OCTOBER 2021
RNI No.: GOAENG/2015/59955
VOL 7 ISSUE 10 PANAJI GOA
GOA’S ONLY BUSINESS MAGAZINE
POSTAL LICENSE No.: G-2/RNP/Monthly/Goa-19/2021-23
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INDUSTRY DOSSIER
Nandan Kudchadkar has opened the doors of ‘All About Alcohol’ to narrate the story of Goa’s tryst with Feni and the alcohol business
AN ODE TO
THE SPIRIT OF GOA FESTIVE SHOPPING FOCUS
AGUS P SAPTONO INTERVIEW
GMA ANNUAL DAY GOA BUZZ
FELIZ
BON APPÉTIT
NEWS VIEWS ARTICLES INTERVIEWS PROFILES FOCUS ANALYSIS OPINIONS EVENTS FEATURES
CONTENTS Cover Story 12
Nandan Kudchadkar has opened the doors of ‘All About Alcohol’ to narrate the story of Goa’s tryst with the alcohol business. Nandan’s objective behind creating AAA is to make the world aware of Goa’s rich heritage, especially the story of Feni and the legacy of the alcohol trail from Brazil to Goa
Focus 20
With the arrival of Navaratri, Dussehra, Diwali, and Christmas, the residents of Goa are all geared up to make spectacular purchases and celebrate this festival season
12
Starting Young 22
Rochelle Pinto highlights her journey from being a young intern to the Founding Editor of Tweak India
Enterprise 24 24
26
Blaise Costabir speaks about the 25-year journey of GMI Zarhak Moulders Pvt Ltd and the growth of the brand, Shakti tanks
36
34
Interview 26
40
Agus P. Saptono, Consul General of the Republic of Indonesia to India, on his recent visit to Goa, spoke about trade between India and Indonesia and the possibilities of investing in Goa
Professional Dossier 36
Jose Elmano Coelho Pereira outlines his journey from practicing in the early 70s to being Advocate General of Goa, two terms in a row; and his recent election as President of High Court Bar Association
54
22
Lady Power 38
A businesswoman, a Rotarian, a leader of a BNI Chapter and an executive member of FSAI Women’s Wing, Flory Gracias highlights the different roles that she plays, with aplomb
Bon Appétit 54
Feliz, housed at Double Tree by Hilton, Kadamba Plateau, boasts of mouth-watering coastal cuisine with an amazing view of River Mandovi
38
46 Beyond Classroom
COLUMNS
Dr. Pradeep Salgaonkar speaks on the hybrid form of enhancing customer experience and interacting with them
49 Wise Words
CA Santosh Kenkre writes on common mistakes that one makes in business and in life; and the importance of humility
47 The Family Man
50 Balance Sheet
48 Corporate Citizen
52 Cabbages and Queen
Dr Vivek Mendonsa writes on equal distribution of profits in a family business, despite unequal contribution Daniel Albuquerque focuses on the statutory provision under, the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987, which acts as a bridge over Nyaya Panchayat and the Courts
Deepali Rohra highlights five common financial mistakes and ways to avoid them
Nandini Vaidyanathan shares her experiences on opening up an eatery with her partner
Cover Pic: Aliston Dias
06 Editorial 08 Corpo Scan 28 Startup 30 Campus 31 BookShelf 32 Technology 34 WorkPlay 35 Real Estate 40 Hospitality 42 Biz Bytes 44 Events 56 Goa Buzz 58 Newsmakers 58 BG Quiz 04 | BUSINESS GOA INDUSTRY DOSSIER | OCTOBER 2021
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EDITORIAL Tourism with Care
OCTOBER 2021 Publisher & Editor Harshvardhan Bhatkuly Group Director Urvija Bhatkuly Business Head Annalise Gouveia Chief Reporter Sybil Rodrigues Photography Aliston Dias Accounts & Admin Ashok Kolvekar Circulation Mayur Santineskar Contributors in this Issue Daniel Albuquerque Deepali Rohra Marilyn D’Souza Nandini Vaidyanathan Dr Pradeep Salgaonkar CA Santosh Kenkre Shweta Sharma Dr Vivek Mendonsa PRESENTED BY
Editorial, Advertising & Administrative Office
Business Goa
409, Citicentre, EDC Patto Plaza, Panaji, 403001 Goa India Tel.: 0832-2437822 Email: businessgoa.media@gmail.com Unsolicited material may not be returned. The opinions in columns and other stories expressed in Business Goa Industry Dossier are not necessarily that of the publishers and the Publisher/Editor shall not be held liable for any inaccuracy or otherwise. While great care is being taken to ensure accuracy of information, the publishers are not responsible for omissions or incorrect information. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the permission of the publishers.
Much as it sounds clichéd, Goa is dependent on tourism. Domestic tourism has been affected with quarantines, lockdowns and curfews limiting the mobility of people and forcing the closure of hotels, restaurants and tourist destinations. However, as the vaccines roll out and people getting vaccinated, the tourism industry is looking at ways to reopen. This is likely to be a simpler and more successful operation for domestic tourism. In fact, with many countries beginning to lift internal restrictions, while international travel remains limited to varying degrees, domestic tourism is set to rise in popularity. In order to bounce back from the pandemic, the tourism industry in Goa must find ways of adapting to the new normal, while keeping the safety of the local population in mind. Domestic tourism has restarted and is helping to mitigate the impact on jobs and businesses in some pockets of Goa. However, real recovery will only be possible when international tourism returns. The survival of businesses throughout the tourism ecosystem is at risk without continued government support, which includes building more resilient and sustainable tourism and at the same time ensuring that the local population does not suffer like it did during the second wave of the pandemic. More needs to be done in a more coordinated way and the Government together with the tourism industry and its stakeholders needs to address some priority areas, which are: • Mitigate socio-economic impacts on livelihoods, particularly smaller businesses and ensure economic security. • Boost competitiveness and build resilience, with promotion of domestic and regional tourism where possible, and facilitation of conducive business environment for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs). • Promoting safe domestic tourism and implementing strict measures to curb infections. • Foster sustainability and green growth to shift towards a resilient, competitive, resource
Harshvardhan Bhatkuly efficient and carbon-neutral tourism sector. • Putting the locals first and working together to ease and lift travel restrictions in a responsible and co-ordinated manner. While flexible policy solutions are needed to enable the tourism economy to live alongside the virus in the short to medium term, it is important to look beyond this and take steps to learn from the crisis, which has revealed gaps in government and industry preparedness and response capacity. Coordinated action across governments at all levels and the private sector is essential. If one were to closely observe the hordes of domestic tourists who have descended on Goa, one will see that very few are wearing masks while maintaining the sham of social distancing, from other groups and each other as well. This scene is familiar in all the tourist hotspots in the State. Neither the heat nor the pandemic are deterrents to people wanting to have a jolly good time after being holed up in their homes during the dismal first half of the year. Nevertheless, in the midst of a receding second wave and the dreaded third wave hanging like a sword over our heads, we the locals find ourselves grumbling over the lackadaisical attitude of these guests to our State. Goa’s limited healthcare infrastructure is not in a position to handle an influx of positive or asymptomatic leisure tourists, and the rising number of locals infected with the virus. Even if the numbers of those testing positive for covid-19 in the State is decreasing, this is not a time to be reckless with safety and throw covid norms to the winds. The Government and tourism stakeholders need to put strict measures in place making sure that tourists wear a mask and follow covid appropriate behaviour, especially in places frequented by tourists. Goa cannot afford another health crisis, nor can we put our locals at risk and strain our healthcare workers. As we all restart tourism from ground zero, we need to rebuild, reinvent and reboot tourism. We need to collaborate amongst the Government, stakeholders, tourists and the locals to survive and thrive, while keeping sustainable tourism as a top priority
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Go-ahead for charters hold up hopes of Goa’s tourism sector Following the announcement of Union ministry of home affairs’ (MHA), Goa’s slacking hospitality industry is awash with reassurance that it would initiate granting fresh tourists visas to foreigners visiting India through chartered flights from October 15. The Travel and Tourism Association of Goa (TTAG) had persuaded numerous authorities for sanction, for chartered flights to land in Goa. TTAG president Nilesh Shah said “Opening of the charter market will help all tourism stakeholders. Over 2,100 small hotels are yet to
open,” and stated further that the Association is awaiting clarity on the process that will be followed to issue 5 lakh free visas, and the declaration of standard operating procedures (SOP) for international travellers. The first charter to Goa generally lands by the third week of October, Chief Operating Officer at
Sita Travels, Ernest Dias, said, “There are a lot of preparations to be made. We need to get parking slots, so we are looking at the first week of November for charter arrivals. Though it will be a month late, it is better than having nothing,” Dias added. Other countries from where tourists arrive in Goa on charter flights included Finland, Iran, Kazakhstan and Ukraine. The MHA has declared that non-charter foreign tourists will be able to travel to India from midNovember, by following all covid-19 protocols
E-AUCTION OF 31 PLOTS AT VERNA INDUSTRIAL ESTATE Goa Industrial Development Corporation (GIDC) has invited bids for e-auction of 31 plots earlier allotted to Special Economic Zone (SEZ) developers at the Verna Industrial Estate – Phase IV. Goa Industrial Development Corporation (GIDC) is supported by the Department of Public-Private Partnership in the e-auctioning process. The last date to submit bids
through the e-tender is 21 October, 2021. Only plots meant for industrial use will be e-auctioned. The total area to be e-auctioned is five lakh square metres. The base rate for bidding for plots is estimated to be around `500 per square metre. Five companies were previously allotted SEZ plots in the Verna Industrial Estate Phase IV. After the SEZs were
NGT rejects Goa’s CZMP extension pleas
The application, filed by the State government, seeking six months extension to complete and notify the Coastal Zone Management Plan (CZMP) with effect from August 31, 2021, was dismissed by the National Green Tribunal. Goa’s first Coastal Zone Management Plan (CZMP), prepared in 1996, was used as the base plan in 2011. The Chennai-based National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management (NCSCM) has been working on the same plan since 2016. In September 2020, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) had demanded
that the State government complete the Coastal Zone Management Plan (CZMP) before 31 January 2021. The date was further extended until March 31, 2020, because of the covid-19 pandemic. The State, however, was directed to conduct a fresh hearing on July 8, 2021, when discrepancies arose in the public hearing held on March 7, 2021. The Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA) received a number of suggestions and objections to the draft plan from all over Goa and required another 60 days to check the authenticity of the same. Hence, the State sought more time finalise the Coastal Zone Management Plan (CZMP). The report was then to be sent to the NCSCM for final verification
08 | BUSINESS GOA INDUSTRY DOSSIER | OCTOBER 2021
scrapped by the government and their recommendations withdrawn, the GIDC decided to take back the lands from all the SEZ parties and refund the amount paid. Subsequently, in July 2018, the Supreme Court of India asked the Goa Industrial Development Corporation (GIDC) to make the refund within three months from the date of the order
An endeavour to attain GI status for Goa’s Mancurad Mango
The Indian Council of Agricultural ResearchCentral Coastal Agricultural Research Institute (ICARCCARI), Old Goa, held a meeting with the objective to form a mango farmers’ association. Organised by the institute’s fruit scientists, agriculturists and prominent mango farmers, it aimed to give a boost to Goa’s efforts in granting the mancurad mango geographical indication (GI)
Reimbursement of `213 crore GST to Goa `40,000 crore was released to different states under the Centre’s back-to-back loan facility to meet the shortfall in GST collection and compensation. Goa received `213 crore from the Centre as reimbursement for GST shortfall. This is in addition to the normal GST compensation being released every two months out of the actual GST cess collection. The Centre encourages States to utilise the funds to meet their public expenditure, particularly improvement of health infrastructure and completion of infrastructure projects, through proper planning. Resumption in tourism and industrial activity, the tax collections in September hit pre-Covid levels. Goa has agreed to the Centre’s funding arrangements to meet the GST compensation shortfall. The Centre has borrowed the funds through five-year and two-year bonds. No additional market borrowing by the Central Government is envisaged on account of this release status. The meeting also hoped to invest special efforts to tap important commercial varieties like the Hilario, Mussahrat, and Xavier and apply for GI status for them, as well. Principal scientist, Horticulture, ICAR-CCARI, A R Desai extended his support to the farmers and promised to provide them with any technical help that they might require. In order to file the GI application, a group of farmers who have been growing the crop for a long time along with other benefactors must step forward to ensure that the GI status is achieved
CORPO SCAN
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CII-Goa calls for improvement in logistics infrastructure Anthony Gaskell, mentor, Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) Goa State Panel on logistics, presented highlights on Goa’s logistics and emphasised the need to expedite development of holistic infrastructure which will give an integrated pathway to the Goan economy. Gaskell was speaking at the launch of the Pradhan Mantri Gati Shakti scheme. Further, the CII spokesman stated that Goa has infrastructure facilities needed to be a logistics hub viz ports, rivers, national highways,
airports, central geographical location, upcoming ICD etc. Hence CII Goa has been impressing upon improving the logistics facilities/aspects for industry in Goa vide the CII Logistics Conferences held over the recent past. To become a successful multimodal logistics hub, CII Goa suggested that good logistics support system is a basic requirement for trade and industry, much as electricity and water are. Lacking which, the costs of doing business hikes up, making businesses unviable. Goa also needs a
modern container terminal at MPT operated professionally. To keep the logistics costs competitive CII advocates that the implicit land price must be affordable and that Goa needs a modern air-cargo facility. The organisation hoped that this will come up fast at Mopa, and the facilities at Dabolim could also be improved. Truck parking facilities need to be provided all over Goa at the industrial estates and elsewhere, as town distribution centers for heavy items like building materials, was CII’s ask
TTAG TROUBLED ABOUT CHIPI CHALLENGE TO GOA’S TOURISM With airport operations, commencing at the newly built Chipi airport in Sindhudurg district in Maharashtra, the Travel and Tourism Association of Goa (TTAG) foresees increased competition to the State’s tourism in the coming years. The representative body of the local tourism trade said that it expects the airport to create ‘challenges for Goa tourism’ in the long term, looking at the hotels coming up across the border and all with an eye on tapping traffic in the Konkan region.
Nilesh Shah
Nilesh Shah, President of TTAG said that Goa has to be prepared for higher competition as there were four five star hotels coming up in the Sindhudurg district to cater to the tourist traffic.
According to Shah, the impact of the new airport will not be felt immediately on tourism and stated that the tourism industry in Goa is well established in order to handle competition from a new destination. However, he added that the threat exists and the state needs to address issues affecting tourism to confront future competition. TTAG wants the government to resolve the transport issue and while bringing in ease of doing business for investors setting up new hotels
Scheme to streamline Goa’s shift to electric vehicles The State, is planning to finalise the Goa Electric Vehicle Mobility Policy 2021, which will soon come out with a scheme addressing issues in electric vehicles (EVs), said Nilesh Cabral, Minister for Power. He said that the scheme will address issues such as of EV charging meters for commercial customers and also take up the concerns of Goans on the documentation required for availing subsidy. Cabral said that the state is proposing EV charging to commercial consumers at an extremely attractive rate of `3.50 per unit. The Power Minister spoke at an online public meeting organised by the Department of New and
Nilesh Cabral
Renewable Energy and Goa Energy Development Agency (GEDA) to deliberate on the suggestions received from consumers on the proposed EV Mobility Policy. The suggestions at the public meeting ranged from increasing the subsidy on EV purchase to lowering the investment limit for investors setting up green-field EV
10 | BUSINESS GOA INDUSTRY DOSSIER | OCTOBER 2021
manufacturing units and incentives to scrap existing vehicles in favour of EVs, among others. The EV Mobility Policy proposed by the government offers maximum subsidy of `30,000 to electric twowheelers, `60,000 to threewheelers and Rs three lakh for four-wheelers. Scientist Dr Nandakumar Kamat, who participated in the online meeting, pointed out that the State needs to have more charging stations to promote EVs. Dr Kamat also spoke out against the green cess that the government proposes to levy to fund the implementation of the EV Policy
iRAD project launched Goa
Mauvin Godinho
The Goa Government has launched the Integrated Road Accident Database (iRAD), which is an initiative of the Union Ministry of Road and Transport and Highways (MoRTH). Funded by the World Bank, iRAD will establish an accurate and uniform accident data collection mechanism and analysis, and will introduce corrective interventions in policy and infrastructure in order to improve road safety in the country. Mauvin Godinho, Transport Minister stated that iRAD will help in preventing accidents. The project is a comprehensive web-based information technology solution which will enable various agencies to enter details of a road accident from different perspectives such as details related to victims, investigation, road engineering, vehicle condition and include details like accurate location information. After the Police Department captures details of a road accident an alert will be sent to the officials of the transport and highways department through email and SMS. Officials of the Police Department will then send a request to the Transport Department’s motor vehicle inspector asking for an inspection of the motor vehicle. After this inspection, details pertaining to the transport department will be captured and the accident information report accordingly generated
COVER STORY
Pic: Aliston Dias
Nandan Kudchadkar has opened the doors of ‘All About Alcohol’ to narrate the story of Goa’s tryst with the alcohol industry
AN ODE TO
THE SPIRIT OF GOA By SYBIL RODRIGUES
N
andan Kudchadkar is a man who dons many hats. Businessman, social media influencer, collector of antiques, Nandan’s heart beats for Goa. His love for Goa’s culture and heritage, beauty and natural resources, rich history and traditions, has paved the way for his varied entrepreneurial ventures like LPK Waterfront, Calizz museum, Cheap
Charlie pub and Personal Treasure, an art and curio gallery. Born in a business family with interests in mining, Nandan’s journey began with Zincal Metalloys Pvt Ltd. His foray into the world of entertainment and tourism related business began with Club Paradiso and later, he created LPK Waterfront, his passion project and a labour of his love for Goa.
