Unable to bear the separation from his live-in partner who was stuck in Sindhudurg for the entire period of the the lockdown till date, a Turbhe-based youth walked and hitch-hiked to the district and tried to bring her back with him. Their journey back was interrupted when they were stopped by the police and sent to a quarantine centre, as Thane district in which Turbhe comes, is a red zone.

As a result of the lovesick man's determination, 34 other people who interacted with him, including the girl's family, have also been quarantined.

The 24-year-old, a resident of Turbhe, works as a delivery boy. In March, his 24-year-old partner, a nurse in a private hospital, went to her home town in Kasal village in Sindhudurg district. But, after a few days, the Maharashtra government barred inter-district travel to try and curb the spread of COVID-19 resulting in her getting stuck there.

A file picture of a doctor at the quarantine centre at NSCI DOME, Worli. The man and his girlfriend are in quarantine at Lanja.

Journey for love
The youth who was missing her, became restless when April neared end and there were no signs of the lockdown being lifted. So he decided to travel to Sindhudurg, which is almost 500 km from Turbhe, to bring his girlfriend back home. Fortunately for him he didn't have too much work either. So he started on April 27 from Turbhe and asked vehicle drivers for a lift whenever he could.

"By walking and hitch-hiking, he managed to reach the village of Kasal on May 3. He stayed in a mandir for the night and then went to her house on May 4," said Assistant Police Inspector Sanjay Chaudhary from Lanja police station in Ratnagiri district.

The man convinced her family that the lockdown would be on for some time and he wanted to take her back with him to Turbhe. "The girl also told her family that she was consistently getting calls from the hospital to rejoin work. So on the morning of May 4, the couple began their journey towards Navi Mumbai," said another police officer.

Spotted by locals
The couple walked and hitch-hiked and managed to cross Ratnagiri district. But then their luck ran out when some alert locals spotted them and informed the police, "On May 5, they were spotted at a Shiv Bhojan centre having lunch. Some residents informed Lanja police. We rushed to the centre and took the couple with us," said the police officer.

"Without hesitation the boy revealed the reason behind the journey. We took him and the girl to a quarantine centre as he had come from a Red Zone, i.e. Thane district. He also came in contact with several people. They will be kept in isolation for 14 days then we will take a call on whether they should be released or sent to Sindhudurg," added API Choudhary.

34 quarantined
After the Lanja police informed the Sindhudurg police about the youth and his stay in the temple in Kasal village, 34 persons were quarantined as they had interacted with him. These include his girlfriend's family as well.

27
Day in April that the man began his journey

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Over a 100 goons led by the deputy sarpanch of Kalamb village in Vasai attacked the house of a vegetable vendor who had been helping migrant workers fill forms online and register with the state government to go back to their villages, on Tuesday night.

Vasai police have registered a case against 12 people, including the deputy sarpanch Anand Gharat, under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and arrested one person.

The goons, armed with iron rods and bamboo sticks, first started throwing stones at the bungalow of Brijesh Chauhan in Nirmal village, Vasai West. The house's glass windows were shattered and Chauhan's wife, Reema, got injured by little shards of glass.

The incident happened after Chauhan registered a Non-Cognisable (NC) complaint against one of the accused a day before the attack.

"My husband has been helping migrant workers fill forms online. On May 4 at 8:30 pm, two migrant workers came to my house to get themselves registered online. My husband told them to collect the details of at least 10 people and then one or two can come to submit the details as it also maintains social distancing," said Reema.

"But the duo got angry and told my husband that they belong to Kalamb village and their work should be done on priority. They screamed at us and then left, only to return 15 minutes later with Darshan Gharat and 20 other people from Kalamb village. They shouted and abused everyone in our family, including women. My senior citizen father-in-law was also manhandled," she added. "After abusing us, the mob returned to Kalamb village. Around 10 minutes later, they came with deputy sarpanch Anand Gharat, who too abused us. Somehow we managed to send them away," Reema said.

Brijesh then registered an NC against the group. "On May 5 at 9 pm, Anand and goons riding triple seat on motorcycles, armed with iron rods, bamboo sticks, etc. came shouting and started pelting stones at my house. I got injured. Neighbours came to our rescue and police also came on the spot just 10 minutes after we called them," she added.

Deputy sarpanch flees
An officer from Vasai police said, "We have registered a case against 12 people and other unidentified people and arrested one person. In all, 12 people, including deputy sarpanch Anand are wanted. We are trying to trace him."

Deputy sarpanch Anand Gharat

Anand, who is planning to seek anticipatory bail, told mid-day that Brijesh had assaulted a student residing in Kalamb village. "I had gone to resolve the matter but they have registered a case against me. An officer from Vasai police asked me to surrender but I am innocent," said Anand, who is out on bail in a rape and kidnapping case registered against him at Vasai police station last year.

May 5
Day the incident occurred

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Around 50 students from hostels run by the Social Welfare Department in Mumbai's Worli area have requested the state government to let them go home amid the lockdown.

While the department has ensured that these students are provided with food, a majority of them hail from rural Maharashtra and are scared due to the increasing number of COVID-19 patients in Mumbai — particularly in Worli.

There are three Social Welfare Department-run hostels in Worli's BDD Chawls — building number 116 and 118. While the hostel in building 118 is a boy's hostel, building number 116 has both boys and girls.

Ashok Bansode, resident student

Ashok Bansode, an engineering student who hails from Akkalkot in Solapur said, "Initially, we were getting proper food. But as the cases kept rising in Worli area, restrictions came in place and now we are just being served dal and rice every day. We are also wondering whether or not the department will take responsibility for us."

The hostel management asked the students to get their medical check-ups done before seeking permission to travel home. But considering their financial conditions, nobody has money to arrange for private transportation.

"The way arrangements were done for students in Kota, we should also be given such help. We cannot arrange for our own transportation," Bansode added.

Suraj Kamble, another resident student said, "We should be taken home directly where we can remain in home quarantine. But if we are sent to any institutional quarantine or told to travel through railways, that can put us in danger of contracting the virus. All the Kota students are in home quarantine currently,"

Sachin Bansode, member of Chhatrabharati — a students' organisation which is helping these stranded students to go back home — said, "These students too have the right to go back home. Many of them are from rural parts of Maharashtra and don't have funds to head home on their own. We are in the process of understanding how they can be helped without compromising on safety."

Three
Total no. of Social Welfare Department hostels in BDD chawl

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Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) secretary Sanjay Naik and three more members were booked by Bandra police for obstructing burial of a COVID-19 dead body in Muslim Kabaristan. The incident occurred on Tuesday when a dead body of a COVID-19 patient was taken to Naupada Kokani Kabarastan by Raza Academy members for burial. Naik claimed that he objected to the burial as members who had come with the dead body didn't have proper documents.

A few weeks ago, residents near Naupada Kokani Kabarastan objected burial of dead bodies who were COVID-19 patients. The matter went to Bombay High court which rejected the petition of the residents. The matter went to Supreme Court which redirected matter to High court and reportedly allowed burial in between.

The controversy upscaled on the night of May 5 when a 45-year-old died of Coronavirus in Jaslok Hospital. Raza Academy members who had been appointed to carry out the burial rushed to Naupada Kokani Kabaristan. "When we reached Kabaristan, we found that the BMC officials mentioned a Kabarastan of Bandra East, so the permission was changed to Bandra West in Konkani Kabarastan," said Sabir Nirban, member of Raza Academy. "But while burial was going on, Sanjay Naik came with some men opposing it", he said.

Sheikh Izaz Shamshuddin, resident of Bandra registered a complaint against Sanjay Naik, Muzaffar Zarif Khan, Yunus Muzaffar Khan, and Akbar Zarif Khan. 

"We tried to have a word with the men but they weren't listening. They told us about the court orders but we told them that orders are in favour of burial in this particular kabarastan, but they didn't listen to us. Cops came to spot and we finally decided to register a complaint at the Police station," said Shamshuddin.

Bandra police took cognizance of the matter and filed the offence under IPC section 341 (wrongful restraint), 269 (Negligent act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life), 270 (Malignant act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life), 188 (Disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) and 34 (Common intention) and relevant sections of Epidemic Act 1897. 

Talking about the incident, Sanjay Naik said, "The people who had come with the dead body didn't have any proper permission. They buried the dead body even before we objected, some ran away when we came, it was all fishy. There were many people around hence we didn't create any ruckus." When asked about the offence, he said, "I am not aware of the offence, I wonder what offence they have registered against me". 

Nirban, one of the members of the task force formed by the government has requested the Police Commissioner to take stringent action against such trouble makers and make a precedent for others who cause undue hardships to people working for the society. "Special attention must be given for their protection to overcome this task. These dedicated workers are risking their lives for the society and we must pray for their health and support them morally in this noble cause," Nirban said. 

Swapna Mhatre, local corporator said, "There was some issue with permission of burial but it was resolved later. There is a sense of fear among residents as the burial ground is in the residential zone. I would suggest authorities to choose grounds which are away from residential zones."

DCP (Zone 9) Abhishek Trimukhe confirmed the registration of offence, "The offence has been registered and the investigation is on," he said. 

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The country has been witnessing a surge in Covid-19 cases and to curb that situation, the whole nation has been following the lockdown imposed by the government. The current unprecedented times has left people worried and hence in need of hope and support. In light of this, Radio City, India’s leading radio network, has initiated multiple campaigns across 39 cities to provide hope, entertainment, and support.

Radio City and mid-day joined hands to present the perfect concoction to elevate Mumbaikars’ mood. RJ Palak, during her show Naughty Palak ka Show, connected with famous skincare expert Dr. Jayshree Sharad to share DIY tips; provided tasty and healthy food recipes from famous Chef Ajay Chopra, and brought mental health experts to counsel people and  help them get through this tough time. Additionally, stand-up comedians Atul Khatri and Nishant Tanwar have been adding a dose of laughter and fun to the listeners’ routine, while Vishal Punjabi, Founder of The Wedding Filmer, updated couples about new trends on wedding videos and online weddings.

To promote community culture, Radio City has been hosting a month-long podcast series called ‘Lockdown Rishte Podcast Series’, where Radio City RJs across Hindi speaking markets are broadcasting stories on how we can rediscover and strengthen our relationship with our loved ones. The RJ’s are also requesting citizens to share their stories as well. This podcast also features on radiocity.in

Speaking about the campaigns, Mr. Kartik Kalla, Chief Creative Officer, Radio City, said, “As we all do our bit by staying at home to ensure safety for all, the challenging situations can take a toll on our mindset. Radio City has always led purpose driven campaigns and has found innovative ways to connect with its audience to keep them entertained. These various campaigns across the 39 cities, aim to leverage the power of radio to bring positivity in the society and appreciate our listeners for always supporting us in our initiatives. I would like to reiterate the fact that we all will overcome this situation together. I urge all our listeners to stay home and stay safe!”

Extending the fun quotient down South and adding some stardust with ‘Lockdown Diary’, RJ Sowjanya in Bangalore has been indulging listeners with stories from celebrities like Raghu Dixit, Priyamani, Vijay Prakash, and many more, on how they are spending their time during the quarantine. RJs in Madurai, with the special show called ‘Nanba Calling’ have been acting as a bridge between long lost friends, allowing them to relive their old memories; RJs in Andhra Pradesh are running a special fun audio series about 3 RJs stuck together during lockdown to engage the listeners. In addition to entertaining listeners, Radio City also ensured they went the extra mile by contributing to the society and help people in need. Radio City in Patna, Bihar partnered with the ‘Super-30’ legend Anand Kumar, to provide the gift of education and help students prepare for civil services, IIT/JEE, and other similar exams. Harnessing the true power of radio, RJ Harshil crossed borders by responding to the plea of 20 students stuck in Greece and tweeting about the situation to the Prime Minister of India and Chief Minister of Gujarat. This helped in alerting the Indian Embassy in Greece, who came forward to supply food and provide other basic amenities to ensure the students’ safety and well-being.

