Kerala’s AI and startup vision; Inside Sidharth Malhotra’s culinary adventures

Hello,

The Greatest Rivalry is about to unfold on Sunday as India takes on Pakistan at the ICC Champions Trophy!

Hosting the biggest game in the first round of the eight-nation Champions Trophy is Dubai’s International Cricket Stadium, with a meagre capacity of 25,000, compared to the sport’s great venues in Ahmedabad (132,000), among many others. 

Of course, ICC is confident that Sunday’s match will be among the most-watched contests of the year in any sport. Here's how the United Arab Emirates—a country where a few locals play the sport—became a favoured location for ICC to conduct big cricket matches.

In other news, the recent layoffs at Meta—the company terms them underperformers—isn’t stopping the social media giant from expanding in other countries.

With Meta setting up a new tech hub in Bengaluru soon, it has opened hiring for 41 positions, most of which were posted over the last month. The positions are split between software or machine learning engineer jobs, and roles focused on designing chips for Meta’s data centers.

Lastly, all you need to know about cryptocurrency exchange Bybit’s $1.5 billion hack.

In today’s newsletter, we will talk about 

• Kerala’s AI and startup vision
• Inside Sidharth Malhotra’s culinary adventures
• The Gathering of community and cuisine

Here’s your trivia for today: What colour was long considered the colour of royalty?

Interview

Kerala’s AI and startup vision

Kerala has always been an outlier in India’s development story, consistently topping human development indices while maintaining a unique social fabric. Now, under Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's leadership, the state is making bold moves to position itself as India's hub for responsible artificial intelligence development and sustainable entrepreneurship.

In an exclusive interview on the sidelines of Invest Kerala Global Summit, the Chief Minister outlines his strategy for making the state a hub for ethical AI development while fostering grassroots entrepreneurship.

Staying ahead:

• He says, “Our policy is that science and technology should be used for human progress and societal transformation. Our approach to AI is also in tune with that understanding. It focuses on responsible AI, ethical deployment, and industry-academia collaboration to drive innovation and inclusive growth.”
• Kerala has been actively promoting startup activity beyond major cities, fostering industrial development in Tier II and Tier III cities. Our 'Work Near Home' initiative has encouraged businesses to establish operations in smaller towns.
• “We have constituted the Loka Kerala Sabha, which has been instrumental in strengthening our ties with the global Malayali diaspora. The Pravasi community has significantly contributed to Kerala's industrial and infrastructural development,” he adds.

Food and Wine

Inside Sidharth Malhotra’s culinary adventures

For actors and celebrities, keeping up their appearance for roles, often through crash diets, is as crucial as their skills. But for Sidharth Malhotra of Shershaan and Kapoor & Sons fame, food is his love language. 

Hilton had invited 20 handpicked guests to its luxury property Conrad Bengaluru for its first-ever private celebrity experience by Hilton Honors, the group’s guests loyalty programme in South Asia—a dinner with the actor himself. The hospitality company recently roped in Malhotra as its brand ambassador. 

First food:

• Given his work and passion, Malhotra travels a lot, and experiencing different cuisines is a highlight of the journey. “It’s more about food for me when I am travelling,” he says. 
• The evening celebrated the fusion of bold Indian flavours and refined Japanese techniques, inspired by Malhotra’s love for Japanese cuisine and his travels. The six-course meal reflected a harming of tradition and innovation, brought to life with thoughtful presentation. 
• Hilton believes that these exclusive experiences help create a deeper emotional connection with its guests, enhancing customer loyalty, and elevating the brand's perception in the competitive hospitality market.

Food and Wine

The Gathering of community and cuisine

The stately Travancore Palace in New Delhi is where you will find nine of India’s most celebrated chefs this weekend. And no, they aren’t pegged against each other. Instead, the air is filled with the palpable excitement of collaboration. Each chef pairs up with an artist or a designer to bring the themes of ‘conservation’, ‘exploration’ or innovation’ to life, through never-seen-before concept tables—where culinary experiments and storytelling take centre stage.  

This is ‘The Gathering’—a unique food experience put together by event planning company CAB Experiences, which promises to go beyond the definition of ‘pop-ups’. 

Creations:

• Regi Mathew and Vinu Daniel’s ‘The Modern Day Toddy Shop’ recreates the experience of traditional kallu shops in Kerala. The use of discarded fishing nets brings you closer to the real experience. 
• There’s no way food can take a backseat at The Gathering. Each chef has stepped out of their comfort zone to offer a five-course meal for 20 diners that goes beyond the traditional dining experience. 
• Every year, The Gathering will have a different concept and crew, which, Sushmita Sarmah, Founder and Festival Director of The Gathering, claims, no other food event is doing in the country. 

News & updates

• Security: Apple is removing its highest level data security tool from customers in the UK after the government demanded access to user data. Advanced Data Protection means only account holders can view their photos or documents stored online through a process known as end-to-end encryption.
• Charges dropped: Coinbase said the US SEC has agreed to drop its enforcement case against the company. In 2023, the SEC charged Coinbase with operating an unregistered securities exchange and for failing to properly register its crypto staking programme.
• Tariffs: US President Donald Trump ordered his trade chief to revive investigations aimed at imposing tariffs on imports from countries that levy digital service taxes on US technology companies. Britain, France, Italy, Spain, Turkey, India, Austria, and Canada have levied taxes on sales revenue by Big Tech and other digital services providers within their borders.

What colour was long considered the colour of royalty?

Answer: Purple.

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