The Pai Bir Family
The announcement made by Oman Air about shifting its base to Mopa Airport led to creating a buzz in the media and curiosity amongthestakeholders.Thefirstonestogetupsetaboutthis...
A housewife, mother of two, servicewoman and a sportsperson, Usha Narvekar dons many hats simultaneously and is currently Goa'sbest-knownarcherwhowonfirstplaceinthefirstonline
Caravela café and bistro is now a name that is synonymous with greatcoffeeandexcellentfood.It’sbeenmyfavouriteforyearsnow anditmakesmeimmenselyhappytoseehowtheyhavegrown...
Nestled in the picturesque South Goa and with just 2 minutes walk to Arrosim beach, Heritage Village Resort & Spa is a perfect getawayforyournextfamilyvacation.
Inventions are born from a need Bipin Kadam invented 'Maa Robot' for his daughter who, due to a rare disease, is unable to take careofherselfandwhosemobilityisimpaired. Shewasparalysed...
An engineering graduate from the Goa Engineering College, Anish Sood comes from a family background of music where his father andunclewerebothguitarplayers.Anishgrewupwithalotof
Born in Dubai and brought up in Goa Zaid became the Triathlete Nutritionist at the age of 24, he wanted to move out to Canada to do hismaster'sbutthenthePandemichitandallhisplans...
Roshan Naik, currently incubating at the FiiRE Incubator with his startup idea, grew up in Ponda and did his schooling at A.J De AlmeidaHighSchoolandGVM’sSNJAhighersecondaryschool...
Born and raised in Goa Varsha Hansraj got married to Ashok Hansraj in Portugal and after living there for almost a decade she decidedtomovebacktoIndiawithherfamily Hersenseofstyle...
Fincare Small Finance Bank, one of the fastest growing small finance banks, inaugurated its first branch in the capital city, Panjim, renownedforitsnaturalbeauty,distinctivebeaches,andcultural...
Rajesh Ghadge rajesh@rajeshghadge.com
Rajeshree Naik Ghadge admin@incrediblegoa.org
Goa is more than just sun, sea, siestas and 24/7 vacations. Goa is full of rich, vibrant culture with a wonderful history. It's also full of incredible people and we have created this incredible platform to bring out some of the most interesting stories from Goa.
come from small villages with a lack of resources and visibility to the outside world and made their mark on society. While doing her duties as a wife, a mother and a working woman she also pursues her passion for sports and she is Goa's Gold Medallist in Archery.
Creative Concepts Media creativeconceptsgoa@gmail.com
Team Incredible Goa sales@incrediblegoa.org
Norbert D’Souza
CAGaurav Kenkre
Dr. Schuyler Pereira
Aditi Malhotra
AnitaAthi write@incrediblegoa.org
The cover story is about the Pai Bir family: a journey of a working-class family whose firm belief in secure 9-5 jobs was completely Uturned into an enterprising business set up by the elder son. Although the end result is a very sweet one, the journey was not but that didn't stop Sachin Pai and his father to persevere. They took calculated risks in the beginning but later on, they decided to dive in completely and his younger brother also joined the league. It is a very interesting story and one that you should not miss.
Goa is full of talent and it has given some real gems to the entertainment industry of India and the world. Anish Sood, a young music enthusiast, who turned his passion for music into his profession, is an international name today. An engineering graduate, helping his family in their business is also a well-known international DJ who plays for EDM festivals like Sunburn.
Aakash Ghadge Team Incredible Goa
subscribe@incrediblegoa.org ghadge.aakash96@gmail.com
incrediblegoamedia@gmail.com
Cover Page Credits - Dattaram GawadeAt Incredible Goa, we are lucky to have a never -ending supply of inspiring stories to write and document The story of Bipin Kadam, who, without a college education or even resources, still went on to build a robot to help look after his differently abled daughter. It's a story that instils a great send of pride, inspiration and determination. It also adds meaning to the statement that nothing is impossible.