Radio City RJs in various cities led donation drives to help the citizens trying to make ends meet during the downtime. In Bangalore, RJ Rajas and RJ Nikitha volunteered to help and provide free meals for the daily wage workers; the RJs in Chennai urged listeners to donate groceries to Chennai Corporation, who distributed it to the people in need. Radio City RJ in Bikaner, Rajasthan addressed the concern of low quality and quantity of ration being distributed in Raajiv Nagar society and worked together with Bikaner Sewa Samiti to help more than 40 families. Extending a helping hand towards the Dabbawallas in Mumbai, Radio City’s ‘Dabbawalle Ka Dabba Bharo’ initiative launched a fundraiser and urged Mumbaikars to contribute and help Dabbawallas.

Leading the campaign in Delhi, RJ Ginnie shared the concerns of a man suffering from brain injury who was not able to provide for his family. Her act of kindness saw Delhiites come in tenfold to donate ration and medicines to his family. On the other hand, RJs in Jalandhar, with the help of local authorities and citizens, prepared 300+ meals daily for the needy and teamed up with NGO Divya Drishti to distribute more than 50 packets of groceries. The Radio City team in U.P. also partnered with NGOs to raise around 5 lakh rupees and distributed more than 50,000 packets of food to the poor people. Additionally, Radio City joined hands with Dainik Jagran Inext and became the first radio station to provide live updates of fresh Covid-19 cases. These efforts have been appreciated by Mr. Ranvendra Pratap Singh, State Minister for Food and Civil Supply, Mr. Jai Pratap, State Minister for Health and Family Welfare, and Mr. Bhupendra Chaudhary, State Minister for Panchayati Raj.

Radio City also conducted various multifaceted national campaigns in the last few months- Concert From Home, Garv Se Ghar Par, and Corona Fighters ko Salaam, across 39 cities of its presence. Radio City also launched a foot tapping anthem called ‘Ghar se na niklenge’, which motivated people to continue staying indoors and urged them to come forward and support the nation by donating to the PM Cares Fund.  Amplifying the core motto of ‘Rag Rag Mein Daude City’, Radio City continues to strengthen the bond with the citizens.

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This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever

There's nothing profoundly serendipitous about it, I know. If you've inhabited a space for eight years, you're bound to stumble upon all manners of souvenirs when you decide to vacate it. They assume the form of objects that had been existing on the sidelines of your consciousness. And while you chide yourself for giving into materialism, for having accumulated an over-abundance of things, especially those having no ostensible utility, you're also forced to reconcile with the fact that some memories are lodged so deeply within your subconscious they can only be recalled through sensual re-exposure to an affiliated entity.

So this thing-object that had become peripheral to your daily life becomes a wily talisman. It lurks between the pages of a dusty book, or sits innocently among a pile of medical reports, or hibernates within the antechamber of a desk drawer. Because I'm already in a state of heightened emotion, given the fragility of the present moment, every such talismanic encounter acquires extended dimensions.

For instance, this morning, noting how empty our living room was beginning to look, especially after my partner had begun to unscrew the wall-mounted shelves, I took a picture on my phone and sent it to a few friends and my immediate family. Then I sat down to write this column and found that I had left on my desk, a small pile of pages I'd found here and there. Top-most was a typewritten page whose second-last paragraph read thus — "What I had now was a room that was completely clean and shiny, like a room in an insane asylum from which all dangerous objects have been removed." Two line-breaks later, the next sentence read, "The room was the portrait of an empty stomach."

I hadn't dated when I'd typewritten these. I must intentionally not have left a trail, and it felt as though a message I'd sent in an imaginary bottle years ago had suddenly floated to my shore from the other side. As I re-read the lines, it occurred to me they could be from a Clarice Lispector novel, possibly an excerpt from The Gospel According to GH, the scene in which the protagonist inspects the vacant room of her ex-servant, discovering, amid the emptiness, a caricature that had been drawn on the wall and left behind. The rest of the book involved a mystical revelation over the eating of a cockroach, which I still don't have the stomach for.
I could be wrong about it being Lispector. I could do an online search, but I've already disconnected my broadband connection, and my phone internet is too slow to take on additional loads. I'm content with not knowing. I've been revelling in these small mysteries of what and how and where and when and why, or through whose intercession a thing came to be in my possession.

I had, at some point, committed to my life as a single woman, and to being located in Delhi, having this apartment as my base. I hadn't foreseen this moment of relocation. I hadn't expected that by the first week of May, 2020, I would be a married woman preparing to go live in her husband's home. It was not what we had anticipated even when we were getting married. But at some point, it seemed the most sensible, practical decision.

And so here I am on the threshold of leaving an apartment I had continued to live in through thick and thin, through fire, flood, and drought, through several moments of deep financial distress, when I didn't have enough money to buy vegetables. Yet, unlike the room in Lispector's novel, this increasingly minimal apartment feels more like a chamber filled with the still resonating echoes of the many incredible friends my life has been peopled with.

My closet has shrunk in size and the clothes I have retained are those capable of fitting into one suitcase that I can check in when we board our flight to Italy in the first week of June. I know I have to return to India when I'm able to continue my fieldwork. But I'll only return when I'm confident that my travelling to visit artists in their studios doesn't put either them or me at risk. When our rent agreement terminates, on May 21, we will temporarily move into either one of three friends' apartments, depending on which of their colonies have the least entry restrictions. If things work in our favour, we should be able to make our flight.

When I step beyond my door for the last time, it'll be the most empowered version of me that will be saying goodbye to the most incredible eight years of my adult life. With me at all times, until we arrive at whatever becomes our destination, Italy or Goa, will be this photograph that leapt out at me while I was flipping through a page of a book I was couriering to Goa. In it, I'm radiantly reaching my hand out to an anonymous someone. Because of the manner of the photograph's rediscovery, how it had been placed on the page, it acquired symbolic valence. It looks as though my past self was reaching out to whatever future self was to discover it.

In this moment of unprecedented contact, I felt the coalescing of all my past selves and their seeding within the abundant body of a woman boldly foraying into the domestic unknown.

Deliberating on the life and times of Everywoman, Rosalyn D'Mello is a reputable art critic and the author of A Handbook For My Lover. She tweets @RosaParx
Send your feedback tomailbag@mid-day.com

The views expressed in this column are the individual's and don't represent those of the paper

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Taking advantage of the Coronavirus pandemic, a number of persons are chopping trees at will in Aarey Milk Colony.

An environmentalist has written a letter to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray red-flagging the goings-on inside the green cover in the city's suburbs.

He stated in a letter speaking for many green activists who have and continue to fight the long Save Aarey battle, that at least 30 trees are being cut inside the forest every day. Some people, taking advantage of the tough times, where resources like police and civic workers have to be deployed elsewhere while numbers climb in the Coronavirus fight, are wreaking wanton destruction inside Aarey.

There are attempts to illegally encroach this precious landmass, building hutments inside.

We need to see quick investigation and action in this matter. Especially as the clock is ticking and every single day means more denudation at Aarey.

One also has to remember that when activists and citizens were fighting pitched battles against the Metro Car Shed at Aarey, it was the Shiv Sena on a battering course against the BJP, shouting that they will save Aarey and that they will not allow trees to be cut.

In a high stakes political game, the Thackerays had posited themselves as the saviours of this green emerald of the suburbs, taking on the Devendra Fadnavis dispensation that was going ahead with the project.

We hope the state government gets into battle mode to save this zone. After all, to be a great green warrior for Aarey means to seek a very quick inquiry and then respond to any and all threats to the space you profess to save, not just for political points but because you believe in the cause and in the welfare of the city.

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A 3D printing startup in Mumbai has been accused of not fulfilling its part of the deal in a crowdfunded project initiated by a Delhi-based content creator to provide equipment to frontline health workers.

In March, Kusha Kapila contacted Boson Machines (BM) to provide 3D printed face shields for medical personnel at an initially agreed price of R150, by raising Rs 900,000 on Ketto.

With an industry standard yet to emerge, there were a lot of debates between Kapila and BM over the price and the number of masks to be made for raised amount."We then settled on R19 lakh for 18,000 masks," said Kapila. "Even this meant that a shield would cost Rs 105, which was still higher than the price of other 3D printers. The price was again reduced to Rs 75, before they finally agreed to R60. At the same time, the fundraising goal was also increased to Rs 21 lakh. They already had orders and capacity for 14,500 masks and we wanted to help as much as we could."

Kapila’s tweet tagging Aaditya Thackeray where she called out Boson

Boson was paid around Rs 13 lakh for the 14,500 face shields, and the remaining money was with Ketto, to be paid after the second batch of shields were dispatched.

The story gets muddled at this point, with Kapila taking to Twitter on May 1, accusing the company of not honouring its commitment and claiming even Rs 60 per mask was steep.

"After many enquiries, and [BM co-founders and brothers] Arjun and Parth Panchal's consistent unavailability, they finally sent a cost breakdown that I forwarded to various industry experts for verification."

In another tweet, Kapila alleged BM charged more than market price. Both Kapila and Ketto also claim that BM had been evading their questions.

"As of today, suppliers charge anywhere between Rs 35 and Rs 50 for a shield of the same quality," Kapila told mid-day. "This suggests that BM is trying to profit off this fundraiser. Profiting off a pandemic is shameful and anti-national. For instance, the cost of the plastic frame is quoted as R80 and they could only justify Rs 27. That's a difference of Rs 53. Further, the visor cost is quoted as Rs 30, but we found out that a sheet costs Rs 8. The tally says BM has delivered 10,700 pieces but we don't know if this has actually happened. As of today, Boson owes [me and Ketto] Rs 6,76,000," Kapila said.

By this, Kapila means BM has to return her and Ketto R6,76,000 from the initial Rs 13 lakh paid, as per her calculations. "The last time I spoke to them, which is when we reached a price of Rs 60, they agreed to return the money but later said their CA would get in touch and have ghosted me since," said Kapila.

Parth Panchal. Pic/Facebook, Arjun Panchal. Pic/Twitter

BM claims it has already delivered 10,700 face shields to 19 hospitals and other institutions across the country, including Mumbai's Sion Hospital, Kasturba Hospital, KEM Hospital, Wadia Hospitals—and even the BMC.

In an email to mid-day, BM refers to Ketto Online Ventures Private Limited as the buyer, and not Kapila. "We are unaware of the role of Ms Kusha Kapila with the buyer, M/s Ketto Online Ventures Private Limited, and whether she is authorised to represent the company in commercial matters," it said.

BM also alleged Ketto owes them an outstanding R1,31,063 from the orders that they had already fulfilled.

"We have seen the statement put out by Boson and our legal team is taking necessary steps," said Varun Sheth, of ketto.org.

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Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope on Friday expressed confidence that Mumbai will see a sharp decline in COVID-19 cases in the next 15 to 20 days. Speaking to PTI, Tope said joint secretary of the Union Health Ministry Lav Agarwal was in the city on Thursday to discuss the situation here. "All ward officers were present at the meeting, which was also attended by Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray. We discussed corrective measures that were being taken," the minister said.

Agarwal suggested that containment zones be properly demarcated and contact tracing, testing and treatment of positive patients should be done in these areas, Tope said. Early detection will bring down the mortality rate, the minister said, adding that the government plans to increase institutional quarantine facilities. "The Centre wants us to increase disease surveillance in the congested areas to stop the spread of the virus," he said.

With the steps taken by the government, the pandemic will be contained in the next 15 to 20 days in Mumbai, the minister assured. The state government plans to rope in workforce from other departments if the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation falls short of manpower, the minister said, clarifying that there was no shortage of funds.

Of the 17,974 COVID-19 cases in Maharashtra, 11,394 were reported from Mumbai alone and the city had recorded 437 deaths from the toll of 694 in the state.

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In an attempt to prevent smuggling of liquor from neighbouring states during the lockdown, Maharashtra has sealed its borders with them and deployed adequate manpower at a dozen checkposts, an official said on Friday. The move by the excise department has come in the wake of lifting of certain coronavirus-induced curbs, which included allowing reopening of liquor shops. As the demand for alcohol has increased in Maharashtra, there is a possibility of liquor smuggling by inter-state organised syndicates, the official said.

Considering the threat from such syndicates, the excise department has deployed its flying squads and vigilance teams in districts located along the borders with neighbouring states, he said. To avoid any smuggling activity during this period, we have increased our vigil on 12 checkposts and sealed borders with adjoining states," he said. This will help in curbing illegal transportation of liquor or spirit, the official said. With the help of local police, the excise department has initiated action against persons involved in smuggling and transportation of liquor, he said.

