I want to find a way of telling my girlfriend to wear better perfume without hurting her feelings. She smells like a florist's shop, which is irritating and hard to ignore. How do I do it in a subtle manner?
If you believe her perfume doesn't suit her, you should talk about it while giving her the prerogative of continuing to wear it if she likes it. Being honest is an important part of building trust, and she should trust you enough to know that you mean well. Also get another person's opinion though. You may be the only one who thinks it excessive. Maybe you have an over-sensitive nose and everyone else thinks she smells great.

My boyfriend refuses to take anything I say seriously. He loves me a lot, but anything I say is treated with amusement, whether it is my opinion about a restaurant or anything to do with his career. He assumes only the things he and his friends say matter. I don't know if he believes I am genuinely incapable of thinking, because I sometimes feel like a child when I am around him and his friends. This affects me to such an extent that I now simply clam up when I am out with them and speak only when I am spoken to. I don't even bother contributing to any discussion or argument because they don't acknowledge my perspective. How do I get him to take me seriously?
This isn't about him taking you seriously; it's about respect. If he thinks you are incapable of thinking, or that your opinion is of no importance to him in any way, why is he with you? If he doesn't respect your perspective, why does he want a relationship with you? If this is a one-sided affair with no exchange of opinions, thoughts, likes and dislikes, what makes you think this is a substantial relationship worth wasting time on? I suggest you ask yourself, and him, these questions first.

The inbox is now open to take your most carnal and amorous queries. Send your questions on email to lovedoc@mid-day.com

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Ameya Davda and Devak Davda at the Sewri facility. Pic/Datta Kumbhar

If there is one problem that most of us perennially face in our daily lives, it is the lack of storage space. But, one man's problem could well be another man's opportunity. Entrepreneurs Ameya Davda and Devak Davda's startup, Space Valet, is a case in point. Their recently launched service aims to be a one-stop storage solution that offers private, lockable and secure self-storage units of various sizes to stash your belongings.

Home away from home
"Think of it as the sophisticated spare closet or stock room you've always longed for in Mumbai," says Davda who along with his cousin Devak came up with this idea when they returned to India after completing their studies abroad. "I was in California and Devak in London, and while we were there, we learnt how popular cell storage is among people. It's a 60-year- old concept and almost a 40-billion dollar industry," he adds. On returning to Mumbai, Davda teamed up with his cousin to launch the startup which they felt would be a good fit in an overcrowded city. They then conducted a survey to find out if people would avail of a service like this. "People are always on the lookout for additional storage space, more so in Mumbai," he says. The top reasons for self-storage rental, he observed, was the lack of storage space at home, temporary storage while moving, and storing things people don't want or need. The most popular things being stored are wedding outfits and furniture.

A walk-in closet

How it works
The process is simple. You either call up the facility or browse the website and find a suitable storage plan. You then order as many boxes as you need, and then pack and label your belongings. "You don't need to move a finger. Our tie up with Movers and Packers ensures a pick-up facility. When you want your stuff back, go online and click on the tab to recall the boxes," he explains. The plan starts from R299 a month and goes up to R11,000. Storage options range from boxes to a large store room. The key to the storage lies with the customer only. Cleanliness and security are common concerns among customers, according to the results of their survey. The facility, therefore, has a designated person to solely look after the cleanliness of the storage space. There's also a 24x7 security and surveillance to keep the goods safe. "We maintain the right kind of environment so that your possessions don't deteriorate over time," he says. Now, the big challenge for the duo is to popularise the concept. "We want to educate people that this is a viable solution to your space crunch."

Where: www.spacevalet.in
Price: Rs 299 onward
Call: 9930832832

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Swaminathan

Born to a long line of musical heritage, V Selvaganesh first brush with music maestros was at home itself. His father, TH Vinayakam, fondly known as Vikku Vinayakam is a Grammy winning ghatam player, while his grandfather TR Harihara Sharma was among the pioneers of percussion in India. "I believe that I am blessed to be a part of a heritage that has made music its tradition rather than just a profession," says Selvaganesh, who is touted as the 'kanjira king'. He along with his son Swaminathan will be in the city to match beats in what promises to be a fun concert.

Speaking of his son, Selvaganesh says, "To perform alongside your child on one stage is a feeling that cannot be described. Swaminathan is an amazing son and a musician and most of the credit goes to my father. He is the one under whom Swami has trained." This father-son duo entirely relies on the magic of spontaneity when it comes to performing. "Our performances are not planned or rehearsed because everything is about that moment. It's like we play question and answers in the language of music. I throw questions at him and he responds. So, if you have to expect anything from this concert, that would be nothing. Everything will happen in that moment and you have to be there to witness it," he says.

Swaminathan will be playing the Kanjira with his father Selvaganesh

His first instrument of choice was the mridangam. But, despite that his grandfather would urge him to play the kanjira. "He made me understand that very few people are keen on playing the instrument, and fewer are good at it. When I realised it, I took up this instrument and weaved my career around it. Today, to have an entire album revolving around this instrument is a very proud feeling," says Selvaganesh.

When: 9 pm, June 1
Where: The Quarter
Entry: Rs 749-Rs 1,499
Log on to: insider.in

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Missed out on last week's Zal? You can read it here.

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Ojas Adhiya, Nandini Shankar and Abhishek Borkar are poised to strike a chord with young urban listeners in Mumbai

For most youngsters, unfamiliar with Hindustani classical music, 'serious', 'formal' and 'boring' are popular adjectives used to define the genre. For as long as we can remember, Hindustani classical, that has given the world several legends, has been performed in sprawling auditoriums — there's not just discipline in the music, but in the attire and in environment as a whole. How would it be then, to see classical being performed in casuals? Turns out, that's not an outrageous thought anymore. First Edition Arts, a Mumbai-based performing arts company is poised to topple status quo with the sole aim of gathering more young, urban listeners. Under a musical series called Come Together, three young Hindustani classical musicians, will slip into casuals and perform for an audience gathered at Cafe Zoe. Starting June 10, this will be a regular series, one in every quarter. While the setting is all-new, the music won't take the fusion route. The first series will feature Abhishek Borkar on the sarod, Nandini Shankar on the violin and Ojas Adhiya on the tabla. The trio will present an instrumental concert in both solo and duet sets.

Catch them young
"When younger musicians try to strike a rapport with young listeners they take the fusion route. We are saying, you don't have to. This music is so exciting on its own, that the young can be hooked," says Devina Dutt, director, First Edition Arts. Six months ago, they had organised something similar at antiSOCIAL at Khar as an experiment, and they were sold out. "We weren't sure of what to expect. But it was a success." That gave them the impetus to take the idea on a larger scale. "The first two sets will be the sarod and tabla. In the third set, Abhishek will invite Nandini to jam with them on stage. The concert will span a little over an hour — not the standard two-and-a-half-hour performance. Young people haven't even heard classical music and they have discarded it. All we are trying to do, is give them a sense of how exciting and rigorous it is. But, in a short dose," Dutt says.

Abhishek Borkar

The protocols will be relaxed too. The bar will be open before and after the concert, and for 20 minutes during the interval. Food and drink services will be terminated during the performance, but, once served, guests can continue with their meal at their tables. "There was no sense in locating it in a space like this and sticking to the rigidity. But, at the same time the character of the music does require attention, it's not the kind that you can hear in the background," she adds.

Break the rules
Ever since the posters of the concert went out, a lot of Shankar's friends and followers on social media have shown interest. The posters, with their vibrant colours and friendly fonts, could well be mistaken for one for a standup gig. "Any new genre is an acquired taste. Over the last couple of years, I have noticed an increase in my young audience. Young listeners are always looking for something new and because most of them have not heard classical music, it is novel to them. If they are exposed to it, they will enjoy it," says the eighth generation violinist. The set-up, she believes, needs to change because "it is important that it appeals to you at first go. That's why the colourful posters. We need to speak the language they understand," adds the 25-year-old. After the concert, the audience can interact with the artists as well. "The milieu becomes more relatable, it's like hanging out with friends. That becomes easier when the age groups are similar. We want to connect on a personal level. In fact, that's the bit I am really looking forward to," adds Shankar.

Nandini Shankar

Tabla ace Adhiya would love to do a Q & A with the audience as well. "That way we can reach out to them and explain what classical music is all about. If they know a few things, they can enjoy it more. And it will all be done in an informal manner," says the 30-year-old who made it to the Limca Book of World Records as the youngest tabla player at the age of 4. Borkar points out that traditionally, Hindustani classical has always been somewhat "intimidating".

"It can appear too proper, rigid and posh, with its sherwanis and bandhgalas. Sometimes I feel even the artists themselves enjoy this air of exclusivity that further distances them from the audience," says the 25-year-old sarod player, adding that he was thrilled about the prospect of performing in casuals. "That's what I wear when I practice or record in a studio. So, why not at a concert? We are even thinking of getting some people to sit on stage if possible," he adds.

Distraction not a concern
The trio believes that the music will be enough to keep people from getting distracted. "It's a new thing for them too, to experience this kind of music in the given setup. And if someone is quietly eating and drinking at their table, that should not bother me. In the olden days, there would be baithaks in people's homes, where classical concerts would be performed. It's the same concept," Adhiya says. Spontaneity will be the key on D-day; the artists will reach the venue, gauge the crowd and accordingly choose the raagas. Borkar says, "I love getting people interested in an instrument they have not seen or heard before. The idea is that if they don't come to our concerts, why don't we go where they hang out? And just because it's unusual that doesn't mean it's wrong."

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A still from the short film Ahalya (2015)

We have all done it at some point in our lives. Watched a film or a documentary and played detective with it. Why does Anakin Skywalker get seduced by the dark side to become Darth Vader? Or, what is that makes Kareena Kapoor's character so confident and self-assured in Jab We Met? Or, what's the allure of the amoral Ma Anand Sheela in Wild Wild Country?

We love deducing human behaviour and motivations, especially those characters that seem to suggest one thing on the surface, and something else if you dig deeper. Which is why a recent screening of Ahalya, a short Bengali film made by Sujoy Ghosh, found nearly 120 takers at G5A Foundation in Mahalaxmi. A free screening by the Psychoanalytic Therapy and Research Centre (PTRC), the film was followed by a discussion through the lens of psychoanalysis.

Instead of looking at the film-making aspects, the psychological and emotional motives of the characters were the focus. Leading the discussion were psychoanalysts Nuzhat Khan and Micky Bhatia, faculty members at PTRC. "A great deal of our work and training, right from our students days, has got to do with mental illnesses, but there is a lot that we do which is not related to this. At seminars, we watched films, gaining a much deeper understanding of the characters," says Khan, recounting sessions where they have broken down films such as Black Swan, known for their obvious psychological depth, and also those such as Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Devdas.

