Manali’s marathon champion; Bringing diversity into the workplace

Hello,

It’s a big week for central banks.

The US Federal Reserve is widely touted to cut interest rates this week—the first time in four years—which has left both investors and founders excited as the global economy enters a “cutting phase”. 

Beyond the US, the central banks of Brazil, the UK, Norway, and South Africa will hold their monetary policy meetings this week. The Bank of Japan will also deliver a decision on interest rate cuts. 

The RBI, however, is taking a cautious approach as Governor Shaktikanta Das said in an interview the decision on interest rate moderation will be based on long-term inflation trajectory and not monthly data.

For India, the trickle-down of fund inflows is expected to be incremental. The reason? Stretched valuations.

Meanwhile, the stock markets are having one big party.

Bajaj Housing Finance had a bumper listing on the bourses, ending the day 136% above the issue price. Chennai-based lender Northern Arc Capital’s IPO also attracted strong demand and was subscribed 2.87 times on day one.

But is it all just a game of quick profits?

So far, in 2024, more than 50 companies have been listed on the NSE and BSE. However, half of the companies that were listed on mainboard exchanges this year saw their stock prices drop from the listing day closing price within a month, according to the PRIME Database. The average return on debut day has also come down from 8% in 2023 to 2.4%.

Beyond the markets and earthbound worries, there’s a cloud that stays stationary in the sky and looks like an alien mothership. 

Known locally as ‘Taieri Pet’, the cloud is a product of the particular weather patterns and topography of New Zealand.

Well, that cloud doesn’t have any chance of meatballs.

In today’s newsletter, we will talk about 

• Meet marathoner Tenzin Dolma
• Bringing diversity into the workplace

Here’s your trivia for today: What is the longest domestic flight route in India?

Inspiration

Meet marathoner Tenzin Dolma

Tenzin Dolma was only 15 when she got married. At 30 and two kids later, she found her passion–running. Dolma has since won some of the most gruelling marathons in the Himalayan region.

When Dolma isn’t racing, she’s managing a café in Manali with her husband, and attending to her two children, now 16 and 17, as they finish school.

Born to win:

• In 2020, she found the Hell Ultran challenge—a grueling 480 kilometers marathon on the infamous Leh-Manali highway.
• Covering the distance in over 120 hours, the race demands not just physical endurance, but a will of steel.
• Her next challenge was Snow Marathon in Lahaul, a brutal race held at 10,000 feet above sea level, where the air is thin, and the cold is bone-chilling.

Women leaders

Bringing diversity into the workplace

Smita Shetty founded Kelp HR in 2013 to create employee-friendly workplaces in the ever-evolving corporate landscape. In particular, she wanted to address gender equity and the implementation of the Prevention of Sexual Harassment (POSH) Act, which remains a pressing concern to this date. 

Inclusive:

• Kelp HR operates in three critical areas—POSH, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), and mental health.
• For Shetty, the key to success is not just implementing policies but creating a culture of trust. “We coach internal members on how to handle complaints, not just legally but also with empathy,” she says.
• To ensure ongoing awareness, Kelp HR takes a holistic approach, using storytelling, theatre-based learning, and even gamified e-learning to engage employees in understanding harassment and consent.

News & updates

• Robot salad maker: Fast food restaurant chain Chipotle moved an automated bowl-and-salad maker and an avocado-processing robot out of its test kitchen and into a couple of locations in California. The company said feedback will determine whether it makes a broader rollout of the technology.
• Chronicles of Narnia: The Queensland island that inspired scenes in a Chronicles of Narnia film has been sold for $5.6 million. Called the Little Green Island, the property was sold at auction by film producer and actor Douglas Gresham, who is the stepson of CS Lewis, the author of The Chronicles of Narnia.
• Crisis at Boeing: Boeing pausing hiring and taking sweeping steps to conserve cash after about 33,000 workers went on strike on Friday including considering temporary furloughs for many employees, managers and executives in the coming weeks.

What is the longest domestic flight route in India?

Answer: Delhi to Port Blair (now Sri Vijaya Puram). The flight takes 3 hours 35 minutes to fly 2,467 km.

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