Incredible Goa May 2022 Issue

The pandemic seems to be over and life is almost back to normal albeit we are informed of 4th and 5th waves. The question here is, will these waves ever stop? And the answer is no! Covid is here to stay but we're finding ways to live with it, being as normal as

Every woman can empower herself What she needs is faith in herself and the support of her loved ones. The stories of women's empowerment are becoming more plentiful and relevant these days.Andthatcanbeattributedtothefreedom...

As far as I know, Copperleaf's name has always been synonymous with Goa's best restaurants to experience the authentic Goan thali, buttrustmewhenIsaythereismuchmoretoit.Copperleafhas..

Hailing from Gujarat, Yashika Sawant did her secondary education in Kolhapur Maharashtra and Hotel Management from Nanavati Institute at Ahmadabad before relocating to Goa. Yashika is a single momwhorunsGoa'sfirstladies'specialdrivingschool.

36 GOAN TALENT

Reha Kimberly Correia, a resident of Canacona is currently living in Panaji to complete her education in Music at Goa College of Music. Reha inherited her golden voice from her mother who, according to Reha,isaverygoodsingeralthoughshenevergotanopportunity

38 YOUNG GOA

The pandemic did not bring only devastation and adversity but also had a few silver linings. One of them was online schooling that changed the entire perspective of students and resulted in many waysoflearningnewskills.

40 STARTUP GOA

With more than a decade of experience as an assistant professor in The IT (Information Technology) Department in one of the leading Engineering & Science Colleges of Goa, Suwarna completed her BachelorofEngineeringinthefieldofI.T inyear2007.

42 FASHION TRENDS

When you think of Goa and summer vacation, what first comes to mind for what to wear? White? That's right - white cotton wear is the best option for the hot summer in Goa. Here are a few fashion tipsanddresscodesthatyoucantryduringyourvacation...

MAY
2022

rajeshghadge @rajeshghadgeofficial @rajeshghadgeofficial

Editor & Publisher

Rajesh Ghadge

rajesh@rajeshghadge.com

Finance &Admin

Rajeshree Naik Ghadge admin@incrediblegoa.org

Layouts & Design

Creative Concepts Media creativeconceptsgoa@gmail.com

Sales & Marketing

Team Incredible Goa sales@incrediblegoa.org

Contributors

Norbert D’Souza

AnitaAthi

Dr. Schuyler Pereira

Aditi Malhotra

Laila Fathima

Circulations & Logistics

The Pandemic and its worst effects are over. Though it may not be coming back, the virus is not going anywhere and we all are learning to live with it. The world is slowly making its way back to normal and people have started returning back to the office after a long break of almost two and a half years. The traffic on the road says it all. I have also recently come across the news that WeWork, the global workspace provider, is increasing its seats and signing new spaces for the increase in demand. This shows that co-working culture and spaces is going to be the future of workspace across the globe.

The Pandemic has left in its wake, a big dent in the human race. It has changed the way we used to live and work and that is not reversible. People have learned to work from home and that has posed a big challenge for the real estate business, especially since the demand for commercial spaces has come down drastically in the major metro cities. But Goa still remains unaffected by this development.

stopped but the rampant development that is increasing at an alarming rate will finish the charm of this beautiful state.

Hospitality is a major sector of revenue generation in Goa and the Goans have been dependent on it for a long time. In fact, Goa was the only place in the country that was open even during the Pandemic, the hospitality industry in Goa never took a break, except for some exceptions. There were many new properties that came up during the pandemic and the reason behind that was the increase in demand. In the demand for destination weddings, conferences, events, Goa remains in the forefront.

Aakash Ghadge Team Incredible Goa

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To err is human. Although we take due care while publishing themagazinetoensureitisfreeofanymistakes,anyomissions or errors are entirely unintentional. In case you find any erroneous photographs, language, missing credits or anything else published incorrectly, please feel free to bring it to our notice We believe in publishing matters that catch our readers' attention and at the same time impart information. We hope all our readers appreciate the content and help us makethispublicationevenbetteranduseful.

The development in Goa is at its peak due to huge migration taking place into the state. Those who used to come here for the vacation are now buying the properties and setting up the second home. The story does not remain limited to just setting up the second home but it is going beyond as many of them are also setting up their businesses here.

North Goa is getting saturated; especially the places like Assagao, Calangute, Candolim, Anjuna, Vagator, and Porvorim are becoming the hub of businesses set up by the people who have migrated to Goa. Migration and development cannot be

At Incredible Goa, we also sensed the opportunity and our team kept working day and night during the pandemic to bring out Goa's first and only Food & Hospitality Magazine. While print media almost went into hibernation mode, digital media was progressing and we made sure that our publication takes maximum advantage of the same and succeeded in bringing out the new digital product into the market Currently, Incredible Goa Food & Hospitality Magazine is a premier magazine in this segment with most of the major hospitality players being a part of it.

Just like Goa's Hospitality Industry, Incredible Goa has also bounced back and it is marching towards the next destination Incredible Goa has always remained a part of the Tourism and Hospitality ecosystem and our every step will be meant towards the betterment of this industry. We will be coming back with new surprises in the coming days, until then happy reading…

theneedfulwillbedoneinthefollowingissue.

Sudhakar T N Takes over as Chairman & Managing Director of Goa Shipyard Limited

Extension of Preferential Purchase Incentive Scheme for MSME

Shri Sudhakar T N takes over

Director of Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL) on demitting of office of the CMD, GSL by Cmde B B Nagpal, NM, IN, (Retd).

T N Sudhakar started his career with M/s Bharat Heavy Electrical Ltd, EPD, Bangalore. After serving BHEL for 2 years h e j o i n e d M / s C o c h i n

S h i p y a r d L t d (CSL) He has h e l d v a r i o u s p o s i t i o n s i n Finance Wing of CSL and was in the service of CSL for 28 years. Prior to leaving CSL he was working as General Manger (Finance). He left CSL and joined Goa Shipyard Ltd (GSL) on 01 Feb 2016 as Director (Finance) He is a Post Graduate in Commerce and a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India. He has taken additional c h a r g e o f C h a i r m a n & Managing Director, Goa Shipyard Ltd w e f 01 May 2022.

Goa Chamber of Commerce & Industry has requested to the Hon'ble Minister of Industries Mr Mauvin Godinho t o e x t e n d t h e “ T h e P r e f e r e n t i a l P u r c h a s e Incentive Scheme for Micro & Small Enterprises 2008” MSME sector is considered the backbone of the Indian economy that has contributed substantially to the socioeconomic development of the n a t i o n I t g e n e r a t e s employment opportunities and works in the development of backward and rural areas. As per the official data as of 31st Dec 2022, there are presently approximately 6.35 crore MSMEs in India. MSMEs contribute more than 29% to the GDP and are

Aakash Institute and BYJU'S Tieup With GVM HSS Ponda For NEET & JEE Aspirants

Ponda, Goa, to offer training to NEET and JEE aspirants.

The Synchro p r o g r a m

b e t w e e n

Aakash+BYJU's Margao Branch

a n d G V M ' s Adarsh Higher

To facilitate the seamless continuation of studies and help more students realize their dream of becoming doctors and engineers, the M a r g a o b r a n c h o f

Aakash+BYJU'S, the national leader in test preparation services, has tied up with GV M ' s A d a r s h H i g h e r

Secondary School situated in

S e c o n d a r y School will help students enroll for a two-year course that focuses on the Medical and Engineering curriculum right after completing Class X board examinations.

The course will offer regular classroom coaching for Class XI and XII students under the able guidance of highly

qualified and experienced faculties. Leveraging the

i n t e r a c t i v e t e a c h i n g

a p p r o a c h , h i g h - y i e l d

c o m p r e h e n s i v e s t u d y materials will be provided to students with iTutor prerecorded video lectures on a secured platform, and weekly p r a c t i c e t e s t s a n d

a s s e s s m e n t s w i l l b e conducted to help students ace national competitive examinations like JEE, NEET, and Olympiads.

The curriculum will extensively cover subjects such as Physics, Chemistry, Botany & Zoology for NEET aspirants and Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics for JEE NEET aspirants will receive study

responsible for 50% of the country's total exports. They are also accountable for onethird of India's manufacturing output. MSMEs employ more than 11 crore people, and will grow to 15 crore in the coming years. This is an important revenue sector for Goa also. The said scheme implemented from 2008 & extended periodically expired on 31st March 2021 and has not been further extended. This was a boon to the Micro & small Enterprises in Goa Mr Sanjay Amonkar, Director General, GCCI informed thatThis was a beneficial Scheme to the MSME's introduced by the Govt. However this scheme expired on 31/03/2021 & has not been renewed

materials in subjects like Physics, Chemistry, Botany & Zoology, while JEE aspirants will receive study materials in S u b j e c t s l i k e P h y s i c s , Chemistry & Mathematics. Students will also have access to highly engaging All India Aakash Test Series (AIATS) for their practice sessions. With the support of world-class i n f r a s t r u c t u r e a n d technologies, students can learn core subjects and resolve doubts with teachers. Admissions to the courses are now open.

Aakash+BYJU'S aims to help students in their quest to achieve academic success. It has a centralized in-house process for curriculum and content development and f a c u l t y t r a i n i n g a n d monitoring, led by its National Academic Team.

GCCI Meets River Navigation Minister Subhash Phaldessai with suggestions

The GCCI President Mr Ralph De Sousa along with GCCI L o g i s t i c s C o m m i t t e e Chairman Mr Chandrakant Gawas , Director General Mr S a n j a y A m o n k a r & Coordinator Mr Sanket Kaskar met Mr Subhash Phaldessai, Minister for River Navigation with suggestions to improve operations & economics. Mr De Sousa said that over the years, the River Navigation Department has served the

people of Goa tirelessly and this has taken its toll on the w o r k s h o p s , offices and the vessels owned b y t h e r i v e r n a v i g a t i o n department There are some areas which have to be looked into, specifically the infrastructure segment like the river ramps and the docks for ferries and passenger boats. The fleet too needs to be modernized to meet today's requirements H e n c e w e p r o p o s e t h e f o l l o w i n g t o i m p r o v e functionality & generate income & employment / business opportunities in the Department.

