Malavika’s Mumbaistan: The man from Matunga

Guess who dropped in without much fanfare or fuss at the Byramji Jijabai home for orphans in Matunga (East) to spend some quiet time with the children this Saturday? Robert Vadra, that’s who.

Clad in his customary sharp shirt and jeans, the businessman visited the institution run by Roshni Damania, wife of former aviation tycoon Parvez Damania, and sponsored a meal for the children.

“Someone from the Congress contacted Roshni and said Vadra wanted to visit the orphanage she is associated with and wished to sponsor a special meal for the children and to spend time with them,” said a source. “He dropped in on Saturday in a simple manner, met all the children and sat and had a meal with them. “

It was said to be a pre-birthday celebration for the businessman, whose janam din falls in May.

These pictures taken on the occasion show a relaxed and friendly Vadra, very different from the beleaguered and harried individual, shot by paparazzi or at the receiving end of a TV reporter’s hostile questions.

Perhaps more time with the Aam Aadmi is called for.

And yes, the lunch looks like it featured mangoes…

MODERN DICTIONARY

Fast (verb): To abstain from food, refrain from eating, deny oneself food, go hungry, starve oneself; or go on hunger strike after filling one’s stomach with an ample amount of delicious street food.

Fast (noun): A period of fasting; hunger strike by politicians, usually embarked on after consuming a humungous amount of street food.

Fast 1 (adjective): Speedy, swift, rapid; sprightly, lively; fast-moving, high-speed, (eg: As soon as Congress had chole bhature all over its face, the BJP was fast enough to announce a fast of its own)

Fast 2 (adjective): Loyal, firm, steadfast, staunch (eg: Those who eat street food together will remain fast friends and party workers till the end)

Fast 1 (adverb): Securely, tightly, immovably, firmly (eg: If Congress does not step up and avoid such embarrassing gaffes such as the latest ‘Bhature Gate’, its reputation will be fast stuck)

Fast 2 (adverb): Deeply, sound, completely (someone in the Congress Party appears to be fast asleep if such PR boo boos keep occurring)

WTSWTM

What They Say —

‘Come fly with us on our wonderful domestic airlines in India’

What They Mean —

Not just fly, now we offer mosquito on board, too’

His father’s son

Word comes in that the twenty-something son of Lalit Modi, Ruchir, president of the Alwar Cricket Association, is certainly making big waves in Rajasthan these days. The flamboyant young man, who recently announced he would set up eight cricket academies across Rajasthan as a tribute to his father, is said to fly into Jaipur at least once a month to oversee his dad’s interests. As is known, the elder Modi, who had created the money spinning IPL, still has alleged interests in the franchise, especially in the Rajasthan Royals (of which his in-laws, the Chellarams, are part owners) and in the Kings XI Punjab teams.

This week saw the young Modi host a Arabic-themed soiree to kick-off the Rajasthan Royals campaign at this year’s IPL (unfortunately they lost). “Guests were flown in from all over the world for the latest edition of what has come to be known as #JaipurMassive, including a group of international models and a celebrity guest DJ, and given that both CM Vasundhara Raje and the erstwhile Jaipur royal family, led by the young polo playing Padmanabh Singh, are personal friends of his, the celebrations were as glamorous as ever. Ruchir played the gracious host and was dressed in diamond -embezzled pink headgear along with a matching waistcoat for the party at the Amber Fort,” says a source. Of course, the fact that his father has been termed an economic fugitive from India and is being actively pursued in connection with charges of alleged financial impropriety by the present regime is neither here, nor there. In these matters, often the left hand does not know what the right is doing.

Or as they say: All’s fair in cricket and politics?