PTRC's monthly screening followed by a psychoanalytic discussion. Pic/PTRC

Ghosh's film made headlines when it was streamed on YouTube in 2015, for its gripping plot that revisits the tale in The Ramayana. While you can look up the film online, Khan says that the discussion after the screening showed that there were several layers to the characters. One reading took on the young police inspector Indra's 'castration anxiety', one of Sigmund Freud's earliest psychoanalytic theories. Fearing punishment by Ahalya's husband, old enough to be his father, Indra tries to restrain his evident interest in Ahalya.

However, after he gets intimate with Ahalya, he is turned into a figurine — that's castration, symbolically, by the elderly husband showing the younger man who's boss. And, for that matter, Ahalya pretends to be an ingénue, while in fact she is a seductress. Once you explore these layers, says Khan, you will realise that there are no true villains in the film. "Had the filmmaker been there, he would have been aghast hearing our analysis," she laughs, adding, "Filmmakers, like other artists, express their subconscious or unconscious through their works. They are only semi-conscious of what they are doing. If they fully knew why, they may never make a film or any work of art.

"PTRC, a charitable trust, has been working in Mumbai for more than 40 years, almost quietly, to provide mental health services and also train professionals in the area. Given the rising interest in mental well-being, we use terms such as "repress" and "Oedipus complex" in our day-to-day lives. Banu Ismail, a child analyst and psychoanalyst with PTRC, says that at their film screenings, they open up discussions with the public to encourage different perspectives. "Psychoanalysis doesn't happen only in the consultation room. That said, there are several misconceptions about the area, and these events help clarify those," says Ismail, who will helm the next discussion of Gautam Vaze's Marathi short film, Aai Shapat on June 6 at G5A, focusing on anxiety guilt. The free screenings are followed by a lecture on another day, for which there is a registration charge.

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A German team practises mallakhamb with coach Uday Deshpande

In a TEDx Gateway talk held in 2017, 65-year-old Uday Deshpande talks of how he started learning mallakhamb at Shivaji Park's Samarth Vyayam Mandir (SVM) at the age of three. The passion for the sport, which has its origins in Maharashtra, gripped him so much, he says, that he even stuck to his daily regime on the day of his wedding. As the audience laughs, Deshpande moves on to talk about what he returned to the sport — spreading its awareness not just to other Indian cities across 29 states, but globally as well. He rattles off a statistic: in the last 25 years more than 2,500 foreigners from 52 countries have learnt mallakhamb.

His passport — which thanks to the several added visa pages has increasing so much in girth that it is a candidate for bariatric surgery — bears signs of his visits to countries like USA, Singapore, Nepal, Germany, France, Austria, Hong Kong. And now, says Deshpande, the director at SVM who also coaches there, all this effort is going to culminate into the first mallakhamb world championship to be held at Shivaji Park, next February. Speaking to mid-day from his Shivaji Park office, keeping a stern eye on the practice sessions on the grounds, Deshpande announces proudly," Mallakhamb is ready to go the next mile. France and Germany in fact, have mallakhamb federations in their countries. We need to now harness that exposure into a competition." The championships — to be held under the auspices of the newly-formed Vishwa Mallakhamb Federation (VMF) — will be held between February 16-17 2019. Deshpande, the secretary of VFM, says all the details of the organisation of the event are being taken care of by SVM officials.

Uday Deshpande

And 15 countries have already announced their participation. Dr (PhD) Neeta Tatke, administrative secretary, SVM, whose thesis was on the mental benefits of the sport, says, "A competition is one way to kindle curiosity, sustain the sport and watch it grow. We also need to increase participation at home." For Tatke, GenNext will take a shine to the rope and pole, "if we have national and world champions here, nurtured and made in our backyard. For instance, see the boost tennis and badminton got in India. This is because with the Saina Nehwals, Sania Mirzas and P V Sindhus, young Indians have role models to look up to. We need to create that in mallakhamb. Competition is one way to do so."

A couple of years ago, when Deutschland came to Dadar, the German mallakhamb team given an Indian experience by Samarth volunteers. After their morning mallakhamb practice, Samarth members taught the Germans, Lezim (a Maharashtrian folk) dance, they learnt to play the flute and even dabbled in Warli painting. This time, organisers say that at the World Championships, there will be a food court at the venue and an exhibition centre outlining the history of mallakhamb.

Ruth Azenberger, German mallakhamb coach — who started learning mallakhamb when she was eight years old, in 2004, and then received the Mallakhamb Trainers Certificate in 2012 from the University of Mumbai and Mallakhamb Federation of India — says, "We are thrilled to be a part of the competition and show what we have learned for the last 15 years." Azenberger adds that the final mallakhamb team will be selected in September.

Shreyas Mhaskar, trustee, SVM and former national Mallakhamb champion adds, "Mallakhamb's origins are Indian, so it is natural that India hosts the debut World Championship." Officials say that, "we also have plans of how to make this a more equitable field for all nations. We are going to negate the obvious advantage India will have, with its long tradition of mallakhamb with a few surprises in rules that we will not divulge now." Ambition is expensive. The committee says they are earmarking R2 crore expense overall and are now hunting for sponsors. Yet, to zero in on that elusive one with deep pockets, the organizers are holding on to their dream because they have the courage of conviction, or when it comes to mallakhamb, like the practitioners that should be courage of their contortions.

Pic Courtesy/Saffron and Pearls, Harpercollins India

As a 20-year-old, when Sarina Kamini first learnt that her Australian mother was suffering from Parkinson's, a part of her own Indianness, which her mother had so devotedly brought to the kitchen table at their home in Torquay, died. In a new book, titled Spirits in a Spice Jar (Westland Books, Amazon), Kamini says, it's possibly then that she had "stopped eating Indian food". It's ironic that while she attributes her Indian heritage to her father — he was Kashmiri — it was through her mum that she learnt the traditional family recipes, who in turn learnt how to cook Indian food from her mother-in-law, fondly known as ammi. Cooking these recipes would eventually be a way to heal, helping her make sense of the resentment she felt towards her mother's condition.

If Spirits in a Spice Jar traces the arc of a woman, coming to terms with the illness, another book, Saffron and Pearls: A Memoir of Family, Friendship and Heirloom (HarperCollins India) by Delhi-based Doreen Hassan, recounts how the author, who belonged to a Goan Catholic family, warmed up to her Hyderabadi husband's family and his rich food legacy. Last year, US-based Pakistani writer Bisma Tirmizi revisited her favourite dishes from the subcontinent through a journey of self-discovery of a young, obese girl, in the novel, Feast: With A Taste of Amir Khusro (Rupa Publications).

Doreen Hassan. Pic Courtesy/Saffron and Pearls, Harpercollins India

More writers are now exploring narratives around food, while showing how recipes too, are important to great storytelling. "I set out to tell the story of me, because I was so confused about who I was. I quickly realised that I couldn't understand mum unless I understood her connection to India. From my point of view, the connection was a mix of the material and the mystic [she loves the fashion as much as she appreciates the stories of faith], and food within our family is a real representation of that. Food ties my family to Hinduism through offerings and stories. So I had to write about Kashmiri food. Spices, for me, became the axis point where I could draw all of these thoughts together," says Australia-based Kamini.

Doreen says she started writing the book, with the intention of sharing heirloom recipes she had inherited after marrying her husband, Peter Toghrille Hassan, who is honorary Counsel General for the Russian Federation in Hyderabad. But, as she started work on the book, she "thought it might be interesting for people to know where the recipes came from". "That's how it turned into a memoir along the way," she says. Doreen believes that Hassan family's history is deeply influenced by food, and hence, it was crucial to the memoir too. "When people marry into a family, they often bring their own food traditions with them. It's fascinating to understand it," she says.

Sarina Kamini. Pic Courtesy/Kristy Jane Hoghton

In the book, she writes about the time she struggled with learning to cook, after she and her husband moved to Delhi from Hyderabad, with their two children. She, eventually went back to Hyderabad, and "met Peter's aunt, Zehra Alambardar, whom we called Phuppu Jani, and said, 'Please teach me how to make a few dishes.' She told me that she cooked by andaaz, or instinct. 'Beta, you have to watch and learn. I will make the dishes in front of you, and you write them down.'" That was how Hassan was indoctrinated into cooking.

She remembers the time when her husband invited the famous Pakistani singer Mehdi Hasan, to their home for dinner. "He was to sing at our home, and there would be 100 guests in attendance. I decided to make a Salim bakra, which is an entire goat, stuffed with eggs," she writes. Kamini says her fondest food memory is associated with paneer. "I'd always make sure I was close by when mum or dad began chopping the fresh paneer into pieces; I became adept at stealing bites," she says. Adding, "When I began cooking it for my own two boys, I, too, would have to shoo them away from the chopping block as they made attempts to sneak away with it. This kind of emotional continuity around food is what cements recipes into our hearts."

The Salim Bakra stuffed with chicken and eggs, and served with rice, which Doreen prepared for ghazal singer Mehdi Hasan

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Andheri West
Roses in oil
Oil Painting is considered the master medium for painting for centuries and was the medium of choice for masters such as Leonardo Da Vinci. Today, you will learn the techniques of getting that rose just right.

When: 11 AM
Where: Doolally Taproom, Near Fun Republic Mall, Andheri West
Entry: Rs 2,150
Call: 7400171674

Beach Candy
Van Gogh's Starry Night
Mesmerised by this 1889 classic? Artist Snehal Patil will help you make your own version that you can proudly hang up in your own room.

When: 4 PM
Where: The Bombay Bronx,
Cumballa Hill
Entry: Rs 1850

Powai
An autumn morning
Wonder what that is considering Mumbai's heat? Artist Chrisann Rodr-igues will help you imagine it on canvas.

When: 3 PM
Where: Neel Indian Kitchen and Bar, Powai
Entry: Rs 1750
Call: 49455555

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Detroit: Become Human is driven by a melodramatic story set in the US city of Detroit in 2038. The story is told through exploring the day-to-day lives of three androids Kara, Markus and Conrad. How the story unfolds and where it progresses to is all determined by the choices you make while playing these characters. Actions performed affect the people around you and, in turn, affect your interaction with them. There are no wrong or right choices in the game. No matter what you choose, there are people who are going to get disappointed in you.

The story is divided into tiny slices where you play one of the three characters. At the end of the slice you get a story-tree where you can see where the choices you made changes the story and multiple branches where the story could have ended up. The good news is you can replay the game and explore all the different choices. The characters are all-player by actual actors and, needless to say, this game looks amazing, its as close to a real human as a game can probably be right now. The facial movements in the game are well constructed. The world too is carefully crafted with elements of the past integrated with something modern.