12 | BUSINESS GOA INDUSTRY DOSSIER | OCTOBER 2021
An avid collector of antiques and Goan artefacts since the age of 14, Nandan has a vast collection of pens, altars, inkpots, glasses, cooking utensils and more, enough to fill up many museums. His particular affinity for Goa’s traditional drink, Feni, both cashew and coconut, and the responsible drinking culture prevalent amongst Goans, led him to open a
museum in Goa, with the aim of preserving the legacy of Feni. Located in the beach village of Candolim, the All About Alcohol (AAA) museum, aims to be the first of its kind “encyclopedia of alcohol” and has been getting a stream of visitors since it opened two months ago. Barely a week since its opening, the museum caught the attention of some of the
COVER STORY most renowned news media across the country, who termed AAA as “Louvre of Goa”. “When I thought of creating a concept like this, the first thought that came to my mind was whether there is an alcohol museum in the world. There is absolutely no place in the world where you can see this kind of stuff pertaining to alcohol. If you go to Scotland, they are very happy about their waters, about their drinks etc. Similarly, in Russia, the people feel happy to showcase the drinks they have,” Nandan said. “When we come to India, we project alcohol differently. Following my instincts, I decided to set up India’s first museum dedicated to alcohol here in Goa,” he said Nandan states that the drinking culture in Goa is far removed from the typically depicted ones in movies and pop culture, with Goans knowing their alcohol, appreciating it and drinking mainly to be happy. For Nandan, alcohol is much more than just a social lubricant, elegantly sipped from identical long-stemmed glasses at an intimate dinner party, or guzzled straight from the bottle at a packed nightclub. At his museum, he seeks to move the spotlight from the beverage itself, to the story behind it. “The problem is that nobody really tells you what alcohol is, or how intoxication starts,” he explains. “This is the place where we show you what is what. We show you the beauty of sipping a drink from a glass made in the 1500s. We show you how some of the finest glass factories of yesterday were destroyed.” Ironically, it was during the pandemic – when businesses across the country were shutting and people were confined to their homes – that the idea first struck Nandan. “Drinking during
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The Entrance to the Museum
Nandan’s objective behind creating All About Alcohol is to make the world aware of Goa’s rich heritage, especially the story of Feni and the legacy of the alcohol trail from Brazil to Goa the pandemic shifted from restaurants to homes,” he explains. “Even if you’re just calling a couple of friends home for a drink, the euphoria of enjoying a drink was a good way to get your mind off the tensions of the world.” AAA has the distinction The Codd Neck bottles
14 | BUSINESS GOA INDUSTRY DOSSIER | OCTOBER 2021
of being one of the first museums dedicated to alcohol, in the State and in the country. AAA’s focus is the pride that Goans take in Feni, the colourless alcohol that has been part of the Goan culture for centuries. It comes across in the passion with which Nandan talks about this drink that is made on his family’s estate in Neturlim, South Goa, and stored in garrafões (hand blown glass containers) since 1946. The family does not retail Feni. It comes across in the display, which features implements, and a dummy version of a rustic set that displays how Feni is distilled, measured and stored. It also comes across at the tasting at the end, which dips into the collection to offer visitors
a taste of Feni in cocktails as well as in its “pure” and undiluted form. Nandan said that they do not promote the habit of liquor consumption, but the gallery has been set up to showcase the unique and rich legacy of brewing Feni in the coastal State. “Amongst the 1001 things that I have here in the museum, I love to say that I am more keen on promoting the fruit of the soil. Feni is also used for medicinal purposes, as a recreational drink during social gatherings, for cooking and I have to say that Feni exists in various parts of a Goan’s life.” Nandan’s objective behind creating AAA is to make the world aware of Goa’s rich heritage, especially the story of Feni and the legacy of the alcohol trail from Brazil to Goa. The cashew nut plant was first believed to be imported into Goa by its colonial rulers, the Portuguese, from Brazil in the 1700s. Both Brazil and Goa share a common Lusophonian colonial influence. After the plant was brought to the shores of Goa, cashew has taken root in Goa and so has Feni. Cashew Feni is distilled
COVER STORY from fermented juice extracted from the cashew apple and is a popular alcoholic beverage in Goa. Farmers, who lease the tracts from the government every season, harvest the cashew apple from orchards. The juice from the apples is then fermented and distilled using traditional equipment. Distilled once, the fermented juice transforms into a popular mildly intoxicating summer drink called urrak, while once double distilled,
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respect and flavours of our colonial drink”. AAA, spread across 13,000 sq. ft, has five sections, four rooms and an outdoor Old measuring equipments
One of the antiques displayed
An old-style Goan tavern has been created with bottles and glassware from Portugal as well as a Feni cellar that houses more than a thousand bottles of coconut and cashew Feni that dates back to 1946
Interiors of the museum
the drink is referred to as Feni. Feni is also blended with spices like clove, pepper, nutmeg, and cinnamon to make another variation called ‘masala Feni’. A similar process is also used to distill coconut Feni from palm toddy. Cashew Feni is also the country’s first indigenous liquor to obtain the Geographical Indication tag, a process, which was initiated by local manufacturers of the brew in 2009. In 2013, the traditionally distilled cashew Feni, with its astringent smell and powerful fruity flavour, earned the Geographical Indication (GI tag). The Goa Excise Duty (Amendment) Bill 2016 removed the country’s liquor status and declared Feni as the ‘heritage spirit of Goa’ to bring it at par with world famous liquors such as Champagne and Scotch Whiskey. “We have glass garrafōes (vats) which date back to centuries, from an era
paraphernalia – glasses, bottles, manufacturing and distilling equipment – is spread throughout the museum. Of note is a sugar-
where the Portuguese ruled Goa. There are hundreds of exhibits, each made with love and the very act of seeing them in their glory makes us feel passionate about our heritage,” Nandan says. Once manufactured, the Feni was stored and aged in the large vats for years, in order to mature it. Nandan added that the alcohol museum would serve as a repository which preserves alcohol-making implements such as utensils, glass, bottles and more from yesteryears when Goa was regarded as the ‘Rome of the East’. Speaking about his inspiration behind starting the museum, Nandan said: “The inspiration was simple, it was the sheer pleasure of showcasing Goa as something different as usual. The cosmopolitan world traveller visits Goa and what better place is there in India other than Goa, where you can show to the world the history,
16 | BUSINESS GOA INDUSTRY DOSSIER | OCTOBER 2021
Different kinds of bottles displayed
area showing the Feni stills for cashew and coconut. Nearby is a ‘cellar’ stacked with garrafōes, some filled with Feni and kodem (earthen pots in which the cashew juice was fermented). These earthen pots are not as common anymore. While the first room has a collection of glasses, and old measuring equipment, the other three rooms are packed with items from Nandan’s collection. The alcohol
cane crusher, a wooden shot dispenser, and a grav (a scale used to measure the potency of Feni). Most of these objects are over 50 years old at least. An old-style Goan tavern has been created with bottles and glassware from Portugal as well as a Feni cellar, that houses more than a thousand bottles of coconut and cashew Feni that dates back to 1946. In the cellar, visitors can sample some of this aged Feni, from Nandan’s private family
COVER STORY collection; and be a part of an in-house Feni tasting and pairing session. “Feni is a uniquely Goan spirit and it has such an interesting story that is linked to the history and culture of the State as a whole,” explains Nandan. The collection of glassware includes cocktail and beer glasses, chalices, snifters, inclined wine glasses, the world’s tallest shot glass from Poland, a Queen Elizabeth II June 1953 coronation glass with gold trimmings, and crystal glasses that give out the most melodious ring when clinked. There are non-alcohol items too. One room offers the vibe of Goan kitchens, with an old stove, spoons, mortarand-pestles, measures, grinders, packing trunks, old graters, and more. Visitors to the museum’s tavern can enjoy their three signature concoctions. Besides Feni, the museum also offers antiques sourced from all over the world such as ancient beakers and mud pots, antique wooden shot dispenser, 16th century measuring equipment and glassware and a rare Austrian beer horn. The crystal beer horn was sourced from Russia while other antique glassware are from Nandan’s own collection. Visitors are able to navigate the museum with the help of in-house guides who will explain the stories behind some of these unique pieces. Armando Duarte, CEO, AAA says, “Feni has been declared as the heritage drink of Goa and we take great pride in it. Just like how France takes pride in Champagne, we take pride in Feni. Feni-based cocktails are becoming very popular in the market and here is where we are going to change the mindset. We want to take cashew Feni both to places within the country and worldwide. From a drink for the masses to the toast of the glasses.” Further, Armando adds that different countries have
@businessgoa Antique oil dispensers which were used in many goan households
embraced their cultural heritage along with their cultural brew and Goa too should do the same. The entire museum is stocked with artifacts from Nandan’s personal collection, built over roughly 30 years. “About 25 years ago, many locals began to sell their land and with that, antique bar curios, cutlery and all kinds of paraphernalia were sold at dirt cheap rates,” Nandan explains. Not many people knew the worth of these items back then, and Nandan is simply thrilled that he can finally share these treasures with the public. The displays are irregular and they blend different beverage categories. The items do not have tags and descriptors and have five guides who carry with them pride in Goan culture, coupled with years of experience working as guides in Goa. The bartender pairs Feni with strong flavours like mustard, Tabasco and ginger to showcase its versatility for tastings. To mellow the Feni’s bite, he recommends some food pairings, like pickles, and strong citrus flavours. At the end of the halfhour tour, people get the chance to sample some Feni cocktails, crafted by in-house mixologist Lionel Gomes. For Nandan, the potent
18 | BUSINESS GOA INDUSTRY DOSSIER | OCTOBER 2021
“Feni is a uniquely Goan spirit and it has such an interesting story that is linked to the history and culture of the State as a whole. With AAA, I want to tell tourists that there are pleasures to be found on the beach and away from it too” NANDAN KUDCHADKAR
local brew is “the greatest Goan product” and “an ode” to his motherland. While he admits that the taste and scent of Feni can be a bit too much for newcomers, Nandan has
spent months with Gomes to come up with the perfect cocktail that would ease visitors about the spirit. The cocktail recipes are available to any visitor who wants them. Through all this, he is clear that he wants to promote responsible drinking. “With AAA, I want to tell tourists that there are pleasures to be found on the beach and away from it too.” Nandan has ambitious plans for the future. First on the agenda is an app, where visitors can select an item at the museum and learn about its history and use. He has burnt the midnight oil doing research and gathering data about the collection in order to get started on the app. An upcoming section will focus exclusively on glassware, another will talk about wine (including a glimpse of Goan sacramental wine). Nandan also wants to start selling his own Feni sourced from his family’s cashew plantations. He has the bottle and label and name picked out – Salazar, named after the Portuguese dictator Antonio Salazar “who enjoyed his Feni”. The Feni will be bottled, sealed and sold exclusively on site. Nandan concludes by saying that the museum is not a profit-making venture for him, but “a tribute to my motherland”
FOCUS GOA / RETAIL
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SPARK THE FESTIVE SEASON
With the arrival of Navaratri, Dussehra, Diwali, and Christmas, the residents of Goa are all geared up to make spectacular purchases and celebrate this festival season By SWETA SHARMA AND MARILYN D’SOUZA
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he month of October brings with it a variety of events and auspicious occasions. It signals the beginning of one of the foremost festival seasons in Goa. Whether it is Navaratri, Dussehra, Diwali or Christmas, everybody is equally pumped up and eagerly looks forward to celebrating these festivals with their friends and family. Traditional celebrations of Diwali and Navaratri are almost incomplete without ethnic dresses, sweets, and pretty decorations. The season also sees a rise in the number of people buying various goods and services. Shopping becomes an integral part of the festive preparations. The pandemic has brought about many changes in an individual’s lifestyle. People were almost forced to adopt new methods of communication, entertainment, education, payment, and shopping. The shift from local stores to e-commerce platforms, from cash to online banking was an entirely new way of life for a person who had not so much as made a digital transaction before. However, once people got accustomed to it there was no going back. Although the second wave of the pandemic has ended, quite a few people still prefer shopping online as compared to visiting the local stores. Nowadays, a large number of people wait for Amazon’s ‘Great Indian Festival’ and Flipkart’s ‘Big Billion Days’ sale. Launched simultaneously in the month of October, these big e-commerce companies have offered heavy discounts on all their products in a bid to increase sales during this festive season. Offers ranging from no cost EMI to free deliveries on electronics,
groceries, trendy fashionwear, makeup, accessories and other products, they hope to make the most out of this season. The e-tailers have not only featured international brands but also given a muchneeded platform to local sellers, which has allowed the buyer plenty of options. Hence, it does not really
“Just as we are seeing a new trend of the so-called ‘revenge tourism’, I foresee markets adapting to this changing trend and we are extremely hopeful that customers will come back to their earlier shopping habits” KIRIT MAGANLAL Magsons Supercenter
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come off as a great surprise that Amazon and Flipkart have turned into the primary mode of shopping for many people when it comes to the festive season. The products are cheap, the ordering process is not cumbersome, you do not have to stand in a queue and you get great deals on branded products. What else could a person want? Sitting in the comforts of your home with a smartphone or a laptop, a customer can browse online for products that are not available locally, compare prices, and get various discounts. Mayuresh Gaokar, an undergraduate student from Dhempe College of Arts & Science, Miramar, says, “I prefer shopping online. I get to choose between a wide range of products, discover amazing deals during this season, and avoid crowded spaces. Moreover, they have easy refund and return policies. It’s a win-win situation for me.” Even though the people, especially the youth, have taken the online route to get their shopping done, a lot many people still prefer doing things the traditional way. With the decline of the second wave of the pandemic, people are stepping out of
their homes and visiting local markets. A walk through the Panaji market can show you a significant increase in the number of customers shopping in the area. The market houses a huge number of showrooms and small-time stores that cater to the diverse needs of their customers. Almost all of these stores were badly affected due to the pandemic. The casinos closed down, the tourists stopped coming, and the locals were wary of shopping outdoors. Further restrictions were imposed on the shops, which brought down their sales even more. As the restrictions have now been lifted to quite an extent, the shopkeepers are looking to make good their losses and get back in business. The arrival of festivals like Navaratri, Dussehra, Diwali, and Christmas will also bring with them great opportunities for shoppers all around Goa. If you want to shop for sweets, clothes or decorations, local stores might just be the right place for you this season. Bhagyalakshmi Royal Fruits and Kajuwalla, greatly affected due to the virus is a store that sells cashew nuts, almonds, pistachios, and a variety of other dry fruits. Product sales have taken a big hit after the pandemic put a pause on the tourist season. In a bid to get their business back on track, the store has put up various attractive offers and sales. They are also bringing along a new combination of sweets and dry fruits that are sure to attract tourists as well as locals in the coming months. Kirit Maganlal of Magsons Supercenter is optimistic about customers splurging this festive season. “Just as we are seeing a new trend of the so-called ‘revenge tourism’ I foresee markets adapting to this changing trend and we
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“Last year during the festive season, covid was at its peak. This year, as the impact of the pandemic begins to wane, the economy and businesses have started picking up. We are seeing a very positive signs in our jewellery industry as well. We see our business bouncing back to almost prepandemic levels”
ANAND PALAN
Manek Gem Art International
are extremely hopeful that customers will come back to their earlier shopping habits. For individual stores, it will be all about retaining one’s customer base and wowing the customer since, thanks to the pandemic too, competition has become intense in grocery and retail and though the total share of the market may have remained the same, the slices have become thinner!” In a bid to attract customers this festive season, it is discount and incentives galore. “November is a welcome again month for our customers. We are offering lakhs of shopping rupees as a form of redemption of our customer loyalty points with extra special benefits during this festive period. We are also offering barter tie-ups for health and wellness with customer loyalty points. There will be exciting customer prizes for those shopping around town with our
Magsons custom bags and posting their selfies or tagging us in their posts. Besides tons and tons of products are available on discounts, offers and promotions. I am extremely confident that customers will react positively and come back filling up our aisles!” adds Kirit. Meanwhile Prakash Pereira of Delfino’s Hymart predicts a seasonal boom as far as shopping is concerned. “I think people will not splurge but since people have been confined to houses because of Covid there will be a lot of expats and people around India coming home to visit their families, who will definitely want to go on a shopping spree.” While his stores do not wait for the festive season to provide discounts and incentives, but have a fair pricing all year round. “Many manufacturers and suppliers come with festive offers which we fully pass on to our customers. We try to bargain with suppliers to get better deals so customers can enjoy better deals,” adds Prakash. Anand Palan of Manek Gem Art International, while looking on the bright side of things says, “Last year during the festive season, covid was at its peak. This year as the impact of the covid pandemic begins to wane, the economy and businesses have started picking up. We are seeing a very positive signs in our jewellery industry as well. We see our business bouncing back to almost pre-pandemic levels.” For the season, Manek Gem has come up with a festive special collection. “We have a stunning collection specially made for this festive season and have initiated the scheme “own a solitaire for as low as ₹35000”. We are also offering discount up to 100% on labour charges. Monthly instalment scheme named “HIRA” have attracted many to indulge in our mesmerising collection.”
