Munich: Indian shooters shine at ISSF World Cup as Maharashtrian entrepreneurs serve vada pav in Bavaria
Munich became a stage for Indian excellence this week, with a 35-member shooting contingent headlined by Olympic medallists Manu Bhaker and Swapnil Kusale arriving for the ISSF World Cup while 21-year-old Esha Singh seized gold in the women's 25m pistol event with a record-breaking score. Off the range, the city's small but growing community of Indian professionals and entrepreneurs found a new landmark in the opening of an authentic Maharashtrian eatery, bringing vada pav and kala masala to the heart of Germany.
India sends 35-strong shooting squad to ISSF World Cup Munich
A formidable 35-member Indian shooting contingent is set to compete at the ISSF World Cup 2026 in Munich, Germany, running from May 24 to 31. The team is headlined by Paris 2024 Olympic medallists Manu Bhaker and Swapnil Kusale, both of whom sat out the season-opening World Cup in Granada, Spain, making Munich their return to international competition. Bhaker will contest the women's 10m air pistol and 25m pistol events, while Kusale is entered in his favoured 50m rifle 3 positions discipline, where he won Olympic bronze in Paris. The squad also includes former world champion Rudrankksh Patil and top-ranked Elavenil Valarivan. Thirteen athletes are competing under Ranking Points Only status. India's Granada tally was limited to a single gold, won by Mukesh Nelavalli and Palak Gulia in the 10m air pistol mixed team event. The reinforced line-up signals India's intent to climb the medals table at the Munich leg, which serves as a key qualifying reference point for the LA 2028 Olympic cycle. Live finals coverage is available for Indian viewers on Olympics.com. [1]
Esha Singh wins ISSF World Cup gold in Munich with record 25m pistol score
Hyderabad shooter Esha Singh, aged 21, claimed gold in the women's 25m pistol event at the ISSF World Cup Munich 2026, setting a record score of 43 in the final. The victory marked one of the most significant results of her career and firmly establishes her among India's primary prospects for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics. Speaking after her win, Singh said she focused on taking one shot at a time and staying calm throughout the high-pressure final, a mental discipline she has cultivated since becoming the youngest national champion at age 13. She competed at the Paris 2024 Olympics and has now added a World Cup gold to her resume. Singh acknowledged that the depth of competition within India's shooting programme itself is a constant motivator: the domestic selection battles, she said, push every athlete to improve day by day. Her ability to perform under the weight of expectation — without letting it paralyse her — has become a defining trait. The Munich gold reinforces the view that India's next generation of shooters is ready to take over from the Paris-era stars and mount serious medal challenges on the global stage. [7]
Two Maharashtra engineers trade PhDs for vada pav, bring desi street food to Munich
A Mumbai Mirror feature profiles two engineers from Maharashtra who gave up six-figure corporate salaries and research careers to open an authentic Maharashtrian eatery in Munich, bringing vada pav, kala masala and the spirit of Marathi cuisine to Bavaria. The venture speaks to a broader shift among highly educated Indian professionals in Germany — particularly in Munich, which hosts a significant concentration of IT workers, doctoral students and small-business owners from the subcontinent — who are investing not only in careers but in cultural infrastructure. Authentic South Asian food beyond generic curry-house menus has long been a gap in Munich's culinary landscape, and the entrepreneurs reportedly set out to fill it with the regional specificity that the Maharashtrian community in the city craved. The story of trading academic prestige and corporate security for the risks of the restaurant trade resonates strongly with a community that often navigates identity questions far from home. The article, published in the Sunday Read section of Mumbai Mirror, highlights how the Indian diaspora in European cities is increasingly confident enough to build businesses rooted in hyperlocal cultural pride rather than broad pan-Indian commercial appeal. [6]
Sources: [1] olympics.com · [7] olympics.com · [6] mumbaimirror.indiatimes.com