Privatization of Ferry Service

on PPP Model that will help generate income to the Govt. Branding permissions can be given to private players Repairs of Ferry Ramps, these also can be given to private p l a y e r s o n P P P b a s i s . Recreation centers, gardens, parks, can be created around the ramps with branding permissions. Standby Ferries be provided at Busy Ferry Points like Panaji, Chorao, Sarmanas,etc to cater to public in case of breakdown. The single engine Ferries may be scrapped as they are unsafe & get washed away due to engine failures The Ferry yard at Malim be renovated & upgraded to construct Ferries. Currently Ferries are tendered to external agencies. Since the Captain of Ports & River Navigation Depts go hand in

hand, both these Departments be brought together. The infrastructure needs to be urgently looked into as today due to various environmental and ecological limitations, clearances and permissions for new constructions are difficult, cumbersome and almost impossible to obtain. By safeguarding what we have and revitalizing the dormant jetties and docks, we will not only give a new lease of life to them but will be p r e p a r e d t o m a k e t h e transportation of goods and passenger movements to our vast 250kms of navigable rivers, a reality.

Mr Phaldessai assured GCCI to look into the suggestions & informed that he would convene a meeting shortly The Minister was positive to re- start backwater tourism utilizing the inland waterways. GCCI assured support to the Minister in terms of expertise & logistics.

GAR Conducts a Knowledge Session For Realtors

upgrading their skills. Goa Association of Realtors extends sincere gratitude to the amazing Speakers of the Event; Chartered Accountants - Neeru Agnihotri, Ashutosh Kharangate and Virendra Prabhudesai, who through their vast knowledge and experience on the topics enlightened the Realtors attending the session.

Goa Association of Realtors (GAR), which is part of National Association of Realtors - India, offers the widest and most inclusive selection of residential, c o m m e r c i a l , i n d u s t r i a l , agricultural and mixed-use properties through the vast network of Realtors to help customers achieve their Real Estate dreams.

A Knowledge Session for Realtors was conducted by Goa Association of Realtors, on the 27th of April in Goa at Hotel Fortune Miramar from 4:30 pm to 8 pm, as part of their Knowlege and Education initative, topics covered were; Project Assessment, Tax Implications, Capital Gains, GST in Realty. GAR has been conducting

m a n y s u c h K n o w l e d g e Sessions and Education programs to make the industry more organised, and to empowers Realtors, so they can call upon a vast cache of knowledge and be respected as professionals. The Program was highly appreciated by the Realtors w h o a t t e n d e d f o r t h e initiatives undertaken for

Dr Geeta Kakodkar Takes over as Director of Health Services Goa

and medical superintend

ent at Asilo

h o s p i t a l , M a p u s a after getting p r o m o t e d from the post o f D e p u t y d i r e c t o r , stated the report.

Littering of Empty Beer Bottles Continues on North Goa Beach

Goa health department appoints Dr Geeta Kakodkar as a new health director who took over the charge on Monday replacing he earlier director Dr Ira Almeida who now now posted as the director of national health mission, stated the report. Meanwhile, Dr Kakodkar who took the charge from Dr Almeida has decided to focus on the Lifestyle Deceases as a part of her mission in the department.

According to the report, Dr K a k o d k a r j o i n e d t h e department in year 1991 and she was serving as a project director of GSACS (Goa State Aids Control Society) for the past 10 months before joining the health department as Director.

Dr Kakodkar has also served the position of deputy director at the director of public health

“My priority would be to improve the e x i s t i n g p r o g r a m m e s b y t h e government. Now that Covid cases are low, and our vaccination has been very successful, we can focus on o t h e r a r e a s , i n c l u d i n g p r e v e n t i o n a n d e a r l y detection of lifestyle diseases l i k e d i a b e t e s a n d hypertension,” Kakodkar said.

“We also need to inculcate good food habits and exercise in school-going children to prevent childhood obesity, which leads to lifestyle diseases in even the very young,” she added.

Almeida, who was earlier the deputy director, held the post of director after Dr Jose D'Sa c o m p l e t e d h i s t e r m i n September last year. D'Sa had retired two years ago but was given an extension twice and was relieved on completion of his term in September.

Calangute – Candolim beach belt is one of the most affected places amongst all the beaches situated in the north Goa and has reported maximum cases of littering the alcohol glass bottles, mainly the beer bottles that causes injuries to others.

The reports suggest an absence of garbage bins on the benches that causing this menace but it is not the fact. There are cases of visitors littering around despite of the facilities of proper garbage management in several beaches across the state.

“Visitors leaves the of the empty alcohol bottles on the beaches which in due course of time breaks into the pipes causing the injuries to others due to the exposed glass shards,” stated the Drishti Marine who manages the safety of the tourists on Goa Beaches.

According to them many water sports operators and

fishermen have also got injured in the recent past due to the cuts occurring from the broken bottles “Many c a s e s g o e s unreported and everyone do n o t c o m e complain about the injuries,” they added. The concentration is more spread across Calangute, Candolim and Baga beaches where domestic tourists flocks in large numbers, stated the report. But now with the time there are cases of littering coming from the south Goa beaches such as Palolem

Meanwhile the stakeholders of the tourism industry have raised a serious concern over this and demanded the immediate implementation facilities of adequate number of garbage bins on the bench. The drinking in public and on the beaches is banned by the law in Goa but there is no strict implementation of the same. The report published by Goa Prism states that the then commissioner of the excise h a d d e m a n d e d t h e amendment in the existing law to bring the ban on drinking on the beaches across Goa but nothing concrete was done till date in this direction.

HUSTLE HARD TO FULFILL YOUR DREAMS

RAJESH TARKAR

Those who have heard about Rajesh Tarkar know him as a Krishna Bhakt and a good Speaker besides being a successful businessman and a reputed builder in the state of Goa, but what many don't know is how he carved his way through the difficult path and reached to the stage where he is today. Most people would give up in the face of adversity, but Rajesh had unconditional faith in Lord Krishna and his belief in Karma made him the man he is today. This story is about the person who builds homes with his heart and soul and at the same time teaches people about the importance of Karma through the focal point

of Krishna.

I have known Rajesh Tarkar for quite some time now and the first time I met him in his office in Panaji I saw the positive energy emitting from his personality and after talking to him for some time I realised that this is the result of his strong faith in Krishna and Karma. Today Rajesh owns a huge office at Goa's premium business destination Patto with a staff of over 300 working under his able guidance.

Born in a small island village called 'Akhada' in a middle class family where his Father used to work on a barge and also run a small bakery, while mother was a helping hand to

his Father in the bakery Rajesh is youngest in the family and loved to play Gumat during Chaturthi with full enthusiasm. After doing matriculation and being i n f l u e n c e d b y d o i n g something of his own by setting up his own business he p e r s u e d a c o u r s e o f electronics specialising in TV reparing. But his Father persuaded him to do a job in The Goa State Co-operative Bank in Marcel as a sub – staff. Rajesh was always keen in learning new things in order to climb the ladder of success and was very hardworking and sincere in his duties. While working as a sub-staff he completed his 12th std and

was soon promoted as the Clerk cum cashier in the same Bank. During this period he was learning Drums and Pakhwaj and also played in Orchestra and Temples. Rajesh admits he was a real multitasker and all these things were running parallel without disturbing anything. “I always loved music and after working as a drummer for Seven Star Orchestra for more than a decade, 12 years to be specific, I developed an interest in singing and went to learn Classical Vocal,” he said.

The Life Partner

Rajesh Tarkar's journey is like the journey of a hero of the film. All the incidents that took

place in his life, his struggle, his passion, his dedication, his multitasking, the ability to come out as a winner in the end climbing the ladder of success, everything will connect you with film stories. Rajesh Tarkar's love story is also very filmy. According to Rajesh he met his wife Deepa on the Orchestra stage where she used to sing while he was playing drums.

“My wife Deepa was a famous singer from Goa. She has done many performances for Orchestra's , Competitions, State television, Zee TV & EL T.V. We met here on this platform where I was playing drums and she was singing. We became friends, instantly

fell in love and got married in 2003,” said Rajesh That's how the business name came into existance, 'Raj' from Rajesh & 'Deep' from Deepa Rajdeep

The Hustle

As I said, Rajesh Tarkar is a hustler and he will not stop until he achieves what he wants and his actions from time to time have already proved that. There is a thin line between becoming the winner or loser and Rajesh always came out the winner at the end. He did not stop when he got the job in the bank, he did not compromise with his dreams and always pursued it with complete dedication and d e t e r m i n a t i o n H e w a s determined to be a business tycoon in Goa and his journey was the proof of it. While working in the bank where by now he had his hands on all the Banking jobs from daily entries till Balance sheet. But that was not the e n d H e c o n t i n u e d h i s education to get on a higher post. He worked hard and completed his BBA. His hard work again beared the fruit of Promotion & within a span of mere 14 years Rajesh Tarkar became the youngest Branch Manager of the Bank He always wanted to go higher, he had big dreams and big success comes with big sacrifices. Working in the bank forever was not his cup of tea and hence he started doing network marketing.

The Struggle

There is a saying that talent and determination does not remain hidden. However you try to suppress them it will shine through in the end s p r e a d i n g t h e l i g h t Something similar happened in Rajesh Tarkar's case. Rajesh was always a hustler, very intelligent, talented hard working and sincere.

“After my office hours, that

used to get over by 5.30 p.m. , I would get engaged into the network marketing,” he said adding that he never wanted to live a typical life that everyone else does, come home from work and watch TV or read newspaper, “Instead when I came back home, I would engage in tasks that would be more productive and keep me busy. I would do riyaz (singing practice), or go for the programs (Orchestra) or go to sell products (Network Marketing and Insurance policies) and this way make good use of my time and walk towards achieving the dreams every day.”

