<h2>Sculpting their physique</h2>
<p>The statues of two runners serve to inspire fitness enthusiasts at Jogger&rsquo;s Park in Bandra West.</p>
<h2>Never too late</h2>
<p><img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2024/dec/Seema-Golccha_e.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p>
<p>It was a homecoming for ventriloquist and comedian Seema Golchha (below) when she performed in Mumbai last week. Now based in Kathmandu, Golchha returned to the city as a ventriloquist and comedienne after travelling the globe, and having performed at the Gotham Comedy Club in New York. &ldquo;I did not plan to get into comedy or ventriloquism when I got married. It so happened that living in a joint family with many nieces and nephews, I picked up the puppet as a way to tell stories and entertain them. I was in my 40s when I started to teach myself ventriloquism. I did not think of turning professional at that age,&rdquo; she shared. With performances in Mumbai, Pune and Hyderabad, Golchha has certainly surprised herself.</p>
<h2>Soprano woofs, courtesy Larry</h2>
<p>With choral season in full flow, choir members of the St Vincent Pallotti Church in Marol were in for an adorable addition. While new visitors might find his presence surprising, for regulars, Larry has been a part of the community for the better part of the decade. The stray indie dog has been adopted and cared for by the church and the caretakers, and is a constant on the premises. So much has Larry become a part of the church that Christmas choir rehearsals are incomplete without his contribution.</p>
<p><img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2024/dec/Larry-dog_e.jpg" alt="Larry joins the choir during a rehearsal session at the church in Marol" width="1280" height="720" /><br /><strong><em>Larry joins the choir during a rehearsal session at the church in Marol</em></strong></p>
<p>&ldquo;He is a good little boy who has been there since he was a puppy. The priests and the church caretaker look after him. Larry is always in the compound, and if there is a mass or a service, you will often find him calmly sitting in a corner in attendance. Everyone who attends church knows him, and will often pet him,&rdquo; shared Vinod Barretto (right), choir member.</p>
<p><img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2024/dec/Vinod-Barretto_e.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p>
<p>Describing Larry as a calm and quiet canine, Barretto said, &ldquo;Everyone loves him. He has been a part of the church since I don&rsquo;t even remember when.&rdquo; So, it was no surprise when Larry decided to join the choir during their rehearsals last Wednesday. &ldquo;He often does that. When we rehearse, he will often sit around, and join us when we hit the high notes,&rdquo; shared Barretto. So much so, that the choir has to sometimes shush old Larry to stick to their note. Well, one can hardly blame Larry when it is the season to be caroling. &nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<h2>Graphs to graffiti at IIT-Bombay</h2>
<p><img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2024/dec/Mural-Techfest_e.jpg" alt="Singh creates a graffiti at a previous edition of the festival" width="1280" height="720" /><br /><strong><em>Singh creates a graffiti at a previous edition of the festival</em></strong></p>
<p>The whiz kids at IIT Bombay have ditched the graphs for some graffiti leading up to the TechFest 2024 on December 19. Mumbai-based graffiti group Aerosol Intelligence joined hands with Pune-based Eazy Crew yesterday to begin work on a tech-themed graffiti at the Institute&rsquo;s campus in Powai. &ldquo;We can&rsquo;t wait to get our hands on some paint and see how things unfold. We have the weekend&rsquo;s time to wrap this project up, and nearly three walls to cover. It&rsquo;s going to be a fun challenge,&rdquo; graffiti artist Dheeraj Singh told this diarist.</p>
<h2>A vision comes to life in Mumbra</h2>
<p><img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2024/dec/Mumbra-eye-camp_e.jpg" alt="A differently-abled youngster gets her vision examined at the camp" width="1280" height="720" /><br /><strong><em>A differently-abled youngster gets her vision examined at the camp</em></strong></p>
<p>Disability advocate and entrepreneur Khushi Ganatra&rsquo;s newest initiative is an eye-opener in the truest sense. In collaboration with NGOs Mission for Vision and Ummeed Foundation, Ganatra organised an eye health camp for the differently abled at The Hope School in Mumbra on Tuesday. &ldquo;Vision impairment is common in persons with disabilities owing to their existing medical conditions. My next goal is to provide free prescription eyeglasses to the students,&rdquo; Ganatra shared. To join the initiative, reach out to @thekhushiganatra.</p>
<h2>Art for the cure</h2>
<p><img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2024/dec/Artwork-doctors_e.jpg" alt="An abstract artwork by Dr Shilpa Verma from Australia" width="1280" height="720" /><br /><strong><em>An abstract artwork by Dr Shilpa Verma from Australia</em></strong></p>
<p>Doctors can be precise and incisive with their scalpels, but several of them have skills that extend beyond the operating table. The Nehru Centre Art Gallery is currently hosting artworks by over 30 professional doctors in a rare exhibition that will conclude on December 16. &ldquo;The creations include photographs, sculptures, oil and acrylic on canvas and other mediums created by doctors,&rdquo; shared organiser Deepak Jadhav. While the show is held annually, the curation, Jadhav revealed, began a year earlier. &ldquo;We received multiple entries by the doctors, including several from professionals based in Australia and USA, who also wanted to participate. The works are part of a charitable exhibition whose proceeds will go to the Dippkala Foundation, and serve to help artists in need. These doctors are hobbyists, and understand the challenges of pursuing art as a career,&rdquo; shared Jadhav.</p><p>
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