Happy New Year

Happy New Year! 

Let’s begin by looking back—just for a bit.

In 2022, India became the fifth-largest economy in the world. And a lot else happened.

Not much can be said of the last three years without mentioning COVID-19. We, too, started 2022 plagued by the Omicron variant. But prevailed, mostly due to the nationwide vaccination drive. As of 5:48 pm, December 31, per the COVID-19 Bharat dashboard, over 71% of India’s population is fully vaccinated.

It was also an important year for spacetech. India’s space agency ISRO conducted its Small Satellite Launch Vehicle mission, as well as launched the country’s first high throughput satellite (HTS) broadband service. Then, spacetech startup Skyroot Aerospace launched India’s first privately-developed rocket named Vikram-S.

Speaking of connectivity, 5G services were rolled out in the country—following a rather intense spectrum auction. In other health news, India also launched its first indigenously developed vaccine to prevent cervical cancer CERVAVAC. 

And there are many more milestones to speak of but now, we are at the start of another year. 

So, let's bring in 2023, with renewed hopes and the courage to dream bigger.

Here's to new beginnings and a better tomorrow.

Cheers,

Team YourStory

In today’s newsletter, we will talk about 

• Swiggy’s new premium grocery vertical
• BYJU'S to target growth with efficiency
• Bengaluru’s new all-day bar Daysie

Here’s your trivia for today: The Gregorian Calendar is used in most parts of the world. When was it first introduced?

Foodtech

Swiggy’s new premium grocery vertical

Foodtech giant Swiggy is piloting the delivery of premium groceries under its new business vertical Handpicked. 

In response to queries by YourStory, a Swiggy spokesperson said,  “Swiggy Handpicked, an invite-only offering from Swiggy, helps customers discover and purchase groceries, ranging from global favourites to regional and local delights that are not easily accessible. Handpicked is currently under pilot with select users. Stay tuned for more updates."

Diversification plot:

• Unlike its quick commerce grocery delivery model Instamart, Handpicked will only deliver orders the next day. 
• Handpicked lists premium products including specific variants of brands available only in overseas markets.
• It also lists premium local offerings such as Kombucha made by local brands, apart from ready-to-cook meats, spreads, and region-specific food. 

Edtech

BYJU’S to target growth with efficiency

In an email addressed to employees, Byju Raveendran, Founder and CEO of edtech major BYJU'S, writes that the edtech firm needed a rocky year after 'many rocking years' to pave the way for long-term success and resilience. 

He called 2022 the defining year for the company as it battled allegations of mis-selling, deferred payments, funding commitments that did not come through, and employee lay-offs. 

Exponential growth:

• The email detailed that BYJU’S will continue to invest in its hybrid model through BYJU’S Tuition Centres (BTCs), which were launched in early 2022. 
• The startup plans to add over 250 BTCs in 2023, to the existing network of 300-plus Aakash BYJU’S.  
• It plans to hire 10,000 teachers in 2023, in addition to the 20,000-strong teaching workforce.

Leisure

Bengaluru’s new all-day bar Daysie

Bengaluru’s MG Road is a staple sight and a new haunt has opened along the busy driveway with all guns blazing—Daysie. A cosy and fresh all-day bar, Daysie’s goal is to let everyone socialise at their own pace. 

The bar has a retro-futuristic look with a flashing installation, which blends seamlessly with the colourful decor. 

Book your spot:

• The mezzanine is a visual treat with a bar set-up emulating the box offices of Hollywood while the space is done up with plush sofas and slightly more comfortable seating.
• If you’re a classic bar hopper, opt for one of the classics—masala peanuts or peri peri fries. But if you’re feeling slightly more adventurous, a crowd favourite appears to be the salmon papdi chaat.
• Besides the food, the stand out was the drinks—varied, with several rooted in Indian flavours. 

News & updates

• Reevaluate: Fidelity, which was among the group of outside investors that helped Elon Musk finance his $44 billion takeover of Twitter, has slashed the value of its stake in Twitter by 56%. The recalculation comes as Twitter navigates a number of challenges.
• At the close: U.S. stocks closed out 2022 lower on Friday, capping a year of sharp losses driven by aggressive interest rate hikes to curb inflation, recession fears, the Russia-Ukraine war and rising concerns over COVID cases in China.
• Cryptosis: A year ago, crypto analysts, riding high from the successes of 2021, had big hopes for Bitcoin, with some of them seeing the token hitting $100,000 or more in 2022. That’s a far reach from where the coin is actually ending this annus horribilis: $16,500.

The Gregorian Calendar is used in most parts of the world. When was it first introduced?

Answer: October 1582.

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