It's the way things are now modern integrated with older structures. The three characters you play are also very distinctive and come from different strata of society, giving you a peek of how life might be in the future. Kara for example is an android owned by a violent unemployed man who is bitter about the way his life has turned out, while Markus starts out with a well caring owner that treats him as an equal and Conner is an employee of Cyberlife, the company that makes and sells the Androids and is investigating why the androids are turning into deviants.

The plot is the oldest in the book, which is sad. But the way it plays out and the options you have to make along the way make it more than intriguing. Your choices at times will hurt your soul and that is the object of the game, to make you connect and feel for the choices you make and its consequences. Even the menu narrator doesn't spare you from the emotional drama.

When you start the game, you are greeted by a Cyberlife android that is constantly on screen talking to you. It will make you fill a survey and will slowly and steadily make you feel for it. As mentioned, the core of the game is the story, but there are a few puzzles, some timed single button combat situations also thrown in. But most of the time, especially at the start, you are doing menial tasks: press this to open the door, twist this to wash the dishes and more boring instructions. Even though it was slow and boring, it gave us a window in the life of a robot slave. We wish, however, along with the upgrade in the emotional status they were allowed to do more than just walking to places and activating things.

If we really had to complain about anything, it would probably be the dialogue. It's not bad by any standard, but if it was better, this game could have been something else. Most of the dialogue and reactions are what you would expect someone who just got in to script writing to write. The lines are not crisp and fail to provide a punch, you couldn't or rather wouldn't want to quote any of the characters in the game. If you are looking for a movie experience like no other, Detroit Become Human is perfect for you. It is jam packed with twists turns and is an emotional roller-coaster. Much like a binge worthy series you will want to play this in one go and then repeat till you have explored all options and it doesn't hurt that it looks so good.

Detroit: Become Human
Rating: 4.5/5
Developer: Quantic Dream
Publisher: Sony
Platform: PlayStation 4
Price: Rs 3,999

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Enjoy a traditional roast lunch

12 PM - 4 PM: Spend your Sunday enjoying a traditional English roast lunch at British Brewing Company. The Sunday roast is a tradition in the UK where families sit down to enjoy roast beef accompanied by Yorkshire puddings, roast potatoes and baked vegetables. In the absence of the B-word, you can treat yourself to grilled lamb chop in cranberry demiglaze sauce, chermoula fish steak, wasabi chicken wings and eggplant parmigiana accompanied by offers
on beer.
Where: British Brewing Company, Times Square building, Andheri East
Call: 39698190

Head to a film fest
9.30 AM - 10 PM: It's the last day of Kashish, South Asia's biggest LGBTQ film festival, now in its ninth edition with a strong jury selection of films. Held at an iconic theatre in South Mumbai, the festival's line-up today includes short films, feature films (Evening Shadows and Fathers), and also a panel discussion with filmmakers. Refer to the website for the full schedule.
Where: Liberty Carnival Cinema, Marine Lines
Free
Visit: www.mumbaiqueerfest.com/kashish-2018-film-schedule/

Rock to Parvaaz
9.30 PM: Parvaaz is a Bengaluru-based rock group who sing mostly in Kashmiri and Urdu. If this rocks your boat, attend their gig this evening. Featuring, Khalid Ahamed (vocals), Mir Kashif Iqbal (guitars), Sachin Banandur (drums) and Fidel D'Souza (bass), the members have assimilated several psychedelic rock influences while keeping their roots intact.
Where: Todi Mill Social, Lower Parel
Entry: Rs 400
Call: 7506394240

Laugh out in Gujarati
7.30 PM: So laughter may not have a language, but jokes certainly do. Attend, Hass Ne Baka, a one-of-its-kind Gujarati stand-up comedy event. If you have been in Mumbai for a few years at least, you probably would have picked some words from the language. If not, this is a good chance to learn.
Where: The Cuckoo Club, Bandra West
Entry: Rs 250
Call: 9619962969

Savour the T20 finale
7 PM: The T20 draws to a close today with the big final match this evening. Nurse your cricket fever with unlimited beer, meant to keep you company till the last over. So, whether you are supporting Chennai or Hyderabad, round up your friends for an evening of fun.
Where: Drinkery 51, opposite Trident Hotel, BKC
Price: Rs 999 per head
Call: 40141100

Recall funny instances
8 PM: Embarrassing instances make for good stories in subsequent years. Attend an event where comedian Sumit Anand and his like-minded friends will regale you with hilarious stories from their personal lives. The edition will feature Vaibhav Sethia and Deep Chhabria, among others.
Where: The Square, Powai
Price: Rs 250
Log on to: insider.in

Shop organic from a farmer's market
8 AM – 1 PM: How about making it a 'fruitful' morning in South Mumbai? Head to an organic market organised by Better Foods and Harshita Narwekar, trustee of My Dream Colaba, for a chance to pick from stalls offering chemical-free produce to lead a healthier life. Think you can't make it this Sunday? The market will pop up again every Sunday until July 1, so mark your calendars.
Where: Lane behind Taj President, next to Mehr Naz, Cuffe Parade
Free
Call: 9010143322

Enjoy a evening of ghazals
7 PM: Don't relegate ghazals to the past. The night for the genre is still young. This evening head to Sun Beach Resort, to get mesmerised in this form of poetry that originated in 7th century Arabia. Your singer tonight is Ranjan Debnath. There's a special kids' zone too.
Where: Sun Beach Resort, Manori
Entry: Rs 1,000-Rs 1,500
Call: 8108750767

Relish a picnic platter
Gateway Taproom has curated an indoor experience to recreate the feel of a picnic. Three special craft beers will be on offer along with freshly baked flatbreads with a variety of toppings. The Valencia Orange Wheat comes with citrusy notes while the 'Mangonificent Flatbread' is made of mango, arugula pesto and feta, while the 'Appley Ever After' is a sum of apple, goat cheese, jaggery and walnut candy. Try pepper pig, a topping which is a mix of chorizo, mozzarella and red bell peppers. There's also a blend of grilled eggplant, pomegranate, feta and pine nuts.
When: 12 pm to 1.30 am, till May 30
Where: Gateway Taproom, Godrej BKC Building, Bandra East
Call: 26534748

Watch Farhan rock the stage
Farhan Akhtar, who has time again made himself heard on various social causes, has joined hands with the Cancer Patients Aid Association (CPAA), for a special concert. The aim of the concert is to raise awareness about the ill-effects of tobacco, to mark the occasion of World No-Tobacco Day. The show is titled Love for Life Begins with Music. CPAA is a registered charitable organisation working towards the cause of cancer patients for 49 years.
When: 7 pm, May 31
Where: Rangsharda Auditorium, Bandra Reclamation, Bandra West
Free
Call: 9821078882

Join a jashn
Go for a panel discussion on Urdu culture and how the Internet is helping the revival of the language. Urdu Culture Now, an initiative by Godrej Culture Labs, seeks to explore the state of Urdu culture in Mumbai. There will be art exhibits by Zeenat Kulavoor and Nasheet Shadani and a Soundzone with a specially curated playlist. Actor and storyteller Danish Husain will take centrestage with a Quissebaazi performance and Winit Tikoo will be performing a set of Urdu tunes. There will also be a pop-up bookstore and some authentic Lucknowi and Hyderabadi cuisine.
When: 5.30 pm, June 8
Where: Auditorium, 1st floor, Godrej One, Vikhroli East
Free
Call: 9167077830

Experience Indo-Greek art
Rekha Rana's exhibition Indus Streams and Delphi Hills has been in the making for nearly four years. The works give viewers a glimpse into the Indo-Greek era, drawing parallels between European and Indian art. The technique she has used for this show is mixed media on canvas. She has re-imagined Greek goddess Athena, wearing the headgear of Hippolyta, the queen of the tribe of the Amazons in Greek mythology. Rana has studied closely the influence of Western art on India and selected certain elements in her works.
When: 11 am to 7 pm, May 29 to June 4
Where: Jehangir Art Gallery, MG Road, Kala Ghoda
Call: 9930300064

A love story, or a game of manipulation?
Vrushali Telang's new fiction, Prime Time Crime (Vishwakarma Publications), has all the makings of a fast-paced, sensational thriller. Set against the backdrop of the Mumbai Underworld in 1999, Prime Time Crime tells the story of a young intern reporter, Ritika Khanolker and a gritty gangster, AT Pradhan. It all begins when Ritika wins his unwavering attention at the sessions courts after she asks him a strange question. Soon enough, she lands an exclusive TV interview with him. What follows is a torrid chemistry with both finding it difficult to stay away from each other. But, is the gangster manipulating circumstances and using her as a pawn, or is Ritika playing along so that she can catapult her career and become a star reporter. This love story gets only murkier, as you turn the pages of Telang's book. Telang's well etched out characters, racy plot and lucid writing, makes this one a brilliant page turner.

Pedal into the week
10.30 pm onwards: Want to cycle but the Mumbai summers won't let you? Try cruising on the roads on a midnight
electric cycle ride. Also, if you have been contemplating buying an electric cycle, this ride can serve as a trial. The trail covers 35 kilometres starting at Shivaji Park, on to Worli Seaface, Peddar Road, Girgaon Chowpatty, Nariman Point, before ending at Gateway of India, with a bite at Bade Miya.
28 Monday
Where: Meet at Shivaji Park Gymkhana, Dadar West
Entry: Rs 750
Log on to: instamojo.com

Learn some magic
1 pm onwards: You may have watched enough Penn and Teller and now you want to try and master a few tricks of your own. This session should get you started. Magic is not just about sleight of hand, there's also the fine art of performance that goes along with it. This workshop will teach you a few magic tricks, and along with it, the art of theatre that will add the final flourish.
29 Tuesday
Where: Quistic Learning Centre, opposite Oshiwara Police Station, Andheri West
Entry: Rs 5,000
Log on to: eventshigh.com

Watch Indian Ocean live
9 pm onwards: Formed in the early 90s, the Indian Ocean is one rock band that has managed to stand the test of time. Not only have they spearheaded rock music in the country, they have also held their own in an industry rife with remixes and fusion. Their sound has stayed consistently inimitable despite shuffles in the band lineup. From Sufism, politics, philosophy to religion, the words are as deep as their tune haunting.
30 Wednesday
Where: Flyp at MTV, Kamala Mills, Lower Parel
Entry: Rs 499
Log on to: insider.in

Meet a French Cinderella
6 pm onwards: Massenet's enchanting opera Cendrillon, based on the Cinderella story, had premiered at the MET. It features Joyce DiDonato as Cinderella, Kathleen Kim as the fairy godmother, Alice Coote as Prince Charming, Stephanie Blythe as evil stepmother Madame de la Haltiere, and Laurent Naouri as Pandolfe. This production was first performed at Santa Fe in 2006. The screening will provide English subtitles.
31 Thursday
Where: Dance Theatre Godrej, NCPA, Nariman Point
Entry: Rs 768
Log on to: bookmyshow.com