“I think people will not splurge; but since people have been confined to their homes due to Covid, there will be a lot of expats and people around India, coming home to visit their families, who will definitely want to go on a shopping spree” PRAKASH PEREIRA Delfino’s Hymart
It is evident that different sellers are taking different routes to grow their business. Many of the shopkeepers are still not comfortable with selling their products online. They believe in selling their products directly to their customers. Many customers are dissatisfied with their experiences online. The hassle free returns and refunds are not as easy as they are made to be, the product quality is often compromised, and people do not exactly get what they see in the pictures. As customers whether you prefer to shop locally or adopt the new normal of shopping online, one thing is for sure – this festive season is sure to bring you joy and enjoyment. So take note of all the sales and discounts that various platforms are offering and make the most out of your shopping experience www.businessgoa.in
OCTOBER 2021 | BUSINESS GOA INDUSTRY DOSSIER | 21
STARTING YOUNG
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ROCHELLE PINTO
In quest of more
Rochelle Pinto highlights her journey from being a young intern to the Founding Editor of Tweak India
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By SYBIL RODRIGUES
he journey to becoming a founding editor of a onestop platform which speaks to women on every aspect of their lives, has been a long one. Rochelle Pinto began reading at the age of three, largely as a way for her working parents to keep her occupied, so that she would not get into trouble or annoy them with non-stop blabber. “A love for words and a high threshold for public embarrassment translated into years of elocution competitions, debates, talent shows, plays and emcee duties that began at a young age. Summer holidays were not just for playing lagori with the kids in my colony or getting sunburnt on beach trips. I was encouraged to try summer jobs and internships, and I am lucky that some professionals were brave enough to trust a precocious pre-teen with responsibilities far beyond her years,” says Rochelle. By the time she left Goa to join college at St. Xavier’s in Mumbai at the age of 16, Rochelle had written for magazines and newspapers, been a child RJ on AIR, and organised events. She had already developed a work ethic and felt comfortable in a professional environment. She speaks on getting into journalism and the world of media. “Interning from a young age made it clear that a career in media would suit my inquisitive, outspoken, thick-skinned personality. Writers have the power to influence people’s minds, which impact their actions. If you can inspire action, you can precipitate real change. I find this idea very seductive.” Rochelle was the youngest columnist at the Hindustan Times. “My editor at the time channeled my mean girl streak into a fashion police
Rochelle Pinto
column that definitely would not have survived – much less been a hit – in today’s more politically correct times.” Rochelle has worked with names like Vogue, GQ magazine and Elle. She describes it as humbling, invigorating and full of challenges that have helped her grow as a person, outside of the professional space. As Founding Editor of Tweak India, Rochelle feels it is the most profoundly fulfilling professional experience of her life. “To be able to touch the lives of so many women, earn their trust and respect, be privy to the secrets and desires that they feel more comfortable telling us in an Instagram direct message (DM) than they do telling their family or friends… it’s a privilege and a responsibility I take very seriously. I’m grateful to work with a founder who has a strong moral code and vision, and a team which believes in our mission as much as I do.” Rochelle is a published
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author and has three books to her name. “One was Kareena Kapoor Khan’s first biography and the other two are children’s books that I have also edited, part of a series called When I Grow Up, I Want To Be. Between the two editions, they have introduced young minds to 40 Indian heroes from different backgrounds, ages and parts of the country. Our aim is to help children realise that they do not need to look to the sky for a chaddi-clad superhero to lift them up and supercharge their dreams. There are wonderful people doing life-changing work at great personal sacrifice all around them.” Regarding the various challenges faced by her, Rochelle says, “There have been minor roadblocks in the form of patriarchal tropes and politicking. But the biggest challenge that I have personally had to face – especially because I’m privileged not to have dependents to care for – has
been my own self-doubt. Pushing through emotional and mental inertia disguised as laziness or procrastination is something I work on every day.” Rochelle’s professional life involves working with her mind, so her hobbies tend to revolve around using her body. “I practice yoga and have recently taken up kickboxing, which is my twice-a-week catharsis. I also love working with clay – it is meditative in how it forces you to be patient and focus on the moment. I’m happiest amidst nature, especially anything water-adjacent, so treks and swimming are like sorbets for the soul.” As far as her plans are concerned, Rochelle quotes Shabana Azmi: “I don’t want much, I just want more.” Rochelle concludes with a message to aspiring journalists. “Hone your craft by keeping at it every day, trying to improve with active practice and not settling for the bare minimum. I do not enjoy working with people who phone it in, who don’t put in any effort to engage with the person who they are talking to or writing for, and in my experience, people like that don’t make it far in life. Assuming you are ambitious and want to be the best version of yourself, of course. Be collaborative and receptive to ideas, no matter where they come from. Sometimes the intern has the best ideas; do not allow your ego to blind you. Appreciate the responsibility that you have taken on by wanting to become a journalist or a writer and try to live by an ethical code that will help you navigate tricky waters. In addition, learn to separate who you are from what you do. That’s the only way to avoid burnout and enjoy a long and fulfilling career”
ENTERPRISE
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Building SHAKTI for 25 Years
Blaise Costabir on 25 years of his entrepreneurial venture, GMI Zarhak Moulders Pvt Ltd laise Costabir is a first generation entrepreneur, who heads GMI Zarhak Moulders Pvt Ltd, an Indo-French joint venture, manufacturing well known brand of water tanks SHAKTI; and custom moulded technical parts. He has been involved with various industry bodies in Goa like GCCI and Goa State Industries Association. He was former Chairman of the CII Goa, former President of Verna Industries Association; and former Director of Goa Industrial Development Corporation. Blaise got into the rotomoulding business 25 years ago. “I had decided to start a plastic manufacturing venture in Goa, because plastics were a sunrise industry and then Finance Minister Dr Manmohan Singh had, at that point in time, liberalised the economy. Goa, at that time had incentives to start manufacturing units; and it would enable me to go back to my roots. I met Ashraf Chitalwala, who was a supplier to my previous employer. When I discussed my plans with him, he immediately offered to back the venture because he believed I had the operational experience and he could provide the financial backing. One reason he mentioned later was that while dealing with him, I had gained his trust because no unethical means were ever used. He introduced Anand Mehta, at that time MD of Fiora Cosmetics in Goa.” Rotomoulding a Dream Anand’s role was to balance the trading and operational experience of Ashraf and Blaise respectively. Blaise’s wife, Clare, was involved with the business a lot in the early stages and then again in the last few years. In between she took a sabbatical to tend to home and hearth.
Pic: Aliston Dias
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Blaise Costabir
The original idea was to get into injection moulded engineering plastics. Both, Ashraf and Anand were partners of a supplier whose other business was manufacturing rotomoulding machines, a new line at that time. Blaise continues, “They asked me to study this process which at that time in India produced 99% water tanks. My own view was that, outside India, out of a 100 rotomoulded parts, 99 were others – toys, fuel tanks, industrial water tanks, etc and only one was a water tank. So we decided to start making water tanks with a vision of getting into non tank areas subsequently. Today, 70% of our products go to original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and in many cases, we are the sole suppliers.” It was with this in mind that the company decided to partner with GMI (Group Maillard Industries) in 2004. France-based, GMI were leaders in Europe in custom technical rotomoulding.
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While Blaise has been the face of GMI Zarhak Moulders Pvt Ltd, Ashraf Chitalwala, Anand Mehta, Clare Costabir, Eric Maillard and Francois Maire are the team behind the scenes. Challenges Met Blaise faced many challenges when he started his venture 25 years back. “Over the years there have been many challenges, COVID has been the most serious one and unimagineable. But like all challenges they have been faced and we have emerged stronger. I am sure there wil be more challenges going forward, but we are confident we will see them through. If not for MSFC, who played a hand holding role in our fledgling years, we would have been still born like many other ventures.” Another challenge was accessing funds from banks, all the norms were in place but bankers are loath to fund MSMEs. Today, Blaise with says that things are much
easier. However, he says that bankers need to look at the fact that MSME defaults are low, they are the backbone of the Indian economy and they need support. Blaise continues, “We could have done with quicker permissions. Today there is lot of focus on ease of doing business and simplification. GST was a huge positive and has eliminated lot of paperwork. Employees were easier to recruit in the early days, today it is not easy. We used to be 100% local employment; today, it is a struggle to find local employees.” Having said that, he considers that his unit is blessed, having had very good employees over the years and they have been the bedrock for writing the success story of GMI Zarhak and SHAKTI. Building Blocks The organisation started production in 1996 and their first milestone was becoming an ISO Certified Company in 1997, and continue to be certified till date. Along the way they added ISO14000 and ISO 18000. They exported their first consignment of pallets by 1999 and were exporting till the great economic downturn in 2008. The company had added two small machines which they shut down in 2003. In 2004, the organisation tied up with GMI of France and went into a joint venture. This was specifically for technical custom moulded parts. Later, the company expanded their Verna factory in 2005 and added their first imported CNC controlled biaxial machine. In 2010, they started a new factory in Pune with a bigger machine. In 2019, the company was allotted a new plot in Verna. “We then focussed on developing our industrial customers and in early 2021,
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we added a second machine in Pune which is under commissioning, delayed due to the issues caused by the second wave of COVID. Plans for the building on the new plot in Verna, have been sanctioned and we expect to start construction shortly.” Management Ideas Over the past 25 years, there are certain attributes of entrepreneurship that Blaise has adopted which have stood him in good stead. “An entrepreneur has to see something in the future and then work to it. In the case of GMI Zarhak we focussed on custom rotomoulding right from day one, even though we were making a retail product. We started a Just-in-Time (JIT) delivery model for water tanks which was unheard of. Dealers give us an address and we deliver directly to their customers.” This enabled their water tank dealers to reduce their inventory to zero and became an automatic entry barrier to the competition.” Before we arrived, the dealer had to order a truck load at a time. We focussed on quality through systems and developed software inhouse, from order taking to delivery. We have a unique Serial No for each and every product, unheard of at that time for water tanks, but very important for industrial customers as traceability is a key requirement.” The other important aspect Blaise says is customer focus. One may have the best machines, systems and material, but if there is no customer it is no use. At GMI Zarhak Moulders, the customer being key is not just a cliched statement; it is the most important aspect of day to day operations. Their manufacturing processes are tuned to operate as per customer requirements and not as per what is convenient or cheaper for operations. Blaise continues “Paying
suppliers on time is an underrated aspect of business, but its value in the long run is immeasurable. Delayed payments may be a cheap source of funds but very expensive actually. Right from the start, we ensured this was a priority and our suppliers appreciate this very much.” Marketing Strategies In order to build his brand, Blaise’s company has mostly been into direct selling. “When selling water tanks initially, we realised that dealers do not have time to convince customers about the merits of a particular brand, so we decided to sell the brand directly to end users, who then went to dealers asking for the same. We initially used two large hoardings with an actual tank fixed to it, highlighting the features. This was and remains our strategy, direct selling. For OEM customers also have to use the same concept as for development that you cannot speak via an intermediary.” Initially, GMI Zarhak Moulders focussed on developing products which they could sell, water tanks, pallets, bins. Later, they developed products like a septic tank for which they have a patent, biodigester to convert wet waste into methane gas, composter, grease trap, water harvester. These products helped reduce enviromental damage. “Our own products are marketed under our well known brand name SHAKTI.” On the other hand, the company has worked with OEMs to develop customised parts, water tanks, fuel tanks, doors, fenders, consoles etc. Their customers include MNCs and top corporates like Volvo, John Deere, Atlas Copco, Pai Kane, Putzmiester, VST Tractors, Doosan, Amman Apollo, Writgen, Dynapac, Ford, Kohler, Godrej, Kits & Karts, and Epirock. The
development process includes designing mould and parts suitable for rotomoulding, manufacturing of mould and then production, testing and assembly. Further Blaise maintains, “We would like to add that the Asian Institute of Management Manila uses three cases studies based on our efforts in marketing the water tank brand. That is a huge honour and indicates we did a few things right.” Regarding the survival of businesses in a post Covid era, Blaise is confident that his organistaion will not be affected in the long run, at least from the demand point of view. “However, depending on the situations which unfold we can get affected by lockdowns, closure due to infections, supply shortages etc. These have to be managed as they unfold, one cannot plan too far ahead or too much.” Industry Insider Alongside managing the business, Blaise has been actively involved with various trade and industry organisations. He elaborates on the key takeaways from this as an entrepreneur. “I distinctly recall battling with myself in the early days. C K Pralhad, the management guru had a different take, one which has stood me in good stead. He said that a CEO in an organisation is outward looking; he has to look at changes in environment, competition etc. A divisional manager looks inward, quality delivery supply etc. A CEO of a MSME wears two hats, inward looking and also outward looking. Hence, it is imperative that a CEO involves himself with trade associations so that he is abreast of what is happening outside, he can also discuss with his peers which may not be possible inside his organisation. The take away is a better understanding of the environment. Two, almost
anyone who is a decision maker knows that for tanks you can contact us, it is much better than cold calling. So my unabashed recommendation is any entrepreneur should be involved with trade associations’ right from day one.” When asked if he would do things differently 25 years back, Blaise says, “When we created our joint venture, the then Chairman, late Gilbert Maillard sent an email detailing his plans for adding another machine. This was without any official market study etc. It was a big blow when he passed away within a few months of the joint venture taking shape. What I learned from that was one has to be ahead in the game and not just be a follower of a trend. Looking back, if we had added a machine according to his vision we would have been much ahead. We added the machine five years later in Pune. So if I have to do it all over again, I believe that is what I would do – add the machines earlier.” As an individual, Blaise has always been vocal and fortright with his views, often criticising the powers that be through various media platforms. When asked whether this has created hurdles for him in his business, Blaise replies, “I recently completed my term as CII State Chairman. My team members were relieved I had gone through a tough period and without upsetting the powers that be, yet accomplishing our goals. So, it is important to note that none of my criticism is directed at any person for any personal gain to me or my company. As Verna Industries Association, President or as a member of Government appointed committees, the same focus is used to work in the interest of the State and industry. People in power have accepted this and thus I have not faced till date any hurdles in business,” says Blaise with a smile
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INTERVIEW
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AGUS P. SAPTONO
“We hope that in the near future, Indonesia and India can have more interactions on investment, trade and tourism”
Harshvardhan Bhatkuly, Editor, Business Goa spoke to Agus P. Saptono, Consul General of the Republic of Indonesia to India, on his recent visit to Goa, where the discussion was about trade between India and Indonesia and the possibilities of investing in Goa Harshvardhan Bhatkuly: What brings you to Goa? Consul General: First, I think Goa is a State that is quite similar to Indonesia, especially Bali. I feel that Indonesia can try to expand their business in Goa. We have collaborated with our embassy in Delhi, and I have come here. I had a meeting with the Goa Chamber of Commerce & Industry (GCCI) and the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII-Goa). We are trying to help our citizens who live here in Goa, especially to get them vaccinated, for which we have collaborated with the Directorate of Health Services, Government of Goa. The focus, of course, is to introduce to people who don’t know much about our country, encourage bilateral economical relationship and attend to global trade. We are focusing on economic diplomacy that is trade, investments and tourism. These three issues is what we are highlighting during my visit here. Indonesia and India have a very long relationship since the early 70s. In 2018, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Joko Widodo agreed to increase the level of economic relationship between our countries by signing a trade agreement. We should be able to increase all trade and investments between our countries. We also agreed to extend the trade value, which is approximately between 16 and 19 billion dollars (US), and take it up to 50 billion dollars (US) by 2025. HB: What is the focus of trade and what gets traded between India and Indonesia? CG: From Indonesia, we export palm oil and coal,
Agus P. Saptono
which is our main export to India. However, things like furniture, spices are also in the list. From India, we import sugar and as some spices are not available in our country, we import some of them too. Also, manufacturing machinery, textile machinery, around 57% is imported from India. HB: In terms of tourism, as you said, there is a lot of similarities between Goa and Bali... CG: Goa is one of the States in India that promote tourism and I think we can plan a future collaboration with Goa and Indonesia. Bali is the main destination for Indian tourists, who stand third in the number of tourists, with China being the first and Australia being second. In Indonesia, tourism stands at number 5. Around 50000 Indian tourists visit us in a year and the number has increased in 2019. We planned to increase the number by 2020, but covid played spoiler to our plans, and this was not possible. HB: What about ease of getting
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visas for Indian tourists? CG: For Indian tourists we have a ‘visa on arrival’, which is free for 30 days, especially if its by direct flight. This is not only for tourism but also for people who visit the country for business. We used to have direct flights till 2019. We are hoping to revive this facility. HB: If one has to travel to Jakarta how does one go? CG: If one wants to come here, it has to be through Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, or Bangalore and even Hyderabad but they should have a stopover at Singapore, Malaysia or Bangkok. HB: You are aware that the Indian startup space is growing. In terms of investments, are you looking at investing or finding investments in India? CG: Yes I agree with you, that India is growing very fast. The program of Prime Minister Modi, ‘Startup India’ and ‘Make in India’ has helped India to grow very fast. In Indonesia, too, we have started on similar lines, but not so fast as India has grown. I am on the lookout for
partners between Indonesia and India especially in IT and startups. We have tried to encourage inbound and outbound investments. For outbound investments or startups, we already have three companies in Bangalore. These companies are technology majors like Gojek, Anabatic Systems and travel bookings unicorn, Traveloka. We have invested for two reasons – one, for the opportunities; and two, because India has a lot of young talent. We would like to learn, transfer technology etc. Now I have already started looking for other opportunities. In inbound, we have companies coming to Indonesia and in outbound we request Indonesian companies to invest in India. HB: What are you looking for in Indian companies, to invest in Indonesia? CG: We know that India excels in the IT space and startups. That is why I think this is a good opportunity for us to look for collaboration in India. If companies try to invest in India it will be good else we will look at a joint venture. My main task is economic diplomacy. So I am trying to reach out to Indian and Indonesian companies to explore IT and to check if they are ready to invest in our country and vice versa. I try to find out what information they want from us and I try to find out about companies interested and act as a negotiator. I discuss with the leadership team of the companies in India and ask them if they are interested in investing in Indonesia. This works both ways. HB: What is the discussion
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that you had with the GCCI and what were the ideas that you exchanged? CG: I was introduced to the members and spoke about the opportunities in Indonesia for trade investments. We have introduced a new law (called Omnibus Law) recently, which is basically to bring in ease of doing business. The government wants more foreign investments to come to Indonesia and have relaxed regulations in order for foreign companies to invest with us. With India we have (CEPA – Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement) with a target of a million US dollars. This is not easy but I am quite confident that we can do this. Inspite of covid, trade with India has increased. HB: What would you promise an Indian business if they want to invest in Indonesia?
