<h2>Still She stands</h2>
The Statue of Victory atop the dome of the <a href="https://www.mid-day.com/lifestyle/culture/article/where-speed-meets-heritage-mumbais-csmt-is-more-than-a-station-its-a-living-story-23627086" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus</a> peeks from the covers as it undergoes restoration work
<h2>Metal matters</h2>
<img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2026/jul/Midhaven_e.jpg" alt="Midhaven performs at a concert. Pic Courtesy/David Dauphin" width="1280" height="720" /> Midhaven performs at a concert. Pic Courtesy/David Dauphin
We never thought we&rsquo;d hear Raag Todi in a metal song one day. But then again, we never thought a<a href="https://www.mid-day.com/lifestyle/culture/article/mumbai-metal-band-midhaven-win-coveted-wacken-metal-battle-india-set-to-represent-the-country-in-germany-23640671" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener"> Mumbai band</a> would ever make it to Wacken Open Air Festival aka the Mecca of Metal in Germany. Metal band Midhaven has ticked both boxes this month. After a win at the Wacken India Battle, they&rsquo;re now gearing up to share the stage with stalwarts like Judas Priest, Def Leppard, and Lamb of God on July 29 and August 1. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s a privilege to share the stage with bands we&rsquo;ve grown up listening to and to represent Indian culture on the world stage,&rdquo; vocalist Aditya Mohanan told this diarist.
<h2>Ranked among the best</h2>
<img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2026/jul/Papdi-chaat-a_e.jpg" alt="Crackling Spinach, Papdi Chaat, and Lentil Fritters. Pics Courtesy/ Indian Accent; Instagram" width="1280" height="720" /> Crackling Spinach, Papdi Chaat, and Lentil Fritters. Pics Courtesy/ Indian Accent; Instagram
This diarist recalls meeting chef Rijul Gulati in the days leading up to the launch of<a href="https://www.mid-day.com/lifestyle/food/article/indian-accent-in-mumbai-debuts-on-50-best-discovery-heres-all-you-need-to-know-23640682" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener"> Indian Accent Mumbai</a> in August 2023. Shy but confident, he cooked up a storm for the tasting session. Since then, he has come a long, long way, and proof of this is that the restaurant has been added to the 50 Best Discovery, the global travel and dining guide that showcases exceptional restaurants, bars, hotels and vineyards around the world.
<img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2026/jul/Rijul-Gulati_e.jpg" alt="Rijul Gulati" width="1280" height="720" /> Rijul Gulati
An extension of the annual World&rsquo;s 50 Best rankings, 50 Best Discovery is a curated global guide for discerning travellers and diners. Following its July 2026 update, the platform added more than 650 new venues in 75 new cities and towns, bringing its curated collection to over 3,500 hospitality destinations in 800 cities worldwide. Every venue is selected based on votes from the expert Academy members behind the World&rsquo;s 50 Best rankings.
&ldquo;We always believed Indian cuisine belongs on the world&rsquo;s finest dining tables while remaining deeply rooted in its traditions. Seeing Indian Accent Mumbai join 50 Best Discovery just three years after opening is especially meaningful. Beyond exceptional food, we&rsquo;ve maintained that hospitality is about making every guest feel genuinely cared for. We&rsquo;re honoured to be on this list alongside some of the world&rsquo;s finest hospitality destinations,&rdquo; a thrilled Nitin Mathur, COO, EHV International, told us.
<h2>A fitting finale for fans</h2>
<img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2026/jul/Football-Finale_e.jpg" alt="A moment from the watchalong of the FIFA World Cup final on Sunday. Pics Courtesy/@FCBMumbai in" width="1280" height="720" /> A moment from the watchalong of the FIFA World Cup final on Sunday. Pics Courtesy/@FCBMumbai in
While fan loyalties were divided between Lionel Messi&rsquo;s last hurrah and Spain&rsquo;s fluid teamwork, for the fan club of FC Barcelona Mumbai the recently concluded FIFA World Cup final was a celebration.
<img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2026/jul/Anand-Mishra_e.jpg" alt="Anand Mishra" width="1280" height="720" /> Anand Mishra
&ldquo;There were no divides. As Barcelona fans, we were rooting for Messi, a club icon, while also supporting Spain,&rdquo; shared co-founder, Sagar Shinde. With over 1000 fans from Goa, Ahmedabad, and Kerala in their &lsquo;Spain-tina&rsquo; jerseys arriving at the screening in Andheri, it was &lsquo;hectic&rsquo;, shared co-founder Anand Mishra, adding, &ldquo;Though it was a deserved win for Spain, the real joy was in the stories we came across.&rdquo;&nbsp;
<h2>All squares for this quartet</h2>
<img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2026/jul/Nehaan-Mehta_e.jpg" alt="Nehaan Mehta, Krish Kapur, Vivaan Verma, and Aaditya Anand. Pic/Shadab Khan" width="1280" height="720" />Nehaan Mehta, Krish Kapur, Vivaan Verma, and Aaditya Anand. Pic/Shadab Khan
In August 2025, this newspaper had featured a quartet of young teens &mdash; Nehaan Mehta, Aaditya Anand, Krish Kapur, and Vivaan Verma &mdash; leading an initiative to take chess to the common public (Generation Z gets on board, August 29). A year later, the teens have collaborated with the Animedh Charitable Trust, and the Dadra and Nagar Haveli Chess Board Association, to found the first rural inter-school chess competition in the Union Territories of Dadra &amp; Nagar Haveli, DNH Buddhibal Pratiyogita.
&ldquo;More than 100 students from across 12 government schools will participate in the competition today,&rdquo; shared Mehta. The idea was formulated over six months of workshops which introduced the school students to the board game. &ldquo;When we coached the children, it wasn&rsquo;t about memorisation of the moves, or openings. It was about sparking a curiosity for the game, and fostering a lifelong passion for creativity and critical thinking,&rdquo; Verma told us.

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