Mic and Magic with Manan

Manan Periwal

Welcome to Mic & Magic, where your host, 14-year-old Manan, sits down for insightful interviews with successful entrepreneurs, trailblazing athletes, and inspiring leaders. We go beyond the highlight reel to map out their entire career journey and the life path that led them to greatness. This isn't just another motivational podcast; it's your playbook for the future. Each conversation is packed with practical advice, actionable tips, and powerful lessons you can apply to your own life. Whether you're looking to build a career in a diverse field, improve your well-being through sports

  1. The Leftie Rewriting Indian Badminton — Sankar Subramanian | Mic & Magic

    May 17

    The Leftie Rewriting Indian Badminton — Sankar Subramanian | Mic & Magic

    He was ranked World No. 64. His opponent was World No. 2 — a three-time World Championship medallist. Sixty-six minutes later, the scoreline read 18-21, 21-12, 21-5, and Indian badminton had a brand-new name to remember. Today on Mic & Magic, Manan sits down with Sankar Subramanian — the left-handed shuttler from Chennai who stunned Anders Antonsen at the Swiss Open and announced himself to the world. But the upset is only the beginning of the story. Sankar dropped out of school at 15 to chase badminton full-time — with no Plan B. His father, a former tennis player, knew exactly what the climb would cost. His mother and father both left their jobs to travel with him. His sister, once a state champion herself, became the mind behind his schedule. This is a family that bet everything on one boy and one racket. In this episode, Manan explores what it actually takes to go from a middle-class home in Tamil Nadu to beating the world's best. Sankar opens up about why he sees the court differently as a left-hander, why he's chosen the "unglamorous" art of defence in a sport obsessed with the smash, how moving from training with his dad to the Gopichand Academy transformed his game, and what was running through his mind in real time as he dismantled a world No. 2. He also shares his lowest point — the 2024 season that quietly broke and rebuilt him — and answers a question every ambitious young person has asked themselves: is it selfish to put your dream first? This episode is for every kid who's been told to keep a "safe" Plan B, every athlete who's been made to feel that defence is boring, and every dreamer who has ever wondered whether chasing something big makes them selfish. Sankar's answer might change how you think about your own goals. 3 THINGS YOU'LL TAKE AWAY FROM THIS EPISODE: Defence is a weapon, not a weakness. Sankar explains why reading the game and sustaining any pace in a rally can dismantle a pure attacker — and why the shots that never make the highlight reel are often the ones that win the match. What it really takes to turn pro. From dropping out of school with no Plan B to a whole family rearranging their lives around one career, Sankar is honest about the cost of commitment — and how results, not hope, told them they were on the right path. ABOUT OUR GUEST — SANKAR SUBRAMANIAN: First Indian to stun World No. 2 Anders Antonsen at the Swiss Open 2025 — while ranked World No. 64 Former Junior World No. 1 in boys' singles Silver medallist, 2022 BWF World Junior Championships Bronze medallist, Asian Junior Championships Left-handed men's singles player from Chennai, Tamil Nadu Trains at the Gopichand Academy, known for his defence, control, and rallying game ABOUT MIC & MAGIC WITH MANAN This is a podcast hosted by young India's most curious interviewer — bringing you honest, inspiring conversations with the country's rising sports stars, achievers, and changemakers. New episodes drop every fortnight at 7 AM. SUBSCRIBE so you don't miss the next conversation: www.youtube.com/ @micandmagicpodcast Follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/mic.and.magic Listen on Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/1kbEtEA5YS6sES1shYvBJL Listen on Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/in/podcast/mic-and-magic-with-manan/id1835196806 Twitter/X x.com/micandmagic Write to us - Email: micandmagic@gmail.com #Badminton #SankarSubramanian #IndianBadminton #MicAndMagic #SportsPodcast

    13 min
  2. How A Girl From Chennai Became A World Snooker Champion | Anupama Ramachandran