See a rare kind of jewellery
6 pm to 9 pm: Patola jewellery designed under the guidance of art revivalist Bela Shanghvi is a step towards bringing alive, the lost forms of Indian art. Her Nana Chowk store has been devoted towards preserving the craft heritage across 28 states and villages. While Patola saris are well known, this time one will get to see some rare jewellery from the region that would strike a perfect match with the elegant weaves.
1 Friday
Where: True Tramm Trunk, VL Mehta Road, JVPD Scheme, Juhu
Call: 7738993360

Learn to style your food
3 pm: Step into the world of food photography and food styling in an interactive workshop with the renowned food photographer Assad Daddan and food stylist Amrita Kaur. The hands-on session will include training on lighting, composition, exposure triangle, food styling and post processing. The styling session will involve learning finer nuances of food styling.
2 Saturday
Where: Palate Culinary Academy, Saffron Building, Linking Road,
Khar West
Entry: Rs 5,000-Rs 10,000
Log on to: insider.in

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Timut
At: The Clearing House, Ballard Estate

Pastry chef Husna Jumani sources timut from the Northeast. Pic/Bipin Kokate

It's not often that you come across a dessert with pepper. It's for this reason that Husna Jumani, head pastry chef at The Clearing House, decided to experiment with the timut, the popular Nepalese pepper, in their Greek yoghurt pannacota. "I had already tried using other varieties of pepper, so I thought timut would be a great addition because the flavour is pronounced. It is spicy, with hints of grapefruit," says Jumani, who sources it from the Northeast.

However, it's an ingredient that can work either way, she warns. "If used with the right combinations, it can elevate the dish like no other. Else, it will overpower the other ingredients." Apart from being a tricky ingredient, it's also an acquired flavour. "When people eat it, they might not recognise it or might not realise it's a spice. It has a spicy yet fruity undertone."

Green peppercorn and krachai
At: Izaya, Nariman Point

When restaurateur Farrokh Khambata launched Izaya last November, it wasn't just a new fine-dining address he was looking to introduce. What he also wanted to do was offer the diner an innovative range of spices. "It gets boring to cook with basil and bird eye chilies, when you are talking Thai food. I wanted to give things an overhaul," he says. He sought recourse in the aromatic, fresh green peppercorn, plucked from the Piper Nigrum vine, and the krachai or Chinese ginger, both found in Southeast Asia.

The green peppercorn is added at the end

At the restaurant, krachai finds its way into a sauce that accompanies the Australian barramundi or sea bass fillet, and the green peppercorn makes an appearance in the yakitori style-grilled chicken. Both are crushed on stone and added to the dish at the end.

Thai ginger. Pic/Bipin Kokate

"Certain spices like kadi patta require oil to bring out their essence, but not these," Khambatta adds. What gives these flavouring agents an edge is their freshness. "When it's in season, we use it fresh, which means that they have a short shelf life. But our dishes won't be the same without them."

Ajamoda
At: Olive Bar and Kitchen, Bandra

The lifecycle of the ajmoda plantsown at the restaurant. Pics/Ashish Raje

A couple of months ago, one of the chefs at Olive Bar and Kitchen, stumbled upon ajamoda or wild celery seeds on a trip to Kolkata. Curious, he decided to plant it and see what comes of it.

"It's only been four weeks since we decided to use it as a brine for the tuna jerky, because of its intense flavour," says head chef Rishim Sachdeva. A well-known Ayurvedic medicinal herb, the ajamoda belongs to the ajwain family and is native to West Bengal. The restaurant sources it from Vrindavan Farms in Palghar.

"We braise it and add it when the brine goes from warm to cold," he says. Interestingly, the guests have taken note. "Those who have tasted the dish have made it a point to tell us that there's something unique about the taste."

Pasilla Oaxaca
At: Xico, Kamala Mills

Chef Jason Hudanish with a range of spices at Xico. Pic/Bipin Kokate

Chef Jason Hudanish wanted to introduce the pasilla Oaxaca at Lower Parel's Xico for more reasons than one. "It's a dark red chill — smokey and fruity with a heat level that is sharp but not overwhelming. Also, it can be used in just about anything — soup, stew, rice or salad," he says. What works against it though, is that it's fairly expensive and not readily available unlike the more common pasilla pepper, a dried chili used in traditional Mexican mole sauces.

The pasilla Oaxaca is produced only in the hilly Oaxaca region of southern Mexico. Here, it is used to make the hearty tortilla soup and borracho salsa, their table side sauce. Apart from pasilla Oaxaca, you'll also find that the achiote, a red paste made from grinding Annatto seeds with oregano, cumin, cloves, allspice berries, black pepper and salt. "It's powerful and pungent. We use it in the slow roasted pork, but warn people before serving it," he says.

Peela Masala
At: All Elements, Khar

The peela masala has been concocted using 12 different spices. Pic/Bipin Kokate

All Elements might be a young, two-month old café, but the cooking techniques it employs are age old. In fact, the peela masala used to spice up the seafood and vegetarian appetisers, is a legacy dating back three generations.

"My grandmother, Harbans Bedi, created this spice mix using 12 ingredients that she would source from local shops in Mazgaon. For me, she's the real mistress of spices," laughs proprietor Gudiya Chadha. The ingredients include star anise, coriander seeds and clove, among others. Understandably, the flavour is strong and hits you the moment you open the lid of the container. "A pinch is all you need. Else, it will overpower the dish."

Gudiya Chadha

Sassafras powder
At: Toast and Tonic, BKC

Pic/Ashish Raje

At Toast and Tonic, most marinades and mixes are prepared in house, using indigenous ingredients. The sassafras powder, therefore, is an exception. Also called a Gumbo filé powder, it comes from a sturdy tree in Louisiana.

At the restaurant, you'll find the powder stored in glass jars. "It is popular for creole and cajun cooking. We use it for both, flavour and texture in traditional gumbo, because it not only thickens the broth, but also lends it an earthy flavour," says sous chef Chirag Makwana. Filé powder is generally added at the end of cooking, or stirred into hot gumbo right before serving. They also sprinkle a pinch on their prawn flatbread for flavour.

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Anand Ahuja and Sonam Kapoor

Remember when a "candid" photograph at a wedding meant pictures of the couple and guests stuffing their faces with food? Well, thank God, that seems to have changed. If the recent celebrity weddings — Sonam Kapoor and Anand Ahuja's, or Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma's, or even Meghan Markle's with Prince Harry — are anything to go by, awww-inducing candids are here to stay. Did we all not drool on those candids from #everydayphenomenal, as the Kapoor-Ahuja wedding was branded on Instagram? We spoke to three photographers who explain the art behind the perfect candid.

'Never doctor a moment'
Anand Rathi, who along with his team at Reels & Frames, is the one who showed us perfect moments from #Sonamkishaadi. Rathi has won several awards globally, and is seen as one of the pioneers of 360-degree wedding films. He says that the photographer has to learn the art of being invisible, and still be omnipresent. "The toughest part is to not stand out but still roam around freely. So we stick to the dress code of the wedding," he tells us, adding that he never likes to over-dose on flash.

Anand Rathi

"You can't doctor a moment. If you missed that perfect moment when the bride smiled at the groom, it's okay. Just be ready to capture the next one." His favourite moment from the Kapoor-Ahuja wedding was when Anand kissed Sonam on the cheek. "Nobody asked them to do that!" In the end, Rathi says that photographer needs to be ready with his equipment, but also a smile. "People always respond to friendly faces."

Log on to reelsandframes.in

'It's not our job to gather people'
THE most important thing to do is get comfortable with the bride and groom. You need to understand them, but even they should know that when they are hiring me, they will get an artistic style, and they need to be okay with that," says Monisha Ajgaonkar, founder and director, The Photo Diary.

The photographer, who has been popular on the on the wedding circuit for a while now, is known for her edgy and different pictures. The JJ graduate started out by shooting a concert she attended to impress a girl she had a crush on, and then diversified when she photographed a friend's wedding.

Monisha Ajgaonkar

"We get all the main shots as candids; we don't really do the 'posey' pictures — a we are not there to gather people around. That's not candid!" Her favourite shot in recent times was when she shot a bride dressed in a Cindrella gown in Kodaikanal. "She was just walking, and I said stop. And, it was perfect!"

Log on to thephotodiary.net

'It's like catching a fish — A hit or miss'
Nikhil B of Tell-A-Tale Studios feels that a good candid is a culmination of many points. "You need to know fashion photography, and also be well-versed with a documentary style. You need to have knowledge of product shots, and how light works. It all looks effortless but a lot of work goes behind it."

Tell-A-Tale was founded by Nikhil and photographer Mamta Kalambe, both visual artists who specialise in wedding photography along with making food videos. Nikhil says that taking the perfect candid is like going fishing — you may get a great picture or you may end up with nothing.

Nikhil B

"It's a hit or miss. The main thing is to remain aware at all times, keep watching without intruding. It's like ice hockey terminology — always have your sticks on the ice. Be ready." His favourite shots are taken usually during the time of varmala, because as he says, he loves "capturing the emotion and excitement that comes when the garlands
are exchanged."

Log on to tell-a-tale.in

Representational picture

Washington D.C.: Many people are often torn about reaching their personal goals at any given cost. However, turns out, such goal conflict is associated with the symptoms of psychological distress, according to a new study conducted by the University of Exeter. A survey of more than 200 young adults investigated two forms of motivational conflict.

These were inter-goal conflict (when pursuing one goal makes it difficult to pursue another) and ambivalence (conflicting feelings about particular goals).

The results showed that each of these forms of goal conflict was independently associated with anxious and depressive symptoms, but did not predict worsening of symptoms over one month.

"People with poorer mental health are more likely to report that their personal goals hinder one another," said researcher Nick Moberly.

"Such conflict between goals may be more manageable if it is conscious. However, ambivalence may indicate a clash between a goal and a higher-order value that lies outside awareness. Attention to these deeper motivational conflicts may be an important step towards resolving them and relieving distress", continued Moberly.

Professor Joanne Dickson said, "We know that striving for goals that are important to us gives life meaning and purpose and promotes wellbeing. However, when these goals generate conflict they can contribute to psychological distress."

Inter-goal conflict occurs either because the objectives are incompatible or because pursuit of both goals draws upon a limited resource, such as time or money.

For example, a person's goal to spend more time with their family may conflict with their goal to get promoted at work.

Ambivalence is thought to reflect a deeper motivational conflict of which the person is unaware.

