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The good, the bad and the downright weird—the Olympics opening ceremony had it all.

Celine Dion made a stunning comeback against the backdrop of the Eiffel Tower, while Lady Gaga paid tribute to Paris cabaret culture on the banks of the Seine.

The chorus of headless Marie Antoinettes, though? Definitely unexpected.

All in all, the 2024 Olympics kicked off on an interesting note, even with the arson attacks that hit France’s high-speed rail network hours earlier.

But the show must go on, as they say.

Back home, regulators are out in full force, as the RBI imposed a penalty of Rs 2.41 crore on Visa for using an unauthorised payment transfer method.

Meanwhile, Vijay Mallya is no longer the king of good times in SEBI’s eyes. 

The regulator on Friday barred Mallya from trading in India’s securities market and from associating with any listed company for three years.

ICYMI: What happens when you try to take the K out of K-pop?

What you shouldn’t miss though, is our newest video series “Disruptor Dialogues”, where we delve deep into fast-moving startups and their journey towards shattering industry norms. Catch the first episode here. 

In today’s newsletter, we will talk about 

• An inclusive approach to adventure
• Laalee’s celebration of local culture
• Breaking biases in the Merchant Navy

Here’s your trivia for today: The language spoken by the Ewoks in Star Wars is based on a mix of which Asian languages?

Travel and Leisure

An inclusive approach to adventure

Bengaluru-based Naveen Mallesh’s sense of adventure was alive and kicking even as a seven-year-old, when he would climb easily accessible hillocks around his home, before commercialisation took over the city. 

The thirst for new experiences stayed with him long after childhood, pushing him to start a community of trekkers on Facebook with another trekking enthusiast, Mahendra Rathod.  Thus, TrekNomads was born. 

Trekking for all:

• The community organises end-to-end trekking experiences known as trekcations in India and overseas, for their clientele to experience nature without compromising on comfort or quality. 
• They offer easy to moderate day-long treks over the weekend, such as two-day treks to Kurinjal peak in the Kudremukh National Park or Brahmagiri in the ghats of south Karnataka, as well as some longer  Himalayan treks and even some international expeditions to Nepal, Tanzania and Russia.
• Safety and inclusivity are the guiding principles for TrekNomads. In case of an emergency on the trek route, TrekNomads has an helicopter on standby for evacuation.

Travel and Leisure

Laalee’s celebration of local culture

Jaipur, often known as the ‘Pink City’, offers a smorgasbord of colours and cultures—not just through its magnificent forts and palaces but also vibrant stories. 

Dig a little deeper and you will stumble upon hidden gems like Laalee–a true labour of love created by artist Shan Bhatnagar and his wife Devyani, in the form of a homestay that finds joy in the celebration of divinity. 

Handpainted haven:

• Derived from the Hindi word lal, which means ‘scarlet’, Laalee represents Shan’s undying love for his muse–the beloved Lord Krishna.
• As a painter, Shan draws inspiration from the Pichwai art of Rajasthan. Laalee, in its heart and soul, is a reflection of this tradition, which forms the centrepiece of every room in the homestay.
• Food is an integral part of the Laalee experience, with highlights such as the Kayastha thali, a rich representation of the culinary heritage of the Kayastha community that Devyani belongs to.

Women Empowerment

Breaking biases in the Merchant Navy

Stepping aboard a Maersk cargo ship as the only female Electro-Technical Officer (ETO) in a team of 20 men in 2017, the first thing Romeeta Bundela met with was her manager’s apprehensions. But she persevered on that four-month voyage.

Since then, there was no looking back. Today, the 29-year-old engineer serves as the second Electro-Technical Officer (ETO) at Carnival UK, a cruise ship.

Challenging journey:

• In her role, Bundela oversees all electrical systems, power management, control and automation systems, marine and deck safety equipment, electronic equipment, and lighting.
• Her toughest voyage, Bundela says, was during the pandemic when she was stuck at sea near the China border for over nine months due to flight cancellations.
• The acceptance of female officers in the Merchant Navy remains a challenge due to a scarcity in women applicants, she says, which in turn stems from a lack of awareness among people, and hesitation in hiring women by companies that believe the job is better suited for men due to its physical and mental toll.

News & updates

• Launch dates: SpaceX and NASA said on Friday that they plan to launch the space agency’s Crew-9 mission to the International Space Station (ISS) no earlier than August 18.
• Tariff ban: About half of the World Trade Organization’s members reached a preliminary deal on ecommerce that would permanently ban tariffs on digital transactions that are zipping across borders at twice the growth rate of physical merchandise.
• Electric future: Volkswagen AG’s Lamborghini is experiencing a “new start” and the future of Lamborghini’s everyday models, such as the Urus, and its four-door GT sports car Lanzador is fully electric, Chief Executive Officer Stephan Winkelmann told newspaper Börsen Zeitung.

The language spoken by the Ewoks in Star Wars is based on a mix of which Asian languages?

Answer: Tibetan, Nepali and Kalmyk.

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