Since the lockdown came into force in late March, at least 4,829 offences have been registered for illegal liquor transportation and 438 vehicles seized, he said. Besides, at least 2,104 persons have been arrested so far in such cases, the official said, adding liquor and other material worth Rs 12.63 crore have been seized since the shutdown.

The excise department has started a control room, where people can provide information related to illegal manufacturing or sale of liquor, he said.

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With the cases of coronavirus continuing to surge in Mumbai, the Mumbai Police has been pulling all stops to ensure the safety of the people. The police department has been active not just in the public space but on social media with their public interest messages urging people to respect the lockdown and follow the precautions put in place by the government.

In their latest post on Twitter, the Mumbai Police has posted a series of posters used some of the famous musical bands’ names such as Backstreet Boys, Linkin Park, Oasis and U2 to make sure people follow the lockdown rules.  The police department urged their followers through slogan coined with puns asking people not to visit Linkin Park,  reminding ‘U2’ stay home and that your home is your ‘Oasis’.

The Mumbai Police said in the caption, “Stay indoors, for we are on the streets, playing your favourite safety tunes with our 'Band-o-bast'.

Stay indoors, for we are on the streets, playing your favourite safety tunes with our 'Band-o-bast'. #LockdownPerformance #TakingOnCorona pic.twitter.com/ejPW0Ofbfw

— Mumbai Police (@MumbaiPolice) May 7, 2020

The post shared on Thursday morning has garnered more than 1,900 likes and was retweeted 333 times. Users commenting on the post lauded the the police department’s creativity on their social media posts.

You guys have a great taste in music!

— Rudresh Solanki (@rudresh97) May 7, 2020

Huge respect to the person/group of people managing this account and showing his/their creativity even in this tough situation!!
Kudos to the team guys.
More recognition to you all.@MumbaiPolice @OfficeofUT

— Rishabh 🇮🇳 (@Rishabh4593) May 7, 2020

You always amaze with something 😍 new.. it's a pride to b a Mumbaikar and to be safe with Mumbai police 🙏

— roshan bangera (@roshbangera32) May 7, 2020

Creativity level genius 🔥

— Karen P (@Head_in_d_cloud) May 7, 2020

What do you think about this post?

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It will be interesting to see what happens after police action in the Bois Locker Room case. The Delhi police have booked members of this Instagram group.

A quick search will show that this online avenue had teenage boys exchanging morphed pictures, obscene content and casual references to sexual assaults and gang-rapes. The most disturbing part of this is that many of those references were to their female classmates.

Plenty has been written about action, blame games, threats and the police machinery doing its work, as it should. What is important now is how the accused families react, talk to their children and see that there is a true change in these youngsters.

There cannot be any excuses about what has been done. Parents must make that clear to their children and to themselves that this is wrong.

Now, the group members who have indulged in this will need talking to from family and from professionals, if need be. Let us not forget that this is a life-changing event for all involved.

There has to be intense, hard counselling for the boys involved. What should this be? Who needs to talk to them? Should teachers talk to them? Should one or two members of the family do it? Should professionals start counselling and continue for months? The accent should be that this is not just criminal but completely unacceptable. The shame should not come from police action alone, but the overarching realisation that this kind of talk is certainly not light-hearted but completely reprehensible.

The bigger effort is the acceptance of a gross mistake, no attempt to sweep anything under the carpet and a long, committed and concerted effort to see true transformation. Like the #metoo movement, it should be times-up for this kind of bois locker room talk.

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With 1,089 confirmed infections on Friday, the total cases of the COVID-19 has increased to 19,063 in Maharashtra, including 12,142 in Mumbai alone. Meanwhile, the total number of cases in Dharavi has crossed 800 and five patients who had died earlier were on Friday confirmed to have the virus.

Civic officials of G North ward said that 25 new infections were reported from Dharavi, including five cases in Matunga Labour Camp. So far 26 people have died of COVID-19 in Dharavi.

One Dadar resident was also among the 25 deaths reported in the city on Friday. Dadar also reported the highest daily spike in cases with 21 infections, including 15 from Kirtikar Market. In Mahim a 93-year-old woman is among the 11 new cases reported on Friday.

The BMC said of the 748 new infections, around 200 patients had tested positive between May 4 and May 6 but their names were added to the list on Friday. The civic officials said several teams are carrying out door-to-door survey for influenza-like symptoms to ensure early identification and treatment of suspected COVID-19 cases.

State health department officials said that across state, 37 new COVID-19 deaths have been recorded, including 10 in Pune and one each in Jalgaon and Amravati. Twenty-seven of them were suffering from other ailments and 17 of them were senior citizens. The total death toll due to COVID-19 in Maharashtra is 731.

Meanwhile, the clinical trial to use plasma therapy to treat COVID-19 patients with serious symptoms is yet to begin as no patient at Nair Hospital fits the criteria set by the Indian Council of Medical Research. Civic officials said majority of the critical patients are admitted at KEM Hospital, so an application was filed last week to include the hospital for the trial. KEM Hospital Dean Dr Hemant Deshmukh said they are expecting the approval from the ICMR in a day or two.

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A day after former Navi Mumbai mayor Jayawant Sutar threatened to take the matter of increasing COVID-19 cases at Agricultural Produce Market Committee market in Vashi to the higher-ups, officials at a high-level meeting unanimously decided to shut it from May 11 to May 17.

All five markets — vegetable, fruit, grain, dry fruit and spice — will remain shut from Monday till the lockdown ends. The market will remain open this weekend. NMMC Commissioner Annasaheb Misal, Maharashtra principal secretary (marketing) Anoop Kumar, IAS officer Sanjeev Jaiswal, Konkan Divisional Commissioner Shivaji Daund, APMC police officers and APMC traders were at the meet on Friday afternoon.

Daund told mid-day, "We will carry out extensive spraying of disinfectants during the shutdown and the APMC staff, including traders and APMC police, will be screened and tested. We will hold regular meetings through video conferencing to understand the momentum of work." He added that they will review the matter on May 15 to decide on a phased reopening or extension.

APMC Secretary and Administrator Anil Chavan, who also attended the meeting, said they decided to close the markets to contain the spread of COVID. "We will keep the market open this Saturday and Sunday so that essential supplies could be stocked for 10 days in Mumbai and neighbouring areas."

mid-day had, on Friday, reported about the Sutar, whose term as the Navi Mumbai mayor ended recently, demanding that market to be shut.

"I was going to write a letter to the central health team, too, but I am now informed that at a high-level meeting a decision was taken to shut the market for a week. It is evident that not only traders, but even their staff, and APMC mathadi workers were at high risk as they visit the market daily. Also, we have learnt that some APMC staffers would have had to take voluntary retirement had the market remained open. The traders are already terrified," he said.

Sutar added, "Had the government wanted they could have made an amendment to the existing APMC Act, and allowed him to continue as the mayor. But, they allowed the administrator and APMC to take the decisions."

Vijay Bhuta, director, APMC Spices Market, said there were only eight cases at the masala market so far. "Majority of the positive cases were reported from other markets in APMC." "Residents living around the market were concerned about the increasing number of cases," he added.

A resident of Turbhe village said, "On Friday, two more positive cases were reported in the village and both men worked at the APMC market. We have requested Turbhe and Kopri villagers to not allow APMC staffers in their locality to venture out." Sutar said he has raised the concern about people travelling to and from red zones.

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A case has been registered against office-bearers of Bandra Gymkhana in the city for violation of lockdown after a video purportedly showed members celebrating its completion of 85 years despite the lockdown restrictions.

A lawyer filed a complaint saying that a video on social media showed Gymkhana members singing and dancing during the celebration of completion of 85 years of the club, a police officer said.

A case under IPC sections 188 (defying public servant's order) and 269 (act which may spread infection) was registered against office-bearers and some members, he said, adding that probe was on.

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Maharashtra Cyber has registered 363 offences of rumour mongering, spreading misinformation, hatred and fake news on social media during the COVID-19 lockdown, an official said on Saturday. The state police's cyber wing has been monitoring online activities to prevent the spread of misinformation about the COVID-19 pandemic. As many as 196 persons were arrested for sharing or uploading objectionable posts, videos and photographs on social media, the official said.

In Sangli district, a case was registered against some people for uploading a Tik-Tok video about a particular community being responsible for the pandemic and also using abusive language against prominent social reformers, he said. At least 14 offences were registered by the cyber wing in the district since the lockdown was enforced, he added.

Similarly, in Parli town of Beed district, some persons were booked for a social media post linking the spread of COVID-19 to a particular community, he said, adding that the district had recorded highest number of cyber offences during the lockdown. Of the 363 offences registered so far, at least 155 cases were related to WhatsApp forwards, while 140 were for objectionable Facebook posts, the official said.

The cyber wing had deleted at least 101 objectionable posts from social media platforms during the lockdown, he added.

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A man has been arrested killing a senior citizen for scolding him and his partner after finding them in compromising position. The accused, identified as Karan Singh Yadav (30), was nabbed by cops from the Shanti Nagar Police in Bhiwandi from a quarantine facility in Parbhani whereas his partner is absconding.

The deceased, Krushna Joshi (72) owned a room in a chawl at Temghar pada. He had rented the room to Yadav’s partner, identified as Lata alias Jyoti Rathod (35). Yadav would often visit Rathod in her home. In April, when Joshi had gone to collect rent, he found the Yadav and Rathod in compromising position. Joshi then scolded the couple and warned Rathod to stop bringing her friends to the room.

According to the police, Rathod and Yadav, enraged by Joshi’s comments, decided to kill him. “On the night of April 11, the couple found Joshi alone at his house and hit him with a stone," said an officer, adding that the duo fled the city the same night.

On  April 12, when Joshi’s son, who stays closeby, tried to contact him, he didn’t respond.  He then rushed to Shanti Nagar Police station and filed a missing person report against his father. The police launched a search for Joshi and found that Rathod also went missing the same night. Senior Inspector Mamta D'Souza formed a team under the leadership of Assistant Police Inspector Amol More and Shailesh Mhatre and started the investigation.

The officer said that they found Rathod’s address in which it was mentioned that she is a native of Parbhani. We didn't have any other details such as her mobile number or the CCTV footage of the spot of the incident, so we decided to go to Parbhani to find her" told API Shailesh Mhatre. "When our team went to Parbhani, we visited the place mentioned in address but there was no one stay there of this name," he added.

The cops then decided to check quarantine centres in the district made for people coming from other districts. "We found a name similar to that of Rathod’s partner, Yadav. We then immediately interrogated him and he confessed to committing the crime, but Rathod is still absconding,” said API Mhatre.

During interrogation, Karan told the police that, he dumped Joshi’s body in a well near the chawl. The police team came back to the city and recovered Joshi’s body, which was found to be completely decomposed. An offence has been registered against Yadav and Rathod under IPC section 302 (murder), 201 (disappearance of evidence) and 34 (common intention of committing the crime).

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Dear Diana,
I liked this girl who I got to know at a friend's wedding. From the moment I met her, I felt she was the one for me. One day, I offered to drop her home after work and I just could not stop talking. I realised I had so much to tell her and she had lots to tell me too. For about eight months, we were together. We did not talk about the future, but we lived for the moment. Then one day she just vamoosed from my life. First, she stopped meeting me. Then, she would not take my calls or answer my SMSes. She did not even bother to tell me what was wrong. I did try to get in touch with her, but she would not respond. After two months, she sent a message through one of her friends explaining why she cut off ties with me. She felt as I was getting serious, it was better that she went her way. She felt her parents would not approve of me. Now it is over two years, but I still can't get this girl out of my mind.
— Yohan

Dear Yohan,
You are better off without this girl. She did not even tell you what was going on in her mind. She felt it was best to move away from the scene and cut off all ties with you. The girl was hiding things from you. She was not worthy of your love as she did not care for you or your feelings. There is no point thinking about why she dumped you. Instead, let bygones be bygones. She felt there was no future with you and moved away, so why are you still grieving for her? Get going and move on in life. The girl dumped you, why even think about her? Banish all thoughts about her.