For example, a person may feel ambivalent about initiating an intimate relationship because this challenges a more abstract goal of independence.

The young adults in the study were aged 18-35, with an average age of 20. The findings from the study are published in the journal Personality and Individual Differences.

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The European Commission has hailed victory in a World Trade Organisation case concerning Russian anti-dumping duties on certain light commercial vehicles from Germany and Italy.

Russia has requested World Trade Organisation dispute consultations with the EU in a case involving EU anti-dumping duties on certain steel products.

Russian and Japanese government representatives met in Tokyo on March 27 to begin negotiations on updating their double tax agreement.

The Department of Commerce has initiated a wide-ranging antidumping duty and countervailing duty investigation into imports of carbon and alloy steel wire rod from ten countries.

The governments of Japan and Russia on April 28 announced they have agreed the text of a new double tax agreement that would replace the 1986 pact between Japan and the former USSR.

To fund future tax cuts for companies, the Russian Ministry of Finance has proposed hiking the headline value-added tax rate.

Russia will sign the OECD's Multilateral Convention to implement tax treaty-related measures to prevent base erosion and profit shifting, the Government announced on May 20.

The EU has said that, as a result of dispute proceedings it launched in 2014, Russia has lowered tariffs on certain paper, refrigerators, and palm oil products.

China has made a number of announcements on anti-dumping duty orders, including to launch an investigation into US, Korean, and Taiwanese exports of styrene, which is used to manufacture plastics and resins.

Russia's Energy Ministry has announced that changes to the tax treatment of the oil industry will take place, but potentially not until 2019.

Legislation has been tabled in Russia's lower house of parliament, the Duma, to introduce a two-rate personal income tax regime, in place of the current flat tax regime.

Denmark was found to have the heaviest burden of taxation as a percentage of the economy in a new study by accountancy firm UHY.

The Russian Government is reportedly considering the introduction of a number of new taxes, including a tax on hotel stays.

I request you to kindly give me your advise on GST which is going to be implemented very shortly. Thanks and Regards, Varadarajan Kasturi..

How one can buy cryptocurrency? What is its legal status in India ?..

Can I Open account with zero brokerage company for share buy/sell.Whether it is safe? Please clarify..

Mr. Vivek Kaul once again interpret numbers like a politician - Don't see any difference between him and our politicians - be it ministers in govt. or opposition. I think he has forgotten economics in his eagerness to score political brownie points. Recen..

Indian stock markets collapsed in early trade today...and while there was some recovery towards the end, we still ended deep in the red.

Here are 10 points to note...

1. The Sensex nosedived as much as 1,460 points in the first few minutes of trade. The Nifty dropped to a low of 10,827, down 442 points intra-day. The markets however trimmed some of the losses during the course of the day.

   There was a selloff across sectors along with panic selling in the smaller indices too. The BSE Midcap and BSE Smallcap indices ended down 3.4% and 2.9% respectively.

2. The Reserve Bank of India's (RBI) decision to put Yes Bank under moratorium led to the biggest ever fall in share price of the private lender. Shares of Yes Bank fell as much as 85% to Rs 5.6 before recovering towards the end of the day to end at Rs 16.2, down 56%.

   The banking regulator has also put a cap on withdrawal at Rs 50,000 for Yes Bank customers.

   The RBI took over from the board of the Yes Bank for 30 days, saying it would work on a revival plan.

3. RBI's move had a ripple effect on other banking stocks, with some falling very sharply to begin with.

   Shares of RBL Bank fell as much as 15%, while IndusInd Bank and State Bank of India (SBI) dropped 7-8%.

4. The coronavirus cases outside of China have been increasing rapidly, making inroads into US, Europe and Middle East, which made investors more worried about global growth going ahead. And more recently, India too.

   Today, the number of cases breached the 100,000 mark.

   South Korea, Italy and Iran reported highest infected cases outside of China, while cases are increasing in United States and other parts of Europe as well.

   Note that market participants are seen taking a flight to safety as stock markets see a sharp fall post the coronavirus impact.

5. Overnight the US indices had recorded sharp losses. This was yet another negative cue awaiting Indian markets on open today.

   The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 3.6%, while the S&P 500 lost 3.4%. The Nasdaq Composite dropped 3.1%.

   During the day, as the Asian markets opened, there was further negative news... Japan's Nikkei fell more than 3%, while Hong Kong's Hang Seng, Australia's ASX 200 and South Korea's Kospi dropped over 2%.

6. Foreign investors (FIIs) are on a selling spree. Reportedly, in the last 14 sessions, FIIs have withdrawn a net Rs 183.4 billion from Indian markets. That's a lot of money...a lot more than the domestic mutual funds have been able to pump in. The intense selling pressure from the FIIs could only have contributed to this sell off.

7. The Indian rupee today slid past 74 levels against the US dollar, increasing the risk-off sentiment.

   The rupee today traded in a range of 73.69 to 74.08 against the US dollar as compared to the previous close of 73.31. A falling currency is not great news at all.

8. Even as there was negative news all around, hope emerged from oil. Oil slid on Friday as worries about demand for fuel being reduced by the global coronavirus outbreak were heightened. The fact that there was concern over non-OPEC (Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries) crude producers not yet having agreed to cut output further to support prices helped in the sell off.
9. With today's fall the Index has lost 9% since the start of 2020.
10. While the day ended deep in the red, some stocks stood out. Bajaj Auto, Maruti Suzuki and Asian Paints were among the few gainers.

With stock prices gyrating every day to coronavirus related developments, the weekend must come as a relief.

Here's a look at how deep the impact has been felt in the global financial markets:

1. Stock markets worldwide saw sharp losses on Thursday, with the benchmark indices on Wall Street and London saw their steepest daily falls since the Black Monday in 1987.
2. In the US, stocks witnessed a sharp sell-off on Thursday.
   • Thursday's dive follows the intense fall on Wall Street seen throughout the week. The S&P 500 triggered the first circuit breaker of the week on Monday after falling 7%. This fall came after the crash in crude oil prices.
   • The markets bounced back Tuesday, only to retreat on Wednesday after the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the coronavirus a pandemic.
   • At the closing bell, the Dow Jones Industrial Average finished down around 2,350 points (down 10%). The S&P 500 plunged 9.5%, while the Nasdaq Composite Index tumbled 9.4%.
   • Stocks were deep in the red the entire session, which was paused for 15 minutes early in the day. Automatic suspension was triggered after the S&P 500's losses hit 7%.
   • On Thursday, equities erased their losses briefly after the US Federal Reserve announced measures to inject an additional US$ 1.5 trillion in cash into financial markets. The announcement, which came after European markets had closed, sent shares higher, but they dropped back by the end of the day.
3. Coming to the European markets now, the main UK index dropped more than 10% yesterday in its worst day crash since 1987. Losses on the UK's FTSE 100 wiped some 160.4 billion pounds in wealth from the market.
4. Frankfurt had its worst day since 1989, the year the Berlin Wall fell, while Paris suffered its biggest one-day loss on record.
5. However, European stock markets rallied this morning. The signs of a US stimulus package helped soothe fears about an economic shock. At the time of writing, European indices were trading mixed. Shares in London were up 4.1%, while the Paris CAC gained 3.5%. However, the Frankfurt DAX crashed 9.3%.
6. Stocks in Asia also saw consistent sharp falls throughout the week. Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 index closed 6.1% lower today.
7. Shanghai was down around 1% as the number of new cases in China shrunk and people slowly returned to work in the worst-hit areas.
8. In Asia, circuit breakers were also triggered in many exchanges including India, Japan, South Korea, Indonesia, Thailand, and the Philippines this week.
9. Indian share markets saw their biggest ever single day fall this week. The indices today hit their lower circuit limits within 15 minutes of the opening session. This was seen the first time in 12 years that trading in Indian markets had to be halted. The carnage didn't continue, however, as Indian indices recovered after major free-fall as trading resumed after 45-minute halt.
   
   From there on, it was an upward rally as markets went on to witness buying interest and saw their biggest intraday recovery ever.
10. On a year-to-date (YTD) basis, the worst fall has been witnessed by European markets. Here's a view on how the world markets have performed since January 2020.

US Markets			European Markets			Asian Markets
The Dow	Nasdaq	S&P 500	London	Paris	Germany	Hang Seng	Nikkei 225	Shanghai	Sensex
-27%	-21%	-24%	-31%	-33%	-32%	-16%	-25%	-6%	-17%

This worldwide crash has put March 2020 into the history books. Now, how markets perform in the coming days will be something to watch out.



This article (Worst Week for Global Stock Markets: Coronavirus Impact in 10 Points) is authored by Equitymaster.

Equitymaster is a leading 'independent' equity research initiative focused on providing well-researched and unbiased opinions on stocks listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange.


Full Article

Coronavirus fears have spooked the investors worldwide with BSE Sensex and NSE Nifty falling over 25% this month, in line with many other global indices.

After sharp corrections in three trading sessions on March 9, March 12, and March 16 by 5.1%, 8.1% and 7.9% respectively, the Sensex crashed by an overall 22% this month.

Let's dive a bit deeper and look at how the impact has been on individual sectors...

1. While all sectoral indices are in a sea of red since the outbreak of coronavirus, here's a look at the worst hit sectors since coronavirus outbreak:

   Sector	Since 1 March (%)	Since 1 Jan (%)
   BSE Metal	-30%	-45%
   BSE Bankex	-31%	-37%
   BSE Oil & Gas	-24%	-36%
   BSE Auto	-24%	-36%
   BSE Finance	-30%	-36%
   BSE Realty	-31%	-36%
   BSE Capital Goods	-25%	-33%
   BSE Power	-22%	-32%
   BSE Basic Material	-26%	-32%
   BSE Consumer Discretionary	-24%	-28%
   BSE IT	-25%	-27%
   BSE FMCG	-18%	-22%
   BSE Consumer Durables	-24%	-20%
   BSE Healthcare	-15%	-15%
   BSE Telecom	-18%	-14%

   *Note that prices are as on 19 March 2020
2. As you can see in the table above, metal sector has been hit the worst on year-to-date (YTD) basis. Note that, the sector has been witnessing selling pressure since last two years. The coronavirus situation has only exacerbated the situation.
3. Another sector that is largely impacted is banking and NBFCs. After being the most preferred in the Indian equity indices for over half a decade, things have changed for stocks in the financial sector. In India it is a double blow for financial sector in the form of YES Bank fallout and prolonged slowdown which increased the chances of credit quality deterioration.
4. To put things into context, foreign institutional investors (FIIs) were heavily positioned in the Indian financial space, and stocks in the sector witnessed maximum inflows during good times. Downward spiral for financial sector began since IL&FS crisis.
   
