THE ASIATIC SOCIETY OF MUMBAI
The Mumbai Research Centre
Society and the Season
- An online lecture series presented by
The Mumbai Research Centre of The Asiatic Society of Mumbai
Did you know that the Bombay Gymkhana came into existence almost a decade and a half before the date on its emblem? Or that one of its first Secretaries was a court-martialled Lieutenant from the Bombay Native Infantry? Or that the word Gymkhana itself is almost certainly invented in Bombay? Similarly, the invention of Yacht clubs in Bombay precedes the establishment of the Royal Bombay Yacht Club by several years.
331 years ago, Bombay got its first tavern alongside pioneering the very first recipe for drinking Punch. The inventions didn't stop there either. One of the later tavern keepers of the Bombay Tavern proposed a plan for establishing the earliest telegraphic communication between Bombay and Calcutta.
Learn all these and many more fascinating stories of the hospitality and social events in Bombay, such as the fact that the Bobbery Hunt would ride every Sunday from the doorstep of St. Thomas' Cathedral or that early "Griffins" arriving in Bombay without adequate social introductions were almost certainly consigned to the "wigwams" on the Esplanade.
Sign up for this multi-part online lecture series by Sharon Irani, to explore the rise of Bombay's social scene and the clubs, hotels and gymkhanas that catered to the bon-vivant of yore.
About Speaker:
Sharon Irani
Born in Bombay, Sharon Irani is a writer, researcher, editor and poet who is deeply interested in history and literature. She is a resident life member of the Asiatic Society of Mumbai and one of Historical Researchers to contribute to the Afghan Memorial Church Interpretation Center.
Dates: 17th, 18th and 19th July 2025
Time: 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM
Mode: Online, on Zoom platform
Fees: ₹1,000 (₹750 for Members)
Registration Link:
General: https://rzp.io/rzp/satsGENERAL
Members: https://rzp.io/rzp/satsMEMBERS
Please Note:
NO REFUNDS will be issued in case you choose to cancel your registration unless the event is cancelled by The Asiatic Society of Mumbai due to any unforeseen circumstances.
NO RECORDINGS will be provided.
Please Join the WhatsApp Group. The joining link will be on the Razorpay Receipt emailed to you after registration.
- Prof. Mangala Sirdeshpande, Hon. Secretary Asiatic Society of Mumbai.
- Dr. Shehernaz Nalwalla , Vice President of the Society & Chairperson – MRC
THE ASIATIC SOCIETY OF MUMBAI
The Literary Club of the Asiatic Society of Mumbai
invites you to a presentation of
“Siachen, 1987: Battle for the Frozen Frontier” by Lt. Gen. Ramesh Kulkarni
on Wednesday, 9th July 2025 at 5 p.m.
The Literary Club of the Asiatic Society of Mumbai cordially invites you to a presentation of the book “Siachen, 1987: Battle for the Frozen Frontier” by Lt. Gen. Ramesh Kulkarni, on Wednesday, 9th July, 2025, at 5.00 p.m. in the Durbar Hall of the Asiatic Society of Mumbai. The author will be in conversation with Anjali Karpe.
“Siachen, 1987: Battle for the Frozen Frontier” tells the story of Lt Gen. Ramesh Kulkarni’s command of the infantry division, responsible for safeguarding India’s border in Ladakh. Gritty and heartfelt, this is a tale of survival on the world’s highest battlefield, giving readers the rare opportunity to view the Siachen glacier and the army’s involvement in the region through the lens of a commander.
Lt Gen Ramesh Kulkarni was commissioned in the Garhwal Rifles Infantry in June 1956. He has commanded a battalion in Arunachal Pradesh and in Nagaland in counterinsurgency environments. He also commanded an Infantry Division in Ladakh, from Kargil to the Karakoram Pass, with a focus on the Siachen Glacier. Lt. Gen. Kulkarni was the recipient of the Param Vishisht Seva Medal, the Uttam Yudh Seva Medal and the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal in the course of his career.
Anjali Karpe, Lt. Gen. Kulkarni’s daughter, has taken the initiative of publishing the book. She is at present the Deputy Head and Head of Student Life of the Bombay International School in Mumbai and teaches English Literature and History at the Secondary and High School Level. While the memories and experiences are personal to Lt. Gen. Kulkarni, Anjali has made a substantial contribution to the writing of the book.
Please join us for tea at 4.30 p.m.
- Prof. Mangala Sirdeshpande, Hon. Secretary Asiatic Society of Mumbai.
- Meenal Kshirsagar, Vice President of the Society & Chairperson - ASM LitClub
The Asiatic Society of Mumbai
takes pleasure in inviting you and your friends to
the 31st Smt. Bansari Sheth Memorial Lecture
by
Mr Justice Somasekhar Sundaresan
Additional Judge, Bombay High Court
on
“The Law of Law-Making in the Regulatory State”
on
Wednesday, 30th April 2025
at 5.30 p.m. in the Durbar Hall of the Society
Mr. Justice Gautam Patel
Former Judge Bombay High Court, will preside.
Please join us for tea at 5.00 p.m.
- Prof. Mangala Sirdeshpande, Hon. Secretary
- Meenal Kshirsagar Chairperson Endowment Lectures Committee
THE ASIATIC SOCIETY OF MUMBAI
The Mumbai Research Centre
“Bombay Railways: Origins”
A special Walkthrough with Mrinal Kapadia
Friday, 2nd May 2025
The Mumbai Research Centre of the Asiatic Society of Mumbai is pleased to invite you to Bombay Railways: Origins, a special walkthrough with Mrinal Kapadia
Bombay Railways: Conceptualization to Electrification (c. 1850-1925)
From the formation of the first railways in India via the Great Indian Peninsula Railway (GIPR, today’s Central Railway) and the subsequent (and competing) Bombay, Baroda & Central India Railway (BB&CI, today’s Western Railway), to it’s expansion within the island city, the development of the railways shot past the Western Ghats (no easy feat), eventually connecting with the rest of India.
This seminal journey revolutionized connectivity and transportation in the subcontinent, beginning with humble origins in ideas formulated on our (formerly) 20 square miles of land.
In the centenary year marking the electrification of Bombay Railways, visit the journey of the origins of our railways, as the technology powering it shifts from steam to electricity, via a walkthrough of prints, maps, watercolours, and design plans from the collection of the India Visual Art Archive.
Date: 2nd May 2025 (Friday)
Time: Viewing begins at 4 PM
Walkthrough begins at 5 PM
Venue: Durbar Hall, The Asiatic Society of Mumbai
- Prof. Mangala Sirdeshpande, Hon. Secretary Asiatic Society of Mumbai.
- Dr. Shehernaz Nalwalla, Vice President of the Society & Chairperson – MRC
The Asiatic Society of Mumbai
takes pleasure in inviting you and your friends to the
Fifth Dr Meera Kosambi Endowment Lecture
by
Professor Rajan Gurukkal
Historian, Founder Professor & Director, Interdisciplinary School of Social Sciences
Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam, Kerala
on
“Historicising the Archeology of South Indian Megalithic Burials”
on
Thursday, 24th April 2025 at 5.30 p.m.
in the Durbar Hall of the Society.
Professor Shereen Ratnagar
Former Professor of Archaeology and Ancient History,
Jawaharlal Nehru University, will preside.
Please join us for tea at 5.00 p.m.
- Prof. Mangala Sirdeshpande , Hon. Secretary
- Meenal Kshirsagar , Vice President of the Society & Chairperson Endowment Lectures Committee