    May 3

    How A Girl From Chennai Became A World Snooker Champion | Anupama Ramachandran

    Today on Mic & Magic, Manan sits down with someone who proved that history doesn't always come from the people you expect. Anupama Ramachandran picked up a snooker cue at a summer camp when she was just 13 years old. Ten years later, with one perfect shot in 11 seconds, she became the first Indian woman to win the World Snooker Championship.In this episode, Manan explores how a young woman from Tamil Nadu broke into a sport long considered "a man's game" in a country that most people don't even associate with cue sports. Anupama opens up about her first century break, the cue she had custom-made in Bangkok, the coaches who shaped her game, the lonely lockdown years that quietly built her into a world champion, and what it felt like to carry the Tamil Nadu flag at the National Games. She also shares something many young athletes need to hear: snooker isn't just about pocketing balls. It is about reading the table, sequencing your shots, trusting yourself in the silence between moves, and adapting to a new table in a new country in 15 minutes flat. That lesson travels far beyond the green felt.This episode is for every kid in India who has been told their sport is "too small," every girl who has been told the game is not for her, and every dreamer who has ever stood at a table — sport, school, life — and wondered if they had what it takes to line up the next shot.In this episode, you'll learn:Why the difference between snooker and billiards matters more than most people realiseWhat really happens during the 11 seconds before a championship-winning shotWhy the 15 Red format is considered the truest form of snooker (and why shorter formats exist)How Anupama used the lockdown years to quietly build a world champion's gameThe story behind her first competitive century break — and the rival who inspired itHow the MIMS (Mission International Medal Scheme) is helping Indian athletes compete globallyWhy "adaptability" is the real name of the game in international competitionThe bow-tie debate: should snooker keep its old-school tradition or move on?What hay ball is, and why Anupama is learning a brand new sport at the top of her careerWhat excites her most about the future of cue sports in IndiaAbout our guest — Anupama Ramachandran:First Indian woman in 95 years to win the IBSF Women's World Snooker Championship (15 Red format)World ranked No. 68 national junior titlesFlag bearer for Tamil Nadu at the National Games, GoaHighest competitive break: 119Highest practice break: 139ABOUT MIC & MAGIC WITH MANANThis is a podcast hosted by young India's most curious interviewer — bringing you honest, inspiring conversations with the country's rising sports stars, achievers,  and changemakers. New episodes drop every fortnight at 7 AM.SUBSCRIBE so you don't miss the next conversation: www.youtube.com/ @micandmagicpodcastFollow us on Instagram: instagram.com/mic.and.magicListen on Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/1kbEtEA5YS6sES1shYvBJLListen on Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/in/podcast/mic-and-magic-with manan/id1835196806Twitter/Xx.com/micandmagicWrite to us - Email: micandmagic@gmail.com