   Both, BSE Bankex and BSE Finance Index have plunged over 30% since the beginning of the month.
5. Shares of most hotel, leisure and airline firms have tumbled over 60% year-to-date, as the coronavirus outbreak across the world has forced people to cancel vacation plans. India also stand to lose foreign tourists due to the entry restrictions that have been put in place. And this has meant things getting worse for hotels and airlines sector.
6. Out of the 90 stocks listed on BSE from tourism, hospitality and film distribution segments, only 15 have given positive returns YTD.
7. Another sector that's facing the brunt is the automobile sector. Coronavirus couldn't have come at a worse time for India's auto sector that is battling a prolonged slump in demand. The virus outbreak has added to the pain, hitting production and lowering the demand even further as consumer spending is unusually low. Reportedly, the correction in the auto index is now close to what was seen during the 2008 global financial crisis. BSE Auto Index is down 36% on a YTD basis.
8. The fall in other indices like FMCG, consumer durables, capital goods and IT is relatively moderate as they do not have any direct impact of the pandemic. However, they too have been witnessing selling amid the sharp correction in Indian share markets.
9. Interestingly, Indian pharma has been doing much better than the overall index. Since the beginning of March 2020, the Sensex is down by 26% while the BSE Healthcare index is down only by 15% (till 19 March 2020).
   • One factor is the rupee weakness which has weakened well beyond the Rs 75/$ mark. A weak rupee helps exporters and pharma obviously benefits.
   • Another factor is the spread of the novel coronavirus has led global investors to rush for pharmaceutical stocks recently, on back of a rise in demand for generics and branded generics leading to shortages and over-pricing for drugs.
10. However, as the markets took a breather on Friday, the sectors that rallied the most were BSE FMCG, BSE IT and BSE Oil & Gas indices, gaining over 8% each.

What do you think will be the long-term impact for these sectors? Well, you can let us know by dropping your views in the comments section below.

While most sectors have been falling, our co-head of research, Tanushree Banerjee believes in long term, Indian auto ancillaries, textiles, chemical companies, Pharma R&D contract manufacturers, will all be the major beneficiaries of what she calls the Rebirth of India megatrend.

Also, in times like these, our special report, How to Trade the Coronavirus Crash, will help you get a grip on the current market situation...and figure out ways to profit from it.

This is the most comprehensive report on how to trade the coronavirus, both from a short-term and long-term perspective. I strongly recommend you read it now. Claim your FREE copy here...

Happy Investing!

Most sectors in the Indian share markets have been drowning in a sea of red due to the crash led by coronavirus outbreak. The biggest blow, however, has been felt by the banking sector.

The sector was already reeling under pressure due multiple factors for quite some time. And things started getting worse since the start of 2020.

Here's a timeline showing some major events that happened in the Indian banking sector and led to the slowdown we are witnessing in the past few months...

1. Mounting Pile of Bad Loans: Indian banks have for years worked to beat down mounting piles of bad loans of the sort that led to the Yes Bank fallout. The ratio of gross non-performing assets (NPAs) at Indian banks rose to 11% in 2018 from about 2% in 2008, before starting to ease off.
2. IL&FS Crisis Kicks Off the Downward Spiral: Foreign institutional investors (FIIs) were heavily positioned in the Indian banking and financial space, and stocks in the sector witnessed maximum inflows during good times. However, they started noticing cracks with consistent negative performance in the banking and financial sector and started moving out of them. The downward spiral for these sectors began since IL&FS crisis camec out into the open.
3. Credit Quality Deteriorates: After being the most preferred sector for over half a decade, things started changing for stocks in the banking sector since 2020. This came as the sector witnessed a double blow in the form of YES Bank fallout and prolonged economic slowdown. And all this only led to credit quality deterioration for banks.
4. YES Bank Crash: The Yes Bank crisis and the sight of Rana Kapoor being taken to court in early March came in as one of the worst months for India's banking sector.
5. Bailout for Yes Bank: To save Yes Bank, a range of Indian lenders led by the State Bank of India (SBI), infused funds in return for an equity stake. The episode came as a jolt to investors, who worried it could exacerbate vulnerabilities in the financial system.
6. Panic Selling Amid SC Order: Then came another blow. Before the dust settled on Yes Bank, the Supreme Court ruled that telecom operators must pay dues worth billions owed to the government. This caused panic-selling in bank stocks due to their heavy exposure to the telecoms sector.
7. Coronavirus Threat: The challenges now facing India's banking sector have reached another order of magnitude due to the coronavirus threat to the economy. Banking stocks have been among the hardest hit.
8. Sharp Fall for BSE Bankex: The BSE Bankex has fallen about 46% so far this year, outpacing the 32% fall in the BSE Sensex. Shares of Axis Bank and IndusInd Bank have lost the most during this period.
9. Relief Measures: Owing to all these shocks, banks have sought various relief measures. On 27 March 2020, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) came out all guns blazing to arrest a potential slowdown caused by coronavirus (Covid-19). It did not just lower the cash reserve ratio (CRR) by 1% to 3% but also cut the repo rate by 0.75%. Also, there is a three-month moratorium on payment of loan installments.
10. PSB Merger: Then came the major announcement effective from 1 April 2020. First announced in August 2019, the government's ambitious plan to merge 10 state-owned banks into four came into effect from 1 April 2020. The move, aimed at strengthening the banking system and creating more large institutions with size and scale, has seen...
    • Oriental Bank of Commerce and United Bank of India merged into Punjab National Bank,
    • Andhra Bank and Corporation Bank merged into Union Bank of India,
    • Allahabad Bank merged with Indian Bank, and
    • Syndicate Bank amalgamated into Canara Bank

So, that were some top pointers on what the Indian banking sector has been going through amid the coronavirus led stock market crash.

I reached out to Tanushree Banerjee, who is closely tracking the banking sector in the current scenario. Here's her view on the sector...

• The Covid-19 lockdown has hit cash flows of both individual borrowers and corporates. This, in turn, will impact their loan repayment capability.
  
  The RBI's repo rate cut came as a temporary lifeline for Indian companies with debt on books. It will offer both companies and retail borrowers some breather. If banks use this phase judiciously, it may save the NPA ratios from worsening significantly.
  
  However, only the banks that have adequate capital and provisioning cushion may be able to tide over the economic crisis. Eventually, another round of consolidation in private sector banks, like the one after 2002, cannot be ruled out.

Tanushree's latest StockSelect recommendation is one such midcap bank.

You can read the entire report here (requires subscription).

Also, speaking of ongoing stock market crash, our special report, How to Trade the Coronavirus Crash, is the most comprehensive report on how to trade the coronavirus, both from a short-term and long-term perspective. You can claim your FREE copy here...

And rest assured, Equitymaster is with you all the way on this journey. To that end, we have decided to offer you two of our premium learning courses free!

From the comfort of your home, you can learn the basics of fundamental investing with Equitymaster Secrets and the ins and outs of making money using derivatives with Derivantage. Get started right away.

Happy Investing!

As the Coronavirus pandemic continues to haunt the global financial markets, the rupee has been hit badly.

The domestic currency has been continuing its downtrend and hit its record low level against the dollar last week.

Here's a timeline showing how the Indian rupee has performed lately and the factors behind it...

1. Rupee in 2018:
   
   

   The Indian rupee was the worst performer in Asia in 2018. As can be seen from the chart below, it fell by around 12% against the US dollar. This was seen due to a strong dollar and high oil prices in 2018. Similarly, the spill-over from the emerging-market turmoil in Argentina and Turkey weighed on the rupee in 2018.

   Indian Rupee: The Worst Performing Currency in Asia in 2018

2. Rupee in 2019:
   
   

   The rupee traded on a volatile note last calendar year. However, for most of 2019, it traded on a negative note against the US dollar.

   While it started the year at 69.71 against the US dollar and also witnessed some uptrend from April 2019 to August 2019, it went on to depreciate during the end of the year. On December 2019, it ended at 71.31 against the US dollar.

   Rupee Trades was Volatile in 2019

3. Rupee in 2020 So Far:
   
   

   On a year-to-date (YTD) basis, the rupee has depreciated sharply against the US dollar. While it started the calendar year 2020 at 71.28 against the US dollar, it is currently trading at 76.27 against the US dollar. This translates to a depreciation of around 7% for the domestic currency.

   YTD Performance of the USD/INR

4. Downtrend in March 2020:
   
   

   The massive sell-off in equities and bonds led to a huge fall in rupee against the dollar in the month of March 2020. Most of the selling pressure was due to the slump in equities and currencies globally.

   Investors were concerned that support measures from governments and central banks may be insufficient to halt the economic damage caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

   Here's how the currency performed in the month of March:

   Huge Depreciation of the Rupee in March 2020

5. Rupee Hits Record Low in April 2020:
   
   

   The rupee fell to a new record low of 76.55 against the US dollar on 9th April, 2020.

   This was seen as a rise in coronavirus cases fanned fears of the government extending the lockdown to contain the pandemic.

6. Factors Behind the Rupee's Fall:
   
   

   Some major factors behind the recent fall in rupee are...

   • Weak sentiments in the currency markets due to global risk aversion
   • Sharp fall in the Indian stock markets
   • Sharp fall in global financial markets due to coronavirus fears
   • Strengthening dollar
   • Thin liquidity due to reduced participation

These are some top pointers on how the Indian rupee has been performing in recent years and amid the coronavirus led stock market crash.

I reached out to Vijay Bhambwani, editor of Weekly Cash Alerts, who is closely tracking the Indian rupee in the current scenario. Here's what he has to say...

The onset of Corona virus has not been kind to the INR.

The Rupee futures (USDINR ) opened in March at 72.36 and have closed at 76.61 on April 09 2020. That is a decline of 5.87% in 6 short weeks.

The implications of the same will be widespread. India is a net importing Country. Everything that we import will now be more expensive. Approximately two thirds of all our imports are fossil fuels. Fuels are what we call multiplier effect commodities. If fuel prices rise at the petrol pumps, everything from fruits, vegetables, grains to dairy and poultry products get expensive.

That impact will be felt at a later date. I expect the trickle down effect to start appearing in prices after the April-June quarter is over.

I have already factored in this aspect in my statistical data model and plan to identify such events to generate profitable trading opportunities for my WCA plan subscribers.

Vijay has also talked about the Indian currency in a special edition podcast from Investor Hour. He shares what's around the corner for Indian rupee and how to should position oneself for potential gains.

You can listen the entire episode here...

Speaking of ongoing stock market crash, our special report, How to Trade the Coronavirus Crash, is the most comprehensive report on how to trade the coronavirus, both from a short-term and long-term perspective. You can claim your FREE copy here...