The Stepping Stone

L i f e a l w a y s p r e s e n t s challenges before you and how you take them up is what decides your destiny. Rajesh Tarkar was over burdened with a loan of 12 lakhs but he did not give up. Instead, he decided to fight the battle of his difficult times & work very hard to repay the loan. While working at The Goa State CoOperative Bank, after office hours Rajesh got involved in selling & promoting Swadeshi Products under the brand of 'Swadeshi' Marketing. The network marketing then introduced the insurance products and that exposed Rajesh to the Insurance industry which was just coming up. Initially, he used to sell the Insurance for Bajaj Allianz Life Insurance Company under the networking Brand 'Swadeshi' and being a people's person with sound marketing skills and leadership, in a very short span of time he became the leader in the market by selling huge number of policies. In course of time, he learnt the limitations of his job and resigned from the Managerial post of The Goa state Co. Bank & dedicated himself in Swadeshi Marketing. Later, Bajaj Allianz offered him a job

as Regional manager with big fat salary While this was happening he was also approached by the State Bank of India to handle their insurance product.

“ S B I w a s a w a r e o f m y achievements in Bajaj and they approached me with a job offer, but there was one catch They offered me 25 thousand salary while Bajaj was offering me 60 thousand. Here making the right decision was very crucial I had to decide between big salary and big brand and I came to the conclusion that the difference could always be made up in the incentives and decided to join the SBI Life Insurance Co. ” he narrated. Loan Free Flamboyant Life

Rajesh started as an Unit manager in SBI Life and got promoted up to becoming a Territory Manager within a short span of 2 years. He was felicitated with many trophies and accolades mainly for achieving the no. 1 position for continuous 5 years in West-I region i.e. Maharashtra & Goa in SBI Life. Rajesh Tarkar was known as the Top Manager in the field of Insurance. “It just did not give me a good opportunity but a loan free life. While working at SBI Life I paid back my loan of 12 Lakhs, which was a huge amount during that time. I sold my single bedroom flat and bought a duplex bungalow. Then I bought a luxurious Audi and my life was completely changed. But while this was happening one thing I realised is that I started working tirelessly to pay off my loans and I worked so hard that I got into the habit of working all the time. My wife calls me workaholic,” Tarkar laughed “Things changed so drastically that now I started helping others financially,” said Rajesh. Adding that once he was burdened with the loans

and now, he started giving loans to the needy people

“While I had not become a Builder & still working for SBI Life, yet, I had enough money to live the luxurious life, going on international tours, living in five star properties My life already became flamboyant while I was working in SBI Life.

The Turning Point

In life everyone comes across the point that changes your entire life and that turning point came into the life of Rajesh Tarkar which became the stepping stone in his becoming the Real Estate Mogul of Goa. This is a very interesting story. According to Rajesh, while he was living in the duplex, he purchased a piece of land in Taleigao, w h i c h w a s s t i l l underdeveloped during those days. “I wanted to build my own bungalow on this piece of land but later on my decision was influenced by my close friends who suggested to me that it's not a good idea to build a bungalow in such an underdeveloped area while I

had already acquired a certain amount of financial and social status,” said Rajesh adding that one of his friend suggested him to construct 4 flats on the land and sell them.

“I had money and decided to go ahead with the idea of building apartments and selling them and due to my passion for doing the interiors.

I f i n a l l y s o l d t h o s e 4 apartments fully furnished.” After selling the fully furnished apartments in his own first accidental project Rajesh became famous overnight and people started coming searching for him in the State Bank to ask him about his second project and the rest is history.

On A New Journey

Rajesh made whopping 2 crore profits in his first project and needless to say that he realised the potential and existence of power in the real estate industry. Secondly the prospective customers started coming to him asking for his new project and during that time he received the offer of

an approved project of 10 apartments and he agreed to sell the whole project, with an approved plan and land for 1.5 crore.

“I had 2 crores in my bank and d e c i d e d t o g r a b t h e opportunity Selling the apartment was not a difficult task for me since I already had people coming to me asking for the new projects and some of my customers from SBI insurance also approached me for the apartments and within 6 months time I sold the entire project,” said Rajesh adding that by the time these new developments took place, the insurance business at SBI reached to my saturation point and there was no scope left to excel within Goa “I reached the post of Territory Manager and the next step was the promotion of Area Sales Manager and that means leaving my hometown which I was not willing to do. Second thing that I realised was that I made 5 crore in just one project and the top India l e v e l e x e c u t i v e i n t h e

insurance business was not making more than 15 crore per year and here I decided to leave SBI Insurance and started my own business.”

When Rajesh decided to start his own business, it was a wellplanned decision and he was aware of what he was doing. He had enough money to try his hand in the business and feed his family for the next two years in case of any setbacks.

“I purchased another plot in Taleigao for 1 crore, built apartments and sold them all in one years' time,” he said, adding that things started changing and he started receiving the offer for the JV (Joint Ventures). “In JV the basic advantage is you don't have to invest money in the land and whatever money that you have takes care of c o n s t r u c t i o n s a n d t h i s became the life changing move and from there on I did not look back.”

5 Years Warranty & 25 Years Maintenance

Rajesh Tarkar became the sole Real estate developer in the

state of Goa who provided fully furnished apartments with 5 years warranty and 25 y e a r s o f m a i n t e n a n c e .

According to Rajesh product quality and durability counts the most and the trust the customers keep in you matters a lot “I have learned a business Mantra in my life and that is, 'In everything, do to others what you would have them do to you' and that made me come with the idea of a 5 years warranty and 25 years of maintenance plan in all my projects,” said Rajesh sharing one of his experience that made him think on the importance of maintenance and warranty. “I remembered the time when I was bankrupt and had purchased a single bedroom apartment on loan and next day the wash basin collapsed, I had nowhere to g o a n d t h e r e w a s n o maintenance or warranty from the builder and when I became the builder I decided that this day should not be faced by my customer and decided to start the 5 years warranty and 25 years

maintenance service.”

R

5 years of warranty and 25 years of maintenance that started specifically for the Rajdeep Projects did not remain limited to the Rajdeep alone and Rajesh decided to take it beyond his projects and provide the similar services to other projects existing in Goa.

“I thought why not provide this service to everyone especially when people appreciate the initiative and demand for the same to others. Therefore, we l a u n c h e d t h e c o m p a n y R a j d e e p M a i n t e n a n c e Services on 2nd April 2022 and at present we provide our services within the radius of 20 km of Panaji and soon we have plans of going pan India with this service,” said Rajesh. The enrollment for the 25 years maintenance that started with the customers of Rajdeep Builders is now made open to anyone who desires to be a part of it.

The Big Dream

Just like everyone, Rajesh

Ta r k a r a l s o h a s s o m e

unfulfilled dreams and one of them is creating minimum 1000 employment on board on the payroll of Rajdeep. “Today we have 300 employees but I want to see the day when R a j d e e p w i l l h a v e minimum1000 employees on the payroll,” said Rajesh adding he started with a payroll of Rs 12000/- per month that has now reached to the tune of 28 lakhs rupees per month. “The day I will have 1000 employees and 1 crore monthly payroll that will be the day I will feel that I have achieved real success.”

The Krishna Bhakt

B e s i d e s b e i n g a v e r y successful businessman Rajesh has one more identity and that is “Krishna Bhakt”. Rajesh strongly believes in the teachings of Lord Krishna

The concept ' Believe in Karma & do it everyday' is strictly followed by Mr. Rajesh Tarkar. “I believe that whatever I have today is the result of my Karma and as Lord Krishna Says “Do your Karma and rest will follow. Rajesh also says that Spirituality is to be followed

since Childhood. By following spirituality, we become strong from within and can enjoy our work whether it is household, office or profession. It helps us to stay positive in every situation and live a stressless happy life.

He further says, “I do not believe in making Properties & keeping a huge Bank balance for my Children Arya & Armaan. “I want to do the Karma, I want to serve the society, I want to donate funds for education and betterment of the society I want to sponsor the students, sponsor the schools and also help the needy. When asked from where do you get this energy Mr. Tarkar says, “this energy comes into me from the power of spirituality, the path of Krishna that I follow always takes me into the right direction. My idol is Shri Ratan Tata. Just like him, I want to work for the betterment of society and charity,” he concluded.

By IGTeam

LIFE IS BACK TO NORMAL! REVIVAL OF THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY

We may not have to wear a mask but we need to take care of our health and keep ourselves safe from the virus as much as possible. Despite making all efforts to stay safe, we may well catch Covid – but so what? We catch colds and so on but we've learned to live with it and many of the effects of the virus is now far milder compared to when it first struck.

The best thing about the human race is bouncing back. The world had gone through pandemics and World Wars but we have always bounced back and life normalises itself and it will always be that way, no matter what adverse situation we face.

Tourism and Hospitality in Goa

The tourism industry has bounced back too in Goa, with full opening up of malls, cinema halls, nightclubs and casinos. There is no need for any certificates anymore to enter i Goa and the flow of tourists is growing by the day.

Some people prefer to wear masks even though there's no real legal requirement any m o r e a n d t h a t ' s t h e i r preference.

Hotels in Goa have witnessed a huge boost in bookings since the middle of March 2022 and most of the hotels were running full in the month of April with conferences, destination weddings, awards ceremonies and conclaves There were no masks or social distancing and still the positivity rate remained almost zero. This shows that we have developed a strong immunity to combat the virus. The

Effects of Fake News

Although things are back to normal, there are some people who enjoy spreading fake news about the rise in cases and possibilities of new waves and subsequent lockdowns, but what they forget is this kind of information adversely affects businesses and the hospitality industry in Goa.

In one recent news article

published by one of the leading newspapers, reported that there are rise in case in other states and there's a possibility of a Covid negative certificate being required to enter Goa, to which the health minister of Goa concurred Now this kind of news will surely have a negative impact on the tourism industry. When tourists see such news they may well cancel their plans, postpone holidays etc for fear of being harassed by the authorities for a Covid negative certificate.

T h e p o s s i b i l i t y o f resumption

in international travel

The Goan hospitality industry is dependent on foreign tourists since it brings a big chunk of foreign currency in the state. The pandemic resulted in a complete breakdown of international travel. Cancellations of flights from Russia and UK cost a huge money to the hospitality industry of Goa but now that the pandemic is over, there is

a possibility of a good season that will kick in from October this year.