CG: The investment climate now is better, plus we have relaxed the laws when it comes to business, we have One Stop Service (The service that BKPM – Ministry of Investment of Indonesia gives to help investors to get through with their business licensing) and we have a number of industrial estates according to ones business and targets. Each industrial estate has its own specialty and there is healthy competition between them. My agenda is to cooperate, facilitate and help those who are interested in investing in Indonesia. HB: Are you looking at signing up any businesses from Goa? CG: So far, we had some discussions in this regard. But it is still under progress. I am looking for something that we can deal with in the near future. We met the CII Goa
team, where we discussed investment issues. With GCCI, we have discussed more about small and medium enterprises which we have in plenty in Indonesia. However, in both meetings we spoke about the trade expo that will take place in October and we would like to invite companies to join, since it’s a virtual program. Last year, Indians were the highest in number to attend. We are also focused on pharmaceutical business. States like Telangana, Hyderabad, Gujarat and Maharashtra, so also Goa is doing very well with regards to pharmaceutical products. As far as pharma products are concerned, Indonesia is a big market. HB: How is the covid situation in Indonesia? CG: Like India, we have had the second wave in June and July and the situation has
improved. It took time and it has now improved. HB: Tell us about your experiences in Goa in terms of business, how you wish to attract investments, tourism and trade. CG: I met with a lot of business people in Goa which was good experience for me. We discussed a lot about the opportunities available and I feel it is good chance for both countries to invest, trade and makes the best of these opportunities. I hope in the near future, Indonesia and India especially Goa, increase their relationship. Our Consulate will facilitate all Indian business people, who have an interest in investing in Indonesia in the trade and tourism sector. We are open and we hope in the near future that we can have more interactions on investment, trade and tourism
OCTOBER 2021 | BUSINESS GOA INDUSTRY DOSSIER | 27
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Nilesh Mahambre
D
ial4242, India’s wellknown app-based ambulance network is built to deliver the best in emergency medical transportation to individuals across the country. The startup focuses on delivering not only emergency services but also provides assistance to patients in need of scheduled hospitalisations and/or discharges. The Dial4242 User app is available on the App Store and Playstore (Apple and Android users) and connects users to emergency facilities by providing timely ambulance services. With just one click or a call, a patient can have access to the ambulances associated with Dial4242at the location of their choice. The founders of this enterprise, Jeetendra Lalwani and Nilesh Mahambre, conceived the idea at a river cleaning drive organised by River March Organization in Mumbai. They realised the urgent need to address impending issues related to the first step in providing healthcare – establishing an ambulance-on-call service that would be independent of the roadblocks faced by users otherwise. Nilesh Mahambre, an electrical engineer from Goa and the co-founder of Dial 4242, has over 25 years of experience in the
This startup has trailblazed the provision of emergency care to people across the country by providing ambulance services during critical times as the need arises
Pankaj Pai Kakode
IT industry and has worked with organizations such as Tata Consultancy Services and Lionbridge Technologies, where he served for 17 and 7 years, respectively. Jeetendra Lalwani, the co-founder and director at Dial4242, is a marketer with over a decade’s experience having been associated with advertising agencies such as Leo Burnett, Bates 141, McCann, TBWA, and Cartwheel in India. Gautam Amonkar, engineer and entrepreneur for 30 years from Goa is a director and an angel investor
28 | BUSINESS GOA INDUSTRY DOSSIER | OCTOBER 2021
Jeetu Lalwani
in Dial4242. Dial4242 addresses the problems associated with ambulance availability, affordability and accessibility (The Rule of 3As). Using their home grown tech platform, the startup has been able to aggregate more than 5000 ambulances on their platform across 400+ cities and towns in India and are providing support to corporate power houses such the Tata Group, Shell India, Marico, Wipro, Kelloggs, etc. Dial 4242 has signed up with an insurance company that will bring in 7 lac policy holders on to their platform and provide seamless accessibility to these holders in times of need. This recent critical step taken by the organisation marks it’s forte in identifying the dire precursors of the healthcare system in the nation. Presently, Dial4242 has more than 10 lakh consumers on their platform, which is available on a 24x7 basis throughout the year, to provide service with commitment. The inception of this organisation dates back to 2016/17 when a personal experience triggered the establishment of this startup. The gruelling task of finding ambulances for multiple hospital visits, all in a span of four months with nothing but tardiness, risks
Gautam Amonkar
of dependability and price variations made the founders recognise the need for quality emergency ambulance services. The business model of Dial 4242 revolves around addressing the core difficulties that have been seeded in the ambulance market in the country. With no regulated systems in place, consumers do not have a foolproof and reliable platform to procure ambulances, which in turn result in fatalities in times of emergencies. Technologically relevant systems such as live tracking of vehicles have been put in place and ambulance fees have been standardised to avoid insensitivity in times of need and crisis. Dial4242 is a brand that believes in timely solution to medical emergencies; and in doing so, not only do they provide guaranteed ambulance access but also ensure that the line of medical staff be made available to the patients upon arrival at the hospital. Apart from Nilesh, Jeetu and Gautam, the team also comprises Kishore Naidu - Chief Operating Officer (COO), Pankaj Pai Kakode Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and Dilip Kulkarni – a mentor and a strategist/planner in the startup. This team has been pivotal in their support to the
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venture and its growth. The aggregate of ambulance business services being in the nascent stage, fundraising for the same has been an arduous task for the founders. However with the help of friends and family as well as with the founding investors on board, Dial 4242 has managed to achieve the growth rate of over 300% over the last 4 consecutive years. Commoners may connote the name ‘Uber of Ambulances’ to this venture based on the aggregation and co-ordination of vehicles; however, Dial 4242 is serviceoriented with their value emphasis on consumer welfare and a stringent TAT (Turnaround Time) Currently Dial4242 is present in 400+ locations in India and the detailed list of cities and towns is available on their website. The startup is expanding their network of ambulance operators and is
Jeetu Lalwani receiving the prestigious Maharashtra Startup Innovation Award 2021 in the Healthcare Category
adding new cities on a regular planned interval. Having said this, the team is geared to handle ambulance requirements at practically any city in India, with a commitment to go global, as the means provide. Dial4242 has already been launched in Goa with a aggregated fleet of 110 ambulances and partnership with 40+ hospitals and nursing homes. Dial4242 focuses on empowering consumers by means such as corporate memberships, partnerships with insurance companies, partnerships with travel companies and travel
booking agencies, holding camps and awareness sessions in housing societies and social media campaigns. Dial4242 has won the prestigious Maharashtra Startup Innovation Award 2021 in the healthcare category. There were 1800 participants from all over India who participated in these awards and Dial4242 was chosen as one of winners from over 100 finalists. In September this year, Dial4242 won top honours at ET Leaders of Tomorrow Award & Conclave held at New Delhi. This is another feather in the cap for this
young startup, which has strived day in and day out to make ambulance service available to the needy even during the peak covid-19 waves. The above two awards won by Dial4242 is a culmination of five years of dedicated efforts by the entire team to improve the service levels in this sector. These awards are recognition of their efforts by the government and also the private sector entities. This also cements their position as one of the premier players which is bringing in a lot of innovation in this sector As of now, Dial4242 is focusing on raising 5-6 million dollars to fuel their growth. The opportunity is burgeoning, both from the business side and also from improving the overall medical transportation ecosystem and they are at the forefront of this medical transportation revolution
OCTOBER 2021 | BUSINESS GOA INDUSTRY DOSSIER | 29
CAMPUS
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Induction Program for first year students organized by VMSIIHE
One of Goa’s leading private hospitality institutes, V. M. Salgaocar Institute of International Hospitality Education (VMSIIHE), Raia welcomed a new batch of students for the academic year 2021-2024 on campus. Students were accepted on campus after providing a negative RT-PCR report. On the second day, an induction programme was organised in accordance with all of the covid guidelines. Prof. Irfan Mirza, Director/Principal of VMSIIHE addressed the freshers with a motivational speech, speaking about discipline, correct attitude, moving forward with hope and always being humble in life. Captain Ramesh Kumar, a pilot at Indigo Airlines who was also a student of Prof. Irfan Mirza interacted with the students via zoom during the induction program. He credited Prof Mirza’s training for his
achievements, saying that he acquired certain exceptional qualities as a student under him. He added, “One should pursue a profession that one admires and likes. We only get one opportunity in our lifetime to achieve all that we aspire to do,” and urged the students to give it their all. During the induction program, the faculty and staff of VMSIIHE were introduced to the students for the first time. Dr. Marie Raj, the administrator of the institute took the students through the orientation process and briefed them about the norms of the institute. Final year students Keith Rodrigues and Pravin Kumar were felicitated for their selfless contribution as frontline covid care volunteers during the pandemic. The students are quite excited to begin this new chapter in their lives and are gratified to have the
opportunity to kick-start this learning adventure in the offline mode, enjoying all the facilities the campus life has to offer. Simran Mandar Parulekar, a student of B.Sc. International Hospitality Management, Batch 202124 says, “I was nervous and anxious for my first day at campus but the induction program has put me at ease. It was quite helpful and valuable as it gave me an insight into my course and what is expected of me. All of the staff and my seniors were extremely warm and amiable which I greatly appreciated. I’m completely energized to begin this academic year now.” Aahan Mathew Jacob, a first year B.Sc. International Hospitality Management student says, “The VMSIIHE induction program was hands down the best anyone could ever ask for. The overall experience was great, as we know about the institute and
its knowledgeable faculty. It also motivated and taught us to always follow our dreams and that proper amount of hard work can get us anywhere in life.” VMSIIHE offers a B.Sc. degree in International Hospitality Management and a M.Sc. in International Hospitality and Tourism Management to interested and passionate students. Situated in the blissful village of Raia in South Goa, the campus, spread over six acres, is an ideal place for students to be nurtured and to grow in the best possible way professionally and individually. The institute also offers professional internships at reputed starred hotels where students are trained by international professionals in some of the leading hotel chains, such as Taj Exotica, Alila Diwa Goa, Grand Hyatt Goa, Vivanta by Taj, Goa Marriott Resort & Spa, Novotel Goa Resort and Spa, among others. VMSIIHE is the first hospitality institute in India and also in Goa to obtain the ‘Eat Right Campus’ certification, which requires passing a thorough audit of institutional practices
Collaborative Series by CSSA, GIM and Ultimate Global Podcast, Sydney The Centre for Social Sensitivity and Action at the Goa Institute of Management (GIM) in collaboration with Ultimate Global Podcast has launched a Collaborative Podcast Series on UN SDGs and Social Impact. Starting this month, the podcast will feature conversations on the Action for 2030 Agenda, ESG Reporting, Business and Human Rights, Equity, Inclusivity and Compassion. Ultimate Global Podcast is based in Sydney and has been founded by George Mavros and GIM alumnus Saurabh Kaura. Commenting on the
podcast series, said Prof. Ajit Parulekar, Director, Goa Institute of Management, “I am happy to see the collaborative effort between Ultimate Global Podcast and CSSA-GIM to create conversations around sustainability and responsible management. Podcasts have become a powerful medium of storytelling and this newer digital format of content consumption, be it knowledge or entertainment, has reached new popularity in recent years. India is the thirdlargest podcast-listening market globally and growing at a CAGR of 34.5%. I am sure this collaborative podcast
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series on SDGs will reach out to wider audience and create awareness about critical issues our society is facing today.” Prof. Divya Singhal, Chairperson, CSSA-GIM added “The collaborative Podcast series will help advance the CSSA objectives of incorporating values of equity, inclusivity, and sustainability and will highlight how academia, businesses, government and other stakeholders can join together towards complex sustainability challenges and creating the positive impact” The launch podcast which went live this month featured Prof. Sreerupa Sengupta from
CSSA and in conversation with Saurabh Kaura and George Mavros to share her thoughts on “ActForSDGs”. On this collaboration Prof. Sreerupa Sengupta said, “The pandemic has shown that we need to change our behaviour, lifestyle process of production and consumption to save ourselves and our planet. We need to reach out to more people and encourage them to join the SDG movement. Podcasts area new medium of communication, globally. Ultimate Global Podcast Series will make our voices heard on a global platform and boost the campaign for action on SDGs”
BOOKSHELF
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AUTHOR: INDRA NOOYI | PUBLISHER: PORTFOLIO
MY LIFE IN FULL
I
ndra Nooyi, one of the world’s most admired CEOs has redefined what it means to be an exceptional leader. The first woman immigrant to run a Fortune 500 company, she transformed PepsiCo with a unique vision, a vigorous pursuit of excellence, and a deep sense of purpose. My Life in Full offers a firsthand view of Nooyi’s legendary career and the sacrifices it so often demanded. In this book, Nooyi takes us through the events that shaped her, from her childhood and early education in 1960s India, to the Yale School of Management, to her rise as a corporate consultant and strategist who soon ascended into the most senior executive ranks. The book offers an inside look at PepsiCo, and Nooyi’s thinking as she steered the iconic American company toward healthier products and reinvented its environmental profile, despite resistance at every turn. Although Nooyi always
valued family, rising through the ranks meant making difficult choices about being a mother and a wife. Throughout the book, she reflects on these choices, sometimes with regret. Nonetheless, she is justifiably proud that her personal sacrifices led to unprecedented strides at PepsiCo, where, as CEO, she reduced water consumption and plastic usage in the manufacturing p r o c e s s e s , spearheaded the development of healthier products, and changed many of the trucks in the company’s fleet to hybrid vehicles. Nooyi’s autobiography is a quick, fascinating read, laced with unusual frankness and generosity. The author is honest about her privilege and her regrets, never sugarcoating her failures or giving herself undue credit for her successes. Nooyi is revered as a role model for women and immigrants, and celebrated for her empowering messages on inclusivity. At PepsiCo, she was the chief architect of ‘Performance with Purpose’, the company’s mission to deliver sustained growth by making more nutritious products, limiting the company’s environmental footprint, and empowering its associates and people in the communities that it serves. She has been awarded the Padma Bhushan, India’s thirdhighest civilian honor, the U.S. State Department’s award for ‘Outstanding American by Choice’, and 15 honorary degrees. She is married to Raj Nooyi and has two daughters, Preetha and Tara
OCTOBER 2021 | BUSINESS GOA INDUSTRY DOSSIER | 31
TECHNOLOGY
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Making a mark in the IT world
Goa Technology Association lists out some of their pioneering members who have their headquarters in Goa, and have a wide range of clients, ranging from startups to Fortune 500 companies, in India and overseas
T
echnological pioneering, the creation and successful commercialisation of technology, is among a company’s most potentially viable strategies. However, it cannot succeed without skilled management that (re)defines the company’s strategic goals and competencies. Goa Technology Association(GTA) is the primary representative of IT companies present in Goa. Their members have a footprint spanning six continents, with an active presence in over 32 countries.
GTA represents ESDM, Design, Research, BPOs and IOT companies. With their core focus being the creation of growth opportunities for their members through various initiatives, GTA has some of the best companies on their membership list. Each of these are companies are pioneers in
KILOWOTT
their respective spaces, where they provide services to clients across the globe. These companies all have their headquarters in Goa and have a wide range of clients, from startups to Fortune 500 companies, in India and overseas. These companies also have the distinction of having some of the first outsourced
TEAM INERTIA
Shaan Nair
Caleb Fernandez
projects to Goa from all over the world, while employing as many locals as possible. Just as historical pioneers paved the way for new developments in our State and country, technological pioneers in innovation and inclusion are going to provide new opportunities and changes to their industry. As more tech entrepreneurs develop a pioneering mindset that aims to make a positive impact on the state and the country, the future holds great potential for these companies
Judah Fernandez
Siblings Aaron Fernandez, Judah Fernandez and Caleb Fernandez founded Kilowott. A truly global company headquartered in Goa, Kilowott has grown to 170+ employees working across continents in a short span of seven years. A digital strategy, design and development agency, Kilowott has the capability of offering 360-degree digital transformation services to clients across geographical markets. Today, the company is able to create memorable customer experiences through innovative product architecture, digital engineering and user-focused design. All the strategies are custom-made based on real data analysis, down to the minutest detail generated
Aaron Fernandez
through innovating coding. Till date, the company has executed over 2,000 projects, globally. Kilowott works closely with their clients to build customer experiences across all platforms and brand touch points. Working across platforms, disciplines and industries, their approach is based on a deep understanding of the interplay between design, technology and the needs of their clients. The work culture at Kilowott is what sets it apart and makes it one of the most sought after companies to work in. Kilowott has partner deals in Norway, Netherlands, India, France, Germany, Switzerland, Denmark and the US and service clients across three continents
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Sujeet Shetty
Founded by Vernon Fernandes, Shaan Nair, Sujeet Shetty, Team Inertia Technologies is one of Goa’s premier IT Solutions firm that specialises in building bespoke digital solutions for clients in Goa, pan India and across the globe. Since 2003, Team Inertia has created innovative design, development and digital solutions for leading hospitality, real estate, retail, tourism, mining and logistics, education, casino, healthcare and medtech industries. Their prestigious clients range from leading business houses in Goa to State and Central governments and Military. They have a strong international presence with clients from US, Canada, UK, Germany, Norway, Netherlands, South Africa, U.A.E, Qatar, Singapore and Australia. The team
Vernon Fernandes
comprises passionate, hardworking, dedicated and professional graphic and interface designers, technical architects, creative content marketers and software analysts and engineers who share a common belief in the medium, and its potential to change the way we live and work. Business solutions range from website development, e-commerce, workflow systems to ERP systems. Scalability and strong architecture is hallmark of their solutions that have served numerous industry verticals and have stood the test of time. Continual product improvement ensures keeping up with emerging technologies and avenues. Constant interactions with stakeholders provide upgrades where required to increase efficiency and effectiveness of solutions
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Genora Infotech Private Limited Genora Infotech Private Limited deals with software development services in niche technologies for clients across the globe. They work on the latest technologies including angular, react, native android, iOS and web development. Genora Infotech works with corporate and startups helping them excel with software solutions for their business. They work on a fixed cost as well as resource on hire model. Genora Infotech has
Teknorix
Teknorix, headquartered in Verna, is a fast-growing global product engineering and technology solutions company operating in India, USA, and Europe. Teknorix was founded in 2013 by Bhavit Naik and Yashvit Naik, both brothers – with a vision to build outstanding software products; for solving realworld business problems. Over the last eight years, Teknorix has helped companies accelerate digital transformation initiatives as an innovation and technology partner while helping scale their business to greater heights. Teknorix has also worked with startups and growing product companies, helping them transform their ideas into next-generation products. They have built and scaled some of their own cloud-based
sapnagroup
sapnagroup is an IT services company based at Panaji. The company develops web applications and mobile apps for client across the globe. The company also has a hosting division with servers in Europe and the US. Recently, it forayed into cyber security including penetration tests and security audits. The company’s BPO division services clients in Europe and the Middle East in the area of search engine optimisation
Online Productivity Solutions Pvt. Ltd
Americo (Ricky) Noronha, Cyntia Antao and Arvind Yadav Milind Prabhu
serviced customers in over 19 countries so far and has development centers in Goa and Pune Bhavit Naik and Yashvit Naik
Founded by Cyntia Antao, Arvind Yadav and Americo (Ricky) Noronha in 1995, OPSPL is Goa’s second oldest IT company and has been providing clients and partners across the globe with custom IT solutions for over 26 years to date. They have handled the first ever outsourced to Goa project, back in 1998, for a Brazilian IT Company, Funded by the Brazilian Government Softex 2000 initiative and won awards for the project at CeBit Hanover. OPSPL was the first Goan
eDOT Solutions SaaS products, which serve over 5000 companies in 100+ countries across the globe. One such product is Jobsoid, a cloud-based recruiting platform that helps businesses and agencies streamline their entire recruitment process, right from advertising a job to making a successful hire. Currently, at a team strength of 70+ across its offices in Goa and Pune, Teknorix strives to foster a fun work culture that is friendly, challenging, and at the same time motivating
Nilesh Nayak