And rest assured, Equitymaster is with you all the way on this journey. To that end, we have decided to offer you two of our premium learning courses free!

From the comfort of your home, you can learn the basics of fundamental investing with Equitymaster Secrets and the ins and outs of making money using derivatives with Derivantage. Get started right away.

Happy Investing!

Always eager to share his vast knowledge and experience, cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar has interacted with 12,000 doctors on sports injuries. In his over two decade long illustrious career, Tendulkar suffered many health issues, the most prominent being the tennis elbow injury.

The veteran of 200 Tests and 463 ODIs, got to know through one Dr Sudhir Warrier, an orthopaedic surgeon, that several young doctors across the country were utilising the lockdown time to effectively gain knowledge on sports injuries through live webinars. A session on sports injuries was held on Saturday and Tendulkar, knowing that his experiences will help these doctors, volunteered to be a part of it.

Tendulkar, accordingly, interacted with around 12,000 doctors, who attended the session. It is reliably leanrt that the 46-year-old legend said he was grateful to the medical fraternity for their service. During the session, the young orthopaedic doctors got to know how the requirements and treatment outcomes of athletes are different from regular patients, sources said. Dr Warrier moderated the session with Dr Nitin Patel, physiotherapist, who has worked with Indian cricket team and IPL franchise Mumbai Indians.

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As all-rounder, Ravindra Jadeja shared a video to show-off his swashbuckling swordsmanship, former England skipper Michael Vaughan left a cheeky comment on the Instagram post.

Jadeja had shared a video on Instagram on Sunday to show off his trademark swordsmanship. However, taking the note of the grass in Jadeja's lawn, Vaughan replied: "Your grass needs a mow rockstar".

On Sunday, the left-handed Jadeja was displaying various moves with the sword in the video posted on Instagram.

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

A “SWORD” MAY LOOSE IT’S SHINE,BUT WOULD NEVER DISOBEY IT’S MASTER. #rajputboy

A post shared by Ravindra Jadeja (@royalnavghan) onApr 12, 2020 at 6:45am PDT

The cricketer is very-well trained in swordsmanship and he has also made it popular by swinging his bat like a sword in cricket matches whenever he crosses the mark of 50 or 100.

Last week, Australian batsman David Warner had also shared a throwback video from the last year's Indian Premier League (IPL) in which he was swinging his bat like a sword.

The SunRisers Hyderabad skipper was swinging the bat like a sword for a commercial and he immediately broke into laughter once the director said cut.

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

Throwback to this time last year to a commercial we were doing for @sunrisershyd Do you think I’ve got @royalnavghan covered for the sword?? 😂😂

A post shared by David Warner (@davidwarner31) onApr 7, 2020 at 11:21pm PDT

Warner had also asked the fans to give their opinion on as to how he did as compared to Jadeja.

With the country battling COVID-19, all sporting activities have been either postponed or stand cancelled. The upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) has also been suspended till April 15.

Jadeja is part of the IPL franchise Chennai Super Kings and he would have been in action if the tournament had started as planned on March 29.

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Former Australia batsman and Sri Lanka's 1996 World Cup-winning coach, Dav Whatmore is set to become the Baroda Ranji Trophy team's first overseas coach.

Whatmore, 66, who coached Kerala for the last three seasons, will replace Sanath Kumar as head coach of the team. He will also be the Baroda Cricket Association's cricket director for next two seasons.

"We have almost finalised Whatmore and will give him a letter of intent in a couple of days. Chandrakant Pandit and Sulakshan Kulkarni were also in the fray, but Pandit became coach of Madhya Pradesh, so we decided to go with Whatmore," BCA secretary Ajit Lele told mid-day on Monday.

Ajit, the son of former BCCI secretary Jaywant Lele, also revealed that Whatmore will be the most expensive first-class coach in India. "He will become the most expensive coach of a first-class team in our country and also the first foreign coach of a Baroda Ranji Trophy team. He has huge experience of handling national teams like Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Bangladesh so we gave him priority," Lele remarked.

Whatmore's manager Kaustuv Lahiri, who also manages South Africans Lance Klusener (head coach of Afghanistan) and Russell Domingo (Bangladesh's head coach) confirmed the development. Baroda, who were Ranji Trophy champions in the 2000-01 season, managed to win just two games for 14 points in eight matches last season.

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South African swashbuckler AB de Villiers says he doesn't want to create any "false hopes" of a much-awaited comeback at the T20 World Cup this year, which, he feels, could be postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The outbreak of COVID-19 has forced the cancellation or postponement of many events but the T20 World Cup remains on schedule in Australia later this year for now. "I can't see six months into the future. If the tournament is postponed to next year a whole lot of things will change. At the moment I feel available, but at the same time I don't know how my body will see it and if I will be healthy at that time," De Villiers told Afrikaans-language Sunday newspaper 'Rapport'.

"...I might get to a point where I have to tell 'Bouch' (coach Mark Boucher) I was interested, I would like to play a role but I'm not going to be able to play myself. I'm afraid of such a commitment and creating false hope," he added. De Villiers said he does not feel entitled to walk into the South African team as has been alleged in the past. "If I am 100 per cent as good as I want to be, then I will be available. But if I am not I won't open myself up to that because I am not the type of person who does things at 80 per cent. Then I have to do trials and show 'Bouchie' I'm still good enough. "They should choose me because I'm really better than the guy next to me. I've never been the type of person who felt I should get just what I wanted."

The T20 World Cup in Australia in October and November could be a perfect stage for de Villiers coming back but he was mindful of avoiding a repeat of the debacle that unfolded during last year's 50-over World Cup in England after reports emerged that he casually expressed offer to come back and was rejected. "I am uncertain about giving a definite answer because I have been very hurt and burned in the past. Then people will again think I have turned my back on our country. I can't just walk into the team. "...I have to work for my place and deserve it. It was very hurtful for me last year when people thought I assumed there was a place for me. I feel available and I will give it a go with everything I have, but I don't want special treatment."

If de Villiers can make a comeback, the credit would go to South Africa coach Mark Boucher, who convinced him to rethink his retirement decision, taken in 2018. "I could write a book on 'Bouchie's impact just on my life, never mind cricket. I rediscovered that when I played under him at the Spartans (in the Mzansi Super League) in December. He was born to be an instructor. When he talks there's respect." "'Bouch' asked me why don't I give it another go," de Villiers said. "I've always said to him, 'I've never not wanted to be there. I've always wanted to be there. It's just, my life has changed'." De Villiers played in 176 of Boucher's 461 matches for South Africa across the formats.

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Former Pakistan leg-spinner Danish Kaneria might be currently serving a life ban for his involvement in fixing, but he has once again taken the attack to the Pakistan Cricket Board saying that he wasnt supported enough by the PCB.

In a YouTube video, former Pakistan skipper Inzamam-ul-Haq had spoken about how Brian Lara had taken Kaneria to the cleaners even though the Pakistan captain had placed fielders on the boundary and thereby shown his true class.

But taking to Twitter, Kaneria wrote: "I have taken @BrianLara's wicket 5 times in my career. He was a good cricketer. If PCB had supported me, I would have broken many big records."

Describing the episode, Inzamam had said: "Kaneria bowled a googly and Lara hit the ball back towards the bowler, coming out of his crease. Danish said ‘well played Brian', which prompted Lara to say ‘okay sir'. The next three balls were all dispatched over the boundary.

"I was the captain of the side so I went over to Danish and told him to tease Lara a bit more. I felt he was angry so we might make him throw away his wicket. I placed the fielders on the boundary in anticipation of big shots but he still managed to outfox us by hitting Danish to all parts of the ground."

Kaneria had earlier asked Yuvraj Singh and Harbhajan Singh to help the hindus in Pakistan as they fight the coronavirus outbreak.

"I request @YUVSTRONG12 and @harbhajan_singh to make a video for the minorities living in Pakistan as well. They need your help in this moment of #coronacrisis," Kaneria had said in a tweet.

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As all sporting action across the world has come to a halt due to the coronavirus pandemic, Australian bowlers are pondering as to how Indian skipper Virat Kohli might play in front of no spectators. India and Australia are scheduled to play a four-match Test series later this year, and it is being speculated that the series might end up taking place without any crowds due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Australian spinner Nathan Lyon on Tuesday said that it would be interesting to see how Kohli goes about it if he does not get a chance to get the audience behind him. "He is probably good enough to adapt to any scenario. But I was talking to Mitch Starc the other day and we actually said that if we are playing with no crowd, it'll be quite amazing to see Virat trying to rev up the empty seats," cricket.com.au quoted Lyon as saying.

"It is going to be a little bit different, but Virat is a superstar. He will be able to adapt to any climate that we are able to play in," he added. During the 2018-19 series, India managed to defeat Australia in Australia for the first time in a Test series. Australia, at that time were without the services of David Warner and Steve Smith. However, the series later this year promises to be a mouth-watering prospect. "I am excited about the prospect of India coming out to Australia, it's up there with the biggest series alongside the Ashes. They are an absolute powerhouse of the cricket world, and to have those guys out here is going to be fantastic. Playing in front of crowds or no crowds is out of our control, we have got to follow the advice of all the amazing medical people around the world," Lyon said.

"I have not thought about no crowds or massive crowds, it is just about the opportunity of playing against India again. They had the wood over us last time they came over here but we are a much stronger Australian cricket side at the moment, and I am just unbelievably excited about playing them here at home," he added. Lyon was slated to represent Hampshire in County Championship this year, however, his stint was called off last week due to COVID-19. He is Australia's third-highest wicket-taker in the longest format of the game as he has total of 390 wickets in Test cricket. Lyon was last seen in action in the Big Bash League for Sydney Sixers.

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The current lockdown has seen people restricted indoors and many are picking up new hobbies. Energetic India opener Shikhar Dhawan on Tuesday revealed he is trying his hand at playing a flute and honing his overall musical skills.

"Playing a musical instrument, the vibrations you can feel inside your body. Music gives you peace and everybody should try to learn how to play a musical instrument now especially because we have so much time to spend at home due to the lockdown," Dhawan said while chatting with India middle-order batsman Shreyas Iyer on Instagram Live.

The dashing southpaw also played the flute on Iyer's request.

Dhawan picked Dale Steyn as the most difficult bowler he has faced along with off-spinners on turning wickets.

Asked to pick his most special knock, Dhawan chose the match-winning hundred against Australia in the 2019 World Cup.

"Mardo walli feeling aayi (it was a big daddy innings)," Dhawan said.

Dhawan had slammed 117 off 109 balls against the defending champions at The Oval on June 10 as India won by 36 runs. That turned out to be the final tie he played as he was ruled out with a thumb fracture for the remainder of he competition.

India crashed out in the semi-finals, losing to New Zealand.

