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Correspondent

23 August 2024 at 4:29:04 pm

Olympic Speed Climbing Champion Sam Watson to Visit Mumbai

Mumbai: When Sam Watson sprints up a 15-metre wall, the world seems to slow down. The 19-year-old American speed climber, an Olympic medallist from Paris 2024 and current world-record holder at 4.64 seconds, has become the face of one of the world’s fastest-growing sports. On November 2, he will trade competition arenas for Mumbai’s High Rock in Powai, offering a rare day of workshops and conversations with India’s burgeoning community of climbers. Speed climbing, once a fringe pursuit of...

Olympic Speed Climbing Champion Sam Watson to Visit Mumbai

Mumbai: When Sam Watson sprints up a 15-metre wall, the world seems to slow down. The 19-year-old American speed climber, an Olympic medallist from Paris 2024 and current world-record holder at 4.64 seconds, has become the face of one of the world’s fastest-growing sports. On November 2, he will trade competition arenas for Mumbai’s High Rock in Powai, offering a rare day of workshops and conversations with India’s burgeoning community of climbers. Speed climbing, once a fringe pursuit of mountaineers, now stands as one of the Olympics’ most electrifying disciplines. The sport demands not just power and agility but precision measured in hundredths of a second. Watson, often hailed as the greatest speed climber of all time, has repeatedly rewritten the record books. His visit marks a milestone for India’s fledgling climbing scene. High Rock, the city’s first commercial climbing facility, opened its walls in December 2024 and has since drawn more than 10,000 enthusiasts. It represents the country’s growing fascination with vertical sports and a reflection of a global shift toward adventure and athleticism fused with technology and training science. During his visit, Sam Watson will conduct Masterclasses for both Kids and Adults, offering a rare opportunity for amateur climbers to learn directly from a global champion and experience his unmatched energy and technique up close. Watson will be joined by Matt Groom, the Official Lead Commentator for the International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC). Known as the voice of IFSC World Cups and World Championships, Groom will host a 30-minute talk at High Rock on ‘The Evolution of Climbing in Competitive Sport.’ His insights promise to provide a deep look into the transformation of climbing from niche adventure to Olympic spectacle. Event: Sam Watson, Olympic Medalist and current World Record holder at High Rock Date: November 2, 2025 Location: High Rock, Powai, Mumbai

A man with the mission

Updated: Nov 29, 2024

Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh

Mumbai: Most of the analysts including senior Mahayuti leaders have given credit to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) for the support it lent to the ruling combine ahead of the recently concluded state assembly elections in Maharashtra. Though, collective leadership is the principle that RSS practices in everyday life, if any one person is to be given the credit of the efforts that would indeed be Atul Limaye, the Sah Sarakaryavah of the RSS.


Born in a lawyers’ family in Nashik and an engineer by education, Limaye left his corporate career to become RSS ‘pracharak’ in early ‘90s. After his initial years in Western Maharashtra and Raigad in Konkan region, he became Sah Prant Pracharak of Devgiri Prant (Marathwada and North Maharashtra regions) where he got a chance to closely study the agrarian economy and its socio-political aspects. When the BJP came to power in Maharashtra in 2014 he was in charge of the Western Maharashtra. His role was crucial in appointments of several of the heads of educational institutions and government institutions.


At the same time he also led a large team of highly trained and ideologically robust young men and women to form several study groups, research teams and think tanks to study a wide range of issues right from the demographic aggression of Muslims and Christians to policy making in the present government set up. These groups and institutions proved useful for the state government in handling Maratha agitation that began in 2017 and the Urban Naxal upheaval the next year.


As Sah Sarakaryavah, he was the key person who called shots behind the curtains during the present assembly polls in Maharashtra. He began by conducting a mega congregation of the individuals attached with the publicity arm of the RSS from all the areas of the state. He also ensured that the Shakha level Karyakarta of the RSS too is mobilized to be able to take on, what can be described as the biggest political challenge, that the Hindutva forces faced.

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