What do you get when one of the world’s most beloved science YouTubers pairs up with India’s go-to travel and food platform? A delightful and insightful collision of culture, curiosity, and creativity. In a vibrant, laughter-filled episode, Mark Rober, the ex-NASA engineer turned STEM superstar, joined hands with Curly Tales founder Kamiya Jani to explore the city of dreams—Mumbai—as part of his India tour for the Mark Rober Jugaad Contest 2025.
This isn’t your typical
city guide. When Mark Rober explores a city, he’s looking at more than just its
skyline or tourist attractions—he’s searching for the ingenious, the
innovative, and the unexpected. Mumbai delivered on all counts.
Mark’s tour began in the
bustling lanes of South Mumbai, where Kamiya introduced him to the heart and
soul of the city: its people, its food, and its jugaadu spirit. From catching a local train to tasting iconic
dishes like vada pav and cutting chai, the duo immersed themselves in the
Mumbai experience. And in typical Rober style, every encounter turned into a
mini science lesson—with the former engineer decoding the thermodynamics of
chai, the physics behind the perfect auto-rickshaw ride, and even the traffic
patterns on Marine Drive.
“I’ve never been to a
city that felt this alive,” said Rober. “Every corner has something
happening—someone creating, someone fixing, someone adapting. Mumbai is a city
that builds its own solutions daily. It’s engineering in real-time.”
The collaboration is
part of Rober’s promotional tour for the Jugaad
Contest 2025, running from April 30
to September 15, 2025. The contest invites Indian residents aged 8 and
above to post videos of creative inventions made using everyday items. Entries
must be posted on Facebook, Instagram,
YouTube, or X, with the hashtag #MarkRoberJugaad,
and most importantly, the link to the video must be submitted at www.markroberjugaad.com.
Only valid link-submitted entries will be eligible to win ₹5 lakh each for ten selected inventors.
Rober’s Mumbai day out
was not just about sightseeing—it was about cultural exchange. From street
artists and tech-savvy school kids to tiffin service heroes of the Dabbawala
network, Rober met real-life examples of Indian ingenuity. Each encounter echoed
the theme of his contest: Jugaad is
everywhere—it just needs to be celebrated.
Kamiya Jani shared,
“Having Mark in Mumbai was incredible. His excitement about things we see every
day made us look at our own city differently. He saw jugaad where we saw routine. That’s the magic he brings.”
Mark Rober’s India tour
also includes collaborations with some of the country’s top creators like CarryMinati, Slaypoint, and Techburner,
along with a much-hyped special appearance with cricketer Hardik Pandya. But his interaction with Curly Tales stands out for
blending cultural exploration with science in a way that feels natural, fun,
and informative.
The episode also brought
attention to CrunchLabs, Mark’s
STEM-based subscription company that creates monthly build-it-yourself
engineering kits for kids. CrunchLabs has already revolutionized science
learning in the U.S., and Rober hopes the Jugaad
Contest will help him identify young Indian inventors who share his passion
for building and problem-solving.
Mumbai’s gritty charm,
fast pace, and resilience deeply resonated with Rober. “India has something no
one else has—jugaad as a lifestyle.
In the U.S., we talk about ‘thinking outside the box.’ In India, there is no
box to begin with,” he joked.
Fans flooded social
media after the video release, praising the episode’s mix of humor, insight,
and cultural respect. One viewer commented, “Watching Mark Rober in my city and
loving vada pav was everything. But watching him explain the physics of
traffic? Mind blown!”
This special episode is
more than content—it’s a celebration of innovation, local brilliance, and
global collaboration. And for Indian inventors with an idea scribbled on a
napkin or built from kitchen scraps, the message is clear: It’s your time to shine.
The Jugaad Contest 2025 closes on September
15, 2025, at 11:59 PM IST. Don’t
forget: make your profile public, post with #MarkRoberJugaad, and most importantly, submit the link at www.markroberjugaad.com.
You might just win ₹5 lakh—and a place in the spotlight.