According to a national news portal, after struggling for over two years due to covid-19 induced restrictions, the travel and hospitality sector is showing signs of a strong revival. If data issued by travel service providers are to be believed, in recent weeks there has been a strong surge in flight and hotel bookings, with the peak summer holiday season heading towards precovid levels.

H o t e l s w i t n e s s e d 8 0 % bookings for the first time since the pandemic “The resumption of international commercial flights is at 100% capacity along with domestic tourists 'revenge travel' trend has been one of the main factors. Other than this, hotel room tariffs across the country were heavily discounted and this too proved to be an incentive for the domestic travellers. Even the events segment including exhibitions,

The pandemic seems to be over and life is almost back to normal albeit we are informed of 4th and 5th waves. The question here is, will these waves ever stop? And the answer is no! Covid is here to stay but we're finding ways to live with it, being as normal as possible.

Image by Vinay Kumar

meetings and conferences have come back in full swing,” said Pradeep Shetty, joint h o n o r a r y s e c r e t a r y , F e d e r a t i o n o f H o t e l & Restaurant Associations of India (FHRAI).

The online booking platforms are also witnessing a boost in booking According to the EaseMyTrip portal, it has seen up to a 50% increase in advance air ticket bookings for the coming summer period.

The Impact of the Rise in Airfares on Tourism

There was a sudden rise in the airfares witnessed recently, but reports suggest that it is not due to post covid effects but the due to the rise in fuel prices. According to experts, there has been a 20-40% increase in domestic and international flight tickets and this certainly has an impact on tourists who are on a budget. According to the reports, travel is active on all fronts including business travel,

MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions), social gatherings and events, leisure travel, staycations, short trips and vacation travel and adventure, among others. If the trend continues without any 'interruptions' , the industry will witness good recovery in FY 2023.

Conclusion

Post pandemic survival is a major challenge before the tourism industry of Goa. The hospitality industry is back on track with everyone is doing good about of business to keep themselves afloat but the positive support from the concerned authorities and state government will help this industry further to take leap. There is a strong need of controlling and stopping of fake and negative news articles that affects the tourism industry of Goa.

Image byArto Suraj

WHERE THERE IS A WILL THERE IS A WAY

The story of Pranita Kadolkar is one such story that will redefine your perceptions of dedication and hard work

D e s p i t e f a c i n g s e v e r e adversity in life, Pranita struggled hard to achieve her dreams. She wasn't fortunate enough to enjoy the kind of privilege lots of women get easily but her persistent efforts and belief in herself made her the empowered woman that she is today. While working for almost five years under a Women Self Help group, Pranita always wanted to do something to establish her identity in this society. “I wanted to have my own identity and that made me become the trader of Agarbattis (Incense Stick) and started buying small stock from the manufacturers,” she said, adding that initially she used to buy in bulk and later on transfer them into smaller packets and sell door to door. “I was doing this day by day every day until the pandemic struck and things came to a standstill.”

Pranita could not complete her formal education and she had to leave her studies halfway. “I was the eldest in the family and we were financially not stable during that time. At the age of 17 I started working as a salesgirl in the departmental store in Panaji,” she said adding, that they gave her initial training which helped her a lot in the future. “After working for almost a decade, I got married at the age of 27 but I did not leave my job and continued working as a salesgirl for the same place in Panaji.” But after having her first child, a baby girl, she had to leave her job to look after the newborn “I had no other support to take care of my daughter and with each day passing, I made sure that I kept myself busy. I tried my hands at various things to see what works best for me while taking care of my daughter at home,” she said. Pranita did not give up her hope and she decided to start selling tender coconut on Coco beach. “I set up a stall

on Coco Beach to sell tender coconut and Fresh Lime Soda. I was selling almost 100 Tender Coconuts a day and the daily sale was dependent on the number of tourists visiting the beach.” Pranita used to work the whole day under the scorching sun but despite that, the income was not sufficient enough to t a k e c a r e o f t h e d a i l y expenses. Soon she had another baby girl and her responsibility doubled She used to bring her also on the beach since no one was there to take care of her. But she continued her pursuit to earn some money to support herself and her family. “After having my third child, a baby girl, I decided to join the Women's Self Help Group After enrolling in my name I saw that everyone in the self-help group is engaged in their own business activities and that made me think if they can, why not me.”

Finally, after thinking for some time Pranita decided to start the business of Agarbattis.

“Before starting, I did a little bit of research and found out there there is potential in this business as no was engaged in this work in the village I was staying,” said Pranita noting that all the ladies from herselfhelp group were engaged into other activities but none were into Aggarbatti making “I wanted to make use of the opportunity given to me by the Self Help Group and I decided to start the trading of Agarbattis, but soon I realized that there was not much profit in trading and I decided to e n t e r i n t o A g g a r b a t t i manufacturing.”

After doing the research online and watching the Youtube channel Pranita learned about Aggarbatti making. “When I decided to start my own manufacturing business of Aggarbattis, my husband came to my rescue. He helped me in finding the process of Aggarbatti making on Youtube and Google,” she said adding, that initially, her husband learned how to make via Youtube before teaching

Every woman can empower herself. What she needs is faith in herself and the support of her loved ones. The stories of women's empowerment are becoming more plentiful and relevant these days. And that can be attributed to the freedom and encouragement they now receive compared to how it used to be in the past.

By Rajesh Ghadge

her the same.

"After learning the entire process of Agarbatti making I started doing it myself. But when Aggarbattis were ready the next challenge in front of me was distribution.”

Pranita was selling the Aggarbatties, but those were the established brands such as Cycle Aggarbatti while her product was new to the market and selling was a challenge. “People were used to the branded Aggarbattis and they were not ready to take unbranded and to overcome this I decided to participate in the exhibitions such as Saras organized by the State Government to promote the Cottage Industry and Self Help, Groups and the stalls was free,” said Pranita adding that she participated in the exhibition and received a v e r y g o o d r e s p o n s e Everyone took her number to place repeated orders But here was another challenge she had encountered and that was the distribution of Aggarbattis across the state. “

provides the platform like stalls and branding but sales and distribution were still nonexistent. “According to me, Aggarbatti is something that is a most essential part of all religious activities and I am sure that my product will get a good marketplace in the near future.”

Pranita has also taken a shortterm loan from the Self Help group but due to lack of sales, she is finding it difficult to repay the same “We have already created a branding for our Aggarbattis and it is k n o w n a s ' O m S h r e e Aggarbattis' and I sell them in packets of 100 and 200 grams in the market. Our Aggarbattis are available in 3 fragrances i.e. Diwali Musk, Lavender, Good News, and Six Plus. The packaging of the Aggarbattis is done in two forms, a Plastic pouch, and paper packets,” said Pranita.

According to Pranita, her husband helps her even in distribution. “Since I cannot travel far places with the stock, I take help of my husband, who takes me

a r o u n d a n d h e l p s m e distribution of the stock in different locations across

G o a b u t t h e i s s u e o f competing with the branded Aggarbatties still remains a major challenge before us. I

a l w a y s a p p e a l t o t h e shopkeepers to support the local makers,” she said. Although there are many hurdles in her journey, Pranita doesn't believe in giving up her hope. “There are many hurdles and I know that they won't go away but what gives me

e n c o u r a g e m e n t i s t h e repeated orders from my customers, it makes me believe that I am on the right path and sooner or later I will succeed in my mission,” said Pranita. “The major challenge in front of me is the marketing and branding and that will happen only when I get the support from the government. I have the capacity of manufacturing any quantity provided it gets a good response from the market,” she added.

According to Pranita, the support of Goenkars will solve

half of her problems. “I need the support of our Goans, once they come ahead and start buying my products, half of the job will be done, and the rest half I can do by increasing the capacity.

Pranita has overcome many obstacles in her journey. With every challenge she faced, she has become stronger and wiser and that helps her in devising new ideas for selling her products. “I have started a new way of reaching out to the people and selling my A g g a r b a t t i s t o t h e prospective customers by visiting the Government offices and I have received a very good response,” she said. Pranita believes that no hurdles or challenges can stop you from achieving your dreams. “I want to become big and I know it will take some time but I won't give up the hope and keep going my way till I accomplish my dreams,” she concluded. May the fragrance of success always waft along the path for this determined woman.

ByAditi Malhotra

COPPERLEAF, PANJIM - MORE THAN JUST A GOAN THALI RESTAURANT!

As far as I know, Copperleaf's name has always been synonymous with Goa's best restaurants to experience the authentic Goan thali, but trust me when I say there is much more to it. Copperleaf has a very popular branch in Porvorim and just recently they opened a new one in St.Inez, Panjim.

One look, even from the entrance point and you know that this Copperleaf is every inch premium and exudes vibes that any fine dining restaurant should.

The moment you step inside, the classiness is validated further. Stunningly decorated with hanging greens, hues of pastels and occasional graffiti walls, set the tone of the ambience that is soothing as well as inviting. Also, they have taken complete care to make the restaurant friendly for t h o s e w i t h p h y s i c a l disabilities. Right from a ramp at the entrance to a special toilet for the disabled, a diaper changing room for

young mothers, everything is thoughtfully planned The cleanliness and classiness of the washrooms can give five stars a run for their money, they are so well-kept.

Coming to food, the menu is standardized and the same as the Porvorim branch, so you can be assured of delectable delights all through. The hospitality is top-notch and you will experience the warmth of their staff members at every level. Right from the servers to the managers, everyone is on their toes making you feel comfortable and paying heed to all your needs.

Chef Kashish Thakral is always there to help you with his recommendations and going by his choice, we ordered Hariyali Gobhi, Chicken Tikka from the North Indian section, Prawns Butter Garlic, King Fish Masala Fry, from the local specialities and Dragon Chicken from the Oriental menu.

Each and every item that

As far as I know, Copperleaf's name has always been synonymous with Goa's best restaurants to experience the authentic Goan thali, but trust me when I say there is much more to it. Copperleaf has a very popular branch in Porvorim and just recently they opened a new one in St.Inez, Panjim.

came on our table is worth a mention, but 3 things that were truly outstanding include the Hariyali Gobhi, it's a musthave hands down, the butter garlic prawns too were simply amazing, unlike a runny butter sauce, these were creamy and beautifully cooked. The chicken tikka was so tender and charred to perfection that there is no way you can ignore it.