Women are a major pillar of our society and at Incredible Goa, we honour them by bringing their inspiring stories to you. They often play many roles and still create a niche for themselves. The story of Usha Narvekar is a real inspiration to all those women who
Goa is slowly turning into a major business destination and one example of the transformation it's going through is the Mopa Airport, which is posing a threat to the existing Dabolim Airport. When we speak about the airport, it is not just a landing ground for aeroplanes, but it also signifies the tremendous increase in air traffic to Goa which is not possible to handle by just one airport.
Incredible Goa is entering a new era with the celebration of its 8th anniversary in November 2022. There will be a special edition with many new stories for you to read. In case you want to contribute or tell us any interesting stories please share them with us at rajesh@rajeshghadge.com and till next time, happy reading…
Printed,
Ni kshay Mitra Mr. Vishwanath S. Pai Bir, D i r e c t o r / C O O o f Vishwamukta Pvt Ltd U n i t C o p p e r l e a f provided nutritional baskets, as nutritional support to TB patients, to Medical Officer Incharge Dr. Atul Pai Bir, CHC Sankhali in the presence of Honourable Chief Minister of Goa, Dr. Pramod Sawant, at C H C S a n k h a l i , o n September 22, 2022.
The world of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has evolved over the past decade, to become an integral part of corporate governance. The World Economic Forum (WEF) defines CSR as "a social policy that aims to improve well being and economic
development in society".
Copperleaf team, under the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activity, was fortunate to participate in Our Honourable Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi's vision of a TB-free India by 2025.
increasing public t r u s t i n t h e company since i t s l a u n c h .
Therefore, to m a r k t h e u n m e a s u r e d success of the EPBL's BSE SME I P O , a n d t o i n s p i r e m o r e
We thank Dr. Atul Pai Bir for recommending this Abhiyan and getting us on board to provide nutritional support for 10 TB patients. We thank c e n t r a l a n d s t a t e governments for encouraging private organisations to be part of this Abhiyan We hope all stakeholders will work together to make TB-free India by 2025, five years ahead of the globally set deadline of 2030.
IPO.
To attain a cleaner, greener and safer future EP Kamat Group has been redefining eco friendly solutions by offering green products, which are transforming Goa and helping community to reduce their carbon footprints and contribute towards a sustainable environment.
With a vision to be one of the most competitive and preferred Greentech companies in India, EP Biocomposites Limited's IPO (Initial Public Offering) met r o a r i n g s u c c e s s w i t h a n
SME's to take this route, EP Kamat Group had organised a celebration at the D'Lila Banquet Hall, Mulgaon, Bicholim-Goa on 13th October 2022, in the glorious presence of Chief Guest, Hon'ble CM of Goa, Dr. Pramod Sawant, Keynote speaker Mr. Ajay ThakurHead, SME & Start-up, BSE India, G u e s t o f H o n o u r a n d D r
Chandrakant Shetye, MLA Bicholim Many greetings, appreciation and applause captured the highlight of the event of the growing success of EP Biocomposites Limited's BSE
Speaking on the occasion, Chief Guest Hon'ble CM of Goa, Dr. Pramod Sawant said; “It is wonderful to see such promising prospects emerging from our s t a t e W i t h a g r a n d a n d Swayampurna vision, EP Kamat Group has yet again taken Goa forward towards making it a model state of the country. EPBL's IPO success is a proof of the trust and credibility the company holds and I am certain with such dedicated efforts, in near future we will witness a much cleaner and greener state.”
As the celebration continued, G u e s t o f H o n o u r , D r .
Chandrakant Shetye, MLA Bicholim, poured out his thoughts and gratitude and appreciation for the launch. “EP Kamat Group has been doing a wonderful job in helping the state with eco friendly products and services. I am happy that they are emplying more than 85% locals in their factory. EPBL's BSE IPO is the way forward to many other SME Entrepreneurs too.”
To w a r d s t h e e n d o f t h e celebration, Mr. Rajkumar Kamat the CMD of EP Kamat Group, took to the stage to share his experience and aspiration for the state of Goa. “I am truly overwhelmed with such a great response to EP Biocomposites Limited's BSE IPO. I thank the investors for their confidence in the company and the prospects of the business. This reaffirms the reputation and goodwill that our company has earned in the past. I a m c e r t a i n t h a t w i t h o u r dedicated efforts EPBL will create sustainable business models committed towards a clean, green and safe planet.” He also emphasised that there are bright prospects in the market segment in which the company operates in manufacturing environment friendly and protective products and services.
