11 June,2026 08:55 AM IST | Mumbai | Team mid-day
Pic/Sayyed Sameer Abedi
A man is immersed in his mobile phone while sitting on the road divider near Bandra East station.
(Left) Vishal Dadlani and Aadesh Mandlik aka Gthang jam outside Jehangir Art Gallery in Kala Ghoda. Pic courtesy/thegthang
Honestly, I didn't expect him to recognise me," admitted beatboxer Aadesh Mandlik, better known as Gthang, after a chance encounter with singer Vishal Dadlani outside Jehangir Art Gallery last week. The two had first met months earlier on Indian Idol, where Mandlik impressed Dadlani with his throat bass, a beatboxing technique that creates a deep, raspy sound.
When he spotted Dadlani during a shoot again, Mandlik decided to approach him. "I was quite nervous. Who remembers someone they met months ago?" he recalled. To his surprise, Dadlani recognised him instantly. The encounter soon turned into an impromptu rendition of Malhari from Bajirao Mastani, with Mandlik providing the beatbox rhythms.
To mark International Parkour Day, celebrated globally on the first Saturday of June, Jason Misquitta, a certified parkour coach and one of only seven globally certified parkour coaches in India, transformed The Steps, near Mount Mary, Bandra, into an urban playground.
Jason Misquitta (in black) guides children through the basics of parkour at The Steps in Bandra. Pics courtesy/@a_jason_of_sorts
Participants learned the basics of parkour, including jumping, balancing and climbing, while discovering new ways to interact with everyday spaces. "It's not necessary that you train at a gym, in a park or a studio, to move your body. You can use the environment around you in ways that are beneficial and fun," said Misquitta.
Children learn plyometric jumps during a training session
Explaining the concept, he added, "Suddenly, a staircase isn't just a staircase anymore; it becomes an opportunity to have some fun." The workshops drew enthusiastic responses from passers-by and participants alike. "People were genuinely curious and excited to learn that they could do this too," Misquitta told this diarist.
Women learn the basics of go-karting during a session at Ravivar Racing Club. Pics courtesy/Ravivar Racing Club
AS interest in grassroots motorsport grows in Mumbai, Ravivar Racing Club will host its first women-only karting event later this month. The initiative, which has already drawn more than 100 women, aims to make the sport more accessible.
Harsh Walawalkar and Yaquta Bootwala
"One of our bigger goals has been to increase women's participation in the sport," said founders Yaquta Bootwala and Harsh Walawalkar. The event will begin with a briefing session introducing participants to karting, followed by track sessions that allow them to experience the sport without being overwhelmed. For more details, check out @ravivarracingclub.
In a city often defined by its pace, Mumbai continues to prove that kindness still has a place. Entrepreneur Shubham Gune was rushing for a 7 am meeting at Andheri when he accidentally e-paid an auto rickshaw driver Rs 15682 instead of Rs 156. The meeting was disastrous, and he left feeling defeated.
Shubham Gune
What happened next was a heartwarming story, Gune recalled that the driver, Altaf, waited at the exact spot where he had dropped him off and returned the entire amount. "What stayed with me wasn't the money. It was the reminder that even on your worst days, a stranger's honesty can restore your faith in people," Gune shared with us.