    16 min

  3. Apr 19

    India's #2 U-19 Squash Star on the Road to LA28 | Pooja Arthi

    We're told sport is about winning — but the real story is what happens in the ten years before the win. Manan sits down with Pooja Arthi, India's No. 2-ranked U-19 women's squash player and Khelo India Youth Games gold medallist, and almost immediately, they land on something most young athletes feel but rarely say out loud: losing to the same opponent for ten straight years can quietly drain the love out of a sport. Pooja shares a striking truth — when she finally beat her toughest rival, Yuvna Gupta, after a decade of defeats, it wasn't just a win, it was the moment her belief came back. More importantly, the way an athlete handles those long stretches of "almost" doesn't stay on the court — it shapes how they show up in their next tournament, their training, their entire career. This conversation isn't just about squash or rankings. It's about the emotional life of a young athlete chasing one of the biggest milestones in Indian sport: squash's historic debut at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.  Together, they explore what it actually takes to train for an Olympic dream that's still two years away. While it's easy to romanticise talent, Pooja challenges that idea and points to something deeper: a 50-50 split between natural ability andrelentless hard work, supported by sports nutrition, physiotherapy, and a family that understood the pain of losing because they'd lived it themselves (her mother is an Asian gold medallist in triathlon). They unpack the difference between Egyptian aggression, Asian precision, and European skill on the squash court — a masterclass in how the same sport is played in completely different languages around the world. Pooja also opens up about the Asian Junior Championships in China, where she came back from 2-0 down against the third seed with only her travelling Indian fans believing in her. It's a moment that captures everything this episode is really about: belief, comeback, and what it means to represent India when nobody's giving you a chance.  Squash makes its historic Olympic debut at the LA 2028 Games — learn more here: https://www.olympics.com/en/sports/squash/ Follow Pooja Arthi's journeythrough the Squash Rackets Federation of India: https://www.indiansquash.in/  Discover squash programmes andacademies in India through HCL Squash: https://www.hclsquash.com/ ABOUT MIC & MAGIC WITH MANAN  This is a podcast hosted by young India's most curious interviewer — bringing you honest, inspiring conversationswith the country's rising sports stars, achievers, and changemakers. New episodes drop every fortnight at 7 AM.  What We Discuss: 00.00 - Intro — Meet Pooja Arthi  1:25 - Winning Gold at Khelo India Youth Games  02:01 - The Support System at MOP Vaishnav College  2:33 - The First Gold Medal That Changed Everything  2:49 - World University Games & Team India in SouthAfrica  3:15 - Beating Her Toughest Opponent After 10 Years ofLosses 3:48 - Talent vs Hard Work — The 50/50 Rule  4:09 - Why Sports Nutrition and Physio Matter 5:06 - Coming Back From a Knee Injury  5:34 - How Egyptians, Asians & Europeans Play SquashDifferently 6:14 - How to Choose the Right Squash Racket  7:29 - The Most Underrated Piece of Squash Equipment  8:10 - How to Re-Watch Your Own Matches the Right Way  8.59 - The Asian Junior Championships Comeback inChina  9:57 - The People & Parents Who Shaped HerMindset  10:53 - One Word for Every Player She's Faced  11:12 - The Road to LA 2028 — Squash's Olympic Debut  11:39 - Final ThoughtsSUBSCRIBE so you don't miss the next conversation: www.youtube.com/ @micandmagicpodcast Follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/mic.and.magic Listen on Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/1kbEtEA5YS6sES1shYvBJL Listen on Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/in/podcast/mic-and-magic-with-manan/id1835196806 Twitter/Xx.com/micandmagic TikToktiktok.com/@micandmagic Write to us - Email: micandmagic@gmail.com

    12 min

  4. Apr 5

    “I Swam Till I Couldn’t Move…” | The Backstroke King | Srihari Nataraj | Mic & Magic with Manan

    He swam five races in a single day. His body gave out. He still won a medal…lying flat on the lane rope, too exhausted to move. Srihari Nataraj is India's fastest backstroke swimmer. 2 Olympics. 14 national records. And he still panics before every race that he might get disqualified. In this episode of Mic & Magic with Manan, we go beyond the medals — into the ice-cold mornings, the mid-race mental math, the art of swimming blind, and why he still plays Kung Fu Panda on the keyboard. Manan is 15. Srihari is one of India's greatest. And this conversation hits different. WHAT YOU'LL HEAR: The Asian Championships day that broke him — and what got him through why he actually prefers racing abroad over winning easily in India How backstroke swimmers navigate a pool without looking forward The DQ terror that follows him into every race His cricket family, his hyperactive childhood, and the mom who put him in water to survive him His one non-negotiable daily habit (hint: it's not training) ABOUT MIC & MAGIC: Mic & Magic with Manan is a podcast hosted by 15-year-old Manan, where he interviews athletes, artists, and achievers and asks the questions nobody else thinks to ask Subscribe so you don't miss the next one. CONNECT WITH SRIHARI :Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/srihari33/ Chapters: 0:00 The day he swam 5 times — and nearly collapsed On fame: "It's not even on my mind" 2:47 Why he doesn't get challenged in India 3:41 His cricket family & hyperactive childhood 8:44 The DQ panic mid-race — Olympics semi-final story 12:05 Swimming blind: how backstroke actually works 13:01 What he thinks about during a race (it's not what you expect) 14:00 Rapid fire: coffee, Kung Fu Panda & cold desertIf you're having a tough week, watch this first. 🎙️ Mic & Magic with Manan — real conversations with real athletes. Subscribe so you don't miss the next one.Follow Mic & Magic: *YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@UCV6NNvHywv9lgDC1JWZJg0Q * Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/mic.and.magic/ * X / Twitter – https://x.com/micandmagic *TikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@MicAndMagic * Listen on: * * YouTube Music Podcasts – https://www.youtube.com/@micandmagicpodcast/podcasts * Apple Podcasts – https://podcasts.apple.com/in/podcast/mic-and-magic-with-manan/ id1835196806 * Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/show/1kbEtEA5YS6sES1shYvBJL * JioSaavn – https://www.jiosaavn.com/shows/mic-and-magic-with-manan/1/0Rh,CYozGcg Loved This Episode? Like | Comment | Subscribe Your support helps us bring more inspiring youth and sports stories to the world. Contact: micandmagic@gmail.comHashtags: #SrihariNataraj #IndianSwimmer #Olympian #SwimmingIndia #SwimmerLife #IndianAthletes #Paris2024

