Good morning, Chennai!
🌧️ Today’s weather: More rainy weather for today.
🧐 Did you know? The Government Museum in Egmore is the second-oldest in India after the Indian Museum of Kolkata.
🏎️ Let’s go racing!
Preparations are underway to host India’s first-ever F4 street night race in the city.
What’s it about? Workers and machines are working overtime to ensure everything is all set for Chennai to host the country’s first-ever F4 night race. The 3.5-km Chennai Formula Racing Circuit route stretches from Flag Staff Road Anna Salai to Kamarajar Salai. There are only a couple of weeks left until a dozen drivers take to the streets.
- To make the roads race-friendly, centre medians, streetlights, and drains are being removed. Chicanes, a double bend for the cars to slow down and overtake, are being installed at four locations. There’s a 90-degree bend chicane at the Munro statue.
- There will be viewing galleries at 11 locations able to accommodate 10,000 people. The medians will be reconstructed, and the concrete safety walls will be demolished after the event.
Promises and concerns: By bringing street racing to the city, young people will be exposed to the sport, become interested in it and even aspire to reach the F1 level. However, some experts say the high costs involved should’ve prompted officials to set the race outside the city.
🚇 Award for going green
The Chennai Metro was recognised for its environmental best practices.
What’s it about? The Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) won the Green Apple award at the International Green Apple Awards in London. The recognition is for its green initiatives.
- The award was received by CMRL environment advisor Rajeev K Srivastava. The event was organised by the international environment group, the Green Organisation.
- The Chennai metro has deployed methods for better water management and energy efficiency. CMRL previously won the award in 2015 and 2018 under the same carbon reduction category.
Helping the environment: The CMRL continues to take on environmental best practices like improving air quality, providing bicycles, and using solar energy for its stations.
👨💻 ZoomInfo’s new space
The US-based software company now has a new space in OMR with expansion plans.
What’s it about? The software product company ZoomInfo moved into their new office space at the Global InfoCity Park in Old Mahabalipuram Road (OMR). The company is looking to expand its operations in the country.
- The company’s Chennai team comprises 300 people. It first came to India with its Chennai office in June 2021 by buying the marketing platform Insent.ai. They’ve moved out of a co-working space into a new dedicated office.
- In the past 10 months, the company has doubled its team in the city, with 90% of the country’s team located in Chennai. This is across departments, including R&D, data science, and data engineering.
Looking to India: The company has plans for its India operations in developing products. Chennai will help facilitate the building of some of its key AI components, including a 20-member team working on core GenAI products.
🤝 Picking up the pieces
The startup Project Kintsugi helps women through divorce and domestic violence.
What’s it about? Following a judicial separation, founder Indu Gopalakrishnan was at a crossroads. With support from family and friends, she battled through the legal process and came away with an idea. She began a support group in 2019 and then a company in November 2022 to help women get in touch with lawyers and therapists. Thus began Project Kintsugi.
- To provide professional help and support, the company works with Selligion Praho for the Mitra Partnership programme. It helps women become financially independent.
- The goal is to make women feel less lonely during a difficult phase in their lives. Going through a divorce herself, Indu realised the stigma and lack of knowledge on knowing who to contact and where to go.
Making an impact: The group has helped dozens of women to cope with domestic violence. While people still come forward, there’s still a social stigma around divorce. In sharing her experience and that of others, Project Kintsugi hopes to make lives better.
📊 Today’s Poll
(Only subscribers can participate in the polls)
Would you consider buying an Electric Vehicle if it was cheaper?
- I would consider buying an EV if it was cheaper.
- I wouldn’t consider buying an EV if it was cheaper.
❓ Today’s Question
(Only subscribers can submit their answers)
What would be the components of your dream meal?
Reply to this email with your answers.
🗞️ In other news…
- IIT Madras launched a platform for accelerators and startups called Incubators.
- The 27-storey Central Plaza will be built next year as part of the ₹400 crore central square project at Central Station.
- SS Badrinath, the founder of the city’s Sankara Nethralaya, passed away at 83.
- Five teenage authors launched their books at the Madras Literary Society ahead of the International Kindness Festival 2023.
- Dense vegetation at the roundabout near Anna Nagar East hampers visibility for motorists.
🛋️ Local Lounge
Yesterday’s Poll:
- I have been to a sports bar: 22.2%
- I haven’t been to a sports bar: 77.8% 🏆
Answers to Yesterday’s Question:
What would you name a pet dog or cat?
Suchi: “Rana”
That’s it for today. Have a great day!