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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.

Skilling young India to aim for the sky

Mumbai: Australian NRI Sharad Patel comes across as free, frank and friendly chap though heading a unique AI-aided startup, Skitre.ai – propped by least three youthful pillars from the rural areas of Maharashtra, Gujarat and Maharashtra – as he launches a major expansion program for India’s gen-next.


With a dozen-strong compact team of ardent geeks in different states, remote-controlled from Melbourne and other centres, Patel, 55, founded and built up Skitre.ai after a staggering eight years of research & development, to make it relevant for all people – toddlers to top corporates - across the social-political-economic spectrum.


“There is abundant talent in India, among the ‘youngest’ nations in the world, but it needs to be polished and channelized to make them both - job-ready or become entrepreneurs, based on their in-born expertise and abilities – as the world hugs the Artificial Intelligence (AI) revolution,” Patel told ‘The Perfect Voice’, raring for real action.


He said that after working practically 24X7 Skitre.ai has developed and launched around 500-plus interactive self-learning special courses under five different heads, to equip all people, right from pre-school Playgroups to Directors in boardrooms, housewives, professionals, students, farmers and others.


“More importantly, these are aligned with the government’s New Education Policy-2020, and in tune with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of Future India where all are skilled… For me this is a challenge with Modi as my Dronacharya and myself as a humble Eklavya, aiming for his target,” smiled Patel.


Lack of a practical approach

Ruing the lack of a practical approach in traditional theoretical education, the Skitre.ai chieftain said this is one of the reasons “what you learn is barely relevant in your real-life situations, be it academics, medical, farming, Social Media influencing, or… name any other sector/industry”.


“There are very few companies, say like Tata Group, which invest in skilling-upskilling their new or existing employees. In fact, we firmly believe that at least 15 per cent of a person’s career should be dedicated to self-enhancement and self-development, but this is hardly visible in India or most other countries,” Patel pointed out.


Patel frowns at India’s chain of Industrial Training Institute (ITI’s), saying their intake is dropping sharply and though industries face manpower shortage, youngsters churned out from ITIs are lured by more glamourous professions or cushy but low-paying or without long-term security.


“For instance, India’s furniture industry is worth nearly Rs 100,000-crore, but it struggles to hire people, as young ITI-ians feel ‘why become a mistri’, and prefer to set up tiny shops or work somewhere. Like furniture-makers, there are many other industries starving for skilled people,” Patel said gravely.

 

Filing the vacuum

Here, Skitre.ai is attempting to fill the vacuum through a Learner Centric Approach, by offering polished courses that can develop efficiency at multiple levels, including soft skills, retain knowledge, tailor-made based on the preferences and abilities of each individual, deploying the VARK (Visual, Auditory, Reading-Writing and Kinesthetics) model with full support to the individuals, and help them achieve their goals, however lofty.


So far, Skitre.ai has trained over 500,000 people all over the world, and their ratings feedback is usually “5-Star”, he said with a proud smile.


Now the company hopes to collaborate with the Centre and state governments on various aspects, educational institutions, corporates, or even certain NGOs working with a similar philosophy, he said.


“The aim of Skitre.ai is to train the New India that has eagerly embraced AI and other futuristic technologies, make them adept at taking things in their control and ensure a rosy, prosperous life for them and their families,” declared Patel confidently.


Skitre.ai’s rural whizkids make waves

DHANANJAY BARHATE, 26, lives in Irlad, Parbhani, the son of a farmer who did his BSc.(Agriculture), and is at home on a laptop oraa with his pair of buffalos, while development various courses/programmes, etc, at Skitre.ai for over three years.


KANAK JOSHI, 25, is based in Dhar town of Madhya Pradesh, Dhar, who completed his M. Tech before joining Skitre.ai. Deals with Cyber Security, Recruiting Platforms, Video-Resumes, etc since Jan. 2024. M. Tech. Cyber Security. Recruiting platforms, Video Resume, et al.


KARTIK PATEL, 22, hails from Undera village near Vadodara (Gujarat), is a B. Tech in Computer Science who joined Skitre.ai in May 2023. He is mastering as an AI Agent, Resume Builder.


The three youngsters aver that though the current pay package is modest, they are thrilled to be part of the management, pleased to ‘own’ the company with ESOPs, remain totally independent and are amply satisfied with their choice rather than chasing high-paying insecure jobs.

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