Dear Diana,
I am a happy-go-lucky person who loves to make people laugh. Even when things go wrong, instead of fretting, I prefer to let go. My girlfriend, however, finds this habit of mine irritating. She just does not know how to laugh aloud. She's always serious and focussed. This is causing a lot of tiffs between us. She finds my sense of humour atrocious. I mean no harm to anyone, so I do not know why she can't chuckle along with me? We have had a lot of discussions, but she feels I go overboard. I call her Miss Stiff Upper Lip and she gets so annoyed that she stops talking to me for days. I just want to see her happy and laughing. My girl tells me she has always been like this so she can't be like me. I have told her to loosen up, but she is adamant. What do I do? How do I tell her that I am trying hard to please her? Why does she find me offensive? She also tells me that she often feels that I have inhaled laughing gas.
— Waman

Dear Waman,
Laughter can go a long way in maintaining a happy relationship. Your girl is the opposite of you. She does not feel the need to have a sense of humour or is perhaps unwilling to let go around you and be relaxed and fun-loving. You have told her to be relaxed, but it cannot be an overnight change. You need loads of patience as she will take time to be like you. At the same time, try to find out what has made her so serious. Is there something on her front that is troubling her? Make her feel comfortable and tell her it is alright to let go sometimes and have a good time with you.

Dear Diana,
I work in a multinational company and I have to put in long hours at work. My wife chose to quit her job after our wedding since she thought one of us needs to take care of the house. However, I am constantly appalled at the way she keeps the house. It is always messy and sometimes downright dirty when I enter the home after a long day at work. I tried talking to her about the cleanliness and hygiene part, but she snaps back at me saying she doesn’t get enough time. But I see her lazing all the time. What do I do? Please help.
— Nishant Khare

Illustration/Uday Mohite

Dear Nishant,
Different people have different ideas about cleanliness and hygiene. Perhaps because of the way they have been brought up. You should have had a clear communication with your wife about her duties before marriage. Even now you can sit her down and explain to her about what you expect from her. Since you work hard to make sure that her financial needs are met, it is only fair that you expect her to work enough to keep you happy at home.

If she resists, how about hiring a maid to do the cleaning work? Not every woman can be expected to be house proud and take pride in sweeping and swabbing. Your wife might be having other hobbies. If hiring a maid is an extra financial burden you can put down certain basic rules gently to your wife. If she loves you enough, she is bound to bend a little.

Dear Diana,
I have been married for two years. My husband is proving to be a good-for-nothing. He joined a gym recently, but barely went for a week. He is a couch potato and does not help me with household chores. As a result, he is gaining weight and suffering from diabetes. He also switches jobs every few months due to which we are always low on funds. In the first year of marriage, he was okay, but now he has become a pain. He cribs about everything. I work as a teacher and give tuitions to supplement the income. I don’t think anyone can change him. He is simply atrocious and always finds faults in others. His family, who is based in Goa, have also given up on him. I feel like leaving him, but then at times he is loving and caring making me wonder if I am doing the right thing. I am confused and do not know what to do? Should I give him an ultimatum?
— Mohini

Illustration/Uday Mohite

Dear Mohini,
You are living with a man who has scant respect for you. If he cared for you, he would not behave in such an atrocious manner. This man certainly needs to be shaken up. He seems to be living in his own world and feels that he can get away with everything. You need to give him an ultimatum. If he does not change — or at least show signs of changing, there is no point sticking around. He may be sweet and caring, but that is only for a while. He has made life a living hell for you. You need to walk out on him. For a while, go stay with a friend or your folks. Hopefully, common sense will prevail and he will shape up. If he does not, you are happier and better without him.

Dear Diana,
I met this doctor when I was hospitalised. She took care of me and gave me unconditional attention during my stay there. We exchanged our numbers and she promised to keep in touch. After getting discharged from the hospital, she regularly sent me good morning messages. In fact, the first time she came home, we indulged in some physical romance. However, she doesn't communicate much and is always mum when I tell her that I want to take the relationship ahead. I don't know what to do.
– Confused patient

Illustration/Uday Mohite

Dear Confused patient,
It's obvious there is some chemistry between the two of you. However, seeing how she keeps ignoring you advances for a relationship, it only suggests that she isn't interested in one. Don't read too much into her text messages, it could be bulk message that she sends to everyone on her list. As for getting physical with you, well may be that all she wanted from the short relationship. If you are still curious and confused about what to do, then talk and express your desire to take the relationship forward. Tell her that you are serious about her. Chances are that you will never hear from her again or she may respond to your gesture and express her true feelings. This could either be positive or negative, so don't be too heart broken if she tells you that she is just not that into you. Take it in your stride, respect her decision and move on. May be the next time you can check out the patient next to you in stead of the doctor or nurse in charge. Statutory warning: There is no medication prescribed for broken hearts, so don't dwell much on it and look for someone who feels the same way about things the way you do.

Pooja Sudhir's search for a signature scent ended after graduation. She moved from deodorants to body mists and was finally looking to mature into a perfume user, when she found a scent with musky notes that she instantly liked. "The counter manager rushed to me, saying, 'But, ma'am, this is for men.' I think that's where it all started," she says about her fascination for unisex perfumes. Sudhir, an educator with DSB International School, now oscillates between the male fragrances put out by Body Shop, M&S and Titan Skinn.

Pic/Getty Images

A scent is considered unisex when it uses traditionally masculine notes like leather, smoke and wood, but is meant to be worn by both men and women. Historically, women's fragrances have carried floral or fruity notes. "I have often wondered why female perfumes are gentle and mellow, and almost always with a floral base," Sudhir, 32, says.
The gender stereotyping of scents she is alluding to could in fact, be a product of marketing and not so much about preference.

Educator Pooja Sudhir wonders why female scents are distinguished by floral notes only

The head of communications for Forest Essentials', an indigenous beauty brand with foundations in Ayurveda, says it has little to do with nature telling us what we should or shouldn't wear. "Fragrances are best chosen depending on mood, occasion, seasonality, and your personality rather than gender." Their best-selling body mists are proof. They tend to include oud, Kerala lime or vetiver. "For us, choosing the oud and green tea combination was less about gender and more about picking ingredients that are inherently Indian. That these fragrances have male and female appeal is an added advantage."

Gaurav and Jahnvi

Jahnvi Lakhota Nandan heads The Perfume Library, a four-year-old boutique label that operates from New Delhi and Paris. She speaks of the 30 gender-fluid scents that both, men and women have been seen to pick up. "For instance, the Aphtoori perfume combines notes of jasmine and cigar, and it is our fastest selling among women," she says. Nandan's friendship with designer Gaurav Gupta has propelled a collaboration that's now sealed in a bottle. Gupta launched AGAIN, his debut unisex scent last week, one with zero floral tones. "It [decision to launch a unisex scent] was a no brainer. I am gender-fluid by personality, and I don't see the world in slots. Gender divides are more to do with social conditioning."

The just-launched fragrance, AGAIN

Manan Gandhi, the head of Bombay Perfumery, a-young-but-talked-about fragrance house from the city, would agree. Musk is not only for men, he asserts. Chai Musk, one of his best performing perfumes, blends sandalwood, ginger, lemongrass and musk. Of the eight fragrances he currently offers, two are unisex. "Women are not particularly concerned about female-specific infusions. They look for natural ingredients, intensity and retention. They prefer a scent that lasts," Gandhi explains. Internationally, the unisex beauty concept raged in the 1990s when Calvin Klein launched CK One and Comme des Garçons introduced its eponymous fragrance. It was the big, disruptive idea from 27-years ago.

1020 is one of two unisex scents by Bombay Perfumery

In 2017, fashion continues to champion the genderless idea, whether in clothes or fragrance, and the user is more keen to find an intimate perfume story to participate in than be slotted in grooves. Tom Ford, Chanel, Kiehl's, L'Occitane and the homebred Kama are all part of the gender-neutral narrative in India.

Ahsan Hami doesn't quite get the debate over male and female in the world of scents. "It may be a talking point internationally, but in India, we have always patronised unisex scents. All attars are unisex, and India is one of its earliest manufacturers," he says of a tradition that dates back to the Mughal times. His store, A Hami Bros, on the chaotic Mohammad Ali Road, was established in 1939.

The shelves don't hold "for men" and "for women" labelled bottles. Vetiver, an earthy scent, is usually associated with masculine fragrances, but Hami says his experience has proven that its deep notes and instant cooling effects make it a favourite with his women customers, along with smoky oud. He says, "We don't need international trends telling us unisex perfumes are cool. We've known it for 500 years."

Don't just throw away your old sari, but re-use it by turning it into a kurta or a cushion cover, say experts. Designers Kamaldeep Kaur and Rohini and Dipti Singh have listed down some innovative ways with which you can reuse the old sari.

Representational picture

1. You can make a trendy Anarkali or a kurta out of it which can be teamed with a set of palazzos.

2. If it is a georgette or a chiffon sari, it can be reinvented into a sharara and a dupatta which you can pair with a kurta.

3. If it is a silk sari, then you can make a dupatta out of it and pair it up with a plain solid colour kurta and pants. You can also make cushion covers with it.

4. If it is a Benarasi sari, then you can cut out the border through the entire length, and put it on a plain colour chiffon or georgette sari. You can make cushion covers or dupatta or cloth bags with the rest of it.

5. You can also make lehenga for girls, kurtas, bed runner with the border. Another option can be curtains.

6. Borders from old saris can be re-used on new saris.

7. You can also add a trendy twist to the old sari.

8. You can go for a sleeveless jacket instead of a blouse with the old sari.

9. Ditch the petticoat, and drape the sari over jeans.

10. You can also use two different saris, cut them into halves or use two contrasting dupattas and drape them around like a sari. Add some interesting jewellery to make them stay together.

Wedding always brings a smile on your face and why not? After all, it also gives you a chance to shop till you drop. But have you ever realised that long hours of makeup, excessive consumption of oily food and sweets and lack of sleep can result in dull, parched skin that is easily acne prone and pigmented? So, this wedding season, be a little smart, say experts. Sangeeta Velaskar, Vice President and Head, Medical Services and R&D, Kaya Limited gives you some easy tips to put your beauty anxieties to rest:

1. Besides opting for a skin detox or a facial, it is crucial to take care of your skin as we embark on the winter season. Therefore, limit the use of makeup products as much as possible and opt for a clean, minimalistic look

2. Incorporate the basic regime of cleansing, toning and moisturizing

3. Once or twice a week, use a gentle exfoliator and massage your face in a slow, circular motion to ensure good blood circulation and remove dead skin cells

4. Moisturize your skin at all times and even when you go out, do not forget to apply sunscreen

5. If possible, incorporate a night time regimen that includes Vitamin C to renew face cells and restore skin elasticity

7. Use products that have ingredients such as marine extracts, tea tree oil and mulberry extracts. They are a rich source of proteins and a powerhouse of nutrients that reverse the effects of ageing

8. A good facial is of course, the perfect way to detox, restore and rejuvenate your skin whether you're tired, run-down, stressed or in need of a quick fix

9. It is rightly said, that you are what you eat so consume lots of fruits, nuts and sprouts in your diet. Drink enough water to keep the body hydrated and include fruits and vegetables that have high water content such as watermelons, cucumbers, strawberries and peaches. If possible, drink at least one glass of vegetable juice to increase the fiber intake

Also, Blatrix Marion, Eau Thermale Avène Sensitive Skin Expert, lists some easy detox tips to give a fresh start to your skin:

1. While cleansing should be a daily habit, you should prefer certain products when undertaking a skin detox: choose a soap-less and gentle formula.

2. Your skin needs a deep, exfoliating clean, but be very careful to be gentle! Choose a 3-in-1 mask-scrub is a clarifying clay that turns into a scrub to deeply cleanse and exfoliate the skin leaving the complexion fresh and matte.

3. Once a week indulge in a home spa ritual. Choose a quiet evening and get into the mood with nice soothing music and a cup of nettle tea. Do easy home masks with thermal spring water. It guarantees continuous and prolonged contact of water with skin, thus enabling skin to enjoy the water's soothing and anti-irritating properties more rapidly and recover instant comfort and well being.

