Good morning, Chennai!
🌤️ Today’s weather: Partly cloudy skies for today.
🧐 Did you know? The Kapaleeswarar temple, built in the 7th century AD, was destroyed by the Portuguese in the mid-16th century. It was rebuilt by the Vijayanagara Kings about a kilometre from the original site in Mylapore.
🍳 A cricketer’s diet
As teams come to the city to play World Cup matches, players are given bespoke diets.
What’s it about? Each team has a nutritionist who works with the hotel to prepare their meals, including the player’s personal preferences. Usually, their diets are high-protein and low-carb.
- At the Leela Palace, where some teams stay, a standard lunch for the Kiwi and Australian players is steamed vegetables with fish or chicken. Unlike the IPL, the players are under tighter security and have a separate breakfast menu.
- Some players have personal preferences. For example, Virat Kohli has a special vegan menu. Others, like Rohit Sharma and Hardik Pandya, have personal chefs that travel with them.
Favourites: While the New Zealand team avoids curries, some players ask for paratha or dosa for breakfast. The breakfast menu at the Leela now has millet options with millet dosas and idlis.
🏭 Redeveloping an export zone
The Madras Export Processing Zone (MEPZ) will be redeveloped to bring in more companies and increase exports.
What’s it about? The MEPZ at Tambaram, the third one established in the country, is set for a vertical redevelopment to house more companies and boost exports.
- The project is being undertaken since the MEPZ has utilised 100% of the 262-acre plot area. Also, about 30% of the built-up area has been unutilised for non-production purposes.
- Part of the process will be flatted factories, i.e. multi-storey structures that maximise the available land. Floors can be added to meet changing requirements. There’s going to be an increase of 2 lakh square metres.
Other details: The initial 2 lakh square metre expansion will begin in a year. Additional development will happen on market demand. Exports from MEPZ in FY2023 were around ₹6,200 crore. With the redevelopment, exports can increase to ₹30,000 crore.
👨🏽💼 Never too old to be an entrepreneur
Three friends in their 50s and their biotech startup showcase why it’s not too late to be an entrepreneur.
What’s it about? While most people in their 50s would be planning for retirement, this wasn’t the case for Sivaram Pillai, Bala Chandrasekar, and Vishwadeep Kuila. They started Proklean Technologies in 2012 to utilise robotics and technology as an alternative to toxic chemicals in industrial use.
- With experience in the leather business, Pillai and Chandrasekar came up with alternatives. The company’s patented technology converts naturally occurring microbes into material to mimic chemical surfactants.
- Their age and experience helped them be resilient in building a business and were a blessing in disguise. They even faced challenges like the 2015 floods that submerged their factory. They’ve grown since then with a new innovation centre to help expand their product portfolio.
Journey and Ethos: To future-proof their business, they brought in management teams to succeed them. The company currently has a revenue of ₹40 crore. For the founders, this isn’t a vanity project and preach that founders of companies must focus on the organisation and not themselves.
🏢 Leadec’s Chennai expansion
The global services specialist opened its new office in the city as the company expands its footprint.
What’s it about? Leadec, the services specialist, opened its new office in the city, followed by a discussion on the future of outsourcing and fuels by customers and industry representatives. Chennai has stood out for its highly qualified technical employees.
- For the company, Chennai is the right location since it’s a hub for automotive, commercial vehicle, and process industries. It’s also the company’s base to provide services to neighbouring states.
- The company’s beginnings in the region were modest, with only six employees at the beginning. It has served its clients from Chennai since 2010 and has over 1,400 employees in South India.
The industry’s future: The company, by expanding its footprint in the city and South India is well positioned. The industry and region are primed to become a hub for world-class manufacturing.
📊 Today’s Poll
(Only subscribers can participate in the polls)
Have you bought a house/apartment in the city?
- I have bought a house/apartment in the city.
- I haven’t bought a house/apartment in the city.
❓ Today’s Question
(Only subscribers can submit their answers)
What’s the best historical site you’ve visited?
Reply to this email with your answers.
🗞️ In other news…
- The Chennai airport is among the only two AAI-operated airports to report decreased footfall this year compared to pre-Covid levels.
- Unmilled city roads have become a cause of worry since they’re prone to flooding during the monsoon.
- State Transport Department has taken action against private omnibuses for overcharging.
- Tambaram residents have launched a project to get more public toilets.
- Suburban lines toward Chennai were affected due to an EMU derailment.
🛋️ Local Lounge
Yesterday’s Poll:
- I display Golu dolls in my house: 16.7%
- I don’t display Golu dolls in my house: 83.3% 🏆
That’s it for today. Have a great day!