He further added "We at EP are now able to offer the right solutions to various needs of the community today We are working on a cost effective solution for the Beach shacks, as well as containerized STP's for builders and housing societies on a l e a s e b a s i s , b e s i d e s decentralized STP's in small places for municipalities and panchayats In addition to bio digesters for individual and small buildings, I am happy that engineers in Pollution Control Board besides other departments have realised the positive impact the low cost Biodigester tanks create from an environment point of view vis a vis the traditional septic tanks. Our focus would be not only on supplying but also operating and maintaining the plants so that the primary objective of getting recyclable clean water from waste water is achieved thereby helping the environment and community at large".
With a promising series of products in the future, EP Kamat G r o u p s t a n d s t o p r o v i d e sustainability, promote a better economic growth, improve quality of life, protect our ecosystem and preserve resources for future generations.
Private Limited a Joint Venture established by Kineco Group, India's leading company in the Advanced Composites industry and Exel Composites Oyj, a Nasdaq Helsinki listed, world's biggest company in pultruded composites industry, marked its first successful year on 14 October 2022. This Joint Venture, headquartered in Goa was established on 14th October 2021 with a vision to build a world class enterprise and develop the Indian pultrusion market together and has since then garnered the confidence of many Indian & International customers. While Goa based Kineco, provides
advanced composites solutions f o r m a s s t r a n s p o r t a t i o n , a e r o s p a c e , d e f e n s e a n d infrastructure sectors across the g l o b e , E x e l C o m p o s i t e s , headquartered in Finland has Sales, R&D, and manufacturing footprint in almost all continents in the world and is globally highly recognized by its customers across a wide range of industries. Kineco Exel Composites reflects Kineco's and Exel Composites' shared commitment to be a technologically differentiated player in India and accelerate the growth of pultruded composite structures, especially in the large and growing industries such as wind power, transportation and telecommunications.
Celebrating the first anniversary of this JV Partnership, the Founder and Managing Director of Kineco Group and Managing Director of Kineco Exel Composites India, Mr. Shekhar Sardessai said, “I am extremely happy to mark the first anniversary of our Joint Venture
with Exel Composites and celebrate one year of our successful partnership. With K i n e c o G r o u p ' s l o n g a n d established leadership position in the Indian Composites Industry and Exel Composites' world class technological expertise and c o m p o s i t e s k n o w h o w , particularly in Pultrusion, we envision our Joint Venture 'Kineco Exel Composites India emerging as India's foremost company for specialized Pultruded Profiles & Products for critical industrial a p p l i c a t i o n s s u c h a s telecommunications, wind power & transportation in India and key overseas markets. Over the last year, Kineco has thoroughly enjoyed working with Exel Composites. Kineco has always strived to be trustworthy and dependable partner for leading international companies for their business pursuits in India. We look forward to celebrating many milestones together with Exel, while creating long term value for t h e s h a r e h o l d e r s o f b o t h C o m p a n i e s , a s w e h a v e
successfully accomplished in our other strategic long term partnerships with global leaders. I congratulate the entire team of Kineco Exel and wish them all the very best in making the most of an exciting future that beckons for the JV”.
Further commenting on the o c c a s i o n , A d i t y a R e d d y , Chairman of the Board of Directors of Kineco and Joint Managing Director, Indo-National Ltd (a majority shareholder in Kineco) said, “I congratulate the management teams of Kineco a n d E x e l C o m p o s i t e s o n demonstrating a successful partnership over the last one year. I am certain that like Kineco and Exel Composites, our JV 'Kineco Exel Composites India' too will prove to be a widely recognized brand in the composites industry for innovation and technology and emerge as the leader in the Indian Pultrusion market. We look forward to a mutually rewarding relationship and extend my warmest wishes for the years ahead.
held.