Founded in 2004, eDOTpioneered India’s first advanced digital marine barge tracking solution for river traffic in Goa, well before the advent of commercially available GPS devices in India. Today, they help clients, from startups to Fortune 500 companies, with user-centric solutions from their offices in Goa (India), Philadelphia and Houston (USA), Singapore and the United Kingdom. eDOT tries and understands client aspirations and crafts them into profitable and digital marketing. Started in 2002, it employs more than 70 people across its various offices. The key strength of the company is its technology base and it has ventured into newer technologies like React, OpenCV and so on. sapnagroup services wellknown clients like Bright Horizons, which is the world’s largest childcare company. The Company plans to foray into newer areas like Computer Vision, AI/ML and 3D models
IT Company to be Microsoft Gold Partners back in 2000 and has also Listed Linux, PostgreSQL and MySQL partners for support of these important FOSS Systems. OPSPL has always welcomed smart freshers for jobs and give them a platform to learn, excel and grow and have been doing it for the last 26 years. People who have started their careers with OPSPL are all across the globe now running their own companies and doing Goa and OPSPL proud
Capt. Ruchin C Dayal
business solutions; analysis of critical data, appreciation of behaviour and identification of controlling processes, handhold their teams in developing custom–fit solutions, which fulfill clients’ needs and accelerate growth and profits. Certified under ISO 9001, 27001, 21001, eDOT complies with most quality/security standards and requirements from around the world, including GDPR. They are BIMCO Members and Ship Cyber Security - IMO Res 428, Class Certification, ISO 27001. eDOT deals with Cyber Security Training ClassNK Certified and ISO 21001 – IRQS, Maritime IT Services Management (ITSM) - IT support for fleet, upgradations and testing
OCTOBER 2021 | BUSINESS GOA INDUSTRY DOSSIER | 33
WORKPLAY
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KILOWOTT
one of the best IT companies in Goa is fuelling a virtual culture revolution A great place to work How
A
ll work and no play makes Jack a dull boy, doesn’t it? When applied to the workspace, this attitude can prove to be disastrous; turning it into a sorely dull place. At Kilowott, a refined balance between work and play, vision and revision, challenge and comfort sprawls finely, has led them to bag the ‘IT Company of the Year’ Award at the Business Goa Awards 2021 and being recognised for its excellence at the recently held Goa Technology Association (GTA) Awards Night. With skill enhancement and career development in gambit, Kilowott’s vision for such a work ethos is a leap through time in Goa’s burgeoning business landscape. A ‘chill’ workspace where decking up in an ‘officeappropriate’ garb is not an obligation; Kilowott has proved that formal, uniformlike appearances do not matter, when it comes to meeting goals and ensuring efficiency. “The warm, informal space that was conceived, birthed a lively work culture that visibly complements achievement of goals and delivery of targets”, relays Judah Fernandez, Partner and Co-founder of Kilowott - one of the three dynamic cogs in the founding wheels of the Porvorim based company that also has partner deals in Norway, Netherlands, France, Germany, Switzerland, Denmark and
the US. “With organizations expanding in size, hierarchies become more defined, thereby widening the gap between leadership and employees. As a rule of thumb, there’s a general chain of command in terms of communication. As difficult as it is, opening ourselves up to the employees and conversely, knowing them personally and on the work front is time well invested,” said Aaron Fernandez, CoFounder of Kilowott. The camaraderie shared by the team members is the cherry on top. Career milestones, anniversaries, and birthdays of each employee are celebrated with utmost exuberance. The customs of work that manifest team spirit and familial fondness abound at Kilowott, producing a group of 170 motivated employees. In addition to the amiable work sphere, an inspiring and pleasant office ambience
34 | BUSINESS GOA INDUSTRY DOSSIER | OCTOBER 2021
is another factor that gets the whole team enthusiastic about working together. “The appealing interior space has been idealistically designed to ignite imagination and coax creativity,” states Caleb Fernandez, CoFounder, and the youngest of the Fernandez brothers. Two swimming pools, a recreational area for video games and unwinding, chatty cafe scenes, and a whole lot of bustling zest. This culture only facilitates the employees’ inner drives to secure both personal and professional growth. While the covid-19 pandemic swerved their merry modus-operandi, the HR Head assures that conscious efforts have been made to retain the vibrant vibe in the ‘Work from Home’ mode. The HR think tank meets frequently to assess and review work policies, formulate processes to collate feedback and make changes based on the learnings derived. Accordingly, virtual events and activities are frequently lined up to feed on the anticipation of employees. Recently, the first edition of ‘Kilowott’s Got Talent’, an exciting talent hunt was conducted, bringing out the exceptional talents and creative abilities of the employees. By the same token, formal and informal events aimed at mental well-being
and personnel development are being conducted. Every month, a casual catch-up session is held. A regular tête-à-tête with the founders is a highly anticipated event. In this one-on-one conversation, the founders address the individual aspirations and career goals of employees. Seeking feedback from employees on their experience and making the workspace comfortable and inclusive is one of the objectives of such an interaction. Several other events which are held play a major role in animating the employees and keeping them on their feet. The Annual Christmas gala in particular is a much anticipated event. Employees are acquainted with hot technology trends that have a compelling demand in the market. They are offered maps of changes in career architecture and are given the opportunity to try out career streams varying from their own, creating the thrill of challenge while fencing against occupational rigidity. The training needs of employees are analysed and customised according to the requirements. The complexity of culture always boils down to its diversity and inclusivity. An ideal work culture reflects a healthy ratio between male and female employees, compatible age dynamics, and varied ethnicities. Kilowatt seems to ace the game in this sphere too. On being nudged to speak about the journey to the top, Aaron admits that the process has not been all that easy. “We have had our share of challenges, what you see after seven years of hard work is just the tip of the iceberg, the enormous mass of ice below the waterline graciously hides the gargantuan effort that has gone into making this house a home”, he said
REAL ESTATE
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GERA DEVELOPMENTS
Gera’s River of Joy Gera Developments, with a track record of over 50 years, one of the pioneers of the real estate industry and the awardwinning creators of premium residential and commercial projects including the innovative ChildCentric® Homes, in Pune and Goa, have recently handed over Goa’s first ChildCentric® Homes project Gera’s River of Joy at Kadamba Plateau, Goa to customers. The possession event was carried over 3-days recently, where 108 villas of Zone A were handed over. Gera’s River of Joy has 364 homes across a mix of apartments, row houses and cluster villas. The project is located at Kadamba Plateau, which is a hotbed of development in Goa. Having easy connectivity to Panjim and the connecting
towns, the residents enjoy the picturesque views of the Mandovi River. The bustling neighbourhood with ample opportunities provides residents with an enriching residential experience. Rohit Gera, Managing Director, Gera Developments said, “The ChildCentric® Homes have received a phenomenal response in Goa. Our customers are looking forward to experience all the offerings and various academies of ChildCentric® Homes. The show has just begun with the launch of the Bhaichung Bhutia Football Schools at Gera’s River of Joy.” Gera Developments has pioneered the concept of ChildCentric® Homes, which has established a new category in real estate space, providing its residents with a premium
Gera’s River of Joy at Kadamba Plateau
home and infrastructure and ensuring safety, convenience, fun, and development for children. The award-winning concept is targeted at working parents with young children or those planning to start a family, living in a nuclear format and looking
at providing their children and themselves with the best-in-class opportunities to learn and grow. This neverbefore-seen housing solution provides an array of opportunities without the hassles of travel and coordination. It includes celebrity academies to coach children p r o f e s s i o n a l l y, within the safety of the residential
complex. This project has established a new category in Goa’s real estate space and provide its residents with not only a premium home and infrastructure but also ensure safety, fun and development for children
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PROFESSIONAL DOSSIER
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JOSE ELMANO COELHO PEREIRA
“Duty to be honest to yourself, your clients, your cause and the court”
Jose Elmano Coelho Pereira outlines his journey from practicing in the early 70s to being Advocate General of Goa, two terms in a row; and his recent election as President of High Court Bar Association
J
By SYBIL RODRIGUES
ose Elmano Coelho Pereira, a designated senior advocate, was the Advocate General for the State of Goa, twice; and has recently been elected as President of the High Court Bar Association. Born during the Portuguese rule in Goa, Coelho Pereira completed his education from the Lyceum, and when Goa was liberated he went to People’s High School in Panjim. He did his higher secondary from the CBSE Board, and graduated in the 70s with a Bachelor of Arts degree from Dhempe College, Miramar. Coelho Pereira always had the intention and ambition to become a lawyer. He studied law for the first year from Indian Law School in Pune and then shifted to the Government Law College in Bombay. He enrolled himself as an advocate later in the 70s and began his practice. He began his career as a junior in the chambers of P. A Balu Desai, who in turn was a junior of the famous barrister, Rajni Patel, (who went on to become the MLA of Mahalakshmi in Bombay.) After 9 months, Coelho Pereira came down to Goa and began practicing with Dr. Athaide Lobo. In the 80s he began his independent practice and was designated senior advocate in the year 1991. Coelho Pereira’s parents had a great influence on his professional life. They taught him to be honest, truthful, work hard and respect values that he has carried with him throughout his career. His seniors followed the same teachings, which Coelho Pereira made sure to pass on to his juniors, as well. When
Jose Elmano Coelho Pereira
Coelho Pereira started his practice, he followed four rules which he practices till date, which is “Duty to be honest to yourself, your clients, your cause and the court.” Coelho Pereira was the Advocate General of Goa in the year 1994 and later again in the year 1997. During his tenure, he tried his best to be dutiful to his post and gives credit to his team who assisted him ably. He acknowledges the help of his juniors especially Adv. Joaquim Godinho, and the contribution of Adv. Somnath Karpe, who ably assisted him. Coelho Pereira’s work as the Advocate General involved a lot of searching in Government dossiers and looking into constitutional matters. Coelho Pereira was not alien to these subjects but he had to be up to date with the developments in law. He continued with his pursuit of honesty and keeping up with his integrity as a lawyer,
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which helped him out in discharging his duties as an Advocate General. Over the years, Coelho Pereira has handled many cases some of which he considers as memorable and out of these, he lists two as his favourites. The first was a matter of land acquisition at Miramar, on which stands the science museum today. This was possible due to Coelho Pereira winning the case. The next was a matter of tender for the Secretariat Complex at Patto Plaza, in which he succeeded in winning the case. Coelho Pereira is currently the President of the High Court Bar Association. His plans as President is to look into the interests of advocates vis a vis the Bench and the Bar. Apart from this, Coelho Pereira intends on sorting grievances of junior lawyers; making sure that younger advocates do get to avail the library facilities at the new complex of the
High Court Bar Association while looking into the welfare activities of lawyers. Coelho Pereira also plans to conduct regular debates, inviting senior advocates and retired judges to hold lectures and symposiums, so that junior lawyers benefit from the knowledge and experience of their senior counterparts. Coelho Pereira has been a member of many associations and committees in the past. He was a member of the Town & Country Planning Board, and was also appointed by the Government in a committee to draft amendments to the Panchayat Raj Act. Coelho Pereira was the Chairman of the Semana Da Cultura, for a number of years. Literally translated as the Indo-Portuguese cultural week, the festival was first started in 2008 to celebrate the unique Goan fusion culture and identity honed over 450 years of Portuguese rule in Goa. The festival was a yearly ritual to encourage Portuguese culture and sustain its influence in Goa. Coelho Pereira had many creative and constructive programs during his tenure as Chairman. There were interactions between Portuguese artistes and Coelho Pereira used Semana as an instrument to promote Goan art and artists by holding painting exhibitions and other activities. Coelho Pereira was also responsible for hosting a fado competition and used Semana to develop the fado culture in Goa. Regarding his future plans, the senior advocate intends to continue working as long as he can. “I feel like I am twenty five and I will work as long as I can,” he adds with a smile www.businessgoa.in
LADY POWER
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FLORY GRACIAS
Setting Goals, Seeking Inspiration and Staying businesswoman, a Rotarian, a leader of a BNI Chapter; and an executive member of FSAI Wing, Flory Gracias highlights the varied roles that she plays, with aplomb Focussed AWomen’s
F
By SYBIL RODRIGUES
lory Gracias, hailing from the village of Sanguem, completed her schooling from Guardian Angel High School, Curchorem; and her higher secondary education from Carmel College, Nuvem. She later went on to do her Post Graduation in Business Management from St. Xaviers, Mumbai. After acquiring her degree in business management, Flory started out as administration executive at Karma Resorts, as the company was coming up with their projects and new resorts at that point of time. Back then, it was called The Royal Goan Beach Resorts. Flory started her career with them in the year 1999. She worked with the group till 2020 with a fulfilling career in the hospitality space, having spent the last eight years as General Manager, Projects; and handling project works, which included capital expenditures of all eight resorts of the Karma India Group. Flory’s work profile ensured that she had to interact with many contractors, vendors in terms of renovating resorts, setting up rooms, and having to handle the project department. Her forte was setting up the rooms and interiors, which attracted her to the idea of having her own business in furnishings. Her experience of how resorts and homes could be done up, along with knowledge of fabrics, textures and pricing, inspired her to get into the business of decorating homes for others, which has always been her passion. Flory took up the franchise of Habitat, a business that was started twenty years ago by Claudio Pacheco from Parra. Claudio met Flory during her hospitality stint, and she
Flory Gracias
worked along with Habitat for a good number of years for refurbishing rooms and resorts. Armed with her knowledge and expertise in furnishings and interiors, Flory thought of doing something for herself and took over a branch of Habitat for Margao. The tagline of Habitat ‘your home’s inner beauty’ and keeping in line with that, Flory has everything in her store that one needs to maintain the inner beauty of one’s home. They specialise in curtains, upholstery fabrics, flooring, wall to wall carpeting, wooden and vinyl floorings, cotton and hemp materials, keeping nature in mind, and natural fabrics. Besides this, they have a wide range of bed and bath linen, for domestic use and for hotels; as well as customised sofa layouts for their clients, based on their requirements. Hotels often approach Flory to get their furniture like sofas, chairs and headboards upholstered, thanks to the wide range of choices they find at her store.
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Flory is the former President of Rotary Club Margao Sunrise and speaks on her role as a Rotarian. “This Club is the only allladies club in Goa. The Club was chartered in 2016 with the expectation of doing more outreach projects towards women’s economic, social and health development. During my tenure as President, we focused on projects, which were related to women. Our priority was the education of the girl child; we hosted a lot of fundraisers and events revolving around the concept of education, while emphasising on the aspect of the girl child. We reached out to institutions promoting menstrual hygiene management (MHM). We worked with the Human Touch Foundation, Jeevan Jyoti, which is an organisation for the HIV affected and infected. We worked along with them because, as a club, we can make a larger impact.” Flory adds that along with the other members which consisted of thirty
other women, and herself as President, they prioritised economic development and employment generation for women. “We used to provide raw materials for a women’s group in North Goa and the Centre was run by Presentation Society. We helped them in a way wherein they could sustain themselves and work with their children together in the same space, so that they could watch over their families and we continue to make this our focal point.” Currently Flory is the trainer for Rotary District 3170 and is being trained to take on the role of an Assistant Governor. Along with being a Rotarian, Flory is also part of BNI Goa’s Tycoon Chapter. Highlighting on the philosophy of BNI which is ‘Givers Gain’, she says that the bottom line is giving back to the community. Flory joined BNI to learn from other business people who have already been established in their fields. “I have been in BNI for a year and it has been a great learning experience. I soon found myself being pushed into the leadership team. I had gone there to learn but I was told that the best way to learn is by being a leader so that I can pick things up faster.” Presently, Flory is the Vice President for the Chapter and she says that BNI has helped her promote her business in South Goa. Flory got in touch with a lot of interior designers and architects who are part of BNI and are quite established and helped her connect with a lot of corporates. “There are a lot of partners that you associate with at BNI and you don’t feel lost. In terms of giving, I had many contacts in the hospitality industry and that way I could
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connect my partners. It took me a while to get my first referrals. However, I ensured I passed referrals without any expectation of what I could get and that attitude has really helped me. When you keep giving without expectations, you get it back, in some form or the other.” Flory juggles various roles as daughter, daughter in law, wife and mother – while maintaining a balance between her business and various organisations that she is a part of. The one challenge that she has faced was adjusting to the current online options available, as her line of work includes a lot of interactions with her clients and customers along with various other people. “I always assumed I was good at social media and marketing but I realised it is not so easy. It is a different kind of
Habitat, Margao
pressure and is a challenge for me. I can’t message clients about suggestions and need to meet them in person in order to get my points across. I can only explain to my clients how we do it and how we do it well.” Regarding her future plans Flory would like to expand her product line, while creating a niche in the market in order to be known for the work that Habitat does. “I’d like to create a
niche which says that we are the people that provide this service keeping the customer in mind and focusing on giving the best service to our customers.” Flory concludes with a message to aspiring businesswomen. “Set goals, as we women tend to look at everything around us and get lost in our day to day lives. Stay focused and seek inspiration from other women
who shuttle between different verticals in their lives. Think about the impact that your business will have on your community and how you can give back to society. There’s a quote which I once read which says: ‘You don’t build a business, you build people and these people then build your business’. This is what I firmly believe in and would like others to think about”
OCTOBER 2021 | BUSINESS GOA INDUSTRY DOSSIER | 39
HOSPITALITY
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Where old world elegance meets modern Kiran Heritage Hotel offers the finest hospitality offerings in a beautiful day comfort Surya villa, with an ambience that spells old world charm, in Panaji’s quiet locale Sai and Pritam Bijlani
S
By SYBIL RODRIGUES
urya Kiran Heritage Hotel set in Campal, Panaji, is a perfect mix of old world charm with modern amenities. Pritam and Sai Bijlani run this 100-year-old villa converted into a heritage hotel. It was Pritam who thought of converting the house to a heritage hotel so that more people could enjoy the lovely property. The renovations took over a year and Surya Kiran Heritage Hotel was inaugurated in March 2018. Maintaining the age-old architecture while offering the best of modern conveniences,
Pritam believes in paying personal attention to each of his guests. The staff to guest ratio is 1:2, and the property houses five rooms, which ensures that each guest is attended to personally. Surya Kiran takes its inspiration from the fascinating cultural melting pot that Goa is, with hints of Portuguese undertones adding character to this luxury hotel, which also offers an array of sports and leisure activities. A small reception area leads to the in house dining area for guests, which also has a well stocked bar. The
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courtyard area, which is the main attraction of the property, has an artificial pond with tropical fish lending a bright splash of colour in the serene settings. A chikoo tree surrounded by small sculptures and figurines add a beautiful charm to the place. The hotel boasts of five unique themed rooms each with a Portuguese name of the colour it is painted in. These 5 rooms fall under three categories, that is, standard, superior and suite. The standard rooms are named Azul and Amarelo, of which the Azul is painted in
calming shade of blue, which ensures of a tranquilising effect on guests, while the Amarelo is mild yellow in colour that reflects, happy and warm vibes. Both these rooms are identical with high ceilings, and each having their own private galleries, which open up to view of the garden. The rooms are equipped with a mini bar, an electric kettle, the centre of attention being the antique furniture and paintings adorning these rooms. The washrooms are done up in teakwood, again with all modern amenities available to guests. The superior rooms are
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bigger than the standard rooms and are named Pessego, which is done up in shades of peach, loaded with a touch of sophistication in every corner, while the brown room, called Marrom, comes in a beautiful shade of brown which lends an earthy richness to the room. These rooms have inbuilt walk in closets which have safety lockers and irons. The suite room, called Verde is a green room, which connects one with nature ensuring a guest inner peace, composure and harmony. This room is much bigger in size with a four-poster bed and the bathroom has
a Jacuzzi and lovely French windows overlooking the property. Hotel Surya Kiran has in-house activities with a TV room, indoor games, a wellstocked library for guests to use as well as cycles available for those guests who would like to go on a bicycle ride. To encourage art and budding artists to display their art they have created an extensive art gallery within the property. This space is available for artists to display and sell their art. As part of their dining services, they have the Heritage Bistro, a restaurant and bar,
where one can dine on light snacks, sandwiches, seafood, continental mocktails and cocktails. Simplicity, elegance of design, with comfortable furnishings and light music playing in the background, makes the café a unique and charming place for guests to unwind and spend their day lazing with a book or having a chat with friends. The Madeira Bar is a wood crafted bar and is a perfect spot to enjoy local and international drinks, which will boost one’s holiday spirit. It has been four years that Surya Kiran has been rated as number one on various travel