4. Use cotton wool pads soaked with thermal spring water placed gently over the eyes to prevent dryness from allergies or use of contact lenses

5. Use SPF based products to protect your skin from external aggressions

6. Always remember that ‘Less is More'. Your skin needing a detox means you should be using as less products as possible for some time. Also prefer products with gentle and minimum number of ingredients

Men can try it, by wearing a chequered suit, like this Gucci creation. Go bold by opting for large checks. Pic/AFP

Match your accessories like actor Priyanka Chopra, who looks like a rockstar in a Fausto Puglisi dress with matching boots. Pic/Getty Images

Motif repeat is another option to match, as seen at Dolce & Gabbana's Spring/Summer 2018 show. PiC/AFP

Match the fabric finish like tennis ace Sania Mirza who elevates a simple jacket-trouser combo by going metallic for both. Pic/Sameer Markande

Play with the placement of your pattern like Athiya Shetty in this striped number. Pic/Shadab Khan

For a simple yet bold statement, pick a strong colour for your separates, like designer Victoria Beckham. Pic/Getty Images

Every girl dreams of her very own moment in the spotlight, where all eyes stay on her. With the party season around the corner the pressure to look nothing but the best, is real but this season worry no more. Lakmé beauty expert Donald Simrock and TIGI Educator Audrey D'Souza share some of the simplest yet best kept party beauty secrets that will make sure, this December you are the life of the party.

1. Let your eyes do the talking:

Preparation: Start by moisturizing and nourishing your skin

Eye: Dab a subtle shade of eyeshadow from the Illuminate Royal Persia palette, and then use the Kohl to smudge the corner of the eye to give a smokey effect.

Pout that lip: Use a nice nude matte on the lip

Hair: Cleanse your hair with a volumizing shampoo and conditioner for that extra dose of moisture and protein to the hair. Add a dollop of smoothening serum for that silky-smooth finish on semi dry hair. Using a curler, take even horizontal sections of hair and wrap these sections around the tong. Once the hair is hot, remove the curler and leave it for a bit to cool. Continue this process over until you have completed the entire head then the curls lightly to get those perfect soft curls. Finish off by adding a hairspray to keep them in place.

2. The girl next door look:

Preparation: Moisturize your skin.

Eye: A winged eye is always in style.

Get Cheeky: A hint of colour from a blush never goes wrong.

Pout that lip: Use the same lip and cheek tint for this as well.

Hair: Shampoo and condition your hair with a moisturizing shampoo and conditioner, and towel dry. Use a brush to smooth strands. Gather your hair right below the crown of your head, smoothing the front and sides as you brush your hair back. Apply smoothening serum to reduce frizz and add texture. Still holding your hair with your right hand, apply a quarter-size amount of hair gel onto your fingertips, and then spread it all over your hair, starting a half of an inch back from your hairline to give it that wanted sheen. Spritz on some hairspray, which will provide an extra hold. Secure your ponytail with a bungee. After your ponytail is secure, take a section of hair from underneath it and wrap it around the bungee with bobby pins, for a chic, pulled-together look.

5. Play it simple:

Preparation: Give your skin an effortless glow by finding yourself the perfect shade.

Eye: Try the shimmer bronze from the shine line collection and get the metallic effect on the lids, don't forget the flutter secrets mascara to up the glam quotient.

Pout that lip: Try a gorgeous bold shade.

Hair: Spray some volumizing hair mousse on damp hair from root to end. This will help pump up the volume. Blast dry using a wide paddle brush. Curl your hair with a curling iron, working one-inch section. Make sure you leave about one or two inches of the ends untouched for a more natural feel. Tie your hair into buns and let them stay so for about 30 mins. Open them up and spot spray with hair spray to keep those waves in place

Alexandre Vauthier Spring Summer 2018

Bella Hadid seen sporting the shades at public dos 

Actor Jennifer Aniston at an event in 1998 

Rihanna. Pics/Getty Images

Kangana Ranaut

Ginni Negi, 30 HR professional
"I am very sure they will not suit the shape of my face. I don't prefer tiny sunglasses nor do I like oversized ones. I actually find them funny. For me, the size and fit have to be just right."

Shreya Goenka, 29 brand and product consultant
"They don't serve a purpose, so why wear them? For me, sunglasses are first, a funct­ional thing, and then comes their glam quotient. If the des­ign does not protect the eyes, I will not wear them on a regu­lar basis. The tiny ones do look cool, but so do regular ones.

Pratiksha Phale, 21 student
"I will first see if they suit my face, and if they do, I will go for them. I think the '90s shades look cool. I don't mind experimenting, although usually, I don't go with very edgy frames."

Sakshi Shetty, 22 event manager
"I have seen a lot of bloggers wear these. But I wouldn't as I don't experiment much and prefer classics such as aviators. [The tinies] look cool, but Bella Hadid can pull off anything. Also, the slim frames don't protect your eyes."

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One of the images in Masaba Gupta’s Insta-only campaign features model TJ Banu in a chiffon saree, the pallu draped around her head like a hijab

In a world divided by political agendas and religious regulation, women's clothing is defined through moral dress codes. "Do we have the freedom to wear whatever we want, when there are no dress codes for men?" asks young Mumbai designer Masaba Gupta, through her "Can't" series of T-shirts and caps launched as part of Tiger Lily, Spring/Summer 2018 line. One of the images in her Insta-only campaign is of model TJ Banu in a chiffon saree, the pallu draped around her head like a hijab (left in pic).

Kallol Datta introduced a range of hijabs, as part of his runway collection in 2015, with pattern cutting experiments of 3D inserts, embellished in tassels and foil print

In January 2016, Dolce & Gabbana released a "modest-wear" range, joining the likes of Oscar de la Renta and Tommy Hilfiger. H&M released a first advert featuring a Muslim woman in a hijab in 2015, and House of Fraser now stocks athleisure hijabs, designed for Muslim women to wear while exercising and swimming. But the rebellious interpretation of a conservative style has seen both criticism and cheer. Veteran designer James Ferreira welcomes the newfound reverence. "We've endured the West's interpretation of fashion for far too long... open any magazine, and there are tits all over," he says. Ferreira first designed and retailed a range of hijabs with badla work (intricate Indian embroidery in metal thread) as long as 30 years ago.

Kolkata-based Kallol Datta's emancipated designs occupy a middle ground between the genders. That he is inspired by the Islamic style of cloaking is a result of having spent his early years in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Kuwait. He began designing abayas and kaftans in 2008, and called his version "sleeping bags". It's only as recently as 2015 (right in pic), when he introduced a range of hijabs with pattern cutting experiments of 3D inserts, embellished in tassels and foil print, and sold them at stores in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait.

Masaba Gupta

"It's a cool move," Ferreira says of Gupta and Datta's new designs. "Masaba and Kallol are mending broken ties between communities; it's like what the beard did post 9/11. At a time when the world began associating the beard with a political event, men from across cultures and countries embraced the beard. Solidarity is always heartening," feels Ferreira.

Kallol Datta

How do you explain using femininity as a tool of empowerment or rebellion?
Masaba Gupta: We create clothes on steroids, what we call churning out "maal". While Tiger Lily, our S/S 2018 collection, has a lot of new prints, the colour palette of knockout pinks and bottle greens stays true to my brand's aesthetic. It's an elevated, easy-to-wear collection inspired by the modern-day woman. So it's online campaigns that allow me a creative release, a platform to have an opinion. I was empowered rather than fearful when shooting the campaign. There's always the fear of being trolled on social media, but then that happens anyway.

Kallol Datta: It's not so much about being rebellious as it is about asking, how do you shroud yourself in fabric? As a designer, I pay attention to the fabric's form rather than the human form, hence layering and shaping remain at the core of my designs. It's also a familiar space [hijab] since I spent most of my early life in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Bahrain.

Why pick a symbol of conservatism?
Masaba Gupta: The starting point of the idea was to talk about our best-seller sarees. And the saree has been constantly debated... in relation to how it should be worn by a specific type of woman to why the youth are apprehensive about embracing it. That's why the decision to showcase the saree worn by real women, as opposed to models, in the campaign shoot. Middle Eastern women think that a saree is intrinsically Indian, hence the idea of styling this drape like a hijab.

Kallol Datta: I enjoy working with native wear clothing in a template form to realise silhouettes, which keep changing as layers are added or subtracted. The chador, manteau, abaya, kaftan or hijab become great building blocks for me to work with. At the same time, clothes-making for me is rooted in anthropology.

When a politically engaging idea occurs to you, how long before you wonder if controversy will follow?
Masaba Gupta: I don't want to unnecessarily stir up a controversy, and have people protesting outside my home. My brand's business head doesn't always agree with my social media posts (laughs). But I also believe that there's a difference between being brave, creative and downright foolish. That's why I put a caption to the image: 'This is celebratory and not a gimmick. I want women to wear a saree the way they feel best, in keeping with their traditions and their comfort. Most importantly, for them to not justify, why they chose to wear it the way they do'.

Kallol Datta: It never crosses my mind. I've been mindful about not using symbols, or portraying national icons in my designs.

How does fashion become political?
Masaba Gupta: I find fashion a departure from controversy or politics. After India, my biggest business comes from Dubai and Kuwait. My job as a designer is done when my clothes inspire freedom in Muslim women to adopt fashion the way they desire.

Kallol Datta: When Eastern concepts move to the West, they often get lost in translation. A woman wearing a hijab, a man in a kaftan - they become visible markers of their communities. The lack of representation [of these markers] in editorials and fashion journalism means that you're telling them, 'we choose not to see you'. Although Indian designers cater to Islamic countries, it's rare to see indigenous cultural markers in their clothes. Indian designers haven't moved beyond lehengas and sarees; it's their bread and butter. They are ignoring a thriving demographic. It's heartening to see 'modest fashion' come into its own.

Also Read: Jacqueline Fernandez Had Fun Designing For MMA Fighters

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Now that we are done packing our winter stuff, it¿s time to gear up and welcome the new season with some latest fashion trends.

The 2018 spring summer fashion trends are a fab mix of pastels, florals, sequins, fringes, ruffles, checks and definitely fun and bold colours.

Prep your wardrobe as Monica Oswal, Executive Director, Monte Carlo suggests you to stock up your closet with apparels in advance and unleash your up-to-date look this spring summer.

Sequins
Sequins and sparkles will be a hit this spring and summer. In fashion industry, glitter always prevails. Pair up a sequins top with pair of legging for a day glam disco look or a A-line skirt to have an alluring boho outfit. Choose from shades of gold, silver to pair up with darker tones likes blue and black or experiment with bold colours such as red, orange and magenta and pair them up with a light shade scarf or a jacket.

Pastels
Pastels will be the best pick for spring wardrobe. Add on the pale hues from yellow, purple, green, pink and orange. The shades are delicate yet they can give a strong look. These ice-cream shades go great in the sunny days, as they have cool undertones. Play around with pastel colour palette to have the quirky yet serene look.

Vintage Florals
Florals have been on top of the charts for years, but this 2018 spring summer collection brings in the vintage florals. It is a trend that was once worn in 40s and 50s and it¿s back this season. Wear a maxi or a midi dress or pair up a midi skirt in this vintage print with a solid blouse for a great surefire seller look, or pair up a floral top with a denim jacket and spread some spring vibes. One can also carry accessories in the floral prints such as scarf, mobile covers, bags or shoes.

Heritage Checks
These summer plaids are best for the formal wear. Wear a floaty feminine business suit in the heritage check pattern. It¿s comfortable yet a subtle option for an official meeting. Pair up a linen shirt with a plaid pencil skirt or trouser. Check shirts can also be opted for daily wear options and can be paired up with a scarf to pep up the look.

Fringing
Fringes are back this season, but with a sophisticated touch. Last season fringes were bold and festive. This summer fringes have an empowered appeal to it. Fringe skirts and dresses are perfect for an evening or a cocktail. Style them up with a stiletto or ankle tie-up wedges or add a hint of accessory, such as cocktail ring or an elegant pair of earrings.

Bold Colours
This summer is all about going bold with the bright and vibrant shades. From primary shades to neon accents, this season has spring bold hues. Experiment with bright pinks, yellows, reds, blues and more, wear them with monochrome blocks or tone them down with neutral shades.

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The Story Re-Spun, Raymond's Khadi Project fashion show, was held on April 4 at its flagship store at Breach Candy

The guests gathered at Raymond's Breach Candy store earlier this month for The Story Re-Spun, a showing of the menswear brand's latest line, had one question on their minds - how will the corporate professional accustomed to crease-free workwear warm up to whimsical, organic khadi? But the team at India's oldest fabric retailer knew they had pressed the right button when the campaign around their just-launched Khadi initiative clocked 15 million views in 30 hours on their social media page.