    16 min

  5. Mar 22

    5 Medals. Complete Silence. Meet the unstoppable Harini | Mic & Magic with Manan

    She runs in complete silence. No gun. No crowd. No coach. And she's won 5 medals. Meet Harini — a 19-year-old deaf athlete from Chennai who competes at the national and international level in 100m and triple jump. This isn't just a sports story. It's about a girl who was told she couldn't. And a mother who refused to believe it. Her Instagram handle - https://www.instagram.com/_.harini_krishnan/ About Mic and Magic - Mic & Magic with Manan is a podcast by a teenager who loves sport more than anything — and isn't afraid to ask the questions adults forget to. In this episode of Mic & Magic with Manan, Harini opens up about: ◼️ Growing up deaf in a world that underestimated her — and how her family changed everything ◼️ Competing against hearing athletes before finding her home in Deaf Athletics ◼️ Representing India at the Asian Pacific Deaf Games in Malaysia — her first-ever flight, first international medal ◼️ The moment she went from 3rd place to 4th in the final jump — and why she's not done ◼️ Training twice a day, six days a week, with a coach who communicates through her mother ◼️ Pushing through back pain because stopping was never an option ◼️ Why sport gave her something no classroom could — respect, friendship, and confidence Harini's mother didn't just support her. She became her translator, her driver, her bridge to the world. This episode will make you rethink what a support system really looks like. Chapters: 0:00 – She Can't Hear the Gun. She Wins Anyway. 0:54 – Welcome to Mic & Magic 1:17 – The Girl Nobody Expected 1:58 – From School Tracks to National Medals 2:23 – The Day She Changed Everything 2:48 – What Winning Really Feels Like 3:25 – Running for a Billion People 3:47 – How Sport Taught Her She Belongs 4:16 – The Grind Nobody Sees 5:10 – The Moments That Made Her 5:27 – Pain Is Not a Reason to Stop 5.55 - The Shoe Story 6:08 – They Said She Couldn't. She Didn't Listen. 6:43 – The Mother Who Became Her Voice 7:28 – So Close. Not Done Yet 8:37 – The Dream She's Still Chasing 9:16 – One Message Before You Go If you're having a tough week, watch this first. 🎙️ Mic & Magic with Manan — real conversations with real athletes. 📌 Subscribe so you don't miss the next one. Follow Mic & Magic: - YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@UCV6NNvHywv9lgDC1JWZJg0Q - Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/mic.and.magic/ - X / Twitter – https://x.com/micandmagic - TikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@MicAndMagic * Listen on:* - YouTube Music Podcasts – https://www.youtube.com/@micandmagicpodcast/podcasts - Apple Podcasts – https://podcasts.apple.com/in/podcast/mic-and-magic-with-manan/ id1835196806 - Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/show/1kbEtEA5YS6sES1shYvBJL - JioSaavn – https://www.jiosaavn.com/shows/mic-and-magic-with-manan/1/0Rh,CYozGcg_ Loved This Episode? Like | Comment | Subscribe Your support helps us bring more inspiring youth and sports stories to the world. Contact: micandmagic@gmail.com Hashtags: #HariniK #DeafAthlete #InspiringStories #WomenInSports #AthleteMotivation #IndianAthletes #SportsInspiration #NeverGiveUp #MotivationDaily #MicAndMagic Youtube Tags to include: deaf athlete India, Harini athlete Chennai, deaf sports India, Asian Pacific Deaf Games 2024, 100m sprinter India, triple jump girl India, inspiring athlete story, disability and sport, Mic and Magic Manan podcast, youth sports podcast India, deaf runner, hearing impaired athlete, Chennai athlete, sports motivation, India at Deaf Olympics

