The tennis way of life; An homage to an architect

Hello,

For Indian millennials, Cafe Coffee Day was where we had our “Friends” moments. Alas, today, it is mired in insolvency proceedings. 

Last week, the Bengaluru bench of the NCLT admitted the plea filed by IDBI Trusteeship Services, claiming a default of Rs 228.45 crore and appointed an interim resolution professional to take care of the operations of the debt-ridden company.

Meanwhile, August's second week saw a dip in VC funding owing to fewer large-value transactions. Startups raised $134 million across 25 deals, compared to $332 million the previous week.

Also, seeing a decline is the Indian smartwatch market. According to analyst firm IDC, shipment of wearables in India in Q2 declined 10% annually to 29.5 million units, largely pulled down by the smartwatches. 

It said smartwatch shipments in India declined by 27.4% YoY to 9.3 million units in Q2, down from nearly 12.8 million. Research firm Counterpoint agrees, as its analysis shows the Indian smartwatch market dipped by as much as 30% YoY.

ICYMI: The legacy of Susan Wojcicki. 

Lastly, Banksy has appeared again, and this time, to cheer up the public in the midst of a gloomy news cycle. 

In the past week, London streets have been populated by a string of unusual animal sightings, including pelicans, a goat, and a trio of monkeys, courtesy of Banksy. Now, a big cat—poised and ready to pounce—has appeared on a bare wooden advertising hoarding!

And, there’s more from where that came from!

In today’s newsletter, we will talk about 

• The tennis way of life
• An homage to an architect
• An actor’s love for sports

Here’s your trivia for today: What is the proper title for a person who makes pizzas in a pizzeria?

Sports

The tennis way of life

Abhijeet Muzumdar, Vice President and Head of India and Emerging Markets for Corporate Development and Amazon Smbhav Venture Fund, has seen success not just as a top corporate leader but also as a sportsperson. 

On the sidelines of the ITF Masters World Tennis Team Championship 2024, Muzumdar—competing in the men’s 40-plus category—spoke about the secret behind balancing professional dreams and pursuing his passion.

Sportsmanship:

• He says, “Witnessing my interest in outdoor games, my parents encouraged me to channel my energy into formal sports. I developed an interest in playing tennis because my school had a public tennis court.”
• “My dedication continued to pay off as I earned numerous victories in state and national ranking championships across the U-12, U-14, and U-16 categories,” Muzumdar says.
• He adds, “Beyond my dedication to tennis and marathon training, I have a passion for mountaineering. I have trekked to Everest Base Camp and summited Mount Kilimanjaro.”

Wine and Food

An homage to an architect

In the last few years, Jaipur has turned into one of the hottest destinations for food and beverages with an expanding repertoire of new-age restaurants and bars. The latest to join the list is The Swinton House. 

Its white facade would instantly remind one of the many significant landmarks in Pink City—from Rambagh Palace to Albert Hall Museum—designed by the prolific architect Sir Samuel Swinton Jacob in the pre-Independence era. 

An ode:

• Sagar Nagpal and Mohit Gurnani decided to reimagine the space by introducing modern elements while retaining its old-world charm. They also named the place The Swinton House in honour of the famed architect. 
• The building where The Swinton House is cocooned is almost 150 years old. As one enters The Yard—the open courtyard-turned-dining area on the ground floor—the space pulsates with high energy and brings one back to the present era. 
• Fermentation and house-made mixers are prioritised here, with the bar team focusing on creating their own fermented mixers—like tepache (a fermented pineapple drink) and tea concoction, which adds a unique touch to the Swinton House’s cocktails.

Interview

An actor’s love for sports

In the last decade, actor Saiyami Kher has carved a niche for herself with her choice of roles in films and web series, including Choked, 8AM Metro, and Faadu. But her portrayal of sportspersons in Ghoomer and the recent Sharmajee ki Beti seems true to her nature.  

She admits, “Sport has been a part of me since childhood. I can’t imagine my life without playing a sport. It is an integral part of my personality.” 

Real to reel:

• Kher is set to take her love for sports to the next level by participating in the upcoming Ironman triathlon in Berlin, Germany. 
• Kher is the only female Bollywood star to participate in this race, and this honour has her feeling both excited and nervous. Actor Milind Soman is the only other actor from India to have done this. 
• She was supposed to attempt the triathlon in 2020, but the pandemic struck and put her plans to rest.  Back then, Kher was ready to take on the challenge after completing two full marathons and close to 20 half marathons. 

News & updates

• For all: Substack is opening up to more users with its recent announcement that anyone can now publish content on its platform without setting up a publication. It is likely looking to attract various writers and content creators, not just people interested in creating regularly distributed long-form written pieces.
• Halt: Tesla has stopped taking orders for the least expensive version of its Cybertruck, which is priced at $61,000, while making the $100,000 version available for immediate order and delivery as early as this month, its website showed.
• Layoffs: Cisco will cut thousands of jobs in a second round of layoffs this year as it shifts focus to higher-growth areas, including cybersecurity and AI. The number of people affected could be slightly higher than the 4,000 employees Cisco had let go in February.

What is the proper title for a person who makes pizzas in a pizzeria?

Answer: A pizzaiolo.

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