Good morning, Bengaluru!
🌧️ Today’s weather: Expect a cloudy sky with a bit of rain.
🧐 Did you know? Electronic City is spread over 800 acres and was established by the Karnataka State Electronics Development Corporation (KEONICS).
💰 Rise in Content Creator Jobs
Job postings related to ‘content creators’ and ‘influencers’ have seen a significant surge, with Bengaluru emerging as the influencer marketing capital of India.
The numbers: Indeed, a global job platform, reported a 117% increase in job postings and a 75.30% rise in clicks (indicating job-seeker interest) for content creation and influencer roles. This growth underscores the rise in India’s internet consumption and the digital age’s influence on businesses.
- Bengaluru leads in job postings for influencer marketing roles, holding a 16% market share, followed by Delhi-NCR (9%) and Mumbai (7.5%).
- The trend in Bengaluru is attributed to its status as an IT hub and the presence of numerous startups, which are leveraging influencer marketing extensively.
Expert analysis: Saumitra Chand, a career expert at Indeed India, emphasized that while individuals can still succeed as independent content creators or influencers, businesses are increasingly hiring professionals for these roles.
- The demand for content creation is expected to continue growing, making it a promising time for skilled content creators and influencers in India.
👤 Zero Shadow Day Today
Bengaluru is set to experience a celestial event known as Zero Shadow Day today.
What’s it about? Zero Shadow Day is defined by the Astronomical Society of India as a day when the Sun, at solar noon, doesn’t cast a shadow as it’s directly overhead. This event happens twice a year in locations between +23.5 and -23.5 degrees latitudes.
- The shadow doesn’t vanish but is directly beneath the object. This phenomenon results from the Earth’s axial tilt and its orbit around the Sun, affecting the angle of sunlight and subsequently the shadow’s length and direction.
- This will be the city’s second observation of Zero Shadow Day this year, with the first occurrence on 18 April. Other cities like Hyderabad and Mumbai observed this event on 3 August and 15 May, respectively.
When will it happen? The event in Bengaluru will occur around noon today. During this brief period, objects under the Sun won’t cast shadows. It’s an experiential learning opportunity, especially for students. However, experts advise taking precautions for safe observation due to the Sun’s peak position.
🚇 No metro connection to Hosur
The Karnataka government expresses reservations about the proposed Hosur-Bommasandra interstate metro corridor, fearing potential business losses.
Karnataka first: Aimed at safeguarding the interests of Karnataka’s industries and businesses, the state government is hesitant about the metro corridor between Hosur and Bommasandra. This corridor, if realized, would be South India’s inaugural interstate metro. Priyank Kharge, the Information Technology and Biotechnology minister, voiced concerns to The Indian Express, labelling the project as “counter-productive.”
- Affordable land rates, expanding industry intake, and a lower cost of living in Hosur (just 25 km from Bengaluru’s IT hub, Electronic City) might prompt micro and small-scale industries and startups to relocate from Electronic City to Hosur.
- The Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) has initiated the process of drafting a tender document for a feasibility study of the interstate metro. Bommasandra is part of the Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Limited’s (BMRCL) phase 2 project on the Yellow Line, expected to be operational by year-end.
Apprehensions: Kharge emphasized that while they aren’t against infrastructure projects, it’s crucial to prioritize the state’s interests. An anonymous government official expressed concerns about potential employment losses if MSMEs and startups relocate to Hosur due to cheaper land rates.
- However, BV Gopal Reddy, president of the Federation of Karnataka Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FKCCI), believes that metro connectivity won’t deter investments in Bengaluru but might facilitate labour exchange between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.
💵 Dunzo’s Salary Crisis
Dunzo’s financial challenges continue as workers from its dark stores in Bengaluru halt operations due to delayed July salaries.
Story so far: The delivery and logistics company, Dunzo, is facing operational issues in Bengaluru. Workers from its dark stores in areas like Indiranagar, Richmond Town, and HSR Layout have stopped working, demanding clarity on their pending July salaries. Two other stores in Kormangala and ITI Layout have been non-operational since Monday.
- Dunzo previously operated around 250 dark stores but now has only 7 in Bengaluru. These dark stores employ approximately 70 off-roll workers, primarily responsible for packing groceries. They earn up to Rs 20,000 monthly.
- An employee revealed that the workers decided collectively to cease operations until they receive clear information about their salaries. Dunzo had only given a verbal assurance that the salaries would be disbursed soon.
Dunzo’s reponse: A Dunzo spokesperson conveyed the company’s intention to be fully operational soon. They are adopting a hybrid system model, integrating dark stores with partner stores, to reduce costs.
- The company had postponed the June and July salaries for over half of its 1,000-strong workforce to the first week of September. This decision was made even after the company secured $75 million through convertible notes in April.
✨ Things to do…
Here are some fun and interesting things to do in the city over the weekend!
- Groove to Thaikuddam Bridge this Saturday at Phoenix Marketcity.
- Experience an intimate clay date with your partner at the Wheel and Potter Pottery Studio this weekend.
- Talk about books at the monthly book meetup, Dialogues with books, at the Dialogues Cafe this Saturday.
- Laugh with Atul Khatri while he does his stand-up show at the Prestige Srihari Khoday Centre for Performing Arts this Saturday.
- Spend time with dogs at “Meet Your Furry Friends – A Dog Meetup” happening this Saturday at Cafe Down The Alley.
🛋️ Local Lounge
Yesterday’s Poll Results:
- I have tried intermittent fasting: 66.7% 🏆
- I haven’t tried intermittent fasting: 33.3%
That’s it for today. Have a great weekend!