websites, across categories of hotels. Pritam’s vision for Surya Kiran is to be a chain of boutique hotels, with one in Porvorim and Miramar, and with plans to add one every six months. A few projects are in the pipeline, that were delayed due to the pandemic, one being in Ribandar, and on the verge of completion and one in Altinho, which will take another 6 months to be fitted. If you are looking to spend a relaxed vacation in Goa, this is your go-to hotel in the heart of Campal, surrounded by peace and tranquility, along with the best that Goa has to offer
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BIZ BYTES
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CII - GSL hosts MSME Vendor Registration with GSL & GeM for Business Promotion
(L- R) Commodore B K Munjal VSM (Retd), Advisor, Defence eMarketplace, GeM; Swetika Sachan IAS, Director Industries, Trade & Commerce, Govt of Goa; Commodore B B Nagpal, NM IN (Retd), Chairman & Managing Director, Goa Shipyard Ltd and Convenor of CII Goa Panel on Shipbuilding and Defence; Atul Jadhav, Chairman CII Goa State Council, Deepankar Bargali, Head CII Goa State Office
To align with the Prime Ministers vision of an ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ and to attain ‘Swyampurna Goem’, a session on MSME Vendor Registration with GSL & GeM for Business Promotion was organised by Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and Goa Shipyard limited (GSL) at the Shipyard Sadan, Vasco da Gama. The aim of this session was to develop business partners through vendor development and support local MSMEs to boost their businesses, provide services as a vendor to Goa Shipyard
Limited (GSL) through the Government eMarket (GEM). More than 65 local MSMEs attended the session. GSL and CII facilitated the opportunity for MSMEs to register at Government eMarket (GeM) and Goa Shipyard Ltd. (GSL) Atul Jadhav, Chairman CII Goa State Council appreciated GSL’s effort for being at the forefront to promote MSMEs and the Konkan Maritime Cluster in Goa to develop business for local MSMEs and strengthen indigenous manufacturing,
as the shipbuilding and defence sectors, which has tremendous potential to build and become self-reliant. Speaking at the event, Swetika Sachan, IAS, Director Industries Trade and Commerce, Govt. of Goa, addressed the local MSMEs and offered support for the ‘Ease of Doing Business’. Cmde. BB Nagpal NM IN (Retd.) Chairman and Managing Director Goa Shipyard Limited, in his inaugural address, emphasised the need for the local Goan industry and
MSMEs to actively participate in GSL’s ‘Shipbuilding Program’. Further, he indicated that the Yard has a considerable order book to execute in the coming years and it is important to have a strong ancillary industry and ecosystem to support its shipbuilding programs. Nagpal also highlighted the need for all vendors to register on the GeM platform and utilise the portal’s features and advantages to their benefit. The program was well organised and appreciated by the participants
Ulhas Jewellers launches its annual campaign for ‘Breast Cancer Awareness’ October is breast cancer awareness month and the time to make people aware about this issue. Breast cancer is a cancer that starts in the tissues of the breast and develops when cells in the breast mutate and grow out of control, forming a tumour. Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women. In India, one woman is diagnosed with breast cancer every 4 minutes. One woman dies of breast cancer, every 13 minutes in India. However, even if breast cancer cannot be prevented it can be treated within time. Over the years, Ulhas Jewellers, has been striving to create an awareness on the high mortality rate and that is due to the lack of awareness and delay in
screening and diagnosis. This year too, Ulhas Jewellers will be creating awareness about breast cancer among their customers with the help of the staff specially trained for the same by handing informative bookmarks to the customers and to include more Goans in the awareness campaign,
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Ulhas Jewellers will be presenting Live Musical evenings by Reena and Lindsay during the month of October. The live shows have given a positive response on social media handles of Ulhas Jewellers and efforts have been made to create
awareness on breast cancer via contests and advice from prominent doctors in the field – Dr. Brennan Tavares, Dr. Asheesh P Gude, Dr. Sawani Hegde Surlakar, Dr. Jean Louis Arcanjo de Menezes. “We request all Goans to be a part of our efforts to raise awareness about the ever-growing issue of breast cancer,” said Vikram Verlekar, Managing Director of Ulhas Jewellers Pvt. Ltd. He further said, “For the past 7 years, Ulhas Jewellers has supported women by helping them get access to the awareness, screening, and support they need; and considering the spurt in cases of breast cancer in the age group of 30 to 50, we are further determined to create more awareness among the women in Goa”
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Mauvin Godinho assures exemption on Rural Improvement & Welfare Cess 2000 Further to a representation made by Ralph De Sousa, President of Goa Chamber of Commerce and Industry, a GCCI team met Transport Minister Mauvin Godinho, requesting exemption of Rural Improvement and Welfare Cess 2000 on cargo handled in Goan Inland waterways, currently being charged on minerals imported and transported in Goa except iron ore and coal. Considering the objective of collecting cess and ‘Sagarmala’ vision of India, Goa Chamber requested to review and exempt the payment of cess collected on all types of minerals imported in the State and handled in Goan inland waterways. This would provide relief to the coastal and inland waterways industry for loss of business due to cost competitiveness as compared
Mauvin Godinho, Chandrakant Gawas, Sanjay Amonkar and Naresh Mandrekar
to the neighbouring states, apart from business to locals, barges and tippers. Bauxite is one such commodity which could be imported at Goa port and abolishing this cess could result in substantial savings in inland transport and will be viable for the importer as well as the transporters. This could also open avenues for more such imports at Goa port and provide business
opportunities to local stakeholders in the inland shipping sector. Godinho was quick in grasping the economics of the matter and assured that he would take the matter to a logical conclusion. He requested for more inputs and said a detailed note will be put up from his office. GCCI also requested the Minister to facilitate first/ last mile road connectivity
infrastructure to the available jetties in Goa. Most of the available and operative jetties in Goa, both public as well as private are having serious issues as regards to first/last mile road connectivity to the jetties. GCCI recommended identifying such jetties in Goa and widening the approach roads to such jetties, along with other infra, such as power and water supply for smooth movement of cargo within Goa. Mauvin Godinho said that he had always been working to boost the Goan economy and would provide the necessary infrastructure and support for the same. The GCCI team consisted of GCCI Treasurer Chandrakant Gawas, Director Sanjay Amonkar and Naresh Mandrekar, Member, Logistics Committee
Umang Software Technologies Pvt Ltd opens its office in Panaji
UMANG team at their new offfice
Umang Software Technologies Pvt Ltd, Goa’s promising tech house, has been instrumental in putting Goa on the IT map; and has now taken it a notch higher by establishing a new branch in the capital city of Goa. North Goa in recent times has seen a major rise in information technology based companies and UMANG has now joined the clan, all set to harness the talent from North Goa who are willing to bring a change through technology. Goan IT professionals can now choose Margao or Panjim
Uma Talaulikar, Poonam Narvekar and Mangurish Salelkar at the inauguration of the office
as their new destination for their career growth. CEO and co-founder, Mangirish Salelkar says, “As UMANG is growing, we aim to hire and provide employment to talented techies from the engineering and professional colleges across Goa. We noticed that we were losing some great talent from North Goa. The traveling was difficult for many and this is one of the important factors for any candidate when choosing the location for job, especially when they have
career goals in that company.” Over the years, UMANG has been dedicated to providing customer-centric software solutions and has traveled from Goa to Silicon Valley. Poonam Narvekar, Chief Technology Officer added, “We have a great team at UMANG and we wish to expand it across the world. UMANG is all set to expand its operations in Panjim to get access to highly energetic and talented Goan IT experts in Panjim, Porvorim, Mapusa, and surrounding areas. The
plan is to add new skills and expertise to our company portfolio.” At UMANG, the team members have great career growth and excellent opportunities. Offshore client visits are one of the great experiences for our team members where they get exposure by meeting new people and visiting new places. Along with the growing company, our team takes tremendous pride in being ‘UMEDIKOIDS’
OCTOBER 2021 | BUSINESS GOA INDUSTRY DOSSIER | 43
EVENTS
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Rotary Club of Panaji Riviera honours teachers with ‘Nation Builder Awards’ Rotary Clubs celebrate the month of September as basic education and literacy month around the world. Rotary supports activities and training to improve education for all children as well as literacy for children and adults. The Rotary Foundation enables Rotarians to ensure that all people have sustainable access to basic education and literacy, by involving the community to support programs that strengthen the capacity of communities to provide basic education and literacy to all, increasing adult literacy in communities, working to reduce gender disparity in education and supporting studies for career-minded professionals related to basic education and literacy. September, On 28th under the aegis of the Rotary
President of Rotary Club of Panaji Riviera, Sandra Fernandes alongwith awardees and organisers
India Literacy Mission, the Rotary Club of Panaji Riviera conferred the Nation Builder Awards upon four teachers at a special event held at Menino Hotel Ponda. Under Rotary’s T.E.A.C.H Program, the Nation Builder Award provides recognition to outstanding teachers of Government and Government aided schools, through a participatory
evaluation process through the students and head teacher of the school, facilitated by the Clubs. The teachers felicitated were: Chaya V. Khandeparkar of SESS Daffodils KG and Primary School, Shiroda; Nutan Karapurkar of GVM’s KG and Primary School, Borim; Sunit Shashikant Desai of Swami Vivekanand KG & Primary School, Borim;
Sulochana D. Borkar of S.S. Samiti Primary School, Dhavali, Ponda. A framed certificate, trophy, shawl, coconut and a rose bud was given to each awardee to recognise their tremendous contribution to shaping young minds. The former headmistress of GVM AJ Almeida School, Ponda and President of Inner Wheel Club Ponda, Savita D’Costa was the Chief Guest at the occasion. Present at the occasion were President of Rotary Club of Panaji Riviera Rtn. Sandra Fernandes, Club Secretary Rtn. Colleen Sequeira, Immediate Past President Rtn. Ryan Costa, Vocational Service Directors Rtn. Dr. Mahesh Pai and Rtn. Denzil Xavier. Also present were Dr. Christina D’Souza, Vice Principal of Government College Khandola
GOA HERITAGE ACTION GROUP CELEBRATES 21 GLORIOUS YEARS
Goa Heritage Action Group celebrated 21 years on 30th September. The function took place at Sadhana Dell Arte, Merces. Like its hallmark Fontainhas Festival of the Arts in the heritage neighbourhood in Panaji, this celebration also displayed artists working in Goa, musicians, young talent and, for the first time ever, oviyos or songs sung at the grinding stone performed by members of the Catholic Gavda community from Quepem. The celebration included a book release of the title Outdoor Museums of Goa by well-known ethnologist Pantaleao Fernandes. The book was released by Fr Dr Bolmax Pereira, also known for his activism in the area of environment and ecology, who said “preserving our heritage is important part of our lives”. There were 40 artists participating at the celebration. The artists had
L to R: Esme Lobo, Poonam Mascarenhas, Heta Pandit, Dr Jorson Fernandes and Ana Maria Goswami
been selected from a wide range of water colourists, figurative artists and artists who specialise in architectural renderings. Veteran artists like Mohan Naik and Sonia Rodrigues Sabharwal also exhibited their works in the company of other experienced artists like Kausalya and Ramdas Gadekar and Nirupa Naik. The event was also a platform for young and upcoming talent, as has been its tradition. At the end of the show, artist Sonia presented her work titled ‘The Twins’ to the Group in honour of the Group’s endeavours in preserving Goa’s heritage.
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Veteran writer Vivek Menezes, editor of the GHAG’s flagship journal Parmal made a brief presentation on the forthcoming issue of Parmal which has ‘Music in Goa’ as its theme. There was a video installation by artist and curator Miriam Koshy Sukhija on the Mollem issue titled Maa Tree Ka. GHAG also launched their website on the occasion. Following a ban on speaking or singing in Goa’s native language, Konkani, in 1684, by the erstwhile Portuguese government, oviyos, or songs sung at the grinding stone in Konkani
went underground. For the first time, however, these songs were showcased at this celebration. Amelia Dias and her group from the Christian Gawda community performed these songs for the gathering. There were many Q&As and a great deal of interest. The performance culminated with an oviyo rendering by GHAG Life Member Anju Sakhardande with Life Member Tejas Pandit playing the traditional ghumott. The programme featured musician Shaistah Thapar and other outstanding solo performers and closed with fusion music performed by Yogesh Hirve and Carlos. Founder Members Heta Pandit, Poonam Verma Mascarenhas and Raya Shankhwalker circulated amongst the guests present at the occasion. The whole event was coordinated by Hon Treasurer Alinto Coelho, Hon Treasurer Cezar Pinto assisted by Art Events Facilitator, Hari
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Phygital: The Way Ahead For Customer Connect
The writer speaks on the hybrid form of enhancing customer experience and interacting with them
P
hygital is the new way of connecting with customers and enhancing their experience and it is here to stay. The future of marketing and CRM would be largely influenced by the phygital way of engaging with customers. The word phygital is a combination of two words – physical and digital, and it means giving a customer the convenience of digital experiences along with fulfilling the need to physically feel, touch and engage with the required products. In the true sense, this is the hybrid form of enhancing customer experience and interacting with them. Here, technology is being used to bridge the digital world with the physical world with the purpose of providing customer convenience and unique interactive experiences. On one side, the pandemic has encouraged more digital interactions and online shopping habits and on the other, it has led to reevaluation of the physical experiences. Many people are reliant on technology and addicted to their touchscreens, but what everyone actually craves for is the physical interactions and human relationships. Research shows that today about 49% customers still prefer to shop in physical stores. Therefore, many times, customers experiment with both the approaches, physical as well as digital. Often customers go to a physical store to see, touch, feel and try out a product and then leave without purchase, only to order it online. Alternately, before buying a product in a physical store, customers often browse through the websites, compare brands, consult e-com companies reps, read hundreds of reviews online before making a decision and go and buy from physical store – say hello to the ‘Hop on, hop off ’ customers. Phygital is the way to meet these types of customers’ needs without much effort, providing the feel of both the worlds under one roof. Customers in the age groups of 18 to 36 years, who are born in a technologically advanced world, are the ones who would be disturbed and their shopping experience marred if any one of the two components, physical or digital, is missing. Therefore, the phygital experience is one that caters to the needs of all these types of customers. The younger customers, especially the millennial and Gen Z will expect and
enjoy engagement digitally with your business, whereas the older generations would still want the physical experience and human warmth in dealings. That is why creating phygital experiences, which will cater to everyone’s needs, would serve as a better marketing and customer service tool than the traditional channels. Phygital is an omni-channel marketing approach where various marketing channels work together to provide consumers a seamless shopping experience that is unique and highly personalised, leaving a lasting impression on them. The younger generations especially, want to play, experience excitement, connect and get entertained, all while shopping. In reality, the physical store becomes a playground for customers offering sensory, emotional and digital experiences where products and brands are pushed onto customers. These customers expect the advantage of both physical as well as digital experiences in a single shopping transaction, thereby indicating their inclination for a hybrid shopping experience offered by the phygital approach. Success of Phygital approach is based on fulfilling a mix of four important needs of customers, which are catered to by three components derived from the digital world – Immersion, Immediacy, and Information, and from the physical world – the Interaction. Examples of Phygital Approach ‘Amazon Go’ a chain of convenience stores, also known as the ‘checkout – less Supermarket’ are completely free from cashiers, cash registers and self-service checkout stands. These stores use latest computer vision, AI, deep-learning and sensor fusion technologies to maximise customer shopping experiences. Customers are automatically detected once they enter the geo-fencing area of the store, or customers are required to scan a code with their smart phone. They shop for all the products they want and once done, walk out straight of the store without going through the traditional checkout counters. A lot of time saved indeed for the fast-paced customer. An electronic invoice is generated and sent to the customer and the payment goes automatically via the customer’s Amazon account that is linked to their
bank account. This provides a fast and comfortable shopping experience, with convenience for busy customers. ‘The NikeLive Stores’ provides customers the convenience of online shopping along with the much craved human connection and physical product exploration. These stores would cater products curated to customers’ taste, based on data from the NikePlus app. Member customers are recognised as soon as they enter the geofencing area, their mobile phone opens QR code enabled smart lockers, operates product vending machines, scans products, requests colours and sizes, etc. Other examples of phygital use include retail stores that use smart or interactive mirrors that assist customers in trying out various products without actually wearing them once a tag is scanned. They can try out various colours, sizes, patterns, different products etc., and see how it looks and fits on them. Any retail store or convenience store operator can create a mobile app for his store in assisting customers to ‘walk the aisles’ and make the shopping experience exciting and hassle free the phygital way. Kiosks or pop-up stores, backed by technology, are a great example of phygital initiative. Kiosks set up at airports, railway stations, restaurants etc. would activate regular customers’ phones the minute the customer enters the geo-fencing area of the kiosk and send greetings to the customer to welcome them. It would match past data records of customers and recommend items based on purchase history, guide on dietary restrictions, if any, recommend new products etc. ‘Buy online pick up in store’ is yet another way to engage phygitally with customers. Customer places the order online and pick up items from the store. This saves time, avoids crowded places, no waiting in queues, easy on the go pickups, and at the same time provides the experience of a physical store interaction, the feel, the aroma etc. Connecting with customers and enhancing customer experience are two strong pillars of marketing and CRM. Companies that adopt phygital approach are satisfied with it and continue offering better experiences in this space. It is worthwhile for business to get phygital for future growth and sustainability. That’s the way forward
The writer is Founder Director, Saldots Academy; corporate trainer and facilitator; past chairman of Goa Management Association. Email: pradeepsalgaonkar@gmail.com 46 | BUSINESS GOA INDUSTRY DOSSIER | OCTOBER 2021
THE FAMILY MAN / DR VIVEK MENDONSA
Unequal Contribution But Equal Distribution: Mantra for FamBiz Success
The writer speaks on equal distribution of profits in a family business, despite unequal contribution by members
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f you had a trillion US Dollars, you would give it to me for sharing this one statement with you “Unequal contribution but equal distribution” conceived, crafted and delivered by Prof John Ward, Harvard family business guru: a thorough understanding of the statement will actually help in assimilating it and implementing it. What is unequal contribution? Especially when it comes to sharing the profits in a family business, which is what this article is all about. Before I begin with my point of view, let me ask you a question. If there are two siblings offering their inputs to a family-business, both putting in their full-time efforts to strengthen various aspects of the business, but their tangible contribution to the organisational bottom-line differs, do you feel: a. They should be given compensation in relation to the results, their efforts and inputs provided. OR b. Their monetary rewards should be the same, as long as their commitment, efforts and the time that they put in are similar, if not the same? It is a tough question to answer, as all such philosophical questions normally are. Different people, based on their experiences and mindsets, will definitely differ. However, answers have to be given; as such, situations do arise in real life. In addition, they arise quite often. If family members have contributed different amounts as capital or working capital, then they may get a share of profits in proportion to their capital contribution – that is fine and can be understood. As the adage goes, no two thumb impressions are the same, we are all unique, distinct human beings, we bring different facets to the family business. But when two family members are working in a family business, with different skills, qualifications, experience, business acumen, their contribution to the totality of the business is different, it is very difficult to measure it, quantify it and hence it is a tough call to quantify as to who is contributing more or less and has
a larger or lesser impact on the business. Taking the example of the game of cricket, with which we as Indians are mostly familiar, some are great bowlers, some are excellent wicket keepers, some are batsmen who are very good at opening the innings, but maybe these same batsmen cannot work under pressure to win or close a match on a victorious note. All players in the team must and should receive the same emoluments. That is exactly how it works. The salary and other perquisites of two or more members of the family members engaged in the family business with similar levels of responsibilities must be on par, even if the individuals are part of different organisations but belong to the same group; must be the same. The minute differentiation sets in; a whole can of worms emerges. If the members of the governing family are working alongside in the same office, the staff members will always be watching how they treat each other. Relations among them will be the subject of discussion and grapevine. So apart from the fact that the family member who is put at a disadvantage would himself or herself be feeling slightly let-down, the relations within the family will also be subject to scrutiny, and in such cases, the reputation of the entire family could take a beating as one which is not able to get along with itself. This could be disastrous for the business in the long or even in the mid-run. There have been umpteen cases wherein the best employees quit an organisation when they see the first signs of a sinking ship, and often the first sign is discontent among the management team becoming visible and apparent to people down the line of hierachy.