CM Dr Pramod Sawant was the Chief guest GCCI President Mr Ralph De Sousa , Mr Nitin Kunkolienkar, Mr Milind Prabhu & Mr Sanjay Amonkar DG- GCCI were present on the dais.
right path to get started in making a strong career in IT. Even the corporates are sometimes not aware of how to approach projects in the latest technologies and only a strong exposure can help Goa to become a hub for IT industry.'
thanked Hon CM for gracing the summit & suggested that a high l e v e l I n d u s t r y A c a d e m i a Committee be formed to review the IT curriculum on a perptual basis to keep students abreast of the latest technology & increase their employability index.
The Summit was a massive success with over 1000 IT professionals, Govt IT staff, final year IT students & an array of IT Stake holders in attendance. This Summit was organised in collaboration with Govt of Goa to give thrust to CM Dr Pramod S a w a n t s e n d e a v o u r o f Swayampurna Goa 2 0 with focus on Skill development, Infusion of latest IT technolgy, employment for the youth & Bridging gap between Industry & Academia.
There is a huge scope for IT related jobs in Goa specially in Full Stack technology, Artificial Intelligence, Mobile applications & B l o c k c h a i n R e n o w n e d speakers guided the delegates & relevant panel discussions were
Hon CM praised the efforts taken by GCCI to organise the summit & suggested that this be made an annual event.
In his inspirational speech Dr Sawant said that Goa has its own dynamics for excelling into the world of Information technology.
The huge presence here in large numbers itself is a sign of golden days for IT in Goa. It shows immense drive and passion to be the best in this field that is having immense potential.
Hon CM further said 'if you c o m p a r e s a l a r i e s o f t h e d e v e l o p e r s i n t h e l a t e s t technologies such as blockchain, AI then it will be many fold c o m p a r e d t o t h e b a s i c technologies. We want to give you access to be able to learn these technologies and be aware of the
'The Govt will ensure a constant set of activities to provide necessary exposure to the IT fraternity in Goa. With a proactive s e t o f s t e p s f r o m t h e I T department envisions Goa being in the top 25 startup destinations in the world by 2030. Goa has the most promising IT and startup policy that is helping the startup culture flourish in Goa, creating large employment opportunities. You can look forward to becoming a tech entrepreneur with Govt funding support from the startup policy Govt of Goa has a dynamic staff supported by the SPC, startup promotion cell working tirelessly to help startups grow in Goa' he added.
Dr Sawant also launched the first ever IT Directory complied by GCCI during the event along with the IT vision Document for Goa. *
In his welcome Mr Ralph De sousa
Mr Nitin Kunkolienkar also requested infusion of latest IT trends in in the curriculum. There a r e p a r a l l e l b u s i n e s s i n conjunction with IT which are also in demand & can be exploited by young entrepreneurs he added. The Summit was inaugurated jointly by Dr Vivek Kamat Dir of Tech Education , Mr Pravin Volvotkar Dir IT, Mr Dipak Dessai, Dir Skill Dev along with Dr Nina Panandikar Principal Don Bosco College of Engg. Mr Milind Prabhu & Sanjay Amonkar DG GCCI were also present IT minister Mr Rohan Khaunte addressed the delegates through Video Conferencing. The plan is to make goa the most sought after IT destination . He said that IT policy of Goa has been a great success & many IT & startups have been incentivised by the Govt. The process will continue to attract more investors to Goa.
ASTURI the flagship exhibition of the Women’s Wing of GCCI was organized on 11 & 12 October at Taleigao Community Hall in association with TARANG a women’s group.
There were a variety of local and national brands total numbering 107 stalls including Food stalls. Also, competitions like desserts making, painting, Akash kandil & Diya, and Cooking competitions were held on the sidelines.
The chief guest of the closing function was Mrs Sulakshana Sawant, and guests of Honour Mrs. Pallavi Dempo and Dr. Pramod Salgaocar Also, the
ASTURI Queen and runners up competition for all stall owners were held during the closing ceremony. Mrs. Pallavi Devkar was judged ASTURI Queen and Neha Keny - was runner up by the judges Ms. Rahila Khan & Dr. Pramod Salgaocar.