    10 min

  6. Mar 8

    The Olympic Journey of a 14-year- old | Dhinidhi Desinghu’s Inspiring Story | International Swimmer

    What does it take to become an Olympian at 14? She won 9 gold medals at the National Games. She swam at the Paris Olympics at the age of 14. And she still gets nervous before every race. This is the Dhinidhi Desinghu interview you didn't know you needed. Chapters 00:00 Welcome to Mic and Magic | Who is Dhinidhi Desinghu? 03:29 Breaking her own national record—what went through her mind at two minutes and three seconds? 04:49 The most special gold medal (it's not the one you'd expect) 05:53 What gets her going on the days she just doesn't want to 06:58 Katie Ledecky, chocolate ice cream, and Dhinidhi's real nutrition secrets 08:44 Where she trains and studies — and why she barely goes to school 10:28 The subject she's naturally good at (hint: she used to write a blog!) 11:58 Her mom, Kho Kho, badminton and growing up as a shy introvert 13:07 Has she always been this competitive? The exam story that explains everything 16:05 Paris Olympics 2024: "The world flipped upside down" 19:19 Life in the Olympic Village at 14 — what it was really like 20:15 The Universality Quota explained in plain language (for all of us!) 22:39 What she's working on RIGHT NOW in training 26:17 Post-swim hunger — the real answer, and her go-to meal 29:05 The Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar — and that moment with the President 30:39 If things go wrong, will she quit? Her answer will stay with you 33:17 Conclusion 🎙 About the Episode: India's Olympic swimmer Dhinidhi Desinghu sits down with 15-year-old host Manan for one of the most candid, joyful and surprisingly deep conversations you'll hear from a teenage athlete. We're talking Paris Olympics confessions, 8-second comeback stories, cookies-and-cream addiction, training on 5am alarms, and what it really felt like the moment she touched the wall and broke her own national record. 👤 About the Guest: Dhinidhi Desinghu, a 14-year-old freestyle swimmer from Bengaluru trained at Dolphin Aquatics, became India’s youngest Olympian at Paris 2024 via the Universality Quota. She dominated the 2025 National Games with 9 golds, breaking her own 200m freestyle national record at 2:03. A Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar recipient, she trains six days a week, homeschools, indulges in cookies-and-cream ice cream, and aims to be a world-class swimmer. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dhinidhi_desinghu/?hl=en 🎙️ ABOUT MIC AND MAGIC WITH MANAN Mic and Magic with Manan is a podcast and YouTube interview show hosted by 15-year-old Manan — where young voices ask the questions adults forget to ask. From Olympians to changemakers, Manan brings curiosity, warmth, and a genuinely fresh perspective to every conversation. No fluff. No PR answers. Just real talk that inspires, surprises, and makes you think. New episodes drop regularly. Hit subscribe so you never miss one. Follow Mic & Magic: - YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@UCV6NNvHywv9lgDC1JWZJg0Q - Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/mic.and.magic/ - X / Twitter – https://x.com/micandmagic - TikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@MicAndMagic * Listen on:* - YouTube Music Podcasts – https://www.youtube.com/@micandmagicpodcast/podcasts - Apple Podcasts – https://podcasts.apple.com/in/podcast/mic-and-magic-with-manan/ id1835196806 - Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/show/1kbEtEA5YS6sES1shYvBJL - JioSaavn – https://www.jiosaavn.com/shows/mic-and-magic-with-manan/1/0Rh,CYozGcg_ Loved This Episode? Like | Comment | Subscribe Contact: micandmagic@gmail.com I#DhinidhiDesinghu #IndianSwimmer #ParisOlympics2024 #OlympicAthlete #YoungChampion #SportsPodcast #IndianSports #NationalGames2025 #InspiringYouth #AthleteInterview #WomenInSport #SwimmingTips

