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By:

Quaid Najmi

4 January 2025 at 3:26:24 pm

Seventy-six mayors ruled BMC since 1931

After four years, Mumbai to salute its first citizen Kishori Pednekar Vishwanath Mahadeshwar Snehal Ambekar Sunil Prabhu Mumbai: As the date for appointing Mumbai’s First Citizen looms closer, various political parties have adopted tough posturing to foist their own person for the coveted post of Mayor – the ‘face’ of the country’s commercial capital. Ruling Mahayuti allies Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Shiv Sena have vowed that the city...

Seventy-six mayors ruled BMC since 1931

After four years, Mumbai to salute its first citizen Kishori Pednekar Vishwanath Mahadeshwar Snehal Ambekar Sunil Prabhu Mumbai: As the date for appointing Mumbai’s First Citizen looms closer, various political parties have adopted tough posturing to foist their own person for the coveted post of Mayor – the ‘face’ of the country’s commercial capital. Ruling Mahayuti allies Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Shiv Sena have vowed that the city will get a ‘Hindu Marathi’ person to head India’s richest civic body, while the Opposition Shiv Sena (UBT)-Maharashtra Navnirman Sena also harbour fond hopes of a miracle that could ensure their own person for the post. The Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) optimism stems from expectations of possible political permutations-combinations that could develop with a realignment of forces as the Supreme Court is hearing the cases involving the Shiv Sena-Nationalist Congress Party this week. Catapulted as the largest single party, the BJP hopes to install a first ever party-man as Mayor, but that may not create history. Way back in 1982-1983, a BJP leader Dr. Prabhakar Pai had served in the top post in Mumbai (then Bombay). Incidentally, Dr. Pai hailed from Udupi district of Karnataka, and his appointment came barely a couple of years after the BJP was formed (1980), capping a distinguished career as a city father, said experts. Originally a Congressman, Dr. Pai later shifted to the Bharatiya Janata Party, then back to Congress briefly, founded the Janata Seva Sangh before immersing himself in social activities. Second Administrator The 2026 Mayoral elections have evoked huge interest not only among Mumbaikars but across the country as it comes after nearly four years since the BMC was governed by an Administrator. This was only the second time in the BMC history that an Administrator was named after April 1984-May 1985. On both occasions, there were election-related issues, the first time the elections got delayed for certain reasons and the second time the polling was put off owing to Ward delimitations and OBC quotas as the matter was pending in the courts. From 1931 till 2022, Mumbai has been lorded over by 76 Mayors, men and women, hailing from various regions, backgrounds, castes and communities. They included Hindus, Muslims, Christians, Parsis, Sikhs, even a Jew, etc., truly reflecting the cosmopolitan personality of the coastal city and India’s financial powerhouse. In 1931-1932, the Mayor was a Parsi, J. B. Boman Behram, and others from his community followed like Khurshed Framji Nariman (after whom Nariman Point is named), E. A. Bandukwala, Minoo Masani, B. N. Karanjia and other bigwigs. There were Muslims like Hoosenally Rahimtoola, Sultan M. Chinoy, the legendary Yusuf Meherally, Dr. A. U. Memon and others. The Christian community got a fair share of Mayors with Joseph A. D’Souza – who was Member of Constituent Assembly representing Bombay Province for writing-approving the Constitution of India, M. U. Mascarenhas, P. A. Dias, Simon C. Fernandes, J. Leon D’Souza, et al. A Jew Elijah Moses (1937-1938) and a Sikh M. H. Bedi (1983-1984), served as Mayors, but post-1985, for the past 40 years, nobody from any minority community occupied the august post. During the silver jubilee year of the post, Sulochana M. Modi became the first woman Mayor of Mumbai (1956), and later with tweaks in the rules, many women ruled in this post – Nirmala Samant-Prabhavalkar (1994-1995), Vishakha Raut (997-1998), Dr. Shubha Raul (March 2007-Nov. 2009), Shraddha Jadhav (Dec. 2009-March 2012), Snehal Ambedkar (Sep. 2014-March 2017). The last incumbent (before the Administrator) was a government nurse, Kishori Pednekar (Nov. 2019-March 2022) - who earned the sobriquet of ‘Florence Nightingale’ of Mumbai - as she flitted around in her full white uniform at the height of the Covid-19 Pandemic, earning the admiration of the citizens. Mumbai Mayor – high-profile post The Mumbai Mayor’s post is considered a crucial step in the political ladder and many went on to become MLAs, MPs, state-central ministers, a Lok Sabha Speaker, Chief Ministers and union ministers. The formidable S. K. Patil was Mayor (1949-1952) and later served in the union cabinets of PMs Jawaharlal Nehru, Lah Bahadur Shastri and Indira Gandhi; Dahyabhai V. Patel (1954-1955) was the son of India’s first Home Minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel; Manohar Joshi (1976-1977) became the CM of Maharashtra, later union minister and Speaker of Lok Sabha; Chhagan Bhujbal (1985-1986 – 1990-1991) became a Deputy CM.

