<h2>Pitch Perfect</h2>
<p>Young cricketers practise forward defence in tandem at <strong><a href="https://www.mid-day.com/mumbai/mumbai-news/article/a-maidan-century-23456622" rel="nofollow">Shivaji Park in Dadar.</a></strong></p>
<h2>Stop me if you can</h2>
<p><img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2026/may/Aarav-Sureka_e.jpg" alt="The multi-vehicle crash that sent Aarav Sureka (in circle) off the course. PICS COURTESY/SUREKA FAMILY" width="1280" height="720" /><br /><strong><em>The multi-vehicle crash that sent Aarav Sureka (in circle) off the course. PICS COURTESY/SUREKA FAMILY</em></strong></p>
<p>You don&rsquo;t need to tune into Formula 1 for high-speed drama. 10-year-old city-based go karter Aarav Sureka (below) has a story to tell that will sound right out of a Hollywood movie. At the ongoing Meritus Championship in Bengaluru, Sureka&rsquo;s vehicle was involved in an unexpected multi-car collision that sent him drifting off course. &ldquo;I was feeling very confident about fighting for the podium. After the contact happened in Race 1, I dropped down the order. My only thought was to not give up and keep pushing until the end,&rdquo; said the young driver, who had to pick up the kart and place it on track before whizzing past spectators. With one more round to go before the championship ends, Sureka has made a comeback to lead the current standings. &ldquo;Being championship leader is a great feeling, but I know the job is not finished yet. The goal is to stay consistent,&rdquo; he shared with us. Godspeed, young champ.</p>
<h2>Forces of nature</h2>
<p><em><img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2026/may/Balkrishna-Parab_e.jpg" alt="Balkrishna Parab with an attendee (right) a visually impaired trekker is assisted by a guide during a trek. PICS COURTESY/SIDDESH NAYAK" width="1280" height="720" /></em><br /><strong><em>Balkrishna Parab with an attendee (right) a visually impaired trekker is assisted by a guide during a trek. PICS COURTESY/SIDDESH NAYAK</em></strong></p>
<p>Veteran trekker and author of 35 books on Maratha history, 86-year-old Balkrishna Parab aka Appa sat down for a special chat in Prabhadevi on Sunday. Parab was left in equal admiration of the audience, which included visually-impaired trekkers from city-based group Blinds Who Trek. &ldquo;Appa was elated to learn about us. He shared insights from his<strong><a href="https://www.mid-day.com/mumbai-guide/things-to-do/article/explore-the-beauty-of-the-sahyadris-with-these-monsoon-treks-near-mumbai-23583930" rel="nofollow"> experiences of trekking in the Sahyadris</a></strong> back in the 1960s, without modern gear. There was so much to learn about respecting our natural heritage,&rdquo; founder Siddesh Nayak shared. &nbsp;</p>
<h2>Ragas in the dark</h2>
<p><img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2026/may/Shahid-Khan_e.jpg" alt="Ustad Shahid Parvez Khan. PICS COURTESY/Nirguna Arts Foundation" width="1280" height="720" /><br /><strong><em>Ustad Shahid Parvez Khan and Alpesh Moharir. PICS COURTESY/Nirguna Arts Foundation</em></strong></p>
<p>If you thought Hindustani classical musicians do not stay up late hours, think again. The second anniversary celebration of Nirguna Arts Foundation will witness a series of performances on May 30 where artistes such as Ronkini Gupta, Abhijit Pohankar, and Ashish Sankrityayan take centrestage. But it is Ustad Shahid Parvez Khan&rsquo;s performance that starts at 1.30 am that stands out. &ldquo;With traditional concerts, musicians do not often get to perform midnight ragas like Darbari Kanada or Raga Malkauns with spiritual depth and complexity. We wanted to push the boundaries, and Ustadji was delighted to comply,&rdquo; shared co-founder Alpesh Moharir . For details, readers can log on to theintegralspace.com</p>
<h2>We&rsquo;re feline creative</h2>
<p><img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2026/may/Cat-a_e.jpg" alt="Resident cats oversee the art session in Versova. PIC COURTESY/@catcafestudio" width="1280" height="720" /><br /><strong><em>Resident cats oversee the art session in Versova. PIC COURTESY/@catcafestudio</em></strong></p>
<p>What if the supervisor at your art class stepped over your canvas, asked for scratches, and dozed off mid-session? Children from Versova-based afterschool Dhai Akshar NGO were all smiles as it happened, at the neighbourhood Cat Cafe Studio. The rescued cats at the cafe kept a close eye as children took out crayons and pencils to sketch cat-themed doodles for the resident felines. We learnt that the visit is an annual ritual for the children, and includes a session on the basics of caring for cats. As the day progressed, imaginative sketches, line drawings, and abstract canvases emerged. From what we heard, they were all approved by the hard-to-please felines.</p>

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