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Former Indian captain and Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president Sourav Ganguly on Wednesday recalled the historic Test victory against Australia at Eden Gardens in Kolkata in 2001.

A user had shared the celebratory moments from the 2001 Test. On that post, Ganguly commented, "What a win." In that Test, India clinched a 171-run win over Australia and became the third team in the history of Test cricket to win a match after being forced to follow-on.

Australia had made 445 in their first innings, courtesy Steve Waugh's brilliant hundred. However, it was Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh who stole the show at Kolkata with his spectacular seven wickets, including the first hat-trick in India's Test history.

In its first innings, India folded for 171 runs and were asked to follow-on by Australia. The Sourav Ganguly-led side played cautiously in the second innings and lost three wickets for 115 runs. India lost Ganguly in the 67th over of the innings, with the side getting reduced to 232/4.

Rahul Dravid joined VVS Laxman in the middle. The next 104 overs were a nightmare for the Aussies as the Indian duo stitched a 376-run stand to revive the innings and helped the team stage a dramatic comeback in the match.

Dravid scored 180 runs, while Laxman slammed 281, his highest score in Test cricket. India gave a target of 384 runs to Australia. However, the Waugh-led side were not able to achieve the target and bowled out for 212, handing India a massive win.

Harbhajan was again the pick of the Indian bowlers as he scalped six wickets. The Eden Gardens Test is best remembered for India's miraculous revival in the second innings and Laxman's knock of 281 runs, which was one of the most marvellous innings played in the modern era. Laxman's stunning innings also halted Australia's record of 16 successive Test wins.

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New Zealand pacer Matt Henry will not be playing for England's county Kent Cricket due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and disruption to the 2020 county cricket season.

"Kent Cricket can confirm that New Zealand International Matt Henry will no longer be joining the Club for the first seven County Championship matches of 2020," the club said in a statement.

Henry was due to join Kent - for whom he starred in 2018 - for seven County Championship games at the start of the season, but with all professional cricket cancelled in the UK until May 28 at the earliest, it became clear that he would be unable to play for the club.

The Kiwi player becomes the fourth player - after Nathan Lyon, Cheteshwar Pujara and Michael Neser - to miss out on a stint in county cricket due to the virus.

Paul Downton, Kent's director of cricket, said: "Once the decision was announced by the ECB that there would be no cricket until at least the end of May it became inevitable the Matt would not be returning to Kent this season."

"The club continues to enjoy a good relationship with Matt. He has many friends here and the overwhelmingly positive feedback we received when we announced that he would return in 2020 is a measure of Matt himself: he's a fantastic person on and off the cricket field," he added.

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With the coronavirus outbreak bringing the world to a standstill, sporting events across the globe have either been cancelled or suspended and that has seen sporting heroes spending time with fans on social media. And Australia opener David Warner has now opened a TikTok account and has asked fans to help him.

Taking to Instagram, Warner wrote: "Ok, I have zero idea what's going on but have been told to do tik tok by my 5 year old @davidbullwarner31 and I have zero followers I need some help please and they love @tonesandi."

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

Ok I have zero idea what’s going on but have been told to do tik tok by my 5yr old 🤷🏼‍♂ï¸ÂðŸ¤·ðŸ¼‍♂ï¸Â @davidbullwarner31 and I have zero followers 😂😂 I need some help please and they love @tonesandi

A post shared by David Warner (@davidwarner31) onApr 14, 2020 at 2:51am PDT

Warner had earlier shaved his head in support of those working on the frontline for COVID-19. "Been nominated to shave my head in support of those working on the frontline #Covid-19 here is a time lapse. I think my debut was the last time I recall I've done this. Like it or not??" Warner said in an Instagram post with a video of the dashing left-hander trimming his hair in time-lapse mode.

The Australia opener has been constantly interacting with fans on social media and he took to Instagram to show fans a shoot from last year during the IPL where he is wielding the bat like a sword just as Ravindra Jadeja does after scoring a fifty.

Taking to Instagram, he posted the video and wrote: "Throwback to this time last year to a commercial we were doing for @sunrisershyd Do you think I've got @royalnavghan covered for the sword?"

Warner's teammate and former Australia skipper Steve Smith had said that he was hoping that the IPL is played out at some stage this year rather than getting cancelled due to the pandemic.

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Indian cricket team head coach Ravi Shastri on Wednesday urged people to beat coronavirus by staying at home and by maintaining social distancing. He termed the virus 'mother of all World Cups' and asked people to combat this disease together and win the World Cup of humanity.

Taking to Twitter, Shastri shared a video post where he cited cricket examples to aware people about the seriousness of the COVID-19 pandemic. "As I would know, sports teaches you life lessons that can be applied to just about anything you want to pursue in rest of your life. Today the COVID-19 has put us in a situation where we got our backs to the wall. To combat this coronavirus is like chasing a World Cup where you give your everything in trying to win it. What's staring you at the face is no ordinary World Cup. This is the mother of all World Cups where not just eleven are playing but 1.4 billion are in the playing arena and competing. Guys we can win this. For that, we have to observe the basics. You have got your Prime Minister leading from the front ahead of the curve like other countries have farmed out," Shastri said.

Stay Home, Stay Safe! 🙏#Lockdown2 #COVID19 #StayHome #IndiaFightsCorona pic.twitter.com/JQTZVib2in

— Ravi Shastri (@RaviShastriOfc) April 15, 2020

"You have to obey the orders that come from the top: be it centre, state or the frontline workers who are risking their lives. Two orders that stand out: staying home and maintaining social distancing. It is not easy but to win the game you got to go through the pain to break the chain and see the gain. Come on, guys! let's do it together. Let us get out there in a bruit force of 1.4 billion and beat this corona and get your hands on the World Cup of humanity. Let's do it," he added.

With 1,076 new COVID-19 cases reported in the last 24 hours, India's tally of coronavirus cases has risen to 11,439, said the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Wednesday.

Out of the total tally, 9,756 cases are active while 1,306 patients have been cured/discharged and migrated. With 38 new deaths reported in the last 24 hours, the death toll rises to 377.

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Pakistan Cricket Board has suffered massive revenue losses but it doesn't need India to "survive" and keep its finances flowing, PCB chairman Ehsan Mani said on Tuesday.

Terming the BCCI as "unreliable", Mani said Pakistan cricket is vibrant and strong enough despite not playing any bilateral series with India for long. "We have suffered losses but they (India) are not in our thinking or planning. It is like a Pie in the Sky situation. We have to live without them and we don't need them to survive," he said in a podcast released by the PCB's media department.

"I am clear if India doesn't want to play we have to plan without them. Once or twice they have made promises to play against us but pulled out at the last moment," the former ICC head added. India had avoided playing Pakistan in a full bilateral series since the Mumbai terror attacks in 2008.

Mani said resumption of bilateral cricketing ties with India in the foreseeable future is uncertain. "Right now we play against them (India) in ICC events and Asia Cup and that is okay because we are interested in playing cricket. "We want to keep politics and sports apart," he said.

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With most people struggling with the Coronavirus pandemic-caused lockdown, staying upbeat is becoming a challenge.

Former Mumbai club cricketer and coach Kishore Harkisandas Kuvavala, 73, who is also a laughter therapist, is trying to make a difference albeit in the virtual space.

For the last 18 days, every evening at 6.30, Babulnath-resident Kuvavala goes live goes live from his Facebook account in an attempt to make people laugh and relieve some stress.

'Stress, a bigger threat'

He claims around 350 to 400 people join him live everyday for his fitness and laughter sessions. "Most people are worried about Coronavirus even if they are confined 24x7 to their homes. They are only watching and hearing about the pandemic during the day through various mediums. Corona will not be the biggest killer, but stress will surely have a huge impact on everybody.

There is nothing else left for people to talk about except Corona, it seems these days. So, I am trying to ease a bit of tension that's surrounding us today. Laughter is the best medicine. I have been championing this cause for over two decades now. I feel it can make a lot of difference to people especially in these times," a fit Kuvavala tells mid-day.

Kuvavala has always believed in leading an active life. He played competitive cricket on Mumbai's local circuit till he was 50. Kuvavala owes a lot to cricket. He got the Bank of Baroda job for his cricketing credentials. "I led the bank team too," he says with pride.

He played the famous Dr HD Kanga Cricket League in the 'A' Division for Young Maharashtra Cricket Club. He was also a Managing Committee member of the Mumbai Cricket Association in 1988-89 before taking up coaching.

Fitness first

Kuvavala decided to work towards spreading awareness on the importance of fitness after giving up the sport. In 1995, he began his journey as a laughter therapist, starting with lessons at Priyadarshini Park. Before the lockdown, Kuvavala and his group of 30 to 35 people would gather each morning at Chowpatty on Marine Drive for their dose of laughter. "Do we ever laugh at ourselves? When we do that, we laugh from the heart. There is an expression and feel involved in it. It is the best form of exercise. It fills you up with positivity," explains Kuvavala, who is often invited by top hospitals for laughter sessions. He also conducts laughter therapy activities for corporates. "I do that for a fee, though," he clarifies. "People nowadays have forgotten to laugh," he remarks.

With anxiety and sadness around due to the pandemic, all that Kuvavala wants to ensure is that people do not stop smiling.

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Former Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar responded to Sunil Gavaskar after the former India skipper said that it was more likely to snow in Lahore than a bilateral series to take place between India and Pakistan any time soon. Akhtar pointed out in a tweet that there was indeed snowfall in Lahore last year. "Well Sunny bhai, we did have a snowfall in Lahore last year.. So nothing is impossible," said Shoaib in his tweet which included an image of Gavaskar with his quote and an image of snow in Lahore.

Akhtar was the first to suggest that India and Pakistan should play a bilateral series to raise funds in the fight against coronavirus for both countries. Gavaskar however said in a Youtube chat with former Pakistan captain Ramiz Raja that any possibility of such a series happening is next to nothing. "There are more chances of snowfall in Lahore than bilateral series between India and Pakistan," said Gavaskar in a Youtube chat with former Pakistan captain Ramiz Raja.

"Both teams will keep on meeting in World Cups and ICC tournaments, but a series between them seems unlikely right now." Earlier, Akhtar's suggestion got backing from his former teammate Shahid Afridi. But India's 1983 World Cup winning captain Kapil Dev said that the match wasn't needed because India doesn't need funds.

"The entire world is fighting against coronavirus and we need unity in our region to defeat this common enemy. Such negative comments don't help at all. I don't see anything wrong with Shoaib Akhtar's suggestion for Pakistan and India to play cricket. "Kapil's reaction has surprised me. I expected better from him and feel one should not talk like this in these crisis times. Sport is supposed to bring people together and build bridges. It is pretty disappointing," Afridi had said.

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