The exhibition saw good footfalls for the 2 day event. Mrs. Pallavi Salgaocar - the chairperson of GCCI- Women’s Wing thanked all the stakeholders for collaborating with them for the event and said that this event was held to give women entrepreneurs and Selfhelp groups a platform to retail and markets their products. The
chairperson of the ASTURI 2022 event was Mrs. Sonali Nagvekar who along with Mrs. Sweta Chari of Tarang and other core team m e m b e r s M r s S h r e e m i Panandiker, Mrs. Gouri Joshi, Mrs. Asha Arondekar, and Mrs. Sandra Fernandes organized the event. The compere of the two day event was Mrs. Pooja Kunde. Also at the event, Mrs. Deepali Naik - Women & Child Development director was felicitated because of the immense work done by her in e m p o w e r i n g W o m e n entrepreneurs and Self Help Groups.
emergency advanced equipments are available at the emergency and ICU level. A well-equipped OT is available all the time for any emergency surgery. It is also equipped with 3 new concepts like….
1.Home hospital services to provide all possible medical services at home including a home ICU.
2 Plus 70 club to help people above 70 to live a longer and healthier life.
This Thursday, 22nd September at 6.30 pm, Sachin Chatte will host the screening of the French classic, Bande à Part (Band of Outsiders) as a tribute to one of the most influential filmmakers of all time, Jean-Luc Godard, who passed away last week. Godard left an indelible mark on cinema, inspiring a host of filmmakers with his path-breaking style.
Film: Bande à part (1964, French with English subtitles)
Directed by: Jean-Luc Godard, Duration: 1hr 35 mins
Based on a novel by Dolores Hitchens, Bande à Part is one of Godard's most accessible films. It has Anna Karina as a language student who becomes friends with a young man Franz, who, in turn, involves his friend and the trio plans a robbery.
Hon Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant and Hon Minister for H e a l t h , T C P & F o r e s t M r
Vishwajeet Rane inaugurated New Vrundavan Hospital, in Dempo Healthcare premises at La Campala colony, Miramar, Panjim.
It was in distinguished presence
of Mr Rajesh Dempo (Managing Director- Dempo Healthcare), Dr Digambar Naik (Director New Vrundavan Hospital) and Mrs Bhakti Dempo.
New Vrundavan is basically created as an emergency lifesaving hospital open 24X 7. All necessary specialists as well as
3 Express heart care to check the heart urgently at a very low cost, which includes doctor's checkup, an ECG and ECHO screening to diagnose a heart attack on urgent basis at a very low cost.
N e w Vr u n d a v a n H o s p i t a l specialises in kidney dialysis and other high quality medical treatment at an affordable cost.
The influence of the film has been such that Tarantino named his company Bande à Part, after his favorite film. The dance sequence with Uma Thurman and John Travolta in Pulp Fiction was inspired by the Madison dance scene in this film Godard described this film as "Alice in Wonderland meets Franz Kafka” Cinephile Film Club, Maquinez Palace, Old GMC Complex, Panjim, Goa.
Brands are built through dedication and imagination: you can imagine what you want to build, give your 100% and make it a reality. Copperleaf is a big brand in the restaurant industry of Goa born from the Pai Bir family consisting of Sachin Paibir, his father Shrikant Paibir and his younger brother Vishwanath Paibir.
Image Credits-Dattaram Gawade
Sachin is a computer engineer by profession and he started his career as a visiting faculty at the Goa Engineering College while his father was working at a State Bank of India. “Today we run a successful business but we come from a family that believes in service and a steady secure job. My father was working for the State Bank of India and I was working for a multinational company and later joined the
recalling people and a position opened in Mumbai.