Raymond has launched the collection in association with young designers Gaurav Khanijo, Anuj Bhutani, Ujjawal Dubey and Alan Alexander Kaleekal, and their choice of textile is the "fabric of the nation", which they call universal, and one that transcends age and social barriers. The brand has used its fabric technology expertise to lend khadi, drape and wash-and-wear qualities. The silhouettes and prints which comprise the collection of suits, tuxedos, bandhgalas, bomber jackets, hoodies, shirts and kurtas, are modern and approachable. To complete the look, on offer is a range of khadi accessories - ties, pocket squares, cuff links and shoes.

Varanasi-based textile developer and designer Hemang Agrawal's

"The design and technical teams from Raymond worked extensively with clusters of khadi weavers from across the country for over 12 months to give the fabric a whole new face and form," says Gaurav Mahajan, President-Apparel Business, Raymond. Style observers see Raymond's move as one that seeks to give sustainable fashion a nifty edge, a trait often compromised in the drive to produce ethical fashion, and promote indigenous crafts. Fashion entrepreneur and consultant Sabina Chopra says, in the absence of labels offering appealing sustainable designs at reasonable prices to the young buyer, Raymond's model could be one to ape. "Collaborations [between designers and fabric manufacturers] could be the way forward if we are to impact purchase," she thinks.

Summer 2018 collection reimagined Benarasi textiles to make minis and box-pleated dresses, and used Tanchoi and Katarwan weaving techniques to create the houndstooth pattern

While the world over, sustainable fashion champions fair trade, local techniques of production, and reuse and upcyling, in India, an ancient tradition of craft has moved focus to the revival of textiles. That it is currently also a political talking point, makes it complicated. "In India, we stress on sustainable fashion from an aesthetic point of view, motivated by the revival of textiles. There's too much of one thing, without regard for price point, the young customer demographic, fit or design," feels Delhi-based designer Arjun Saluja. He is currently occupied with creating a collection from upcycled cotton, with a focus on minimum fabric wastage. And so, the sustainable cause is a subtle story behind the collection, not its central identity.

After showing at LFW S/R 2018, The Good Loom showcased its summer collection of casual menswear and sarees, designed with a special focus on ethical production and getting the right fit at ARTISANS' gallery at Kala Ghoda last week

Hemang Agrawal, textile developer and designer from Varanasi, agrees. "Shoppers buy basis design and style. The ethical credentials of a label come later," he says. Living in a city that's at the heart of the ongoing revival of Benarasi weaves, he speaks of fly-by-night designers jumping in to claim to own the cause.

Agrawal decided it was time to rewrite the script; one that tested the sprightly, dressy competence of time-honoured Indian weaves. Un-Revive, his summer 2018 collection, included modern-day essentials such as minis Mary Quant-would approve, trench and box-pleated dresses, maxis, cropped pants and palazzos. He pinned his interest on the sustainability mast by working with master weavers from his hometown to create tartan checks, polka dots, houndstooth and geometric patterns using the Tanchoi and Katarwan techniques. "Why can't handlooms be young?" he says, explaining the thought behind using one of India's oldest textiles to create plucky, young designs.

Chopra wonders why sustainable clothes are devoid of colour or refined cut. A chunk of craft practitioners focusing solely on revival of textiles are taking for granted the design element of clothing. "Hence, the final tailored garment tends to be weak on cut, giving us tent-like, boring clothes…who decided colour is not cool?" she says. Veteran designer duo David Abraham and Rakesh Thakore of A&T push the boundaries when the former says, "Theoretically, you could do anything with craft, even design a bikini or hot pants. The trouble is, designers are not intervening into developing their own textiles. Ideally, they should."

A&T made a compelling case for ethics-meets-aesthetics with the recent #SadakSmart collection. Encouraged by DIY countercultural streetwear trend, the range looked at indigenous shapes, such as the salwar, kameez, saree and ghagra, and tipped them in favour of teasing everyday styles using updated versions of sequined Chanderi, aari embroidery, and floral patterns inspired by the great Indian chintz.

Not so long ago, anti-fit fashion found its moment internationally, and India, a land of drapes, was more than happy. The unstructured silhouette became an approved form of anti-fit, and handloom - one of the heroes of sustainable fashion - tagged along. Saluja points out that a change in design will take place only when we break the myth that hand-woven equals anti-fit. "The latter is about how you play with both, fabric and body - kiss it or turn it away from skin. Lend it form or leave it formless. Fabric development plus emphasis on silhouettes is key."

And so, good design is both the problem and the solution. Sustain, a 12-year-old apparel vertical of the Good Earth brand of luxury lifestyle, insists on being known as classically Indian. "We are not interested in being hip or cool. But we understand the value of offering modern clothing options that highlight India's incredible workmanship. It might be difficult to make khadi glamorous, so we've started working with Bhagalpuri silks for evening wear. Similarly, we've updated traditional embroideries by combining them with fresher colour ways," says Deepshikha Khanna, head of Sustain.

Rozana, a sub-brand of Sustain, positions itself as daily tonic for everyday wardrobe woes. Aimed at younger clients, it's a line of separates. Sassy shirtdresses, long and short kurtas, lehengas, kalidar kurtas and Hiba trousers are made in malkha cotton, khadi and muslin, priced between Rs 4,500 and Rs 22,000. Interestingly, timely interest by two of India's biggest fashion weeks has plucked the sustainable fashion lobbyists from their craft-based address to dazzling runways with dedicated show slots. The Autumn/Winter 2017 edition of Amazon India Fashion Week addressed the relevance of handlooms, while highlighting sustainable businesses with, The Handloom School. Supported by Good Earth, nine designers including Sanjay Garg, Neeru Kumar, Gaurav Jai Gupta, Rajesh Pratap Singh, Rohit Bal, Péro and Ekà worked with weavers and textiles designers under the watchful eye of textile revivalist Sally Holkar.

For the last seven years, Lakmé Fashion Week has dedicated a day towards the promotion of Indian crafts, recycling and re-purposing. "It started as a means to encourage dialogue on sustainable values. And with initiatives like #CraftisCool, we are working towards creating viable collections that appeal to high street sensibility," says Gautam Vazirani, fashion curator, IMG-Reliance, organisers of LFW.

This season, LFW collaborated with The Good Loom, an artisanal brand from GoCoop, (the first e-commerce store to win a national award for 'Marketing of Handlooms') to present a selection of smart, casual menswear and sarees, with a special focus on ethical production and getting the right fit. It was a sincere attempt at bridging the gap between how the country's Instagram generation interprets fashion and its duet with indigenous craftsmanship. "That sustainable fashion should be sexy, and not stop at mundane or homogeneous, is now our agenda. The millennials don't see themselves dressed in kaftans or anti-fit shapes," adds Vazirani. But he's up against a challenge. Designers often tell him of the 35+ consumer loving the anti-fit way. Saluja has an answer to that. "Let's not be blinded by the revival manifesto. Sixty per cent of India's population is under 35, and they are seeking stylish ready-to-wear options."

Challenge of handlooms: Colour forecast doesn't figure in our scheme
For 11-year-old label, Amrich, led by Delhi-based Amit Vijaya and Richard Pandav, instead of reinforcing a divide between ethical and non-ethical consumers, they prefer to be known as a Western wear brand of separates, infused with enough versatility to be worn in Indian styles. "Working with handlooms is not without its unique set of challenges. For example, we can't afford to follow the colour forecast, since we work with natural dyes. Plus, we work with tricky timelines. We have to work two years in advance since there is lot of back and forth between craftsmen and our design team," says Vijaya. Luckily, the two design and develop their signature shibori in-house, making it possible to control how the garment is cut. "It also allows us to keep the price affordable. The shibori range starts at Rs 13,000," he adds.

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Hockey legend Dhanraj Pillay has hailed multi-talented India women's cricket star Jemimah Rodrigues after the teen cricketer recently recalled an interaction with the hockey star during her inter-school sports days.

Jemimah, 19, got nostalgic when one of her Twitter followers posted her picture receiving an award from four-time Olympian Dhanraj Pillay during her hockey-playing days in school.

"This was my first award ever! Had got the Promising Player Award in an inter-school hockey tournament. Was really special receiving it from Dhanraj Pillay Sir. Was 8 back then," Jemimah replied to the fan.

India batswoman Jemimah Rodrigues during an ODI against New Zealand at McLean Park in Napier, NZ last year. Pic/Getty Images

Impressive skills
Interestingly, even Pillay remembers the moment. "After presenting her that award, I remember, she continued to do well in hockey. I saw her play at the St Stanislaus and St Andrew's grounds in Bandra. I was very impressed with her skills. It's nice to know that she still remembers me and the award she received," Pillay told mid-day on Monday.

Jemimah chose cricket later and excelled in it, but Pillay said she would have been equally good in hockey too.

"She is a very talented girl. Going by her hockey skills, I have no doubt that she could have made her mark as an international hockey player too. She has proved that a hockey player can excel in any other sport. Her dedication and hard work have paid off," said the four-time World Cupper.

Pillay said residents of Bandra, like Jemimah, are fortunate to have access to various sporting avenues. "There is something about people who live in and around Bandra, which is a prominent sports hub. Former India hockey stars like Joaquim Carvalho, Merwyn Fernandes, MM Somaya, Viren Rasquinha, Marcellus Gomes, John Fernandes…it's a long list of players…all excelled in two or more sports," added Dhanraj, who is the Secretary of the Air India Sports Control Board (Western Region).

'I follow her career'
Pillay said he has also invited Jemimah to train at the Air India ground in Kalina. "I follow Jemimah's career whenever I get the time. I watched the women's T20 World Cup [in Australia] on TV last month and also followed the team's South Africa tour and other tournaments she featured in.

"Last year, I met her at an awards function at the Air India ground in Kalina and told her that she can use our ground for net practice any time.

"Being a sportsperson, I know how difficult it is for players to get grounds to train on in a space-starved city like Mumbai. She has made Mumbai and the country proud with her achievements and I hope she continues to play like this for years to come," Pillay signed off.

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Veteran Indian goalkeeper PR Sreejesh has been left disappointed with the postponement of Tokyo Olympic Games due to the Coronavirus pandemic which has wreaked havoc across the world. India last won a gold in Hockey in 1980 in Moscow Olympics. Since then, they have participated in eight Olympic editions but have failed to make a podium finish. And after qualifying for the Tokyo Games, the team was in high spirits and were looking forward to end the medal drought.

However, their dream remains unfulfilled for now as the International Olympic Committee has postponed the Games to summer 2021. "It's disappointing that the Olympics has been postponed. We have been focussing only on the Olympics in the last one year. We qualified for the Olympics and started very well at the FIH Hockey Pro League, but then the COVID-19 crisis began and everything changed," Sreejesh said.

"But though it is disappointing that the Games are delayed, when you take the health and safety of the players into consideration, the best thing to do is to postpone the Games instead of cancelling it," he added.

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Tour de France organisers are working to find a new start date for cycling's biggest race after large public gatherings were banned until mid-July in the latest extension of the French coronavirus lockdown. Originally slated to start from Nice on June 27 and finish in Paris on July 19, there is no chance the event can go ahead as planned and organisers face a mammoth logistical task of rescheduling. So far, organisers ASO have remained silent, but several mayors of the French towns along the planned route say they have been consulted regarding the new dates.

French President Emmanuel Macron said in a televised address Monday that a strict lockdown in France would continue until at least May 11, as public gatherings were banned until mid-July. Tour general director Christian Prudhomme has said riders will need two months after the lockdown ends to prepare for the race. France's Minister of the Interior Christophe Castaner said on Tuesday that ASO had to reschedule or cancel the Tour. "It is up to the organiser to analyse their ability to organise it and reschedule it," Castaner told French radio.

A start in late July or mid-August has been mooted, with some reports suggesting the race could even be delayed until September. The race's route is over 3,000km long, with roughly 500,000 fans lining the roads each day. "Social distancing on the roadside wouldn't be a problem, but in the start towns, at the finish line and in the VIP tents it certainly would," Belgian virologist Marc Van Ranst told Flemish TV channel Sporza on Saturday. Suggestions the Tour could be held without supporters have been ruled out. "The Tour de France is 3000km of smiles," Prudhomme said regarding roadside gatherings.