    34 min

  7. Feb 23

    Chess is Changing | Prachura P P | Former International Chess Player | Fyers American Gambits

    What happens when chess meets business, AI, and superstar athletes? In this episode, Manan sits down with Prachura — a professional chess player and entrepreneur — to talk about blindfold chess, global icons like Hikaru Nakamura, R Ashwin joining chess, and why India could become the next chess superpower. Chapters 00:00 Intro: Mic & Magic with Prachura 01:20 Learning Chess at 4 Years Old 02:10 How Blindfold Chess Works 02:55 Running a Global Chess League Team 03:30 Making Chess a Mass Sport in India 04:14 Hikaru Nakamura as Icon Player 05:01 R Ashwin Joining Chess 05:48 AI in Chess Training 07:34 Chess vs Business Strategy 08:21 Is Chess a Physical Sport? 09:11 The Future of Indian Chess 🎙 About the Episode: In this episode of Mic & Magic, 14-year-old host Manan speaks with Prachura about much more than just chess moves. This is not a boring technical chess interview. This is about: 1. Playing chess without even looking at the board 2. Working with world number two Hikaru Nakamura 3. Convincing cricket star R Ashwin to join a chess team 4. Using AI in chess training 5. Turning chess into a mass spectator sport in India 6. Running a chess team like a business 7. It’s chess… but bigger, smarter, and more exciting. 👤 About the Guest: Prachura is a professional chess player and entrepreneur.He co-owns a team in the Global Chess League and works with international stars like Hikaru Nakamura. He believes chess should not just be a niche sport — it should become a mainstream spectator sport in India.He combines: Chess strategy, Business thinking, AI innovation, Vision for Indian chess Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prachura/?hl=en  🔥 5 Key Takeaways >From This Episode: 🧠 1. Train Your Brain Like a Muscle Blindfold chess isn’t magic — it’s practice.
Prachura explains that the ability to calculate moves without seeing the board comes from consistent training and analysing games deeply.If you practise anything seriously — chess, cricket, coding, exams — your brain becomes stronger. Focus builds superpowers. ♟ 2. Think 5 Moves Ahead in Life Chess taught Prachura how to plan ahead — not just in games, but in business and decisions. He now uses chess strategy to: 1. Run a team 2. Make business decisions 3. Stay calm under pressure 
Success isn’t about reacting fast.
It’s about thinking ahead, staying calm, and making smart moves. 🤖 3. AI Is Changing Chess Forever AI engines now help players train from beginner to grandmaster level. Chess has become more accessible because of technology. 🇮🇳 4. India’s Chess Revolution Is Just Starting With corporate backing, world champions, and young talent rising, Indian chess is entering a new era. Follow Mic & Magic: - YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@UCV6NNvHywv9lgDC1JWZJg0Q - Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/mic.and.magic/ - X / Twitter – https://x.com/micandmagic - TikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@MicAndMagic * Listen on:* - YouTube Music Podcasts – https://www.youtube.com/@micandmagicpodcast/podcasts - Apple Podcasts – https://podcasts.apple.com/in/podcast/mic-and-magic-with-manan/ id1835196806  - Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/show/1kbEtEA5YS6sES1shYvBJL - JioSaavn – https://www.jiosaavn.com/shows/mic-and-magic-with-manan/1/0Rh,CYozGcg_ Loved This Episode? Like | Comment | Subscribe Your support helps us bring more inspiring youth and sports stories to the world. Contact: micandmagic@gmail.com

