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.