During that time one of our relatives who ran a lodging business, Hotel Blessings, was struggling to run it and was searching for someone to manage their property S o m e h o w , I s a w t h e opportunity in that, although no one in our family was ever really business-minded. It was a risk, but one we wanted to take. At that time, my younger brother, Vishwanath, was still
hotel when it came to us and wasn’t in great condition. This was entirely a new field for us so was a mammoth challenge with a steep learning curve. We had to learn, on the job, about maintenance and manpower and we were illp r e p a r e d f o r c u s t o m e r demands but we did not give up and decided to face all the challenges one at a time. I was s t i l l w o r k i n g a t G o a Engineering College and the h o t e l w a s r u n n i n g o n
and he did not want to put all his eggs in one basket, so he decided to play it safe “I decided to keep my job since the business was something completely new for us and we didn’t know which direction it would take us. I wanted to keep my job for security purposes ” he said While juggling between the job and the business, Sachin received a job offer from Tech Mahindra in Mumbai and he decided to move to Mumbai. “It was a
Goa Engineering College as visiting faculty. The business w a s a n u n e x p e c t e d opportunity that came our way and we grabbed it.”
The story of their entry into the business is very interesting. “Whilst I was working at Goa Engineering College as a visiting faculty on a contract basis, I received a call from Tech Mahindra, where I had applied earlier. They were
studying and my father was working at SBI Zonal office. We came together and decided to take up this opportunity. Goa was on the rise as a tourist destination and it was a wise decision for us to move into the hospitality industry. In March 2003 we entered into an agreement to run the hotel for 10 years.”
This was the first business venture of Sachin Pai Bir along with his father and younger brother. “It was an 18-room
autopilot mode with the trained staff taking care of the day to day issues and we were providing them with instructions. We also divided our work: during the daytime my father used to look after the business and I used to join him after finishing my duties at GEC.”
Coming from a service background and entering into business is a big task but Sachin was aware of the risk
new challenge for me but I decided to turn the challenge into an opportunity. While in Mumbai I connected with many travel agents and that helped a lot for our business in Goa I tied up with half a dozen reputed travel agents w h o a g r e e d t o s e n d c u s t o m e r s o n a f i x e d commission basis to us In Goa, my father was trying to cope with the work but it was becoming difficult at times so that’s when I decided to move
back to Goa and instead of working for someone else decided to work for myself.”
Handling the business from Mumbai was not possible and having placed the entire burden of the business on his father, Sachin decided to move back to Goa. “I wound up in Mumbai and moved back to Goa to dive into the b u s i n e s s c o m p l e t e l y .
However, moving back to Goa and leaving that big fat job opportunity in Tech Mahindra was also a challenge and it was like swimming against the current. “Before moving back to Goa from Mumbai I got an opportunity to work as a lecturer at the Engineering College in Shiroda and without a second thought I grabbed it. Maybe I was still not ready to take the full risk or maybe I did not want to give up on my experience that I had gained with a lot of hard work and dedication from the Engineering College.”
So, to play safe once again, Sachin decided to stick to the secure job and look after the business which was already on autopilot mode after working hours. “It used to take around 1 hour to reach Panaji from Shiroda and I started taking care of the business after returning from my job This continued for almost five years and during that time I also managed to do my masters in Information Technology from Padre Conceicao College of Engineering and during that time I was also elevated to the position of Assistant Professor. We had by this time, already completed 3 years in the business so it was time to expand.”
The business and job were running side by side and both Sachin and his father were still working while looking after their business afterwork. “We were part time into the
business and full time into our jobs and that was the time we decided to expand. In the year 2005 we got an opportunity to rent a place on Chogm Road in Porvorim. It was an unexplored location with not much lodging facilities around but at the same time it was booming with tourism and here we bought “Hotel Ashirwad” – a 16 room hotela n d b y 2 0 0 6 i t w a s completely operational. Now we had two hotels comprising of 18 rooms in Panaji and 16 rooms in Porvorim.”
