Are TN’s online gaming rules roadblocks?; Fighting plastic waste with innovation

Hello,

Ola Electric is on a serious fat-trimming mission. 

The Bhavish Aggarwal-led company is laying off over a thousand employees and contract workers as it races to stem ballooning losses, Bloomberg reported. 

The cuts span multiple departments, including procurement, fulfilment, customer relations, and charging infrastructure. Notably, the company plans to automate parts of its customer relations operations.

This would be the second round of layoffs in less than six months at the company, which is struggling to keep its position as the top dog in the EV ecosystem due to rising competition. 

Paytm, meanwhile, is in a regulatory kerfuffle of epic proportions, after the Enforcement Directorate said its investigation revealed that the fintech and its units had violated the country’s Foreign Exchange Management Act to the tune of Rs 611 crore. 

Among other things, this involved Paytm and its units failing to inform the RBI of certain foreign direct investments and not following the pricing guidelines stipulated by it. 

In other news, the fashion world might be about to see one of the biggest collabs for luxury labels, as Prada SpA moves closer to a deal to buy Versace after agreeing to a price of nearly 1.5 billion euros. 

A deal like this would reverse a decades-long trend of Italian fashion groups, including Gucci and Valentino, being taken over by foreign rivals.

The Devil wears Prada, and soon, perhaps Versace too? 

In today’s newsletter, we will talk about 

• Tamil Nadu’s online gaming rules
• Fighting plastic waste with innovation
• Transforming Indian classical music with AI

Here’s your trivia for today: What is the name of the real-life hotel that inspired the Overlook Hotel in Stephen King’s “The Shining”?

Online gaming

Tamil Nadu’s online gaming rules cause confusion

On February 10, the Tamil Nadu Online Gaming Authority (TNOGA) rolled out rules, which according to industry experts are reasonable and already in practice. However, two of the two rules have triggered concerns—a “gaming curfew” and Aadhar authentication. 

The curfew mimics the blank hours set forth by China in 2023. Meanwhile, the Aadhar authentication, which requires a second layer OTP verification sent to the Aadhar-linked phone number, has sparked confusion as private companies, legally, cannot enforce it. 

Conundrum:

• There are two ways this issue can be resolved, according to Vidushpat Singhania, Managing Partner at sports law firm Krida Legal. One, the central government opens up the usage of Aadhar data to all private entities or two, they do not allow it and companies can challenge this regulation. 
• Moreover, platforms that operate rummy games have retaliated to this bracket. “If the argument is that this rule is to reduce addiction, it is not like someone who's playing this can't go and play other games or can't do other stuff on offshore websites,” notes an industry expert. 
• Another problem is understanding how to implement these blank hours. Geo-fencing is one option but according to companies, VPN can easily bypass geofencing. 

Startup

Fighting plastic waste with innovation

The Indian cleaning industry is dominated by a few large players, leaving little room for innovation. Most products in the market rely on chemical-heavy formulations and plastic-intensive packaging, with little focus on ingredient transparency.

Specialising in cleaning tablets that eliminate the need for single-use plastic bottles, TABBSZ offers tablets that can be dissolved in water, significantly reducing both plastic waste and carbon emissions from transportation.

Environment-friendy:

• Founded in 2024, Mumbai-based TABBSZ offers multi-surface, floor, toilet, and glass cleaners, along with laundry wash, dishwashing tablets, washing machine descalers, and moisturising foam washes. 
• The products are formulated with sodium bicarbonate for effective cleansing, a pH buffer for stability, and coconut-derived surfactants to ensure a gentle, chemical-free composition.
• Beyond its products, TABBSZ runs initiatives like tree plantations and hygiene donations. For every Rs 300 spent by a customer, one tree is planted with geotagging for tracking.

Innovation

Transforming Indian classical music with AI

Built by 19-year-old Shanit Ghose, Sur is an AI-powered stem splitter and sample library designed specifically for Indian classical music (ICM). Unlike generic tools, it aims to capture the nuanced layers of the genre with precision, allowing modern producers to make use of traditional elements in their work easily.

AI composer:

• Sur uses a proprietary AI algorithm trained on over 350 ICM tracks, advanced deep learning models for frequency separation, and a curated sample library from independent artists.
• In addition to a stem splitter, the platform offers a curated sample library by collaborating with independent artists, allowing their work to be sampled while giving them access to a diverse library for their own projects.
• Sur follows a fair revenue-sharing model, ensuring that contributing artists earn each time their samples are used, along with empowering creators with high-quality, genre-specific tools. It aims to partner with platforms like Logic Pro, Ableton, and FL Studio.

News & updates

• Manufacturing test: Chip designers Nvidia and Broadcom are running manufacturing tests with Intel, indicating that the companies are moving closer to determining whether they will commit hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of manufacturing contracts to Intel.
• Offering: Chinese electric vehicle maker BYD is aiming to raise as much as HK $40.7 billion ($5.2 billion) in what would be Hong Kong’s biggest share sale in nearly four years.
• Stepping down: US supermarket chain Kroger said that chief executive and chair Rodney McMullen had stepped down after a board investigation found his personal conduct was “inconsistent” with its policy on business ethics.

What is the name of the real-life hotel that inspired the Overlook Hotel in Stephen King’s “The Shining”?

Answer: The Stanley Hotel.

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