"We won't run a Tour de France without the fans."

Between a rock and a hard place

Macron's announcement may have caught the organisers short. A late July start for the Tour could be considered too close to the ban on large public gatherings, while the riders would also need to be in peak condition. ASO also organises the Criterium du Dauphine eight-day race, and had been hoping to run that ride through the Alps in late June or early July, but the traditional Tour warm-up has been postponed.

A mid-August start would see the race finish in September, meaning a clash with the Vuelta a Espana. There are only 176 riders on a Tour, but the whole event involves around 4,500 people, with team staff, police and media all moving every day. Cancellation is the worst-case scenario. The "Grande Boucle", as the Tour is known in France, is the central economic pillar which supports the sports' 22 professional teams.

"It's as simple as this. If the Tour does not take place, teams could disappear, riders and staff alike would find themselves unemployed," said Marc Madiot, the chief of French team Groupama-FDJ. The riders are also keen to race, with 2018 winner Geraint Thomas saying he was desperate for the Tour to go ahead. "There are bigger and more important things to sort out first, but as soon as it's safe and ready to go, we (Ineos) would love it to happen," said the Welsh rider.

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The Sports Authority of India will conduct online education programme and lectures beginning Wednesday to keep its coaches engaged during the lockdown period in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic, The coach education programme, to be done via Zoom, will be like a refresher course, one of the participants said. Coaches from swimming, judo and volleyball will have their one-hour session on Wednesday while the programmes on athletics, fencing, weightlifting and boxing will be held on Thursday.

"As far as I know, the SAI is using this period of COVID-19 to conduct this refresher course for the coaches. This is a welcome move. As a coach, it is always good to have additional knowledge," national cycling coach RK Sharma told PTI. Indian athletics high performance director Volker Herrmann will be one of those who will conduct the sessions.

The SAI has also lined up sports science lectures as part the of coach development programme during the lockdown period. Eminent speakers from top institutes of the country will deliver online lectures on topics relating to physiology, bio chemistry, strength and conditioning, physiotherapy and injury prevention, sports medicine, nutrition, sports psychology, bio mechanics and doping.

These lectures will begin on Thursday and continue till May 12.

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Some athletes are donating money, some others are helping in providing essentials to the needy, but Asian Games gold-winning rower Dattu Baban Bhokanal took a more hands on approach while helping people amid the COVID-19 pandemic by sanitising his village in Nashik. The 29-year-old used a fertiliser sprayer to carry out the sanitisation drive in his village Talegaon Ruhi, which is part of Chandvad tehsil on Sunday last. He said it took around four hours to complete the task. "Me, my family and some friends decided to sanitise the village, which has a population of about 12,000," Bhokanal told PTI from over phone.

Nashik is not as aggressively affected by the fast-spreading COVID-19 pandemic, which has ravaged Maharashtra. The region has just over 30 cases and a death toll of 2 in all with the Chandvad tehsil reportng just one case. Bhokanal's village is, however, completely unaffected by the deadly outbreak so far. Overall, the pandemic has claimed 339 lives in India where the number of positive cases has surged past the 10,000 mark. In Maharashtra, the total number of cases have gone past 2,000.

Bhokanal was on leave to visit the village when the nationwide lockdown, now extended till May 3, forced him to stay longer than he was supposed to. Making use of the time at hand, he carried out the sanitisation drive with his brother, uncle and a friend to help him out. "Sanitisation of any area is important to keep the virus at bay. For example, when a person visits a doctor's clinic, he might touch the pole or the walls inside that clinic. Therefore we thought sanitisation of the clinic was essential alogn with several other places," he explained.

Rower Dattu Bhokanal (right) at a sanitisation drive in his village in Nashik on Sunday. Pic/PTI

The acclaimed rower, who is a silver-medallist from the Asian Championships, said a spraying machine lying at his home for agricultural usage, came in handy. "We sanitised the places people frequent like the government clinic, veterinary clinic, gram panchayat office, its gates," informed the rower. Bhokanal said he and his family also sanitised medical shops, temples and the local vegetable market.

He said he would continue to carry out this drive twice a week. With the entire sporting calendar shredded due to the pandemic, rowing has also been affected. Bhokanal said working out at home has helped him in shape and be ready for when the action resumes.

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The World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) made a shocking decision on April 15 by releasing a huge list of some WWE superstars from past and present.

In a statement by WWE, they announced that they had released a total of 19 superstar wrestlers and a referee. WWE has come to terms on the release of Kurt Angle, Rusev (Miroslav Barnyashev), Zack Ryder (Matthew Cardona), Drake Maverick (James Curtin), Sarah Logan (Sarah Rowe), Curt Hawkins (Brian Myers), Karl Anderson (Chad Allegra) and Luke Gallows (Drew Hankinson) - collectively known as The O.C., Heath Slater (Heath Miller), Mike Kanellis (Mike Bennett), Maria Kanellis, Eric Young (Jeremy Fritz), Aiden English (Matthew Rehwoldt), Rowan (Joseph Ruud), No Way Jose (Levis Valenzuela), Mike Chioda, EC3 (Michael Hutter), Lio Rush (Lionel Green), Primo (Edwin Colon) and Epico (Orlando Colon Nieves). WWE also went on to wish them all the best.

Following their release from WWE, superstars took to Instagram to voice their emotions.

Take a look at some of their posts on social media. Kurt Angle -

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

Until next time. #yippeekiyay #itstrue

A post shared by Kurt Angle (@therealkurtangle) onApr 15, 2020 at 12:35pm PDT

Rusev -

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

Life is life. God is great. I’ll be alright

A post shared by Miroslav Barnyashev (@rusevig) onApr 15, 2020 at 1:59pm PDT

Sarah Logan -

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

With my whole heart. Thank you.

A post shared by Sarah Rowe (@sarahloganwwe) onApr 15, 2020 at 12:49pm PDT

Heath Slater -

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

Thank you all.

A post shared by Heath Miller “Slater” (@heathslater_xxii) onApr 15, 2020 at 2:19pm PDT

Luke Gallows -

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

The devil ain’t in the distance.....

A post shared by Luke Gallows (@luke_gallowswwe) onApr 15, 2020 at 8:49pm PDT

This has come as shocking news to all the WWE universe with more details awaited.

The Belgian Formula One Grand Prix scheduled for August 30 is in doubt after the country's ban on public gatherings was extended until the end of that month, organisers said. "All scenarios are being studied: postponement, holding it behind closed doors, or cancelling it. No-one can say what the situation will be in four and a half months," Vanessa Maes, the grand prix's director general, told Belga news agency.

Holding the event behind closed doors is unlikely with local backers unhappy with the financial fallout, according to the newspaper La Derniere Heure. The race is expected to join nine other grands prix that have already been cancelled or postponed this season as Formula One grapples with the consequences of the coronavirus pandemic.

"Our absolute priority remains the health of the Belgian people and the spectators who come to Spa-Francorchamps," the race venue, said Maes.
The French Grand Prix scheduled for June 28 is also in doubt. A decision on whether to go ahead with the race behind closed doors or to postpone or scrap the event is expected in the coming days.

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His wife and one-year-old daughter are not living too far from the training centre where Indian hockey team forward SV Sunil is currently based but he is resisting the urge to make a dash for home given the threat posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Sunil's wife Nisha and their one-year old daughter Shanvita are staying just 20km away from the SAI Centre in Bengaluru, where the Indian hockey team is training amid the nationwide lockdown to combat the virus. "Most of the players here in camp would have loved to be with their families, and even though my family doesn't stay very far from here. My wife and I decided that it was in the best interest of our family that we stay put where we are, and follow the guidelines strictly," said Sunil.

"I do miss my wife and daughter, but these are trying circumstances and we just have to take the positives out of it, and continue adjusting to it." Sunil also feels that the extended lockdown period is actually helping the side forge a stronger bond. "We were all expecting the lock-down period to be extended, and it is justified given the extent of the damage that the pandemic has been causing not just in India, but around the world," he said.

"We have been staying here at the SAI Centre Bengaluru for the past month and a half, and I think spending more time with our teammates and coaching staff has really brought the group together. "We have also been working on analyzing our performances from the past couple of seasons, and we have been doing a lot of self-analysis as well, which I'm sure will help us in improving a lot before we set foot on the pitch again," he added.

Reflecting on the current pandemic and the health hazards that it is posing to people around the world, Sunil said these are the times which test resolves. "I remember when I've had the two injuries before, one in 2010 and another in 2018, it was always really tough for me because I had missed the World Cups on both the occasions and that long journey back from injury was really depressing at times. "But when you compare that to the circumstances that so many people around the world are facing now, you realise how lucky you are to only have injured your left fibula or had a LCL Grade 3 tear, and not had a life-threatening experience.

Sunil, who turns 31 early next month, also spoke about his thoughts on the Olympic Games being postponed to 2021 "We have spent these four years building up to the Olympics, and working hard to peak at that time, but obviously now we all have to make adjustments, for which we are ready. "It has been a few days since I've made that run on the flanks and put a ball into the striking circle, so I really hope that things can go back to normal very quickly for everyone to do what they love doing, which includes me stepping foot on the pitch again soon," he said.

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Four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel on Friday cautioned against the temptation to shoehorn too many Formula One races into a revised calendar, describing the move as "not realistic". The 22-event F1 season has been decimated by the Coronavirus with nine races either cancelled or postponed. The French Grand Prix scheduled for June 28 is also in doubt as is the Belgian Grand Prix, set for August 30.

F1 chiefs have floated the idea of making up for lost time by staging races on successive weekends or even having two races on the same weekend.

Staff burnout issue

However, Ferrari star Vettel fears such a move could lead to burnout for team staff. "We drivers are a little privileged," Vettel told reporters by teleconference from his home in Switzerland. "Of course, the races are tiring but there have to be limits for the staff. They must rest. "We must also see if it is easy to reschedule races, if the circuits are not already taken. Many questions remain. I think the schedule will be busier, but 10 consecutive weekends is not realistic."

Vettel suggested that he would favour staging races without fans if it allowed a quick resumption as long as it did not become a common feature. Other sports have already toyed with the idea of staging events behind closed doors. For example, the US PGA Tour on Thursday announced plans to resume in June, with the first four tournaments being closed to spectators.

"It's complicated," admitted Vettel. "On the one hand, there is the health of the sport, on the other, that of the people who work in the paddock and especially the fans. "There are several options. No one likes to run in front of empty stands, but we will have to see if it will not allow us to resume much sooner. The first races will probably be a little different, but not too much, I hope, because we want to run in front of the fans."

Vettel insists that for him even a 10-race season is just as valuable as a 22-race campaign. However, he admits that the damage to the sport caused by the pandemic could be fatal for the smaller teams on the grid.

'Small teams in danger'

Without racing, the massive TV and sponsorship revenues have dried up. Half of the teams have already started furloughing staff. Teams have agreed to lower the spending cap from $175 million to $150m. "Some small teams are in danger and, as a family, F1 has to take care of its own."

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The US Anti-Doping Agency has come up with a novel random testing program to cope with the unique circumstances of the coronavirus pandemic. With the United States, like much of the world, under lockdown as authorities try to slow the spread of the virus, USADA has launched a program in which athletes collect blood and urine samples from themselves at home, while being monitored remotely on Zoom or FaceTime by testing personnel.

The test kits were sent to athletes, who must produce samples when they receive an unannounced call from a doping control officer. The officer watches the blood sample being taken, but urine samples are provided in private. The samples are sealed under the eye of the doping control officer and sent to an accredited lab for testing. USADA chief executive Travis Tygart told the New York Times that plenty of top US Olympic hopes were eager to sign up for the pilot project.

Freestyle swimming great Katie Ledecky and athletes Noah Lyles and Allyson Felix were among those who volunteered. "We've been talking about this and laying the foundation for several months," Tygart told the newspaper.

"COVID put that on fast forward and allowed us to roll it out." Ledecky said she "felt very comfortable" administering her first self test this week at her home in California. USADA has built safeguards into the system to limit opportunities for cheating. Although athletes are not observed during collection of urine, they show the monitoring officer the bathroom that will be used, they are timed and the temperature of the sample is recorded to lessen the chances of sample tampering or sample substitution.

