Prakash updates from Mumbai

Dear Jacob,

Greetings from hot, sunny Mumbai.

My weekly update.

Monday - a vegetarian Thali Dinner at Golden Star Restaurant opposite Charni Road Station. This Gujarati cum Rajasthani Restaurant serves a variety of 9 vegetarian dishes, Free Mineral Water ( I may add) and unlimited quantity, with different rotis, theyplaa, bhakri,puran poli. If you are good hearty eater you could enjoy this meal, not oily but very filling.

Tuesday 16th March - Business India , Man of the Year Award 2004 celebrations at the Taj. This Award is in its 23rd Year and the Panel of Judges was chaired by Kumarmangalam Birla, Business India's Businessman of ther Year 2003, 61er Ashok Advani, and several leading business house heads. Ashok must be commended for the consistency of this major Award, 23 years in a row. His publication Business India is in its 27th year now.

The Taj Crystal Room was packed with many late comers standing at the periphery. The Businessman of year Shri S Ramadorai of TCS gave a short but very appropriate acceptance speech, in the midst of a distinguished gathering. In his speech he thanked his wife, mother in law, son, colleagues and staff of 27000 people in TCS and peers who all had faith in him in a business that was not so known in the early seventies. The TCS group then played a short film made on the achievements of TCS and how it has branched out into other activities and is not only a IT Company. (Jacob: Many 59ers started in TCS at its beginning - Adi Cooper, Ooky Elijah Eliias - when it floated Tata Borroughs.)

S. Ramadorai's ex boss Shri F.C.Kohli (Madhur, Sanjay & Anirudh Kohli's father), the grandfather of IT In India, was also felicitated and praised with a momento for having the vision & persistence in this industry.

The ceremony was followed by a well laid out dinner at the Ballroom where a Jazz Trio played some classics.

I had the fortunate experience of sitting with Rati & Nadir Godrej, Joanne and Vinod Nayar (Jacob: 58er Vinod did his HSC from Cathedral and is the elder brother of 59er Vijay (School Captain 1060) and 62er, former outstanding squash champion Anil) and dynamic Mohit Burman of Dabur, whose company has recently introduced Pomegranate Juice, discussing our pets, kids and the budget.

I have been telling Mohit to introduce Papaya Tablets, which is very popular with the elderly and those whose diet consists of red meat daily, (through his great pharma company Dabur).

Kaamna Bhojwani, daughter of Indira and Ramesh Bhojwani (Jacob: I wonder if this is the 61er) of the famous Chidakashi Jewellers got engaged last Saturday to Rohit Dhawan with a dinner at the Starters and More Restuarant. Rohit works with Google and Kaamna is with Sun Micro Systems and will be living in sun filled California.

Another Cathedralite, Kunal Kohli, recently won the Filmfare award for Best Director for a Hindi film recently.

Saturday 19th - My cousin Sabrina Jhangiani celebrated her 50th birthday with a few close friends and relatives who made her dress up as a Blonde in the 60's, fish net stockings, straw blonde wig, oversized owl glares, a mini mini skirt and ciggarette to boot, while she was given a lighted Magic Wand (shades of Sabrina the witch). One wall was covered with pictures, letters, school magazine article featuring Sabrina.

"Our Dog & Baby Club" at the Oval is drawing new members every week. Started by Cyrus Broacha (Son - Mikhail, German Shepherd - Rufus) and Prakash Thadani (Cigar - Doberman + Wymirana), this group brings their pets to mingle and socialise& play in the Eros end side of the Oval maidan daily at around 6 pm. and we discuss ways and means to look after our pets and kids with interactive play, sometimes homemade snacks being brought and an occasional birthday celebration.

Gayatri & Gautam Parulekar (Ceasar- Black Doberman) who recently returned from their honeymoon in Thailand could not stop raving about the under water sea walk, the incredible variety available for shopping and food, in the country which has bounced back after the Tsunami tragedy.

Donatella Versace was in the news in each and every publication for participating in the Lakme Fashion week along with Sandeep Khosla, Abu Jani and Abhishek Bacchan. Lakme, the cosmetic branch of Hindustan Lever Ltd., (Unilever group) is looking out for new young talent in the Fashion business, be it clothes, jewellery, clothing accessories. Their Lakme Fashion Week showcases some of the leading, designers merchandise, styles, their whims, their fancies and, not to forget, their "EGOS ".

More news next week when The Afternoon Despatch & Courier celebrates its Anniversary on Friday 25th. The entire Nanabhai Lane in Fort will be transformed into a fun street, with food stalls, live music, games, and events pertaining to our beloved MUMBAI.

I don't know if you have read anything about the undercover STING operations started by India TV. They caught on camera a Bollywood Movie Actor Shakti Kapoor, a well known villian in the movies, making a blantant pass at a young aspiring actress to sleep with him and he would promote her and help her get parts in coming movies. (Jacob: Investigative journalism is my forte, but not in the film world - as there is too much dadagiri involved there.

This was then played out on TV and has brought out angry reactions from all those in the Film Industry. So many journalists have taken the cue stressing that the CASTING COUCH does really exist, and both male and female youngsters are exploited but only those who play along the game, really succeed. Others who were also caught unaware on tape have also spoken up and the entire scene seems so hypocritical as many in the industry feel it is their right to sleep with anyone who is willing to join this industry (Bollywood).

More news later Have a great week. Moving into my newly renovated office in Fort this week hopefully,

Sincere regards,

Prakash