There is a saying that need is the mother of invention and many businesses have been setup on this concept. “While running the business in Porvorim we realised that there is a huge demand for a food outlet As there were none around then, that triggered us to start a restaurant in the existing premises It was again a completely new dimension for us and the restaurant business is completely different from running a lodging. In Panaji there were already a wealth of restaurants but that was not the case in Porvorim. There we had an entire ground floor empty which we decided to convert into a restaurant and that was the beginning of our journey into the restaurant b u s i n e s s . W e c a l l e d i t “Bhojan” and it was started in 2007 and after running it for almost two years I decided to quit my job and get myself involved completely into this business,” he added. Sachin finally quit his job in 2 0 0 9 a n d t o o k u p t h e complete renovation of Bhojan. “The food sector was booming and we had to expand it by occupying the rooftop space by transforming it into a hundred 100 seats from 40 that was catering to our in-house guests as well as walk ins Expansion was
always on my mind and now I was completely free to give my 100% to this business and hence we decided to come to Panaji with the restaurant b u s i n e s s . W e s e t u p a restaurant, “Dawat” at Hotel Campal.” When I asked him why he did not name it Bhojan he said that name sounds like a veg restaurant. “Experience
is key to success and when we setup Bhojan in Porvorim we were lacking the experience in this industry but by the time we setup Dawat in Panaji we were aware what difference a n a m e m a k e s “ D a w a t ” couldn’t be registered since it was a common name and used by many outlets. Also it was just a five year contract
due to end in 2014 and our lease in Porvorim was also about to end and the owner was not interested in renewing the same.”
In the year 2015 the lease with the Porvorim premises ended and they started searching for a new premises. “We found out that there was a large premises available on a long lease in Porvorim and I also many people were interested but were put off by the fact that Porvorim was quiet during those days. But I always think differently and I decided to take over that premises,” said Sachin. In 2015 Sachin signed the contract with the owner and took over the premises on a long lease. “We renovated the entire premises the ground floor was done first and on 17th January 2016 we began the Copperleaf brand in Porvorim,” he added. When I asked Sachin about the idea of Copperleaf he said, “By this time I had already learned how a name makes a difference in the business. The name needed to be impactful and fresh and it should not depict the category of the
cuisine and Copperleaf had all those prerequisites It was fresh and neutral (even religiously) and mainly it was available to be registered for a Trademark,” he explained.
The name Copperleaf started creating a buzz in the marketplace and people started wondering who owns this brand “Most people thought this may be some international brand owned by people from Delhi or Mumbai.
No one could imagine that
Running your own business means you stay connected even while you are sleeping and of course we faced many challenges for manpower and customer satisfaction but we managed to handle them all with complete dedication Engineering played a great role in all my challenges I looked at the situation from the customer’s point of view a n d w h e n w e s t a r t e d Copperleaf, I wanted to make sure that its ambience, staff,
our decision easier- to open up in Panaj. After identifying a premises in Panaji, I decided to buy it outright since I worked very hard to build this brand. We cannot afford to comprise by setting up in rented premises, which is a kind of risk. We purchased this property in January 2020 and in February ,the interiors began and by March, Covid struck and we had to keep the premises closed for a long time.”
someone from Goa could setup such a big restaurant. By this time, we already wound up with Dawat in Panaji and Bhojan was also given up along with the Ashirwad Hotel to the landlord The Panjim lodging was still with us but by 2018 we decided to give that up too since we realised that o u r e x p e r t i s e i s i n t h e restaurant business and we decided to focus only on that.”
The bigger the business, bigger the responsibilities and that is what happened in the case of Copperleaf too. “The distinction between a job and business is that a business is a 24-hour job whilst a job is 9 to 5 and after that you are free to do whatever you want
food & service is of a standard that I would expect when I visit any high-end dining place. I visited many restaurants but the kind of thing that I was looking for, I never found so I decided to transform my vision into the experience that a customer would seek ”. The success of the Porvorim branch of Copperleaf led Sachin to work on opening new outlets. “Initially we decided to open one in Margao but later we decided to settle for nearer locations first. In Goa, the mindset of the customer plays a major role and since we are from north Goa it was difficult to judge the mindset of south Goa customer base so this made
When I asked Sachin about how he dealt with the Covid situation and what his state of mind was when he realised that the investment of crores of rupees was going to be stagnant for long time, he said, “To answer this question I have to tell you a small secret. There is no doubt that this business is driven by us but in reality, everything that we do w e t a k e t h e “ P r a s a d ” (blessings with consent) from Godess Kamaxi which is our Kuldaivat and we believe that everything that is happening is given by the Goddess and we are just her servants. Nothing here belongs to us and we here just to take care of what
she bestows upon us and perform to our best capacity
When Covid happened we were sure that this is a call of the Goddess: that she has s o m e p l a n s f o r u s a n d everything will be fine at the end of the day and that is what exactly happened. The central government came out with various schemes to help people, EMI’s were deferred by the banks and guaranteed emergency credit lines were offered by the Government so we got all the required funds when we needed it the most.”