Coming to mains, the thali is something that is one of Copperleaf's best sellers and they have many different varieties of the same and thus makes for a must-try. But the menu also offers a great selection of other Goan, North I n d i a n a n d O r i e n t a l delicacies. So other than the

thali, we opted for Chicken Rahra, a thick chicken gravy that has succulent pieces of chicken cooked in a keema base. Best to eat with a hot & crispy butter garlic naan and enter a food coma.

The next on my list was Butter Chicken, though a little on the

sweeter side, the colour, the consistency, the texture and the taste were perfect. You can surely give it a try. If you are planning to have a simple yet soul-satisfying meal, nothing can beat their Prawn Curry & Rice. Finish the meal with a choice of Gulab Jamun, Serradura, or Caramel Pudding and I am sure you will enjoy your overall culinary journey at Copperleaf like never before.

Yashika has done her training under the famous Sanjeev Kapoor and has learned culinary skills from him. She had a dream of entering the hospitality industry but destiny had something else stored for her and that led her to become the first female owner of the driving school for Women.

When Yashika first decided to venture into the F&B Industry, her father-in-law advised her against venturing into the restaurant business. “I was a single mom and my father-inlaw was not in favour of me getting into the restaurant business as it would have been difficult to manage with a two-year-old kid and also the restaurant business runs till late night and it is usually considered mainly a domain of men rather than women,” said Yashika . She reveals that it was then that her mother in law suggested that she open a driving school. There is a very interesting story behind this.

By Rajesh Ghadge

RUNNING GOA'S FIRST DRIVING SCHOOL FOR WOMEN

“There was only one driving school in our area where I went for my driving license and I saw women there asking for a lady instructor to teach them driving but they had no such option available with them,” she adds that this incident made her think about what happens to these women. Will they give up a chance of learning to drive because of the lack of lady drivers? “This became the turning point for me and I decided to start Goa's First L a d i e s S p e c i a l D r i v i n g School.”, she says.

According to Yashika, every woman has a right to learn to drive and become selfsufficient for commuting but the reluctance of husband or f a m i l y d u e t o t h e n o n availability of a lady instructor makes this difficult and many of them give up the dream of driving altogether. “I want to help all those ladies who are unable to learn to drive due to this lack of female instructors.

. When I first came down to

Goa I saw there is a lack of public transport here and having your own 2 or 4w h e e l e r b e c o m e s y o u r lifesaver,” she said, adding that we end up spending more m o n e y o n t h e p r i v a t e transport operators and not getting the desired result. “I decided to teach both 2 and 4-wheelers to the ladies and the rest is history.” she says proudly.

Yashika started her ladies' special driving school but the road to success is never easy. She had to face many hurdles. “There were a lot of setbacks and hurdles, knowing to drive and teaching it to others are two different things. Handling the things at RTO and other government offices was the most difficult job but here my father-in-Law came to my rescue and helped me with many things,” said Yashika adding that you need to jump i n t h e w a t e r t o l e a r n swimming. “I might have failed as a woman but the mother inside me did now allow me to

Hailing from Gujarat, Yashika Sawant did her secondary education in Kolhapur Maharashtra and Hotel Management from Nanavati Institute at Ahmadabad before relocating to Goa. Yashika is a single mom who runs Goa's first ladies' special driving school.

give up. I realised that if I failed here I won't be able to give a good life to my daughter, and according to me she deserved the best. I never wanted to become a failure, never wanted to break down and I wanted to come out of all the adversity and show my daughter to never give up regardless of the fact if you have support or not.”

Yashika had faced all the challenges without any hesitation. “I would get scared even when there is a minor accident but now I know how to handle the situation,” she said adding that when she started the driving school, she received a very good response from the ladies “Even men started approaching the school and I then appointed one male instructor for them.”

As business started getting self sustainable Yashika decided to venture into the other sectors. “I love travelling and while doing that I wanted to make sure that I get paid for

TREND SETTERS

the same and to do that I started a travel agency. Again this travel agency is special and we take ladies on a tour,” said Yashika adding that the idea of starting a travel agency came to her when one of her relatives from kolhapur asked her to take up the franchise of his travel agency in Goa. “Since my travel agency is a ladies special, I take only ladies on the trips, it a l s o m a k e s t h e m f e e l comfortable. I have done trips in India and abroad as well but only with women.”

According to Yashika, she makes sure that she provides a complete fun experience to the ladies on the trips. “I make sure that everyone enjoys and makes best use of their time and money. There are single moms like me, there are ladies whose husbands don't have time to go out on tour with them and then there are ladies who have retired and they have lost their husband and now they want to travel, see new places. All these women become part of my ladies special trips,” said Yashika adding, once the booking goes above 15, she plans the trip.

Yashika is a real hustler and enterprising person and she sees the business opportunity in everything. “I started gaining weight without realising this is happening due to my excessive stress level. I had no idea how to control it and the day came when I was not more able to don my favourite dresses I realised it is high time to do something about it,” said Yashika adding, that she came across a concept of Slim India started by Indian dietician living in Chicago wherein you can lose weight while eating whatever you want,” said Yashika adding that she lost 10 kg weight with the help of Slim India products. “It did not stop with just losing weight, I wanted to start the business and I did and now I am happy that i can use the 10 year old dresses and at the same time helping other ladies to achieve their dream of slimming down.”

Yashika has achieved the dream of entering into the business and running it successfully but the real satisfaction comes from the feedback of the customers a n d Ya s h i k a f e e l v e r y

fortunate to have the positive f e e d b a c k f r o m a l l h e r customers “When a lady comes to me saying that she would not have got an opportunity to drive a car if it was not for me that makes me feel proud. I have brought the smile on the faces of many ladies and fulfilled their dreams and that is my main earning compared to the profits I made from the business,” said Yashika. A lady running a successful business in the man's world is really a challenging For Yashika being the only lady running a driving school in the domain of 128 driving schools run by men, was challenging. The major challenge she faced when she got selected as a coordinator of All India Driving School Association from Goa. “It was tough; they were hesitant to follow the instructions from me just because I am woman. But I did not give up, I organised the meetings and set the new trend in the association and from that moment on I stopped getting negative r e m a r k s f r o m m y m a l e counterparts,” she said. In fact e v e r y o n e a p p r e c i a t e d

Yashika's initiative thanking her for taking such a step. “Now on 22nd May I will be attending a conclave of 35 thousand driving schools from across the country in Gujarat as a coordinator from Goa.” Yashika has many plans for the betterment of women that she wants to implement in the near future but the immediate plan she has is to start a Youtube channel. “I want to work for the ladies who are suffering from adversities of life just like me, I want to help them, encourage them by sharing my experience with them and that will become possible when I will be able to communicate with each of them and the best medium for this is the Youtube channel,” said Yashika adding she want to motivate the ladies through this channel. She wants to tell every lady out there to never give the remote control of your success or failure in the hands of others “You should take responsibility for your success and failure too I want tell every lady out there to make y o u r s e l f s o s t r o n g a n d capable that you don't need the support of anyone to achieve your dreams.”

A priest of the church, where Reha was part of the choir, recognized the potential in her voice and suggested to Reha to get into professional singing That was the day Reha realised her hidden talent, and today she sings professionally in many stage shows.

Reha had a fascination with singing right from a young age. “I have seen my mom singing while growing up and that developed a fascination in me towards music. When I was 8 my mother told me to participate in the singing competition and my talent was appreciated by many on the stage, it was my first time and yet I gave my best,” said Reha, adding that she had always been attracted to Hindi music and listening to songs gave her relief. “I used to sing along with the songs playing in the background, I loved Shreya Ghoshal's voice.”

When the Parish Priest of a Church suggested Reha

By Rajesh Ghadge

A NEW GOLDEN VOICE IN GOA

participate in the local singing competition she thought of giving it a try and grabbed the opportunity. “It was the song by Lorna that I sang for the competition and won first prize,” said Reha, adding that it gave her a boost to participate in the singing competitions. “Next I went for the Goencho Awaz and secured the first place.”

According to Reha, she sings rare songs, the songs that not many people dare to venture into “I love to sing Lorna's songs but it's not that I only sing her numbers, I like to take rare songs that are not sung by others,” she said adding, that there is a song 'Sopon' (Dreams) by Lorna which is not common and not many have tried it and I like to try such songs. “Norman Cardozo, a musician who performed with L o r n a i n m a n y s h o w s , suggested to me a song by singer Anette Pinto, Initially I did not like it and turned down his suggestion but later on after listening to it several

times I started liking it and I told him that I am ready to go ahead.”

After winning the Goencho Awaz reality show, Reha started getting stage shows for the live performances “After winning the Goencho Awaz, when I was in my third year of College, i started getting offers from various bands and musicians to perform on a stage show. My first stage performance was in Quepem. I performed for an Orchestra called showmakers by Derik Mascarenhas,” said Reha adding that Derik booked her for all the 15 shows. “Here I played all the Hindi songs, he booked me for all the shows back to back and I performed at almost 15 shows continuously. In fact he booked me before winning the Goencho Awaz, what I mean to say is, even if I had not won the reality show, he would have given me an opportunity to perform in his Orchestra.”

Reha also performed in Goan

Tiatr. “I have performed in the Tiatr of Mariano Fernandes where I Sang three songs (Kantar) and while doing the shows I travelled to Mumbai and other places,” she said, adding that she does not act in Tiatr. “I had also had an opportunity to perform with Ester Noronha on the stage of Tiatr. I also had an opportunity to travel abroad with the shows but due to the visa issues I had to miss that opportunity.”

Reha has also given her voice for the Konkani Movie. “I have done the playback for one Konkani movie, the name I do not want to disclose at this point but the same has not released as yet. Besides doing the playbackl for films, I have also done recordings for the Adwin D'Costa's Music CD.”

