Kieron Pollard named Mumbai Indians head coach, replacing Mahela Jayawardene

Some young men can be seen these days practising stunts and acrobatics on Dadar beach.

Mumbai Indians made a big announcement this week. Kieron Pollard will now be head coach, replacing Sri Lankan batting great Mahela Jayawardene. The franchise's Indian Premier League (IPL) performance over the last six seasons has not been bright, and when trophies do not land in the cabinet, a change becomes inevitable. The tall Pollard looks more combative than Jayawardene. Whether the change proves good will be told by time, but he has experience that commands respect. He was part of the team in all five of Mumbai Indians' IPL wins (2013, 2015, 2017, 2019 and 2020). He has so far been the team's batting coach, so in a way he has been sent up the order and is expected to deliver results. A young IPL fan says that if needed, Pollard could himself walk out with a bat and hit big shots in the old style. The hope is that the team's batting does not deteriorate so much that Pollard has to pick up his trusted SS bat again.

Nutritionist and lifestyle coach Vinita Contractor has designed a six-week online group coaching programme for women over 40, starting on 16 November. Fatigue, brain fog, mood swings, joint pain and poor sleep: the years after 40 can be a time of ups and downs for women, yet they are rarely discussed. Vinita went through this phase herself, and that is what led to the programme.

Contractor says, "Along with my professional experience, I have seen for myself that our brain now handles stress, or the ability to push through without sleep, differently. Sleep is no longer something I compromise on, and by being regular with the right kind of exercise I have become stronger than before. I gave myself the Everest Base Camp trek as a gift for my 50th birthday. If you change your outlook, taking your health to the next level is absolutely possible."

The programme, called "Vibrant Health Circle", will also explain the benefits of plant-forward eating. Contractor stresses that this does not necessarily mean being vegan. Vegetables, fruit, whole grains, nuts, seeds and pulses are good for the gut microbiome. By the end of the programme, participants will better understand their hormones and the role of strength, movement, sleep and stress management after 40. More information is available on Instagram at @vinitacontractor.

The recent women's conference and awards at MVIRDC World Trade Centre Mumbai drew some truly big names. The writer of this column also received an award, but enjoyed listening to and meeting the women present even more. Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde faction) spokesperson Susieben Shah said her initiative, Priyadarshini Taxi Service, now has a counter at Navi Mumbai airport. It was also good to hear social worker, author and philanthropist Manju Lodha. She said, "Every woman should look in the mirror every day before stepping out and tell herself that she is the most beautiful. Then if people ask which face pack she uses, she can say, the face pack of self-confidence!"

"Chidiya Ke Baser", a documentary on the Magahi folk songs, language and associated cultural memories of Bihar and Jharkhand, views folk tradition as a living cultural heritage. The 78-minute film, completed in 2026, brings out the people, experiences and memories through which Magahi folk songs survive even today. The film does not treat these songs merely as music or entertainment. It tries to understand how folk songs carry a community's language, memories, emotions, relationships and cultural identity from one generation to the next.

Director Dr Pratik Mahant says, "This documentary is an attempt to listen to the folk songs that have shaped our lives, memories and relationships across generations. For me, Chidiya Ke Baser is not just a record of folk songs but a story of language, memory and cultural identity." The film has recently been selected for the documentary showcase of the Jagran Film Festival in Patna.

Author Shubha Menon's new memoir "Traitor in the House" (Westland) is about growing up with bipolar disorder. She says, "I had always treasured all these memories of my bipolar childhood and life, and they had to come out." According to her, the book, which took six years to complete, was "a very difficult book to write". "Whenever something came to mind, I would just break down." But writing also gave her an unexpected sense of peace. "I forgave my mother, who is the traitor in the house. A sick person is not a traitor, she is herself in great pain. As a child you can see them that way, but as an adult your thinking has to change."