top of page

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.

Pope Francis: A Shepherd of Compassion

In life, he bridged tradition and change with humanity and grace; in death, he leaves a Church forever touched by his heart.

Pope Francis has passed away. After several weeks, struggling with respiratory issues and serious pneumonia, the pope has died. Even as we witnessed his illness and acknowledged its seriousness, we continued to hope that he would pull through, but God has called him to himself.


Francis was elected by the college of Cardinals to succeed Benedict the 16th who had resigned from the papacy. Benedict’s resignation was almost unprecedented. The decision was somewhat shocking for the Catholic community and totally unexpected.


Prior to his election as pope, Francis had served as the archbishop of Buenos Aires in Argentina. For many Catholics Francis was an unknown as the primate of Argentina. He was well known throughout South America, but unfamiliar to North Americans and many Europeans. As he began his ministry, he quickly revealed his understanding of the church and its mission. In some ways, he appeared indecisive as he tried to preserve the traditions, the beliefs and the guidelines of the church historically. At the same time, he recognized that the world had changed and that the church itself would need to change. We soon learned that this new pope was different from his predecessor and many before him.


I am a Catholic priest and have been for 50 years. In my lifetime, there have been seven popes, five since my ordination, each with a distinct perspective on his role as Pontiff, each devoted to the Church. Of these seven popes Francis was undoubtedly the most unique.


Evolution is a fact of life in the world, in society and even in the church. Evolution, however, is not always linear. The constant is neither progress nor regression but change itself. As Pope Francis illustrated progress, worked for justice and saw the betterment of human life and human conditions as his primary mission.


Throughout his ministry, he faced opposition. His words and his actions were frequently described as controversial. To the more conservative members of the hierarchy and many Catholics, he was seen as too radical. More liberal elements within the church saw him as a breath of fresh air. In his own view, he was simply projecting the mind and heart of Jesus himself.


As a member of the clergy on the more liberal side of the conversation, I saw in Francis a model of compassion and humanity. In every age, those in power and authority must choose between legality and rules and the good of the people over whom they hold authority. Francis chose the people.


Among the ‘controversial’ words and actions criticized by the conservatives in the church and welcomed by the more liberal leaning, were statements regarding divorced and remarried Catholics, a kinder approach to those in less conventional situations. Francis was not, as some have claimed, a radical out to undermine Church order or tradition. Rather, he prioritized the principles of love, caring, and understanding. He saw the mission of the church as service to the children of God, all men, all women.


In addressing the reality of LGBT people, he rejected the judgmental approach of so many in religious leadership and recognized the shared humanity of all human beings.


As a priest, I have worked with many individuals who agonized over the gap between their own lives and circumstances and their faith, as that faith was expressed by the church, hierarchy and many of their parish priests.


For many people, regardless of cultural backgrounds, customs and traditions, religious beliefs and practices, have a profound influence, not just on their lives, but on the societies in which they live. Pope Francis rejected much of the judgment that religion imposed on people as individuals or families and on society in general.


For a very long time, divorce was seen as an unmitigated evil. In our lifetime, we have seen the change in which we recognize that divorce is often the only option or the best option. What set Francis apart from previous popes and religious leaders in the Catholic Church is an openness to the real world in which people live, a step back from judgment to compassion.


As a priest and a gay man, the approach which Francis took towards the LGBT community was a hopeful sign. When people are seen as sharing a common humanity and not condemned for who they are. Francis clearly stated that it was unjust to condemn or criminalize anyone for who they are.


(The author has been a priest in Washington, DC for 50 years. Views personal.)

Comments

bottom of page