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Legendary shooter Abhinav Bindra believes once the coronavirus pandemic subsides, it could be a blessing in disguise for Indian sports due to absence of much foreign exposure. "The post-COVID-19 world could be a blessing in disguise for India. There may not be so much foreign exposure and this may allow India to build proper sporting infrastructure. We need to build our own coaches and our own support staff," Bindra said on Monday. The entire sporting calendar has come to a grinding halt across the world due to the coronavirus pandemic. Major sporting events, including Tokyo Olympics and Wimbledon, have either been postponed or cancelled.

Bindra, India's only individual Olympic gold medallist, alongwith Nandan Kamath, lawyer and managing trustee GoSports Foundation, on Monday addressed the newly-appointed assistant directors and other senior officials of Sports Authority of India (SAI) during a special session. Bindra said that as sports administrators they need to work towards creating an alternate skill development programme for athletes to ensure their well-being in the long run.

"We need to look after athletes because the very nature of sport is that more will fail than succeed. It is important that athletes have backup plans in case their sports career doesn't work out," he pointed out. Bindra further said that sports administrators need to understand the psychology of an athlete to be able to build them up because athletes pass through different phases because of the nature of sport and the probability of failure.

"An expert can give a larger overview of the various elements that go into sporting performance and that's where you will understand where performance is built and what are the various elements that go into performance and then you will start to have a better and deeper understanding of where performance is built. Results at a competition cannot be the only denominator when planning for an Olympic Games or an Asian Games," he added.

Bindra spoke at length on his experience as an athlete and also on the future of sports in India. "The one per cent (of athletes) makes all the difference in sport, and as our sports ecosystem starts maturing, we need to start focussing on that one percent for all athletes," he said.

Stressing on the need to build a strong talent identification and nurturing programme, he added, "Getting foundations right is important, a lot of work on that has already been started with the Khelo India programme and also emphasis placed on junior programme of different sports.

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Six-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady got his signals crossed trying to visit his new Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator and walked into a neighboring house by mistake, celebrity website TMZ reported Thursday. Brady's blunder came April 7 as the 42-year-old quarterback, a newcomer to the Tampa area after playing the past 20 NFL seasons for the New England Patriots, searched for the home of Bucs offensive mastermind Byron Leftwich, according to TMZ.

Brady knew Leftwich was expecting him to pick up team-related materials so he just walked into the home of David Kramer without knocking, setting down two bags without realizing Leftwich's house, which has similar white and gray paint and triangular roofs, was the larger one next door. "I literally was just sitting here and I watch this tall guy just walk into my house," Kramer told MZ.

"He didn't even look at me. He just like dropped his duffel bags down on the floor and just kind of like looked up at me and I'll never forget the look on his face. "He just goes, 'Am I in the wrong house?" An apologetic Brady hustled out of the home as if he were being chased by an NFL defender. "He was like, 'I am so sorry. I am so sorry," Kramer said. "Grabs his bags and just is gone. I don't think I've seen someone leave a house faster." Brady, with more Super Bowl rings than any player in NFL history, went next door and finally found the coach who will direct his plays next season when the record-setting passer makes his debut with the Buccaneers.

It wasn't the only trouble Brady has had since the move to Florida. He was told Monday to leave a public park in Tampa when he tried to work out there in breach the city's stay-at-home coronavirus rules. Brady was able to laugh at his blunders in an Instagram post, saying: "Trespassing in parks, breaking and entering... Just making myself at home in Tompa Bay!" Brady has bid to register trademarks on the phrases "Tompa Bay" and "Tampa Brady".

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WWE former Diva and superstar Nikki Bella is quite an active sports star on Instagram. Nikki Bella is currently engaged to her Dancing With The Stars partner Artem Chigvintsev, who is a Russian professional dancer during season 25.

Nikki Bella went on to share a picture of her cosied up in bed watching some television along with Artem after she put on her make-up. Nikki also went on to say that she was trying her hardest to seduce Artem into giving her a foot massage. Take a look at the fun post below on Instagram.

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

Did my makeup in time to take a nap and watch some TV with my A. Trying my hardest to seduce my way into getting a foot massage lol 🤰🏽💋

A post shared by Nikki Bella (@thenikkibella) onApr 26, 2020 at 2:03pm PDT

Nikki Bella began dating Artem following her break-up from WWE superstar John Cena. John Cena and Nikki Bella got engaged in April 2017 but called off their wedding a year later in April, just a month prior to tying the knot.

Nikki Bella and Artem Chigvintsev began dating in January 2019 and a year later, the couple announced they were engaged. On 29 January, Nikki Bella announced that she and her twin sister Brie Bella were expecting a child, respectively.

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Formula One boss Chase Carey on Monday targeted the Coronavirus-hit season eventually starting in Austria on July 5 after the French Grand Prix was cancelled and fans barred from the British race at Silverstone.

The French Grand Prix, which was to have been held on June 28, was the tenth race of the season to be scrapped or postponed. "We're targeting a start to racing in Europe through July, August and beginning of September, with the first race taking place in Austria on 3-5 July weekend," Carey said in a statement.

"September, October and November, would see us race in Eurasia, Asia and the Americas, finishing the season in the Gulf in December with Bahrain before the traditional finale in Abu Dhabi, having completed between 15-18 races."

Chase Carey

French GP called off
Carey's statement followed quickfire announcements from the French organisers and a statement from the owners of the Silverstone track where the British Grand Prix is due to take place on July 19.

"Given the evolution of the situation linked to the spread of the Covid-19 virus, the French Grand Prix takes note of the decisions announced by the French state, making it impossible to maintain our event," the race's managing director Eric Boullier said.

It joins nine other races in the decimated 2020 championship to be either cancelled (Australia, Monaco) or postponed (Bahrain, China, Vietnam, Netherlands, Spain, Azerbaijan, Canada).

Organisers of the race at Le Castellet were forced to act after President Emmanuel Macron's announcement last week that the lockdown in France will be extended until May 11 and public gatherings banned until mid-July. Ruling out holding the race behind closed doors, Boullier said: "Le Castellet are already turning towards the summer of 2021".

What about the fans?
F1 supremo Carey said he expected "the early races to be without fans" but hoped that spectators would be allowed back "as we move further into the schedule". He added: "We still have to work out many issues like the procedures for the teams and our other partners to enter and operate in each country. The health and safety of all involved will continue to be priority one and we will only go forward if we are confident we have reliable procedures to address both risks and possible issues."

Revised F1 calendar

July 5: Austria
July 19: Great Britain
August 2: Hungary
August 30: Belgium
September 6: Italy
September 20 Singapore
September 27: Russia
October 11: Japan
October 25: United States
November 1: Mexico
November 15: Brazil
November 29: Abu Dhabi

Races postponed: Bahrain (March 22), Vietnam (April 5), China (April 19), Netherlands (May 3), Spain (May 10), Monaco (May 24), Azerbaijan (June 7), Canada (June 14)

Races cancelled: Australia (March 15), France (June 28)

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The postponement to 2021 of the Olympic Games in Tokyo because of the coronavirus pandemic will cost the International Olympic Committee (IOC) "several hundred million dollars", its president Thomas Bach said on Wednesday. "We already know that we have to shoulder several hundred million US dollars of postponement costs," the German wrote in a letter to the Olympic movement, warning that, while the IOC would honour its financial obligations to Tokyo, it would probably have to make cuts. "We also need to look into and review all the services that we provide for these postponed Games," he said.

"The IOC will continue to be responsible for its share of the operational burden and its share of the costs for these postponed Games." The IOC, which has approximately $1 billion (926 million euros) in reserves, took the historic decision to postpone the Games, scheduled to open on July 24, until July 23 to August 8, 2021. If the coronavirus pandemic is not brought under control within a year, the Games cannot be postponed again and will be cancelled, the head of the organising committee (COJO) Yoshiro Mori warned on Tuesday.

A task force, which brings together the IOC and various partners, including COJO, "has established the priorities and management strategies to make these postponed Olympic Games feasible and successful", Bach said. These include creating "a safe environment with regard to health for all participants". "At this moment, nobody knows what the realities of the post-coronavirus world will look like," he said. "What is clear, however, is that probably none of us will be able to sustain every single initiative or event that we were planning before this crisis hit." He added that the IOC should also view the crisis as an opportunity.

"We can fairly assume that, in the post-coronavirus society, public health will play a much more important role. Sport and physical activity make a great contribution to health," he wrote. Bach also said the Olympic movement should consider its relationship with esports in light of social distancing.

"Whilst maintaining our principles by respecting the red line, with regard to the Olympic values, we encourage all our stakeholders even more urgently to 'consider how to govern electronic and virtual forms of their sport and explore opportunities with game publishers'," he said.

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USA's skiing legend Lindsey Vonn may have retired from professional sport last year, but she hasn't lost her competitive streak.

In a video posted on social media, she takes on National Hockey League (NHL) star fiance PK Subban in a game of hockey at home. Olympic champion Lindsey and Subban got engaged in August 2019.

In the Instagram clip, Lindsey is seen vacuuming the house while Subban is playing with his hockey stick and a ball. Suddenly, Lindsey tackles him, using her vacuum cleaner (screengrab above) and after a brief tussle, Subban eventually falls to the ground.

"Things are getting competitive around here… #winnerwinner," Lindsey captioned her Instagram post which was viewed over 370,000 times on the photo-sharing platform.

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American singer Ciara, who is expecting her second child with National Football League (NFL) star hubby Russell Wilson, has some advice for pregnant women during the COVID-19 pandemic. Several hospitals and healthcare facilities in many countries have decided to ban partners from accompanying pregnant women for their doctor's appointments or entering the delivery room.

In a recent interview with Good Morning America, Ciara spoke about how pregnant women should make optimum use of technology to involve their partners during the maternity period.

Ciara revealed how she had to FaceTime Russell so that he could experience the ultrasound with her. "It was the first time we ever had that kind of experience and it was really a moment that marked the time we are living in... we made the best of it, but it was definitely surreal. I took tons and tons of videos, tons and tons of photos during the ultrasound and made the best of that. Also, what we do in our house is we sing to the belly," Ciara said.

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Ferrari star Sebastian Vettel has made his esports debut with the Legends Trophy organised by Torque Esports.

After being supplied with a simulator by Torque Esports company Allinsports, Vettel made his first appearance in esports competition fighting battles with the likes of former F1 racer and two-time Indy 500 winner Juan Pablo Montoya and fellow ex-Formula 1 World Champions Emerson Fittipaldi and Jenson Button.

Vettel's Ferrari teammate Chales LeClerc has been active on various esports platforms, participating from his Monaco apartment. LeClerc has won two virtual F1 races and taken part in a variety of other races.

Vettel finished 15th and 12th, respectively, in his two races but the four-time F1 champion was unlucky in both -- getting caught up in incidents that were not his fault on the rFactor 2 virtual version of the former home of the Malaysian Grand Prix.

Montoya finished the day as the Legends Trophy points leader. He led home Button and ex-24 Hours of Le Mans winner Emanuele Pirro in race one while finishing fifth in the reverse grid race, which was won by Fernandez over factory Aston Martin Le Mans winner Darren Turner and Pirro.

The Colombian was able to avoid first-lap drama in the opening race to take the victory.

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The Indian women's hockey team has raised funds to the tune of Rs 20 lakh to help in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Indian team raised the money through an 18-day fitness challenge, which concluded on May 3 and resulted in raising Rs 20, 01,130. The funds have been donated to Delhi-based NGO Uday Foundation. The funds will be used to provide basic necessities for patients at various locations, migrant workers and slum dwellers.

"The response we have received was really overwhelming. People, especially Indian hockey lovers from across the globe took part in the challenge and contributed to the cause. "On behalf of the Indian Women Team, I would like to thank everyone who took part in this initiative to help the poor," India skipper Rani Rampal said.

The challenge involved the team members who came up with different fitness tasks that ranged from burpees, lunges, squats to spider-man pushups, pogo hops and more. Each day a player gave a new challenge and tagged 10 people on their social media handles to take up the challenge and donate Rs 100 to the fundraiser.

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