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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.

Pakistan hands over BSF jawan to India after 21 days, celebration at his home

  • PTI
  • May 14, 2025
  • 3 min read


Amritsar: India and Pakistan on Wednesday exchanged each other's border force personnel who had been apprehended along the International Borders (IB) during the recent tensions between the two countries, officials said.


Border Security Force (BSF) jawan Purnam Kumar Shaw was handed over to Indian authorities at the Attari-Wagah border point in Amritsar, 21 days after he was apprehended by the Pakistan Rangers along the IB in Punjab.


"With the consistent efforts of the BSF through regular flag meetings with the Pakistan Rangers and through other communication channels, the repatriation of the BSF constable has become possible," a BSF spokesperson said.


Shaw was apprehended while he was deployed to guard the farmers on the border, a day after the Pahalgam terrorist attack in which 26 people were killed.


The officials said a Pakistan Ranger apprehended by the BSF from the Rajasthan border on May 3 was handed over to the neighbouring country. Officials in Pakistan identified the released Ranger as Muhammadullah.


"Today at 1030 hours Constable Purnam Kumar Shaw has been taken back from Pakistan by the BSF at the Attari-Wagah border," a BSF spokesperson said.


A picture of the jawan released by the force showed a bearded Shaw with ruffled hair and wearing a dark green round-neck T-shirt.


Shaw had "inadvertently" crossed over to the Pakistan territory while on operational duty in the Ferozepur sector on April 23 around 11.50 am and was detained by the Pak Rangers, he said.


The officials told PTI that the jawan will undergo a full body check-up and medical tests, followed by a counselling and 'debriefing' session where he will be asked "relevant questions" by the BSF officials about his 21-day detention by the Rangers.


The jawan, belonging to the 24th BSF battalion, will not be drafted for active duty and will also be part of an official inquiry instituted by the Punjab frontier of the BSF to look into the sequence of his apprehension by the Rangers and find lapses, if any, they said.


The spokesperson said the handover of the jawan at the border "was conducted peacefully and in accordance with established protocols".


The jawan was part of the 'Kisan Guard' that was deployed for the protection of Indian farmers, who till their land ahead of the fence.


The trooper apparently "miscalculated" the alignment of the IB and stepped to rest under a nearby tree from where he was apprehended by the Rangers, the officials had said.


Celebrations erupted at Shaw's residence at Rishra in the Hooghly district of West Bengal following the announcement of his return to India.


Shaw's pregnant wife, Rajani, who had travelled to Pathankot and Ferozepur earlier to personally appeal for her husband's release, thanked the people of the country and political leaders who stood by her during the difficult period.


"The local councillor, MP and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had been in regular touch with me, offering reassurance during the difficult days. I thank each and every one who stood by our family," a smiling Rajani said.


As Shaw's family was informed about his release, relief replaced the intense anxiety that had gripped them for 21 days. The jawan's family members could barely hold back their tears of joy, amid prayers of gratitude and distribution of sweets at his house.


Bholanath Shaw, the jawan's father, said: "Today, we are celebrating. We haven't slept peacefully for days, but now we can finally breathe. He is safe, he is back in India, and that is all that matters."


"I want to thank Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, the central Government and the BSF authorities for their relentless efforts in bringing my son back home," he said.


Tensions soared between India and Pakistan after the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22, with India carrying out missile strikes against terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir on May 7 under Operation Sindoor and Pakistan attacking India's military installations, drawing a retaliation.


The two sides announced an understanding on May 10 to stop military action.

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