    10 min

  8. Feb 7

    Paintball in India: Adrenaline, Strategy & Real-Life Call of Duty | Mic & Magic with Manan

    Paintball is one of the fastest, most strategic action sports in the world—yet in India, it remains underrated, under-covered, and misunderstood. In this episode of Mic & Magic, Manan steps into the real-life version of Call of Duty to uncover how Indian players are training, competing, and fighting their way to international podiums—often without the spotlight they deserve. From 15-second adrenaline-packed games to World Cup-level tournaments, this conversation reveals how paintball in India is quietly evolving into a serious, skill-based sport backed by discipline, fitness, and mental toughness. Despite limited recognition, Indian players and coaches are working relentlessly—building teams brick by brick, enforcing world-class safety standards, and preparing athletes to compete globally. This episode shines a light on the grind behind the goggles.  Why should youngsters watch this episode? Because paintball builds confidence, leadership, teamwork, stress control, and sharp decision-making— skills that matter far beyond the field. If you love gaming, fast action, or high-intensity sports, this is where virtual instincts meet real-world courage. Hosted by Manan, who asks the questions every curious teen would want answered, this episode features three pioneers of Indian paintball—Rajdip Mitra, Swapneel Shetty, and Daryl De Nazareth—as they break down the sport, the mindset, and the mission to put India on the global paintball map. About the Guests Rajdip Mitra is a pioneer of professional paintball in India, having built the sport brick by brick for over 14 years. A coach, referee, and mentor, he has played a key role in training players from grassroots to international competition, shaping India’s presence on the global paintball stage. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rajdipmitra/ Swapneel Shetty is a seasoned competitive player and team leader, known for his strategic understanding of the game and experience in international tournaments. As a captain and mentor, he focuses on teamwork, discipline, and player development. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/swapneelshetty/ Daryl De Nazareth brings deep technical expertise to the sport, specialising in game mechanics, equipment, safety protocols, and competitive formats. His role bridges performance and safety, making high-level paintball accessible to new and experienced players alike. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/daryldenaz/?hl=en About PaintballX India             PaintballX India is one of the country’s leading professional paintball organisations, dedicated to growing the sport through structured training, competitive leagues, certified refereeing, and international representation. With a strong focus on safety, fitness, and skill-based gameplay, PaintballX India has been instrumental in putting Indian paintball on the global map. Insagram: https://www.instagram.com/paintballxindia/?hl=en Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PaintballX/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@paintballxindia                            Follow Mic & Magic: -        YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@UCV6NNvHywv9lgDC1JWZJg0Q -        Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/mic.and.magic/ -        X / Twitter – https://x.com/micandmagic -        TikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@MicAndMagic * Listen on:*      - YouTube Music Podcasts – https://www.youtube.com/@micandmagicpodcast/podcasts      - Apple Podcasts – https://podcasts.apple.com/in/podcast/mic-and-magic-with-manan/ id1835196806      - Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/show/1kbEtEA5YS6sES1shYvBJL      - JioSaavn – https://www.jiosaavn.com/shows/mic-and-magic-with-manan/1/0Rh,CYozGcg_   Loved This Episode? Like | Comment | Subscribe Your support helps us bring more inspiring youth and sports stories to the world. Contact: micandmagic@gmail.com

    25 min
See All (51)

About

Welcome to Mic & Magic, where your host, 14-year-old Manan, sits down for insightful interviews with successful entrepreneurs, trailblazing athletes, and inspiring leaders. We go beyond the highlight reel to map out their entire career journey and the life path that led them to greatness. This isn't just another motivational podcast; it's your playbook for the future. Each conversation is packed with practical advice, actionable tips, and powerful lessons you can apply to your own life. Whether you're looking to build a career in a diverse field, improve your well-being through sports

Information

  • Creator
    Manan Periwal
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    51
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Manan Periwal
  • Show Website
    Mic and Magic with Manan