According to Reha, she had plans of doing her post graduation in Sociology but for that she had to travel outside Goa. “There are no colleges in Goa for that course and the second reason

Reha Kimberly Correia, a resident of Canacona is currently living in Panaji to complete her education in Music at Goa College of Music. Reha inherited her golden voice from her mother who, according to Reha, is a very good singer although she never got an opportunity to sing on the stage.

is that while doing my schooling I had to stay away from my parents and I did not want to go away from them again so I decided to give up that plan and continued my education in Music here itself,”

she said. Currently Reha is doing her post graduation in Music and this is an 8 years course. “Right now I am in third year and five more years are left I have plans of appearing for the

Indian Idol show next year or so,” said Reha adding, she has a plan to take up the job in the field of Music “May be Department of Art & Culture or Kala Academy for teaching music and while doing all these I will continue my stage shows and performances.”

When Asked how she will manage the teaching and stage shows she said that it is not difficult since teaching work is not full time. “All the stage shows take place in the evenings and hence it will be easier to manage but I won't leave any opportunity coming my way,” she said. Reha also had an opportunity to perform with her idol, Lorna. “It was in 2018 at a stage show in Calangute. When I came across this opportunity to sing on the stage alongside legendary Lorna, one of Goa's greatest singers who is a l e g e n d ! . A g a i n t h i s opportunity came my way due to the efforts of Norman,” she said, adding that Norman conducts many shows in Goa with various artists but mainly

with Lorna. “she said.

W h e n a s k e d a b o u t h e r progress at the Music School in Goa Reha said that she has completed the foundation course in Music in the first two years which includes training of Indian Classical Ragas. “This stage is called Bachelor in Performing Arts; this is to train the vocal chords. There is much more beyond Sa Re Ga Ma in music as there are many sub sections like for different Ragas you have to use different Swaras it is very difficult and complicated at the same time. For example there are some Raga that sound similar and we learn how to differentiate between the two,” she said.

“While singing Ragas, we have to learn to understand the Taal also which is played on Tabla and catch the beat,” she said adding that she also tried to learn the Guitar but she could not do much with it. But her dulcet tones will continue to mesmerise her listeners for a long time to come.

The story of 12 year old Venkatesh Dempo is one such story of a life changing opportunity brought on by the paradigm shift of these past two years.

The pandemic period of online l e a r n i n g g a v e h i m t h e opportunity to learn coding. He participated in a national level 'Google Code To Learn Contest' and built an app related to the tourism industry o f G o a d u r i n g t h e competition.

Venkatesh, a student of 7th Standard in Sharda Mandir School, loves coding and building robots. “Besides this, I also love to sing and play the guitar,” said Venkatesh recalling that he became familiar with coding 3 years back when his friend's father invited him to be a part of a coding workshop “There I learned the basics of Robotics and Coding and developed a lot of interest in coding and I kept going for it and after that I participated as a team in different competitions related to coding but the lockdown

THE DEVELOPER OF TOURISM DE GOA APP

changed the entire scenario a n d t h i n g s c h a n g e d drastically.”

Venkatesh had developed a liking for coding right from a young age but what made him get more closer to it was the l o c k d o w n . D u r i n g t h e lockdowns and after as well, there were no physical classes and it gave him a lot of time to work on the coding. “I had a lot of time during the lockdown as the classes went online and there were many companies offering the online courses in Coding, I decided to join the online coding course offered by a Mumbai based company called RFL (Robo Fun Lab) and that knowledge helped me a lot to built this app, ” said Venkatesh.

T h e a p p d e v e l o p e d b y Venkatesh is about Tourism in Goa called 'Tourism de Goa'.

“In this app we feature the most recommended places to visit in Goa, and also if the tourists wants to read the newspaper of magazines of Goa, we have featured a bunch of publications of Goa

on our app since i want to promote the Goan businesses on this platform,” said Venkatesh adding there is a lot of information available on the app about Goa. “I have included some recommended places such as beaches, museums, temples, holy pilgrimages like mosques and churches. The app also has some sub features like hotels, emergency numbers, petrol stations etc. In Goa, each city has one of two petroleum stations and I have given the directions for the same in our app.”

Now social media has become a major traffic driving force and one cannot do without having the presence, followers a n d i n f o r m a t i o n m a d e available on all the social media platforms, hence looking at this Venkatesh also built reasonable social media followings on all the major platforms. “I have the social media handles on Instagram, Twitter and Youtube on which w e p r o m o t e t h e G o a n businesses,” he said, adding

he promotes the upcoming events and new businesses on this platform. “We first shoot the videos of the ambiance and places and then edit them before posting on all the social media channels.”

According to Venkatesh, presently he does not have any team and he himself takes care of the social media post creations and posting “My mother takes me to the places and I do the shoot myself,” he said adding that later on he also takes care of the editing part. “Sometimes when I have a lot of editing work, I sit till late night to finish my editing job. Even during the time of app development I submitted my app just a couple of minutes before the submission time of 12am.”

Just like any other kid his age, Venkatesh also wants to play and spend his time with his friends but when it comes to coding, he seems to like it more than anything else. “I love to play sports and get along with friends on the

The pandemic did not bring only devastation and adversity but also had a few silver linings. One of them was online schooling that changed the entire perspective of students and resulted in many ways of learning new skills.

By Rajesh Ghadge

grounds but I love coding more than anything else hence I give more preference to the coding and less to playtime,” he said.

According to Venkatesh, he loves discovering new things.

“I make use of the information channels such as Youtube to learn how to code and I made use of the books and available information to gather the database of the places and things showcased in the app. It took me almost six months to gather all the information and document it in the app,” said Venkatesh.

Now the next stage according to Venkatesh is getting the app on play store and promoting it through social media. “The app has already been sent to Google for approval and once that is done it will be available on the playstore but on iOS it might take some more time since I am still figuring out how to make it compatible with the M a c p l a t f o r m , ” s a i d

Venkatesh. Venkatesh has used the MIT app which is an open source platform for developing the app “I use the MIT app inventor for coding, it is a blog based platform and for editing the videos I make use of Canva and Wondershare and the App is currently hosted on the MIT app Inventor,” he said.

According to Venkatesh, the Robo fun lab where he learned t h e c o d i n g d u r i n g t h e lockdown has only given him basic knowledge of coding w h i l e t h e r e s t o f t h e information he acquired himself. When asked what his plans are when he grows up, Venkatesh said that he wants to become an IIT Engineer. “I want to do my Engineering through IIT (Indian Institute of Technology, and later on I want to open my own business of Robotics Academy,” he said adding that he has already created an YouTube channel called 'Dempo Robotics

Academy of Goa' (DRAG) and there he talks about the coding. “I give coding tutorials on this video channel,” said Venkatesh adding that he was planning the summer camp but he is not getting time as he is constantly working on the app development. “The App is still not available on the google play store, after appearing in the science festival everyone has become curious about it and they are eagerly waiting for the app to a p p e a r o n t h e G o o g l e Playstore,” he added. Venkatesh is an unusually gifted kid and he has a potential to excel in this and do more, he and other kids like him need the right platform available here in Goa itself so that their talents can be nurtured at a very initial stage. The app is just the beginning of a new journey for Venkatesh and he will do many such things as he grows. Incredible Goa provides the platform to all such bright young minds

who work towards bringing the change in the society, and we also recommend that you download his app 'Tourism de Goa' from the playstore and give him encouragement to do more in the future. You can also reach out to us to share your honest views on this inspiring story of Venkatesh Dempo.

By IGTeam

CREATING SUSTAINABLE CODING EDUCATION FOR THE KIDS

With more than a decade of experience as an assistant professor in The IT (Information Technology) Department in o n e o f t h e l e a d i n g Engineering & Science Colleges of Goa, Suwarna completed her Bachelor of Engineering in the field of I.T. in year 2007 The only daughter of to her parents she is a mother of seven year old boy.

After working as a professor for more than a decade and teaching the Information technology to the students she decided to come pursue her d r e a m s i n t h e f i e l d o f entrepreneurship and today she runs an upcoming startup dealing with the emotional intelligent of the students who wants to excel in the field of coding.

When and Why did you decide to enter into your own business ?

I belong to the IT field and the speciality of this field is you can make use of this platform

With more than a decade of experience as an assistant professor in The IT (Information Technology) Department in one of the leading Engineering & Science Colleges of Goa, Suwarna completed her Bachelor of Engineering in the field of I.T. in year 2007. The only daughter of to her parents she is a mother of seven year old boy.

to solve the problems and when I saw the students struggling in coding because their basics were not very strong I decided to solve this p r o b l e m b y c r e a t i n g a platform that will teach them coding at tender age with the help of a play and learn kit.

I believe that if they have been given an opportunity to learn the coding in tender age they will develop a liking towards it and in future that will become much simpler for them. When I visited the government schools in the state for conducting workshops I was shocked to see that so many students had a talent and scope for doing something but they had no means to access the required knowledge. After discovering that there is a need of giving access to the c o d i n g t o t h o s e underprivileged students, I decided to train them with the Coding skills and teach them robotics that will help them in their future growth and job

prospects not matter what profession they chose they will come across the technology. According to me the child who has learned the tech skills has better concentration level and develops a more innovative and creative mind.

What are the hurdles you faced initially and how did you overcome that ?

The major hurdle was creating awareness among the parents that learning tech at an early age in very important thanks to NEP, our product is very well connected to the Coding requirements of NEP. Second hurdle was searching f o r t h e r i g h t t a l e n t a s employees as most talented people prefer to migrate to metro cities in a search of better prospects and finding them locally and those willing to work with startups took us some time.

What challenges you are facing now and how you are trying to over come that?

The major challenge in front of

me is reaching out to the investors and once that is done which seems to be very difficult, connecting to the e d u c a t i o n a l i n s t i t u t e s , specially the government schools where the access to tech and coding is rare and last but not the least is getting a local manufacturer of the kits at very competitive price. How is the startup scenario in Goa and how much it helped you till date ?

The state government and Incubators are trying to build an ecosystem that is suited best for the startups in Goa. Right from having policies to understanding what exactly startups need has been a long way. Goa is definitely getting better at being the startup state. We have been backed by the incubators and have received a lot of help on our business development. They have also helped us raise funds from startup India.

How scalable is your idea and what are your short

STARTUPGOA

term and long term plans ?

