Meet vocalist and flautist Rasika Shekar; The art of making the Goan poie

Hello,

A new advisory on AI.

The government has dropped the permit requirement for untested AI models but emphasised the need to label AI-generated content, according to a latest advisory on artificial intelligence technology.

Instead of permission for AI models under development, the fresh advisory issued by the Ministry of Electronics and IT on Friday fine-tuned the compliance requirement as per IT Rules of 2021.

In other news, the shareholders of Zee Entertainment Enterprises have approved the appointment of three independent directors to the company's board. Special resolutions for approval of the appointment of Uttam Prakash Agarwal, Shishir Babubhai Desai, and Venkata Ramana Murthy Pinisetti were passed with majority by the shareholders of Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd through a postal ballot process.

Meanwhile, Assam has secured investments to the tune of Rs 13,364 crore, with employment generation for more than 17,000 people, in the last 14 months, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said.

Lastly, here’s a chart of the world's largest stock markets.

Did you know that India has the world’s fourth largest equity market? 

In today’s newsletter, we will talk about 

• Meet vocalist and flautist Rasika Shekar
• The art of making the Goan poie
• Taking Indian specialty coffee global 

Here’s your trivia for today: Which country was called ‘Gold Coast’ prior to its independence in 1957?

Interview

Meet vocalist and flautist Rasika Shekar

Celebrated vocalist and flautist Rasika Shekar’s big break came in 2011 when she performed on a tour in the US with Ustad Ghulam Ali Khan. She has since lent her voice to movies like 2 States and Kill Dill. 

The journey:

• Shekar was part of MTV Coke Studio Season 2 as a flautist on Ehsaan Noorani and Loy Mendonsa’s production single, Man Patang. 
• She has performed at various independent and folk music festivals across the world, including Iceland, Kuwait, Bahamas, and Dubai. 
• She has also pursued jazz and flamenco music at Berklee College of Music in Valencia, Spain. 

Food 

The art of making the Goan poie

Poie, an artisanal bread that has been a staple for generations of Goan households, arrived in the country 400 years ago during the Portuguese invasion of Goa. This fresh and fluffy bread continues to stay relevant, lending itself to many innovations and interpretations.

Delicious:

• The profession of a poder (baker in Konkani) is one of the oldest and highly revered vocations in Goa. Previously, poders came from Majorda in the southern part of the state. Over time, bakers migrated and opened their establishments everywhere in Goa. 
• Traditionally, the poie was infused with fermented toddy by poders. However, this ingredient is hard to procure these days and has been replaced with fresh yeast. 
• Unlike other types of Goan bread where rice flour is the primary ingredient, poie involves wheat flour and wheat husk mixed in large proportions. 

Food 

Taking Indian speciality coffee global 

In December 2023, Roastery Coffee House became the first ever Indian coffee chain to open an outlet in Europe. With regular pop-ups hosted and scheduled until March-end, setting the stage for its grand inauguration in Helsinki, Finland, the Indian specialty coffee roaster wants to put Indian coffee on the global map. 

Brewing success:

• During a three-day pop-up held in December last year, Roastery Coffee House witnessed a footfall of around 300 people—selling over 200 cups of coffee and 250 packets of freshly roasted coffee beans. 
• According to the International Coffee Organisation, the Finns consumed as much as 12 kgs of coffee per person per day as of 2016. 
• Unlike other cafes in India, which mostly adopted their western counterpart’s design and decor styles, Roastery Coffee House is a big advocate of Indian architecture, design, and aesthetics. 

News & updates

• Boeing: The US Federal Aviation Administration is investigating how a United Airlines Boeing 737-800 lost an external panel before landing safely in Oregon on Friday.
• The end: Starbucks is discontinuing its NFT programme, which was in beta, to “prepare for what comes next as we continue to evolve the programme,” according to an FAQ page by the company.   
• Meta problems: Federal authorities are investigating Meta Platforms for its role in the illicit sale of drugs, The Wall Street Journal reported citing documents.

Which country was called ‘Gold Coast’ prior to its independence in 1957?

Answer:  Ghana

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