Indian Shooters Return to Munich World Cup as Marathi Engineers Launch Vada Pav Venture in Bavaria
Munich is hosting two distinct expressions of South Asian ambition this season, with India's finest shooters descending on the city for the 2026 ISSF World Cup and a pair of Maharashtrian engineers opening an authentic vada pav venture that is turning heads in the Bavarian food scene. Olympic medallists Manu Bhaker and Swapnil Kusale lead a 35-member Indian squad at the World Cup, running May 24 to 31, after both sat out India's disappointing season-opener in Granada. Off the range, a Mumbai Mirror feature profiles two engineers from Maharashtra who swapped six-figure salaries for the kitchen, bringing kala masala and Mumbai street food to a city better known for pretzels and beer.
India's Star Shooters Return for Munich ISSF World Cup
India has assembled a 35-member shooting contingent for the 2026 ISSF World Cup in Munich, Germany, with the competition scheduled to run from May 24 to 31. The squad's headline names are Paris 2024 Olympic medallists Manu Bhaker and Swapnil Kusale, both of whom sat out India's season-opener in Granada, Spain, where the country secured just one medal — a gold won by Mukesh Nelavalli and Palak Gulia in the 10m air pistol mixed team event. Their return to competitive action at Munich substantially raises India's medal prospects and brings renewed energy to the rifle and pistol programmes. Swapnil, who claimed an Olympic bronze in the 50m rifle three-positions event at Paris 2024, will compete in his signature discipline at Munich, looking to reaffirm his standing as one of the world's best in that category. Manu Bhaker, one of India's most celebrated shooting stars after her Paris performances, will compete in both the women's 10m air pistol and the 25m pistol events. The squad further includes former world champion Rudrankksh Patil and experienced international Elavenil Valarivan, giving India genuine medal contenders across multiple disciplines. Thirteen squad members will participate under Ranking Points Only status, meaning their performances count toward world rankings but not Olympic qualification quotas. Live streaming of the Munich finals is available to Indian audiences on the Olympics.com platform. Munich is the second ISSF World Cup of the 2026 season for rifle and pistol events, making it an important marker on the road to future Olympic selection cycles. The competition gives the full squad an opportunity to reset after Granada and establish momentum for the second half of the calendar year. [3]
🍛 Vada Pav in Bavaria: Maharashtrian Engineers Bring Mumbai Street Food to Munich
Two engineers from Maharashtra have made a striking career pivot, trading six-figure salaries and doctoral programmes to open an authentic Maharashtrian food venture in Munich, a story chronicled in a feature by Mumbai Mirror. The pair are described in the article as "asal Maratha" — genuinely Maharashtrian — underscoring the authenticity they bring to an enterprise that deliberately sets itself apart from the generalised Indian restaurants found across most European cities. At the heart of their offering is vada pav, the iconic Mumbai street snack built around a spiced, deep-fried potato fritter nestled inside a soft white roll and served with chutneys — a dish that carries near-sacred status in Maharashtra but is virtually unknown in Germany. Alongside vada pav, the menu features kala masala, the deep, complex spice blend that is foundational to Maharashtrian cooking and is rarely available outside the state, let alone beyond India's borders. The founders' decision to walk away from stable engineering careers represents a significant personal bet on the idea that Munich's growing South Asian diaspora — swelled by tech and engineering professionals — is hungry for regional specificity rather than generic subcontinental fare. Setting up a food business in Germany as a foreign national involves navigating an exacting regulatory environment, and the duo's willingness to take that on underscores the depth of their commitment to their culinary mission. Their venture carries broader cultural significance: in a city where Indian food options tend toward the familiar, a business dedicated to Maharashtrian regionalism can serve as a genuine community anchor. For Maharashtrian professionals living and working in Munich, the restaurant offers something rare and meaningful so far from home — a meal that genuinely tastes like it belongs. [8]
Sources: [3] olympics.com · [8] Mumbai Mirror