retrieve CCTV footage from Saini&rsquo;s accident,&rdquo; he shared, adding that they will also appeal for well-constructed cycling paths. &ldquo;Merely painting a green strip along the road is not the solution. We have all witnessed how motorists freely use it as a shortcut. We need to do better,&rdquo; he concluded.</p>
<h2>From Dharavi to the world</h2>
<p><img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2024/mar/Dharavi-Dream_e.jpg" alt="Miss World Finland Adelaide Botty Van Den Bruel interacts with the kids in Dadar" width="1280" height="720" /><br /><strong><em>Miss World Finland Adelaide Botty Van Den Bruel interacts with the kids in Dadar</em></strong></p>
<p>The Miss World contingent visiting Mumbai for the 72nd edition of the beauty pageant got a taste of proper Bambaiyya culture as young talents from the Dharavi Dream Project made a surprise visit to Shivaji Park, where the contingent was sightseeing. &ldquo;Since they&rsquo;re in the same age group as the models, it was fascinating to see a two-way exchange of ideas between them,&rdquo; Dolly Rateshwar, founder of the project shared. This diarist was delighted to learn that the kids were eager to introduce the contestants to the nuances of Mumbai&rsquo;s hip-hop scene and even taught them some rap lines and b-boying techniques.</p>
<h2>Of IIT and Bollywood dreams</h2>
<p><img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2024/mar/Varun-Grover_e.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p>
<p>If you plan to catch Varun Grover&rsquo;s newly released All India Rank this weekend, we suggest you keep an eye (and ear) out for some retro Bollywood Easter eggs that make pleasant cameos in the film. &ldquo;My earliest coming-of-age memories are dreaming of getting my hands on an audio cassette of Saajan (1991). Since my movie is set in the &rsquo;90s, I recreated the novelty by using bits of the soundtrack in the movie,&rdquo; Grover (left) shared. Sharing the story behind another reference from the film, he added, &ldquo;I am a huge fan of director Mansoor Khan of Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak (1988) fame. When I found out how Khan and professor HC Verma shared the same IIT dream, I knew I had to add it to the film.&rdquo;</p>
<h2>Walking the chic talk in New York</h2>
<p><img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2024/mar/Monik-Gupta_e.jpg" alt="Monik Gupta at the New York Fashion Week " width="1280" height="720" /><br /><strong><em>Monik Gupta at the New York Fashion Week</em></strong>&nbsp;</p>
<p>City-based runway model Monik Gupta became the only Indian to have walked the ramp at the recently concluded edition of the New York Fashion Week. &ldquo;Last year, I decided to audition for the show. What&rsquo;s the worst that could happen?&rdquo; His leap of faith in himself resulted in him being flooded with emails of acceptance by top designers, including Carlos Alberto. &ldquo;I met the mayor of New York, spotted Bradley Cooper, and basketball champion Allen Iverson,&rdquo; he shared. And yet, the highest point for him was being addressed as the Man from India post the shows. &ldquo;I walked 11 shows this time. I am grateful to my family who stood rock-solid by me throughout!&rdquo;</p>

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Mumbai Diary: Saturday Dossier

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