We are in the process of creating a Self sustainable, Multilevel touch and feel kits based on curated content. Affordable & Interdisciplinary solution to existing pain points State of the art methodology to impart knowledge of IQ & EQ offering more affordable solutions. Our products will soon reach pan India while also focusing on tier 2 and 3 cities.

Our short term goal is to Make the best gamified product for learning coding and EQ, and our Long term Goal is to be the first and the best gamified learning company. In simple terms we want to create chefs of technology who could cook an excellent technological innovation simplifying the life of common man.

You have already received the funding, how much it helped you in prototyping and scaling?

We have already burned half of the funding so far and have moved beyond being just a prototype The funds have definitely helped us explore new vendors outside Goa and get better quality products at a lesser price. We used the funds basically for production, m a n p o w e r h i r i n g a n d marketing.

What are your future plans ?

I n t r o d u c i n g t h e h y b r i d learning ways which includes Tech as well as Social skills for children in the age group 10-16 years. We are working towards providing the best gaming experience while keeping the learning going the fun way. This will surely provide more skilled employees ready for industrial revolution 4.0

By IGTeam

DRESS CODE FOR THE SUMMER ON THE BEACH IN GOA

Spending summer vacations in Goa with your loved ones is a dream of many but it is not only the tourists come down to Goa for the summer Goans also spend their quality time on the beaches during the summer. There are many options for how you can spend your summer in Goa but this article is not related to that. This article will talk only about the dress code for the summer in Goa.

When you think of Goa and summer vacation, what first comes to mind for what to wear? White? That's rightwhite cotton wear is the best option for the hot summer in Goa. Here are a few fashion tips and dress codes that you can try during your vacation on the beach in Goa.

Dress Code on Beaches

White is the most preferred dress code in Goa during the summertime because of the heat and also because the b e a c h e s a r e s u n n i e r compared to other locations, hence white cotton dress

materials come to your rescue.

Now that you know white cotton dresses are the best option you must be careful what you select. Stick to cotton fabrics to keep your skin as dry and comfortable as possible. Being on the beach

you might also try some water sports so a comfortable dress will always come in handy. As most of the dress codes mentioned here are meant for women, we also h a v e s o m e suggestions for men. Men's beachw e a r i s r a t h e r hassle-free! You can pack just about anything right from shorts and shirts to t-shirts and tank tops. Swimming trunks are a must if you intend to go for a swim! In the end, whether men or women, it is advised to not substitute their innerwear for good quality swimwear. Just like you wouldn't go to a posh five-star restaurant in your houseclothes and slippers, beaches too demand and deserve appropriate clothing. Besides,

When you think of Goa and summer vacation, what first comes to mind for what to wear? White? That's rightwhite cotton wear is the best option for the hot summer in Goa. Here are a few fashion tips and dress codes that you can try during your vacation on the beach in Goa.

why miss an opportunity to buy those pretty floral prints?

Wearing Shorts

Goa is not the place where you have to think twice to wear shorts. It is allowed in most places except recently there have been some restrictions at religious places Wearing shorts on bikes, which is the most popular ride in Goa, might be uncomfortable on a sunny ride so make sure you carry an additional cloth to cover your legs to save yourself from getting unwanted tans or even sun burn. Also, if you have plans of wearing shorts on the beach and most of the trips in Goa during the vacation then it is advisable to carry extra pairs of shorts along as most of the time you will need them.

Crop Tops

This is another thing that goes well with shorts or skirts. Crop tops are available across the stalls lined up on the coastal belts of Goa and you won't have to carry them with you while going on the trip. They

are the most reasonable fashion stuff available in Goa and again you have the option of having many of them depending on your taste.

T-Shirts and Tanks

Loose T-shirts and tanks are a must for your trip to Goa since it is the best thing you can h a v e d u r i n g t h e h o t summertime. They make for good friends when all you need to do is roam around in t h e p l a c e o f y o u r accommodation, or walk out in the middle of the night to buy a pack of beers from the supermarket. Plus, they are your best companions when you feel chilly on the beach after a swim.

Conclusion

Now for some key rules to keep in mind before you start packing…Goan climate can be humid and hot, so make sure to pack light and airy fabrics. Cotton and linens are the best picks. Sunscreens, lip

balms, and toners are a must to keep your skin and face looking healthy, clean, and fresh! The harsh sun, especially during long afternoons of sightseeing or chilling at the beach can be very damaging. A jacket or loose tunic of some kind is also a good pick, this will protect you from the sun without making you feel icky and sweaty under it.

How you dress whenever you ' re traveling is important. This can affect your comfort, create an impression and reflect your personality. Looking stylish, of course, doesn't necessarily mean walking around in a suit and tie. You just need to pack a few items that are both attractive and comfortable. Hopefully, with these tips in mind, you can be sure of looking your best, even when you ' re living out of a suitcase on vacation.

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To

GCCI RETAIL TRADE COMMITTEE MEETS VICE CHANCELLOR OF GOA UNIVERSITY

Indian Retail sector has emerged as one of the most dynamic and fast-growing sectors due to entry of several new players in the recent times along with rising income levels, growing aspirations, favourable demographics and easy credit availability. Retail Sector in Goa is also growing but there is a severe scarcity of trained staff as Colleges in Goa are not offering full fledged Retail curriculum

GCCI past President Mr Manoj

M C a c u l o a l o n g w i t h Chairman of GCCI Retail Trade Committee Mr Hari Kaul& Director General Mr Sanjay Amonkar called on the Vice Chancellor of Goa University Dr.Harilal Menon and discussed the modalities to have an all inclusive independent curriculum for Retail Sector. Dean of Goa B u s i n e s s S c h o o l D r

Dayanand&Dr Sudarshan were also present

Mr Caculo informed that 8% of India's total employment is contributed by retail sector. However there are no formal structured courses in Goa t e a c h i n g R e t a i l Tr a d e management. With Retails sector gaining importance

and many Retail chains entering Goa the employment opportunities are limited for Goans as most of the staff is picked from outside Goa due to lack of formal courses in the S t a t e . R e t a i l s e c t o r contributes almost 10% of the India's GDP ($250 Billion per per annum). He further added that raw staff had to be trained by the local retail chains in Goa which took considerable time & effort & due to the competitive nature of the sector the attrition rate was high.

The Vice Chancellor Dr Menon said that the University would certainly look into introduction of Retail Management in the curriculum as the Bachelors level. He appealed to the Colleges in Goa to come forward to introduce Retail in their basket of courses. With huge International Chains like “ IKEA” already opening stores in India this sector will be in f o c u s f o r p r o s p e c t i v e candidates he added.

M r H a r i K a u l s a i d t h a t theoverall indian retail sector is expected to grow around 910% every year for the next 5 year as per Govt of India Estimates. The unorganised

sector accounts 88% of the retail market with organised retail at 12%. He said the GCCI is working towards supporting the local retailers in terms of operational efficiency, expanding the reach & quality of service aspect. Govtof India is shortly launching ONDC ( Open N e t w o r k f o r D i g i t a l Commerce) This system will have multiple choices for both retailers and customers in t e r m s o f c a t a l o g u i n g , inventories, warehousing, suppliers, logistics and p a y m e n t s , T h i s w i l l b e available for all retailers & will be boon. This will help local retailers to compete with the E Commerce Giants. GCCI is also planning training Courses to local retailers he added. Dr Dayanand stressed on the “attitude” aspect of the Retailers. It's a buyers market now and we need to adapt to it. The Past generation had a monopoly which has diluted over the years The new concepts of the retail trade need to be taught to the new generation which will make them Market ready.

The Vice Chancellor Dr Menon invite GCCI to join the Board of Studies as a special invitee to draw up the structure & S y l l a b u s o n R e t a i l Management. A Formal communication will sent shortly.

Mr Manoj M Caculo also informed that GCCI had presented a draft on “ Retail Policy for Goa” to the state Government in 2019 This Policy encompasses all aspects of Retail trade in Goa, & also includes the current situation, the hurdles faced, the Solutions & the way f o r w a r d T h e P o l i c y encourages skill development & will create more business & employment opportunities

A Team from GCCI consisting o f D i r e c t o r M s PallaviArondekar&SanhitaNai k met Director of Industries

Tr a d e & C o m m e r c e M s SwetikaSachan IAS and handed over a copy of the Draft Retail Policy for Goa prepared by GCCI. Ms Sachan has assured to look into the same & draw up a formal Policy shortly. GCCI Retail Trade Committee will support the Govt in this initiative.

Regular exercise strengthens your heart and lungs and it can strengthen bones, slowing down the process of osteoporosis. It can help you move easily by keeping your joints, tendons and ligaments more flexible. Can help you lose weight when combined with good eating habits or maintain ideal weight by burning excess calories and promote sense of well being.

BENEFITS OF FLEXIBILITY TRAINING

ache (but not a painful ache), then the stretching is not being done effectively.

2 Remember that your muscles are very smart. If you b o u n c e w h i l e y o u a r e stretching, your muscles will not allow you to stretch. They will be nervous that you are going to hurt them, so they will contract and not allow a stretch to take place You cannot control this response because it is a reflex. So, make sure you take a stretch to the point of tension (not pain) and then hold that position for a p p r o x i m a t e l y 2 0 - 3 0 seconds. Always listen to your body - if it hurts, you are stretching too far! Stretching is most effective following a workout because the body is

By Norbert D’Souza

can be fun, and having a wide variety of stretches will help you keep your interest and m o t i v a t i o n t o c o n t i n u e stretching.

BENEFITS OF STRETCHING

I m p r o v e d P h y s i c a l

Performance and Decreased Risk of Injury: flexibility training i n c r e a s e s p h y s i c a l performance. A flexible joint has the ability to move through a greater range of motion and requires less energy to do so, while greatly decreasing your risk of injury

Flexibility is a joint's ability to move through a full range of motion Flexibility training (stretching) helps balance muscle groups that might be overused during exercise or physical activity or as a result of bad posture. Flexibility is a m a j o r h e a l t h - r e l a t e d c o m p o n e n t o f f i t n e s s . Stretching exercises help to improve or maintain flexibility. People who are inflexible (especially in the front and back of the thigh) are more prone to lower back pain. Therefore, a stretching routine will help you maintain or improve your current flexibility so you feel great!