Directors of companies where the top team is closely knit send out strong verbal as well as non-verbal signals that they are all on the same page. Not only does this reassure employees that all is well, but also sends out positive signals into the marketplace, among suppliers, customers, and other stakeholders who matter. For example, they all usually buy a new company car of the same brand for themselves, but may be of a different colour to signal their individuality. I have personally known of a leading family business in India, where even the wives or daughters-in-law get the same budget for jewellery purchase once a year. Taking the example of my own family business, one technical director, based in New Delhi, the Finance Director in Kolkata, and the Chairman and Managing Director based in Mumbai. All three of these senior directors being brothers holding different but equally important portfolios, and each of them always took the same salary. If one of them were to state, as an example, that the north region or the east region was getting or contributing more sales, more revenue or more profit to the overall organisation, then the story of the organisation would long have been over. However, thankfully, such has not been the case. We are proud to state that we are moving now into the 4th generation of family business and are stronger than and as united as ever before. Sticking together in sunny days and rainy days is critical. Families that stick together during difficulties are the happiest of families, and this holds true for business families, as well. Such families will witness their businesses continue to grow and flourish. My father, Robert Henry Mendonsa, once called four of his siblings to his cabin. Once inside, he took out a small matchbox. Then he carefully removed one match and broke it in the centre. Then he took two more, and with a little force and pressure, he broke those too. Then he looked up and saw that we were eight of us totally in the room. He then arranged eight matches together neatly and tried to break them – but no, it was not possible. His subtle message was ‘stick together through thick and thin’
The author is Director, Marketing of Lawrence and Mayo, a family owned business. He is a passionate entrepreneurial enthusiast and mentors and advises various early stage businesses and mature family businesses. Email: vivekm@lawrenceandmayo.co.in OCTOBER 2021 | BUSINESS GOA INDUSTRY DOSSIER | 47
CORPORATE CITIZEN / DANIEL ALBUQUERQUE
Lok Adalat: Ease of Access to Justice The author focuses on the statutory provision under the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987, which acts as a bridge over Nyaya Panchayat and the judicial justice delivery system
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he Preamble of the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987 reads as under: The Law: An Act to constitute legal services authorities to provide free and competent legal services to the weaker sections of the society to ensure that opportunities for securing justice are not denied to any citizen by reason of economic or other disabilities, and to organise LokAdalats to secure that the operation of the legal system promotes justice on a basis of equal opportunity. Introduction: Justice P.N. Bhagwati (19212017), the 17th Chief Justice of India has been credited with landmark judgments and for pioneering innovations in law. Lok Adalat is one of them, which resulted in the enactment of the Legal Services Authorities Act 1987. The movement that began in his home state, Gujarat has grown remarkably. The noble cause of Nyaya Panchayat, which also has the similar goal of Alternative Dispute Resolutions (ADR), at the most accessible place, the Panchayat. However, the following two cases will prove that the ground realities of free and speedy justice are far from the reach of the weaker sections of the society. Lok Adalat provides a purposeful legal instrument whereby whether disputes are at pre-litigation stage or Nyaya Panchayat has not been able to solve or already in the court of law. Lok Adalat is an ADR bridge. It is flexible, it facilitates, it compromises and also is firm in the orders passed which are final and conclusive. Case I: Smt Twes Nongsiej versus State of Meghalaya on 17 March, 2017. (See, https://indiankanoon.org/ doc/69689922/) The petitioner being illiterate had no idea where in the earlier Lok Adalat procedure of 2014 she had conceded her land to the PWD. The aggrieved, thus, had to approach the High Court. The counsel for the petitioner submitted that the PWD was not even represented when the award was made by the Lok Adalat. The counsel for the respondent, the Government of Meghalaya argued that once the award was made with due consent of the parties; the award of the Lok Adalat is final. The High Court took note of the free and fair consent which was not coerced; section 21 and all its clauses concerning the finality of the Legal Services
Authorities Act, 1987 was to be upheld. The Court closed any further dispute and dismissed the writ of the petitioner. Case II: Om Prakash Gupta versus State of Bihar and Other concerned officers of government departments. The case adjudication was in the High Court of Patna (writ Jurisdiction, case no. 25132, 2019).(See: https://indiankanoon.org/ doc/178729693/) The petitioner Om Prakash Gupta, 70 years old. His land was acquired by the Government of Bihar that was approved by it for about rupees three and a half crores which it failed to honour. Upon petitioning the Lok Adalat, it had ordered the compensation to be paid. In the meantime, the beneficiary of the compensation died. Following which a writ petition was filed by the son of the deceased to grant him the compensation as he was the legal heir. The High Court of Patna took cognisance of it and delivered the following Oral Order upholding the Lok Adalat order under Section 21 of the Legal Services Act, 1987 and advised him to proceed to the appropriate forum to enforce and implement the order. Analysis: First, in both the above cases, the supremacy of the section 21 of the Act established. The purpose of Lok Adalat cannot be vitiated by afterthought or hindsight deliberations. Second, the legal principle, ‘ignorance of the law is not an excuse’ is absolute. In the first case where it has been submitted that the petitioner was unaware of the actual value of the land since she was uneducated has no legal basis. Third, the above cases prove that the Courts would not be convinced by any reason for further litigation, for if they do, it would vitiate section 21 of the Act. Fourth, one must never forget that Lok Adalat is an ‘alternative dispute resolution’ whose mechanism consists in bringing two parties together to an understanding; that with dialogue and compromise disputes may be solved, quickly, efficiently and without the battles of attrition in the public court, which after its wear and tear, leaves behind parties with greater animosity than at its commencement. In other words, the logic of Lok Adalat is not to judge the merits of the case as in a public court of law
The columnist is a writer with Oxford University Press and a published author. Email: albuquerque.daniel@gmail.com 48 | BUSINESS GOA INDUSTRY DOSSIER | OCTOBER 2021
but to arrive at a mutual settlement and consenting to the agreed award. Further, approaching a court to dispute the award is therefore a wrong avenue as the court is not the adjudicator of the award. The Nature of Lok Adalat: Lok Adalat is a unique Indian contribution to the world of jurisprudence, a people’s community oriented dispute settlement scheme. The rest of the world, before the modern legal structures were established, had carried on a justice administration suitable for their times. Ancient India looked up to the authorities, such as kings, big and small, and in small village communities, the five elders or panchas from where panchayat was established. Justice – award and punishment – was instant and before the assembled community. Generally they obeyed. Those who did not, had to suffer the wrath of the community. However, our present day Lok Adalat dispensation is highly formalised with the enacted law and an established hierarchy of institutions. The purpose being, unlike in the ancient times where prejudices, caste and creed discriminations prevailed, an enacted law ensures that a banana republic justice is eschewed and rejected. India is a wellestablished republic with a modern rule of law. The well-ordered hierarchy of Lok Adalat bodies as follows: a) National Legal Service Authority, b) Supreme Court Legal Services Committee, c) State Legal Services Authority, d) High Court Legal Service Committee, e) District Legal Services Authority, f) Taluka Legal Services Committee. There are also different types Lok Adalat bodies: 1) Permanent, for disposing cases relating to public utility such as regarding essential services. 2) National, held on a specific topic to dispose of piled up pendency of cases. 3) Mega Adalat is a kind of large camp at state level. 4) Mobile Adalat is an outreach service for convenience of the people. The cases dealt in Lok Adalat are both civil, that is including revenue cases, and criminal including both compoundable and non-compoundable. Among civil cases the Lok Adalat also deals with pre-litigation cases such as bank loan recovery cases, labour disputes, bills such as electricity etc., can be solved mutually and amicably.
WISE WORDS / CA SANTOSH KENKRE
Don’t Alienate. Value Relationships The writer speaks on common mistakes that one makes in business and in life and the importance of humility
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t the outset, I wish to clarify that not all experiences narrated by me below are mine. In fact, I have observed these over 61 years of my age. I hope that these make some of our youngsters, wiser, since one cannot turn the clock back and redo things. However, one can learn today and act appropriately tomorrow. Many decades back, in western India, a young man was given the work of up keep of a hostel, including sweeping. Certain intellectuals frequented the hostel. Imagine for a minute that one of the intellectuals had ill-treated the young man. The intellectual would rue it for a lifetime. For, the young man later became Chief Minister and ended up being Prime Minister. The point I am making is, never underestimate anyone, since, later you may have to seek his help. My biggest learning in life has been that never illtreat anyone since one never knows, who will be of what help to you later on. Keep everyone you come across in business or in life, in good humour with positivity and humility. Never insult. I came across an excellent piece: “When you meet someone after say 25 years, you will not remember what he had done to you or what he had said to you; but you will never forget how he made you feel”. My daughter had attended coaching classes in Pune. Therefore, I asked my schoolmate, a doctor in Pune for help. After a decade, the doctor’s young daughter Nita got a job in New Orleans, USA. Upon learning this, I realised that my cousin stays in New Orleans for 50 years and I arranged for her help for Nita. Now, let us have a look at the various ‘dimensions’ of the above learning. If a person who is hurt by you, avenges his grouse by confronting you, I am sure you can defend. But if he damages you
from where you cannot see him, you will not even know who did it, but you’ll end up damaged. So, why hurt anyone? Can we just ignore anyone who is unfair to you? I know of people who were arrogant and insulted many. They had to pay a heavy price at the time of their children’s marriage, since the ‘insulted people’ gave bad information to a few matrimonial proposals. Sometimes we take on the enemy of our friend, in order to help the friend. But, later the friend and his enemy sort out their differences. Nevertheless, your enmity with the said ‘enemy’ remains. The lesson is, do not alienate, whether he is your adversary or that of any one close to you. In politics, there are no permanent enemies. So also in personal life. Circumstances and relationships change. Only ‘change’ is ‘permanent’. So, do not ‘buy’ enemies. The price could be crushing. The above learning applies to all walks of life – relatives, friends, neighbours, customers, staff, colleagues, etc. As a parent, if you do not treat your child aptly, you may face identical treatment 25 years later. However, it will be too late to go rewind the clock. Today when we have the power, influence, money, good profitability/ sales, we tend to treat people with more ego than empathy. Ego does the damage. I know of a supplier of perishable goods who refused to sell to a customer since the customer was arrogant and unfair. I also know of a customer, by ganging up with other customers dumping a supplier, the issue being ‘harassment’. Customer is king and he can spread a good word or a bad word about you in the market. In dealing with government authorities, if a businessperson ill-
treats a junior officer, after 25 years, the businessperson may have to face him as a departmental chief. I know of a person who was a temporary accounts clerk in a Goa Government Corporation in the year 2004, who has now become the Managing Director of the same corporation. A person was rejected for a job by a US based company. Later he founded ‘WhatsApp’ and the said company had to buy it for over Rs. One hundred thousand crores (`1,00,000 crores). Whereas a customer or staff who leaves, can return to you later, if he has a great impression of yours. I have done work of so many people only because they were ‘nice people’. So also, you must have done the same. But are we also ‘nice’ to others? This is worth introspecting upon, every day. From stones thrown at you, a bridge can be built by you OR a wall can be built. Choose to build a bridge. Build networks, which can magically deliver for you. To conclude, I will narrate a true story, which took place in Panaji. Many years back, I attended the funeral of friend’s mother. This friend and his brother were fifty plus in age and the mother was 80 plus. To my utter surprise, these two brothers were bitterly crying at the funeral. Later, I asked my friend why they were bitterly crying at the passing away of an aged mother. He replied as follows, “You do not know how good my mother was. She used to tell us that, even if anyone hurts you, in turn you do good to him. And if that person again hurts you, again you do good to him”. Friends, you may not take this lesson literally, but I am sure you will take the message
The columnist is a senior chartered accountant. He is the chairman of Indo-American Chamber of Commerce, Goa; and Director of EDC, Goa. Email: srkgoa@gmail.com
In so far as criminal cases are concerned, the compoundable ones which may be solved through compromise and dropping of charges in such instances as land acquisition, matrimonial disputes, civil cases and also those in pre-litigation stages. Non-compoundable cases, on the other hand, are non-negotiable. These are serious cases concerning the right to life and property, injury and robbery, and the like which call for criminal proceedings
in a criminal court of law. Conclusion: Lok Adalat is a very progressive institution. It is nonadversarial and serves justice in its true sense. It is also progressive from the perspective of adopting to modern times and situations. For instance, with the break out of covid-19 pandemic, E-Lok Adalat has been established. For your benefit, you
may log on into: https://districts.ecourts. gov.in/national-lok-adalat-0and avail the services. Businesses, big, medium or small, all have a lot to gain from Lok Adalat system to resolve the problems visà-vis their vendors, various business clients and public agencies. The system, if approached with prudence and well intentioned discretion can save money and time, and gain mental peace OCTOBER 2021 | BUSINESS GOA INDUSTRY DOSSIER | 49
DEEPALI ROHRA / BALANCE SHEET
Learn from Financial Blunders
The writer highlights five common financial mistakes and ways to avoid them
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oday business comes with many risks; some of them can seriously affect your financials adversely if not addressed timely. Poor decisions, lack of processes and need of financial understanding could lead to considerable strain on the business. Therefore, you need to walk a fine line of preserving cash and being as creative as possible to move the business forward. Management must tactfully avoid these five common-but-harmful financial mistakes. Aftermath of Not Paying Taxes on time It is important to pay taxes and all other statutory dues in a timely manner. Delay in such payments could be one of the reasons for scrutiny. The statutory records should be reconciled with the books of accounts to avoid last minute surprises and to ensure all due credits are taken in time. The delayed payment may incur interest and penalty to the business owners. Further, the unpaid taxes may accumulate to such an extent that it may be impossible for the businessperson to make the payments without significantly affecting the cash position. Small business owners need to understand the difference between tax evasion and tax planning. Tax evasion is illegal and is the act of deliberately avoiding taxes by not reporting income and expenses and failing to pay taxes. Tax planning is a legal way to minimize taxes by taking advantage of methods in the tax code, such as credits and deductions that can protect income from taxes. Traditional Approach instead of Digitalization We have seen accountants and admin staff working in companies, in the same profile for years, and are averse to any change. With the advent of new technology, the dynamics have changed. What can take days or months for a traditional approach can be done in a matter of minutes. The new technology in automating tasks has made things possible and very much affordable. Repetitive and routine tasks can be automated; this helps in reducing the time to do the task and brings in a lot of accuracy and control. Now even SMEs can do a lot of automation of tasks and that too at a cheap and affordable price. Employee development in terms of soft skills and technical knowledge is the
You need to walk a fine line of preserving cash and being as creative as possible to move the business forward
essence for growth. Ignoring your credit score Not paying the EMI and using the money in business may seem a good option especially when the business is expected to grow exponentially. This is often the practice in cyclical type of business, where the entity is in shortage of funds and often resorts to delayed payment or non-payment of EMIs. This affects the credit score. A good credit score can help you save a lot of money in interest rates. The better your credit score is, the easier it is to get higher loan amounts, and even a better rate of interest. You should check your credit score every six months or so and make amends by spending wisely and paying the EMIs on time. This can result in substantial savings in terms of interest costs. Banks are willing to extend credit lines to customers with good credit score at reduced interest rates. Monitoring Progress The budgeting process helps to take timely corrective action in cases of under-achievement of income or excessive expenditure. Thus, budget helps to ascertain that business money is being spent and invested correctly, and the financial goals of the business are achieved. The best practice would be to have a budget plan and review the actuals as against the budget on a monthly basis. This should be ideally done by the fifth working day of the month so as to take
The columnist is a Partner at Firstpoint Advisors LLP. Email:deepali.rohra@firstpointllp.com 50 | BUSINESS GOA INDUSTRY DOSSIER | OCTOBER 2021
corrective actions immediately and thus save on further losses. Again, this should be preferably done sector wise, location-wise and product wise. This will help identify non-performing sectors/ products/ location and appropriate timely decisions can be taken. Over/ Under Leveraging The strategic use of debt as a leverage has many advantages for business. These include enhanced returns, larger capital and ability to better manage cash flow. However, excess leverage can lead to financial problems including encumbered assets, high-interest expense and increased fixed costs. Accordingly, selecting the optimum leverage ratio is an important calculation for management. The determination of leverage will depend on the risk appetite of owners (Management), the cost of capital (WACC = Weighted Average Cost of Capital), cost of debt funds, type of business (cyclical, non-cyclical). If a company has too much equity financing, it will have a larger cost of capital as outside shareholders will expect returns. However, if it has too much debt financing, its cost of capital will rise because of the increasing financial risk. Accordingly, a leverage ratio in the middle will minimize the cost of capital, allow for corporate growth and not be burdensome to the company. The task is to identify the right leverage ratio and there is no one formula which fits all
CABBAGES AND QUEEN / NANDINI VAIDYANATHAN
Never forget ‘the reason’ why you became an entrepreneur!
