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CULTURE & COMMUNITY

The Times of India •

City’s futsal players reach nationals, but their bigger win is off-field

Futsal, a fast-paced, indoor version of football played on a smaller, hard court with five players per team is about skill, quick passing, and close ball control. Recognised by FIFA, soccer legends like Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar, and Ronaldinho have credited the game for sharpening their technique. And for boys from Mumbai’s red-light areas, slums, and street communities who are playing this sport, the real win isn’t just on the court but against their tough realities
The Times of India •

How Jodhpur's restored stepwells are becoming cultural hubs

On a typical afternoon at Jodhpur’s Toorji ka Jhalra, an ancient stepwell within the walled part of the old city, one can spot local teens flinging themselves off its intricately carved ledges before vanishing into the cool, green water below only to surface seconds later, grinning. Watching them, it’s almost impossible to believe that this 18th-century relic was a dumping ground, buried under decades of stagnant water, not too long ago. Across the city, multipronged efforts are on to reclaim these subterranean marvels.
The Times of India •

Gen Z teens ‘coming out’ younger with stronger family & peer support

For many queer individuals in India, the social pressure of ‘coming out’ — a metaphor used by LGBTQ+ persons to disclose their sexual orientation or gender identity to friends and family — is already daunting. But teenagers opening up to parents is a growing phenomenon of adolescents bravely owning their identities as gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender while still a middle grader. What is remarkable is how families and schools are stepping up to guide them through this phase and find acceptance in ways that were once unthinkable.
The Times of India •

Is stethoscope losing its pulse or docs their ear for the beat?

For over 200 years doctors have leaned on this trusty medical tool to poke, prod, listen and draw accurate inferences about what ails the patient. Until technology changed it. With echocardiograms and nifty pocket-sized ultrasound devices elbowing their way into the diagnostic arena, a recent conference on AI and healthcare at Bombay Hospital in Marine Lines, became the stage for doctors to deliberate the fate of this iconic medical relic—the stethoscope and whether the revered art of “auscultation”— the act of detecting maladies from listening to sounds from the heart, lungs or other organs—might actually follow the path of the doctor’s head mirror and fade away.
The Times of India •

Can’t beat it? Embrace it: Classrooms in Mumbai transform AI into ally

When ChatGPT strutted into our lives in 2022, educators got a bit jittery. The worry was that this shiny new AI marvel might lead to more plagiarised content, mess with learning, and make old-school assignments obsolete. Yet, most schools and colleges now reckon it’s too late to shoo away this uninvited guest. Instead, they are opting to groom students on how to use AI tools as a learning aid and work alongside it, responsibly.
The Times of India •

Breaking Barriers: Female Blues Musicians Challenge the Status Quo

It’s a curious time for female musicians. This year’s Grammys saw singer-songwriters like Taylor Swift, Billie Eilish and Miley Cyrus soar, legends like Tracy Chapman and Joni Mitchell reclaim their spotlight and four out of five contemporary blues nominees led by women. Yet, the shadow of old sexism lingers. “Women still continue to fight harder than guys for airtime and stage presence… the real turning point is yet to come,” echoed the stars of the all-female lineup at this year’s edition of the Mahindra Blues Festival — Sheryl Youngblood, Dana Fuchs, Samantha Fish and Vanessa Collier in a candid chat with TOI...
The Times of India •

Street aesthetics go pedestrian as city suffers an art attack

In the good old days, a stately king on horseback cast in bronze or a charming fountain sculpted in marble could effortlessly glam up a street or roundabout in Mumbai, and stand as timeless landmarks. Then came the era of edgy street art on the faces of walls and buildings, pushing artistry and its meaning. However, the city is now witnessing a new wave of public art — random sculptures in cement, plaster of Paris and cheap metal ranging from wildly eclectic to downright dull and dreary — popping up across the city that have left people scratching their heads.
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