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The foodtech sector is on the upswing.

US-based investor Baron Capital Group has marked up the valuation of food delivery unicorn Swiggy by 13% to touch $12.1 billion. It has increased the valuation of its stake in Swiggy to $87.2 million as compared to $74.4 million earlier.

Meanwhile, Kinara Capital is the latest to launch a fund for women entrepreneurs. It announced a Rs 500 crore fund under its HerVikas programme to encourage women-owned MSMEs in the AI/ML, manufacturing, and trading sectors.

Recently, VC firms like Colossa and GetVantage also raised fresh capital to focus on women-led companies.

In other news, monthly systematic investment plan (SIP) contributions have hit a fresh high of Rs 19, 186 crore, according to the Association of Mutual Funds in India. Also, the equity mutual funds reported an inflow of Rs 26,866 crore in February—the highest monthly infusion in 23 months.

Also, Nepal has become the latest country to allow UPI payments. The development follows the collaboration between NPCI International Payments and the Nepalese payment network Fonepay Payment Service.

ICYMI: This video proves that art and physics can be a powerful combination. 

In today’s newsletter, we will talk about 

• Luxury furniture made with traditional craft
• Traditional Indian ‘nashta’ gets a status lift
• Exploring the small Welsh town of Brecon

Here’s your trivia for today: Before Washington DC, which city served as the capital of the US?

Splurge

Luxury furniture made with traditional craft

With a growing demand for luxury housing in India fuelled by increased disposable income and an enhanced lifestyle, there is also a greater desire to seek decor products that are premium. Objectry stands out with its collection of sleek and architecturally aesthetic objects.

Founded in 2015 by Aanchal Goel, the Delhi-based home decor and furniture brand is all about breathing life into everyday objects.

The journey:

• In the initial days, Objectry’s decor label included lifestyle-based small products and small tabletop accessories like mugs, bowls, and lamps.
• In 2021, it introduced a line of furniture pieces comprising coffee tables, dining tables, seating, shelves, and more.
• The brand has also introduced Terracotta furniture inspired by the Japanese aesthetic of Wabi-Sabi. The new range consists of a set of chairs, a coffee table, a book rack, and a mirror. 

Wine and food

Traditional Indian ‘nashta’ gets a status lift

Amidst all the European and coastal nosh up and bar bites at Assagao in Goa, restaurant Bawri boasts of traditional Indian delicacies. For every beefsteak and pork ribs, Bawri takes pride in Kakori Kebabs and Nihari. 

“With rooted techniques and bold flavours, it takes diners on a trip back in time,” Chef and Partner Amninder Sandhu tells YS Life. 

Authentic breakfast:

• Inspired by breakfast from across Indian homes, the Bawri breakfast menu is a curation comprising South India’s warm Appam and Stew and Podi Idli; Delhi’s puffy Chole Bhature; Surat’s Keema Ghotala; to Punjab’s Samosa and Parathas. 
• The 9,500 sq ft restaurant is canopied by ferns, palms, and frangipani; the ceiling above is made using bamboo and features Goan restaurants’ favourite decor element—macrame hangings. 
• The star of the show is the thick, nut-loaded Malai Lassi, which is worth waking up for on a Sunday, even during a Goan vacation. 

Travel and Leisure

Exploring the small Welsh town of Brecon

Once upon a time, the Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal, or the Mon and Brec as it is called locally, was a vital transport route. Peaceful and rural, it has often been voted Britain’s prettiest canal and offers a variety of activities as it meanders through the countryside.

Natural beauty:

• Brecon is today renowned for its Georgian architecture and makes the perfect base for a holiday as it combines history and culture with natural beauty.
• The town of Brecon is one of the most historic settlements in Wales. It is home to ancient settlements like Slwch Tump and Pen-y-Crug, the sites of Iron Age forts; and Y Gaer, which houses the remains of an eight-acre Roman fort.
• Culture enthusiasts will enjoy spending a morning at Brecknock Museum and Art Gallery, a space that melds poetry, music, art, learning, and reading.

News & updates

• Back to business: OpenAI announced CEO Sam Altman would be returning to the company’s board, along with three new external board members. The moves come as OpenAI wraps up an external investigation into the events that led to Altman’s brief ouster last year.
• Stealing secrets: Microsoft said it is still trying to evict the elite Russian government hackers who broke into the email accounts of senior company executives in November. The hackers from Russia’s SVR foreign intelligence service used data obtained in the intrusion to compromise some source-code repositories and internal systems.
• Apple vs EU: Apple has abruptly reversed a decision to ban Epic Games, the maker of “Fortnite,” from launching its own app store on iOS in Europe—just a day after European Union officials said they were investigating the matter. Epic will now be able to bring “Fortnite” back to iPhones in Europe.

Before Washington DC, which city served as the capital of the US?

Answer: Philadelphia, in Pennsylvania state.

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