The writer shares her experiences on opening up an Indo-French eatery in Jaipur
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n my company CARMa Venture Services (www.carmaconnect.in), we have mentored over 6000 entrepreneurs, in the last 13 odd years. We have consciously been domain, phase and geo-agnostic and our own learnings have been immense as a result of that with all the rich cross-pollination. When my partner Dominique and I decided to start Concoctions, our Indo-French eatery in Jaipur, as co-founders we were an ideal partnership. Dominique is a French Michelin Star Chef with 45 years in the kitchens across the world. I am a corporate professional with over 20 years of experience in running global MNCs, and the last 13 years as an entrepreneur running a company that mentors entrepreneurs. Therefore, we figured it would be a perfect journey. Much to our chagrin, we discovered there were unanticipated setbacks. Firstly, whilst as a couple we were great, as cofounders we were at loggerheads. His constant refrain was: you have never worked in a restaurant; you have never cooked commercially, so you do not know anything about this business. My argument was that I may not have run a commercial kitchen but I understand business, and how businesses run. Needless to say, neither was in a mood to listen. The second bottleneck was Dominique’s 45 years in the kitchen. He had set ways of everything, right from vendor choosing to inventory to paying, to hiring teams. He relied on what he saw in commercial kitchens across Europe. In India, most of those rules were inapplicable. We had therefore serious dissonance in our business model itself. I wanted Concoctions to be the IKEA in the food space. Ingvar Kamprad, the founder of IKEA, had famously asked once, why should good design cost an arm and a leg? So I asked myself, why should good food be accessible only to those with higher purchasing power? Dominique came from a place where the fact that a Michelin Star Chef was curating and crafting food should command premium pricing. I think both of us were right but it did not help that we could find no common ground. It took us both two months of grief, angst and heartache before we found a
It took us both two months of grief, angst and heartache before we found a business model that worked for both. In addition, that decision came not from sanity but from the fact that we were physically exhausted, emotionally drained and began to regret starting Concoctions! business model that worked for both. In addition, that decision came not from sanity but from the fact that we were physically exhausted, emotionally drained and began to regret starting Concoctions! That was the tipping point for both of us to go back to the drawing board and decide what’s good for us personally first and then professionally. I am sharing this in a fair amount of detail because I have always advised my mentees never to bring personal and professional threads together. When we started Concoctions, we thought we knew each other as live-in partners, and therefore assumed that we would be the same tandem-playing people at work, too. We probably also assumed that given our ages and the maturity that came with it, we would deal with all the snags in an appropriate manner. But as we discovered, a couple in love and a couple working together are four different
animals! The other setback was that we let ourselves be influenced by public opinion. Everybody and his aunt said Jaipurites love going out for dinner, so you should keep Concoctions open till late night. It took us several days of sheer physical exhaustion to figure out WE DID NOT WANT TO BE A DINNER PLACE!! I think in the last one month or so, we have acquitted ourselves admirably. We are open for shorter hours (11-6) because we said we did not start Concoctions to create our retirement fund! We encourage people to book tables before coming so that we are able to regulate guest footfall and pay personal attention to everyone. We insist people browse our menu on our website (www.concoctions. fr) and place an order for French Bakery, 24 hours ahead. We have switched to a Menu-of-the-day model whereby we are able to be outrageously creative, offer unusual, exotic platters, and not bore our guests and ourselves with sameness and predictability. I do think we were able to do this because we sat down and asked ourselves two basic questions: What is Concoctions? Why did we create Concoctions? The answer to the first question was that Concoctions is an intimate space, which offers amazing French and South Indian food, set in a beautiful indooroutdoor ambience, decorated invitingly, and where food is cooked/baked by Dominique and me, served by us, tables cleared by us – all the while engaging with our guests in easy conversation. In other words, we have designed Concoctions as an experience, not just an eating joint. The answer to the second was that we created Concoctions because we both not only love cooking/baking, but we love sharing it with people. We love customising, we love presenting and we love to watch their reactions as they take in their first mouthful. That is when we realised that the first two months were a deal-breaker because we forgot why we started Concoctions! However, the moment we acknowledged our mistakes and the moment we decided we will never repeat any of our mistakes; we began to discover, along with our guests, the magic of Concoctions
The columnist has commenced her fourth professional avatar with her bakery and restaurant business in Jaipur (www.concoctions.fr) with her French Michelin-star chef life partner. Email: nandini@carmaconnect.in 52 | BUSINESS GOA INDUSTRY DOSSIER | OCTOBER 2021
BON APPÉTIT
@businessgoa
FELIZ, DOUBLE TREE BY HILTON
Feasting with a View
Kori Saaru
F
By SYBIL RODRIGUES
eliz Restaurant housed at Double Tree by Hilton, resonates the very essence of Goa, which provides a relaxed ambience with an outdooronly seating overlooking lush fields and the flowing Mandovi River. Feliz serves a fine and handcrafted delection of Goan and Manglorean cuisines, to create noteworthy lunch and dining experiences. Chef Vidhya Gawas, who has her culinary roots deeply immersed in the local cuisine, creates the artisanal menu and takes Goan cuisine to an elevated platform, at Feliz. Their beverage menu boasts of wines available all over the world, their inhouse cocktails, aperitifs and liquors, along with the usual drinks one would find in a fine dining restaurant. We were served two cocktails, The Mandovi, named after Goa’s famous river, which is a concoction of cashew feni and kokum, which is shaken to perfection and the Port Lemonade, which is a drink of lime infused gin topped up with Goan Port wine. The Mandovi was mellower while the Port Lemonade was strong and smooth. Both drinks were chilled and perfect for a hot, lazy afternoon. Chef Vidhya then began sending out her special
Feliz, boasts of mouth-watering coastal cuisine, and offers an amazing view of River Mandovi
Catch of the Day
appetizers, the first one being pieces of local Goan Pao along with a vegetable pickle and Sandige, which is a fried snack, popular in South India, with a peri peri aioli. The sandige were crunchy and went well with the aioli while the vegetable pickle had bits of carrots, cauliflower and French beans coated well with spices and oil. Next, we were presented with an amuse-bouche called Camarão de Poppadum which was prawns cooked in homemade spices, on a bed of amaranth leaves and served in homemade masala papad shells. Accompanying this bite-size delicacy were little shot glasses of creamy coconut milk which a drop of Kokum to offset the spiciness of the prawns. The papad shell was delicate and crunchy while the prawns were creamy with just the right amount of spice. For those who
Camarão de Poppadum
54 | BUSINESS GOA INDUSTRY DOSSIER | OCTOBER 2021
Chicken Stew and Appams
find it too spicy, the coconut milk is soothing to the palate. Chef Vidhya then sent out her special Chicken Soup called the Kori Saaru, which is a spicy chicken broth with cinnamon and small bits of chicken. A very light broth, with a tinge of spice makes for a light appetizer. The catch of the day was the next in the list of appetizers. This was the Chef ’s special, which was semolinacoated mackerels, stuffed with a paste of coconut, onions and coriander, served with peri peri sauce. The fish was coated to perfection and the filling was just right, highlighting the flavour of the fish as well as the stuffing. The last amongst the appetizers was the Mushroom Varuval Tart, which is a dry preparation of cashew nut, chilly, and curry leaves in a tart shell, garnished with cheese and garlic crisps. The tart was sweet and biscuit while the
filling was scrumptious. For the mains, Chef Vidhya served us Chicken Stew, a coconut flavoured stew, with small pieces of chicken and mildly spiced. This was served along with appams, which is a type of pancake, made with fermented rice batter and coconut milk, originating from South India. The appams were paper-thin and went beautifully with the lightly spiced and flavorful stew. If one is not a fan of spicy food, this is your best bet. For dessert we had Bebinca, Goa’s speciality, which is a layered dessert made with eggs, coconut milk and flour. This version has hints of cinnamon and was served with a smooth brandy sauce and a scoop of vanilla ice cream. The dessert was light and rich at the same time, which made for a perfect ending to the meal. Chef Vidhya, combines her rustic cooking style and personality to ensure that the dining experience compliments the food. On Sundays, Feliz serve their brunch called the Feliz Soirée wherein they have live food counters of showcasing different cuisines, musicians, magic shows and other activities for children. If one wants to have a relaxed lunch or dinner in the lap of nature, with a beautiful view, Mushroom then this is your Varuval Tart go to place
GOA BUZZ
business-goa
Dr Annurag Batra engages in lively conversation with Goa’s industry leaders
Business Goa hosted a lively conversation between heads of industry associations and business leaders with Chairman and Editor in Chief of BW BusinessWorld magazine and founder exchange4media group, Dr Annurag Batra. The theme was Post Pandemic Lessons ‘Business, Economy and Entrepreneurship’, and Goa’s business leaders were invited for this exchange of ideas, at Fortune Miramar. Dr. Batra, a serial entrepreneur and a mentor to many successful entrepreneurs, spoke on the destruction caused by Covid which hurt the global economy and the rise of digital in our daily lives, be it in media and e-commerce sectors and various lessons that he had learned from the pandemic. Dr. Batra further stressed on healthcare services waking up to the need for improvement, especially in areas like infrastructure and medical education, so also tourism, entrepreneurship in Goa, the rise of startups and strategizing for the new normal. Ralph De Souza, President, Goa Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI), spoke on the challenges that Goa has faced with regards to tourism, the impact of domestic tourists on Goa and moving forward after the pandemic. Atul Pai Kane, Chairman of Indo American Chamber of Commerce (IACC), Goa Chapter was buoyant about the prospects for MSMEs and the manufacturing sector. Milind Anvekar, President, Goa Technology Association, highlighted about the startup ecosystem in Goa and the new bitcoin, FOHO, launched in Goa this year. Former President of GCCI and Chartered Accountant, Sandip Bhandare; CA and Santosh Kenkre, incoming Chairman of IACC CA, spoke on the Indian economy and how the industry has grown, wiser and stronger after numerous lockdowns. Ajit Dalvi, Circle Head, Goa, HDFC Bank, expressed HDFC Bank’s readiness to support Industry in a post-covid economic scenario. Nitin Kuncolienkar, President, Manufacturers’ Association for Information Technology, spoke on the political scenario in the State and the changes that needed to be brought about in order for various industries to bounce back from the effects of the lockdowns. Dr Sangam Kurade of Dr Kurade’s, one of India’s leading producers of packaged mushrooms, shared his enthusiasm about the growth in the food processing industry. Sairaj Dhond of Wakao Foods and D S Prashant, CEO of Forum for Innovation Incubation Research and Entrepreneurship (FiiRE) were looking at more state support for startups. Pradeep Varshnei of Latambarcem Brewers, makers of the beer brand Maka-di and packaged kombucha tea brand Borécha, spoke of how the e-commerce market had opened up for them in the pandemic. Pravin Kakode voiced his concerns in the ease of doing business space. Whereas, real estate developer Gaurang Suctancar felt that Goa was acquiring a top position nationally for luxury homes. Publisher-Editor of Business Goa, Harshvardhan Bhatkuly moderated the discussion
Ralph de Sousa Pradeep Varshnei
Atul Pai Kane
Dr Sangam Kurade
Nitin Kunkolienker Harshvardhan Bhatkuly
Dr Annurag Batra
Sandip Bhandare
Santosh Kenkre
Gaurang Suctancar
Ajit Dalvi
Rajkumar Kamat
D S Prashant
Pravin Kakode
Sairaj Dhond
Milind Anvekar
Arman Bankley
Amin Ladak
Pradip Da Costa
56 | BUSINESS GOA INDUSTRY DOSSIER | OCTOBER 2021
www.businessgoa.in
GOA MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION’S 46TH ANNUAL DAY
Goa Management Association (GMA) hosted its 46th Annual Day. The evening started with the welcome of the members by Chairman of GMA, Amin Ladak, at the Annual General Meeting. Outgoing President of GMA, Nitin Kunkolienker spoke about his six-year journey with Goa’s premier thought leadership organisation and welcomed on board Blaise Costabir as the new presidemt of GMA. Costabir spelt out his plans for the organisation. The business session was enlightened by the virtual keynote address by Richard Rekhy, board member of KPMG, Dubai. Rekhy spoke on ideas for doing business in a covidised world. Shrinivas Dempo, Vice President of All India Management Association (AIMA) shared his views on GMA’s positioning as a thought leadership organisation. The Annual GMA Awards were handed by Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant. The awardees were Shaunak Pai (Management Student of the Year, under-graduate), Sonal (Management Shrinivas Dempo Student of the Year, post-graduate); Joy Afonso (Young Manager of the Year); Babaji Pagire (Manager of the Year); and Sagar Revankar
Dr Pramod Sawant
Dr R Krishna Gopal
Nitin Kunkolienker
Blaise Costabir
Harshvardhan Bhatkuly
Sanchita Banerjee
Rohan Bhandare
Sunil Dias
Dr Prita Mallya
Atul Jadhav
Nilesh Dessai
Shaunak Pai
Joy Afonso
Amin Ladak
Deepak Bandekar
Dr Pradeep Salgaonkar Rajesh Mehrotra
Dr Saidas Khorjuvekar Dr. Venkatesh Naga
Virendra Acharya
Rajeev Nevgi
Vivekanand Faldesai
Rajan Bhatikar
Narayan Bandekar
Alfred D’Silva
Raj Amonkar
Rusai Fernnades Anil Bhattacharya
Farzana Laljee
Babaji Pagire
Ghanashyam Halkar Mahesh Prabhu
Sagar Revankar
OCTOBER 2021 | BUSINESS GOA INDUSTRY DOSSIER | 57
NEWSMAKERS Dr. Raghunath Mashelkar appointed on Governing Council of Tata Memorial Centre
Eminent scientist, Dr. Raghunath Mashelkar has been appointed as part of the Governing Council of Tata Memorial Centre, Mumbai. Born in Mashel, Goa, Dr. Mashelkar is known for his contributions to India’s National Chemical Laboratory; and Council of Scientific & Industrial Research, multiple ‘Mashelkar Committees’, and a successful campaign against foreign patents on Indian traditional knowledge. Throughout his career, Dr. Mashelkar has written 25 books, 284 research papers, and has been awarded honorary doctorates by 44 universities from India and abroad. He has also actively served the Government of India and has been a member of the Scientific Advisory Council to the Prime Minister. His contributions to the nation and to science at large have been honoured by a plethora of awards, the most significant being the Padma Vibhushan, the Padma Bhushan, the Padma Shri, the Business Week Star of Asia Award, and the Shanti Swaroop Bhatnagar Prize for Science and Technology
CA Santosh Kenkre appointed Chairman of Indo-American Chamber of Commerce, Goa
Santosh Kenkre has been appointed Chairman of the Indo-American Chamber of Commerce (IACC), Goa. Kenkre is a Chartered Accountant by profession and took over as Chairman on October 2nd. IACC promotes Indo-American business, trade and economic relations through collaborations, joint ventures, marketing tieups and strategic alliances. The key objective of the organisation is to facilitate exports of manufactured and agricultural products from India. Kenkre said that IACC aims to create exporters in the State and provide the US markets some of Goa’s finest industrial products
Prof. Dr. Vrinda Borker awarded State Teacher’s Award
Prinicpal of Dhempe College of Science and Arts, Prof. Dr. Vrinda Borker has been awarded the State Teacher’s Award for excellence in higher education. She pursued her higher secondary and graduation in Chemistry from Dhempe College of Arts, Science, and M.Sc. in Physical Chemistry from CPIR (Centre for Post-Graduation and Research, Panaji) University of Bombay. While teaching at Dhempe College of Arts and Science, she did her research at CPIR under Prof. V. N. Kamat Dalal as her guide and Prof. K. S .Rane as a co-guide; Dr Vrinda was awarded the Ph. D. degree in 1991. Dr Vrinda has actively contributed to Dhempe College in various capacities as a member of various committees, organised events, industry visits, guest lectures, workshops and seminars, collaborated with institutes of international repute, as well as designed and conducted value addition courses 58 | BUSINESS GOA INDUSTRY DOSSIER | OCTOBER 2021
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Marcy Gomes awarded Best Innovative Design in Textiles from Whistling Woods
Marcy Gomes, freshly graduated from Whistling Woods International, Mumbai has won the ‘Best Innovative Design in Textiles’, at the college graduation show, with her project called ‘moolacho mog’. Translated into ‘Love for roots’ in Konkani, Goa’s Kunbi fabric, mother of pearls and wooden bamboo canes were used in her project. The collection is about new, fun and sustainable, readyto-wear elements and Marcy wanted to use elements from her state that inspired her. Marcy always wanted to work with the handwoven Kunbi fabric to contribute to its revival mission as well as honour the late Wendell Rodricks. Marcy has also started her own label called ‘House of Marxy’ where she will be developing and exploring sustainable fashion. Marcy wants people to relate to her creations, understand them and understand why she had created them
Bina Nayak releases debut novel, Starfish Pickle
Bina Nayak released her debut novel, Starfish Pickle. An avid reader, she had previously illustrated books, designed book covers, and is a graphic designer. Bina is a graduate from JJ School of Arts, a graphic designer and illustrator who sought writing inspiration from Arundhati Roy’s The God of Small Things. Starfish Pickle is about Tara, a commercial diver, a ‘glorified sweeper’ working for Martins’ Dredging Pvt Ltd. Bina’s protagonist is headstrong, impulsive and intriguing. The book follows her life as she struggles to deal with a job that does not reward her enough, the attention of two suitors, an overbearing grandmother, and the secrets of her past. Her story is aided by Bina’s beautiful illustrations. Starfish Pickle is set to be turned into a movie 148 1. On 16 September 1991, Racal Telecom was demerged from Racal Electronics as which telecom major? 2. Dr S K Burman set up this pharma company in 1884 in Calcutta to massproduce his Ayurvedic formulations 3. Started in 2001 by husband and wife Dheeraj and Reeta Gupta, this fast food chain specialises in the Maharashtrian favourite vada pav 4. Owned and managed by the Pune-based Firodia Group, from 1958 to 2004, the company was known as Bajaj Tempo Motors 5. In 2012, which Japanese company acquired a 51% stake in Camlin? 6. Who is the author of The Story of Tata: 1868 to 2021? 7. The company is traded on the Bombay Stock Exchange under the symbol HWKN? 8. Artize is a luxury bathroom shower and faucets brand from which company? 9. Identify this business leader Answers to BG Quiz 147: 1.Michelin 2.Shiv Shivakumar 3.Smoodh 4.ING Vysya Bank 5.SIDBI 6.Co-optex 7.Sunrisers Hyderabad. 8.Shripad Naik 9. François-Henri Pinault Email your answers to businessgoa.media@gmail.com First all correct entry will get 1 year’s subscription to Business Goa
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