BEFORE YOU STRETCH

C u r r e n t r e s e a r c h o n stretching has shown that a warm up before doing any stretches is essential! In fact, if you do not warm up before you stretch you can even hurt

yourself! To warm up, simply do some large muscle activities (like running in place or walking briskly) until you "break a sweat". When you are at this point, you may begin stretching.

TIPS FOR STRETCHING

1 . T h e f i r s t t h i n g t o remember when starting a stretching program is that the goal is to increase flexibility and functioning of the muscle. We are not trying to inflict pain. If you are feeling pain during a stretch there are a couple of things you can do. First try decreasing the intensity of the stretch by not going into the stretch as far. If there is still pain, then stop doing the stretch

Note: While we don't want to feel any pain, the stretch s h o u l d b e a l i t t l e uncomfortable. If there is no feeling of tension or a slight

c o m p l e t e l y w a r m . T h e stretching done before a workout will help to prevent muscle and joint injuries.

3. It takes one to two weeks of stretching before you will note any changes in flexibility or function of the muscle. So don't get discouraged if it seems that the stretches are n o t w o r k i n g I t i s a l s o important to be patient with yourself, don't push too hard because the stretch is not working fast enough.

4 T h e m o r e o f t e n y o u stretch the more effective stretching will be. You don't, h o w e v e r , s t a r t o u t b y stretching four times a day. Start by stretching once or twice a day and gradually increase the frequency as your body adjusts to the stretching program. Remember there is always another way to stretch the same muscle. So don't let yourself get bored. Stretching

Reduced Muscle Soreness and Improved Posture: Recent studies show that slow, static stretching helps reduce m u s c l e s o r e n e s s a f t e r exercise. Stretching also improves muscular balance and posture.

Reduced Risk of Low Back Pain: A key benefit, and one I wish more people would realize, is that stretching reduces the risk of low back pain. Stretching promotes muscular relaxation. Flexibility in the hamstrings, hip flexors, quadriceps, and other muscles attaching to the pelvis reduces stress to the low back. Flexibility training is one of the k e y c o m p o n e n t s o f a balanced fitness program and should be a part of your exercise routine Without flexibility training, you are missing an important part of overall health Flexibility training provides many important benefits that cannot be achieved by any other exercise or activity

You can keep your teeth for your lifetime. Here are some things you can do to maintain a healthy mouth and strong teeth. Practicing regular oral hygiene, brushing your teeth thoroughly twice a day and flossing daily between the teeth to remove dental plaque can increase the lifespan of your teeth. To keep your tooth strong and long lasting drink fluoridated water and brush with fluoride toothpaste.

TEETH BRACES - DEBUNKING THE MYTHS

By Dr. Schuyler Pereira

Have you ever considered g e t t i n g t e e t h b r a c e s treatment but refrained from doing so due to various reasons you heard about why o n e s h o u l d n o t g e t orthodontic treatment done? Heres some of the most common myths associated with teeth braces treatment.

Myth #1

My teeth will be straight for ever after my treatment is completed.

Yes and no, post your braces treatment your orthodontist will provide a retainer The longer you wear your retainer the longer your treatment results will last. Teeth have a tendency to go back to it's

original position and wearing your teeth retainers is the best way to prevent that.

Teeth braces

h a v e n o affect on the e x t e r n a l structure of your jaw and contrary to p o p u l a r b e l i e f , undergoing orthodontic t r e a t m e n t d o e s n o t cause your c h e e k s t o sink in.

Myth #3

I'm too old for braces. That is not true, there is no age l i m i t f o r u n d e r g o i n g orthodontic treatment and it depends on the health of your underlying bone and not age.

Myth #4

B r a c e s a r e e x t r e m e l y painful.

M o d e r n b r a c e s h a v e significantly evolved and are much more comfortable Braces such as Damon self ligating braces and Invisalign are very comfortable and effective.

Myth #2

My cheeks will sink in.

Myth #5

I cannot eat my favourite food

With Invisalign and clear braces, one can remove the braces while eating a n d e n j o y a l l t h e i r favourite food.

Myth #6

You have to extract teeth for braces.

M o s t o r t h o d o n t i c t r e a t m e n t c a n b e managed without teeth

e x t r a c t i o n Y o u r orthodontist will provide y o u w i t h m o r e conservative treatment o p t i o n s w h e n e v e r possible.

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THE BUSINESS DIVA COMPETITION 2022

B

e

2) Runner up: Funminds Learning Tech Pvt Ltd

The Business Diva competition

2022 organized by GCCI Women's Wing in association w i t h F i i R E ( F o r u m f o r Innovation, Incubation, and Research & Entrepreneurship) a n d p o w e r e d b y G e n o Foundation was held on Saturday, 30th April, 2022 at the Surendrababu Timblo Convention Hall in Panjim The Chief Guest of the function was Ms Usha Ramesh, Chief Regional Manager of

Goa Regional Office, NABARD and Mr Ralph De Sousa, President, GCCI was the Guest of Honour. Business Diva awards were conceptualized two years back and this was the third edition. There were three categories - Category 1 (Start Up- less than 2 years in business) Category 2 (Scale Up- more than 2 years)and the Category 3 (Self Help Groups) . The purpose of organizing

entrepreneurs with innovative businesses to get structured incubation at FIIRE, mentored by industry veterans, explore networking opportunities, and access to funding. The Judges for the Final event were Dr Neena Panandikar, Principal Don Bosco Technical Institute, Ms Tejashree Pai, CEO, Chowgule Industries, Mr D S Prashant, CEO, FiiRE and Ms Deepali Naik, Director, Women & Child Development. The winners were Category 1START UP (Less than 2years in Business)

1. Winner : Fruits of Hard Work – Ms Liza Vianney Pinheiro

2. Runners up: Financial W i s d o m – M s M a n a l e e Vernekar

Category 2 - SCALE-UP (more that 2years in Business)

1) Winner : Sevarat Health & Nursing Pvt Ltd - Ms Rohini Gonsalves

Category 3 -SELF HELP GROUPS

1) Winner : Omkar CaterersMs Shital Surendra Naik

2) Runner up: Ms Anita Arjun Gaonkar

The event was sponsored by: Geno Foundation, FiiRE ( F o r u m f o r I n n o v a t i o n I n c u b a t i o n R e s e a r c h & E n t r e p r e n e u r s h i p ) a n d s u p p o r t e d b y N S T E D B Division, Department of Science & Technology & GENO Foundation. The Event was compered by Ms Sonali Nagvekar, Member, Women's Wing Committee and Ms Poonam Shirsat, proposed a Vote of thanks. Also present a t t h e E v e n t w a s t h e Chairperson of GCCI –WW, Ms Pallavi Salgaocar and Event Organizer on behalf of FiiRE, Ms Ashlesha Noronha, Community Manager, FiiRE.

u s i n e s s D i v a w a s t o

n c o u r a g e w o m e n

GOAFEST 2022 CELEBRATIONS WITH UNVEILING OF AAAI LOGO

15th edition of Goafest 2022, I n d i a ' s m o s t d e f i n i t i v e advertising, media and m a r k e t i n g s y m p o s i u m kickstarted with the lighting of the ceremonial lamp and the unveiling of AAAI's new logo at Grand Hyatt Goa with some of the industry's brightest minds along with prestigious industry awards felicitating notable creative thinkers from South Asia. With an underlying theme of celebrating The Super Power Within, delegates at G o a f e s t 2 0 2 2 w e r e welcomed with a champagne launch by Zoom TV and a live musical performance by Sukhbir - Prince of Bhangra. AAAI's new logo, created by Tempest Advertising's art director, Lohidasu, was unveiled during the lighting of the ceremonial lamp The agency's design was chosen amidst 200 entries. The logo effectively brought the past, the present and the future of both AAAI and advertising in unison. The official unveiling of the redesigned logo at the Goafest, was done by Rohit Ohri, Chairman and CEO of FCB Ulka and film star, Yami Gautam.

Further, the Industry Conclave presented by ABP Group marked the beginning of the festival with the first session of the day, witnessing actress Yami Gautam in a one-on-one conversation with Rana Barua, Chairman, Abby Awards Governing Council 2022 & Vice President of The Ad Club. The two enthralled the audience by speaking about films, values and the need to imagine and build a life beyond numbers. This tête-àtête was followed by a super talk from Vineeta Singh, Cofounder and CEO, SUGAR Cosmetics & Shark, Shark Tank India, who highlighted the

importance of building a brand with quality products and content before focusing on advertising

The next session witnessed

A n k u s h S a c h d e v a , C oFounder & CEO, Sharechat & Moj, chatting with Vikram Sakhuja, Group CEO Madison Media & OOH at Madison World. The duo engaged in a meaningful conversation highlighting the mission that Ankush, a Messiah for the c r e a t o r a n d i n f l u e n c e r community, is on.

Following this up was a k n o w l e d g e s e s s i o n i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h t h e Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI), wherein Rohit Kumar Singh, Secretary (CA), Ministry of Consumer Affairs & Food Distribution spoke with Piyush Pandey, Chairman of Global Creative Ogilvy Worldwide & Executive Chairman, Ogilvy India discussing the importance of consumer protection and its responsibility that we have as professionals. The session was moderated by Subhash Kamath, Chairman, ASCI & CEO, BBH.

From an eclectic platter of knowledge sharing sessions and masterclasses from renowned speakers across various fields to ABBYs digital presentations, Goafest 2022

p r e s e n t e d b y t h e T h e

A d v e r t i s i n g C l u b a n d

A d v e r t i s i n g A g e n c i e s Association of India (AAAI) has o n c e a g a i n r a i s e d t h e standards in recognising and appreciating excellence in creativity across mediums and categories.

L-R, Subhash Kamath, Rohit Kumar Singh, Piyush Pandey

Vineeta Singh, Co-founder and CEO, SUGAR Cosmetics

Nivedith Ganapathy in conversation with Dr. Kiran Bedi

Yami Gautam in converasation with Rana Barua