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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

Woman behind Metro success

The nine days of Navratri celebrate goddesses who embody strength in different forms; valour, compassion, creativity, austerity, devotion, justice, protection, forgiveness and wisdom. In our annual Navratri series, we celebrate the lives of nine women who strive to build happy and safe spaces for themselves and those around them.


PART - 8


Name: Ashwini Bhide | Where: Mumbai, Maharashtra
Name: Ashwini Bhide | Where: Mumbai, Maharashtra

She has multiple feathers in her cap, but she owes a lot to her leadership of the Mumbai Metro Line 3 (Colaba-Bandra-SEEPZ) project. She is popularly called as the “Metro Woman” and is the first name to come to our mind when it comes to attributing the success of establishing a smoother transport network in a heavily crowded city of Mumbai. As the Managing Director of MMRC, IAS Officer Ashwini Bhide was at the helm of this massive infrastructure initiative aimed at decongesting Mumbai’s roads and providing a high-capacity, modern transit system. She faced innumerable hurdles, but she continued her good work undeterred. From legal, environmental, to logistical challenges— even massive resistance over the Aarey car shed issue — Ashwini remained steadfast in her commitment to make Mumbai a convenient place to commute.


Speaking to 'The Perfect Voice' Bhide said, “Challenges are part of our life and our lives are shaped by how we deal with the challenges. If we work hard with optimism and positive attitude, then it is not impossible to overcome hurdles and odds coming our way. While dreaming big we also need to be pragmatic and keep short term goals for ourselves.”


Women have many reasons to draw inspiration from Bhide especially with very few women having got the opportunity to hold this post in the state. Bhide is seen as one of the most influential, with Chief Ministers picking their confidants for it.

When asked what was the turning point in her life when she made up her mind to embark on this journey of excellence, Bhide said, “I failed my first attempt of the Civil services exam at the preliminary stage. Until that time, I never experienced failure. It dismayed me but also made me ponder upon my mistakes, my casual attitude to preparation for the exam and probably my over confidence. After the failed attempt, I prepared for my second attempt as if it was my last attempt and I succeeded with flying colours.”


It has never been a cake walk for Bhide as her career has not been without challenges. She was abruptly transferred in 2020 from the MMRC under controversial circumstances, which many perceived as politically motivated due to her firm stance on the Metro project. She also faced criticism in May this year when Mumbai’s newly inaugurated underground metro station at Acharya Atre Chowk was forced to shut after heavy rainfall led to a water-logging incident. However, she stood strong, and gave detailed convincing clarification to all the questions raised leaving no room for further criticism.


“Smaller successes boost our confidence and energise us to take up bigger challenges. We must also appreciate that failures too are an integral part of the path to success. Failures toughen and embolden us,” said Bhide.


While setting an example of an independent and strong woman, who doesn’t look behind while on the path of her good governance, Bhide believes that the surrounding environment and family support has a major role to play in scripting the journey of our career.


Bhide said, “Fortunately, it was not that challenging for me since I come from a family which is very simple, humble but understands the importance of education and self-dependence of daughters. I grew up in very small towns, went to vernacular medium schools, however the surrounding environment was very supportive. And I am sure many women in India would find themselves in a similar situation. If not, you would find many other supporting hands around you.”


In a field often criticised for red tape and inefficiency, Bhide stands out as an epitome of progressive governance. Her career sets an inspiring example of how committed public service, when combined with professionalism and courage, can bring about meaningful change in society.

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