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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

Sisters Carry On Their Father’s Legacy

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Hopeful of getting a nomination for the upcoming assembly elections, Jyoti Girigosavi reverted to her maiden name Jyoti Eknath Gaikwad, in July this year. Such is the goodwill earned by her father Eknath Gaikwad during his lifetime that his daughters are banking on his legacy to pursue a career in politics. While one daughter, Varsha and is a former minister and currently a Member of Parliament from the Mumbai North West constituency, the other daughter Jyoti is an aspiring politician.


For the Congress party, Gaikwad was a prominent Dalit leader who represented Dharavi in the Maharashtra legislative assembly and in Parliament twice. Hailing from Satara, Gaikwad first contested the elections from Dharavi in 1985 and was subsequently re-elected from there twice. He also held the minister of state portfolios for public health, social justice and higher and technical education during his tenure in the government. Gaikwad’s biggest draw was his accessibility to the people of his constituency. He championed the cause of Dalits and other oppressed sections of society, maintaining a constant presence in Dharavi which has the title of being Asia’s largest slum. He worked to improve sanitation and infrastructure facilities and was the voice of his people in the corridors of power.


In 2004, he defeated former chief minister Manohar Joshi in the Lok Sabha elections. At that time, Joshi was the leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha. He won the election again in 2009 and was the constituency’s representative in Parliament till 2014. At the age of 81 years, Gaikwad succumbed to Covid, in the year 2021. A low-profile politician, Gaikwad was never involved in any controversy and was believed to be a sincere and loyal Congressman.


His daughter Varsha succeeded him in the state assembly when she won her first election from Dharavi in 2004. A former lecturer at Mumbai’s Siddharth College of Arts, Science and Commerce, Varsha is a four-term legislator and was the cabinet minister for school education between 2019 and 2022. The newest member of the family to enter politics is Varsha’s sister Jyoti who is contesting the Vidhan Sabha elections this time. While she may not have extensive experience in public life, she is banking on her father’s legacy and goodwill and her sister’s reach among the electorate.

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