Celebrating the essence of friendship

I belong to an era where friends were family and for life. We exchanged clothes, pencils, pens, compass boxes etc. We would visit each other, sit in Veranda and chat  whole evening. We lived moments and never felt bored, sad, or depressed and lonely. The emotional connection was so deep that we never felt insecure because we knew that at any stage of life we have a true friend to rely on.This year Friendship day is celebrated on August 3rd.


Friends are not just people we talk to or just spend time with. They are the ones who understand our silence, accept us with flaws and stand by us not because they have to but because they want to. They are the ones we lean on when life gets heavy and the ones we laugh with when life feels light. A friend may be someone from school, college, neighbourhood or even someone met randomly or unexpectedly who becomes irreplaceable.


In today's hyper-connected world, we have hundreds or even thousands of friends - online and offline. Friendship has drastically changed over the years where the nature and role of friends has evolved.


Interaction

Then: Time was spent in person.

Now: Links and replies define interactions.


Connectivity

Then : Letters, Visits, Phone Calls etc

Now : Emojis, memes, status updates etc


Bonding

Then : Fewer friends, deeper bonds

Now : More contacts, shallow engagements


Sharing space

Then :  Friendship were formed in shared spaces  like schools, home, gatherings etc

Now : Friendship formed in digital space


Presence

Then :  physical presence in times of need

Now : virtual support often limited.


The shift to virtual friendship has brought both convenience and cost .

 

Less face-to-face to face : This leads to weaker emotional connection.


Busy digital life: This has reduced the quality time spent with friends


FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out): This breeds comparison not connection.


Friendship now is often transactional built around gains, status and influence. As a result, loneliness has crept into our lives despite digitally active. The length of the chord of emotion has shortened thereby widening the distances in friendship.


Reach out to friends for real conversation not just for a contact or connect. Whenever possible meet in person. Nothing can replace a real hug or a shared laugh. Limit screen time bonding. Prioritise calls, visits and quality talks over passive scrolling. Nurture old connections. Rekindle old true friendships which is always fulfilling than gaining new followers. Celebrate birthdays, plan a picnic or even a movie outing, coffee meet etc which will create offline memories .


Digital friends are not inherently bad as they too can offer connections and even evolve into meaningful bonds. But nothing can replace the power of a true friend who walks with you in every season of life.


In the age of virtual proximity, let us not forget the beauty of genuine connection because in the end it's not the number of friends we have, but the depth of a few who truly shape our lives.


As a quote says "A true friend is someone who walks in when rest of the world walks out".


So, this friendship day let's not just celebrate it but let's live it, honor it and nurture it because friends are not just part of life, they are the heart of it.


Friendship is not about big gesture-- it's about being there. Celebrate it by being committed, unbiased, present, true and loving.


"Happy friendship day to all of you"


(The writer is a tutor based in Thane.)

 

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