When Covid started ebbing a n d b u s i n e s s e s b e g a n reopening, Sachin began home deliveries of food to
r e a s o n b e h i n d d o i n g trademarking of the brand is to open the branches and franchises across the nation.
“The process is already on and soon you will hear some good news, ” he said. Vishwanath (Sachin’s younger brother) said that they are in the process of opening new places but the locations have not yet been finalised. “The plans are not only national but even to go international and in the next 10 years you will see us across the nation and globe and we have set this as our target.”
to expand Today whatever time we spend is our time and we spend it the way we want a n d n o w t h e r e i s n o complaints from the family.”
Panaji and I decided to move back to India in 2019 and handle the business with my family.”
provide some relief to the business. “We could not start the premises but kitchens were allowed to run since food is an essential part of life and , by October we opened to the doors of Copperleaf to the public. We did not lay off a single staff but we did reduce salaries by 30 % and we provided them with the food and accommodations during Covid,” he added.
Sachin has big expansion plans for Copperleaf and the
The Family Sachin and Vishwanath live in a joint family and their father is still the head of the family.
“The family support has always been there especially during the initial stages. We used to leave home early and return after everyone had gone to sleep It was something unavoidable but everyone at home was very supportive and now over the period of time they are accustomed to our schedule. We have now put in a system wherein for the dayto-day operations, we are not required. This was something needed to be done if we have
Viswanath Pai Bir, was working aboard and was not a part of the venture in the initial days said, “After finishing my engineering in 2005, I got a job in Cognizant through campus placement. I was placed in Bangalore and I could not be a part of the venture physically but morally I was always there whenever they needed me. In 2008 I left for the USA to work in a startu p a s a n i n d e p e n d e n t consultant, but later they absorbed me as a full time
A f t e r c o m i n g t o G o a , Vishwanath got involved with the day to day business activities. “It was completely new for me, I started meeting the team and understanding their roles and learning the food & hospitality business and currently I handle the finance part in the business while my brother is good in the o v e r a l l o p e r a t i o n s a n d administration. I also help my b r o t h e r i n r e c r u i t m e n t processes,” he said.
employee where I worked till 2014.”
Vishwanath said that the start-up that he was working for was acquired by another US based company for the sum of 400 Million USD. “It was a good experience working with the big company and they wanted us to move to their office at a different location, and during that time only I came down to India to attend the wedding of one of our relatives and we discussed the setting up of new outlets in
“I want to say that in the entire journey, right from the beginning, we always had the support of our parents in whatever we did and it is a blessing. I was not mature enough to handle the business initially and none of our family e v e r v e n t u r e d i n t o t h e business activities. My father was working with the SBI and my mother was working with INS Mandovi as civilian staff and for them business was a risky field and yet they always supported me and they are supporting me.. he concluded.
The announcement made by Oman Air about shifting its base to Mopa Airport led to creating a buzz in the media and curiosity among the stakeholders. The first ones to get upset about this decision were the taxi operators of Goa, who always remained against the construction and commissioning of the Airport at Mopa.
According to the reports, The new greenfield international airport at Mopa has yet to obtain the aerodrome licence, but that did not stop airlines, especially Oman Air from accepting flight bookings from Muscat to the Mopa airport. Oman Air said that it will stop flight operations out of Goa International Airport (GOI) from January 1, and will shift operations to the private airport at Mopa (GOX).
Meanwhile, Qatar Airways, Air India, and Air Arabia are still providing direct international flights to Goa and continue to
offer flights to Dabolim airport. Oman Air will operate four direct flights to Mopa per week, with tickets priced at Rs 40,000 per person, stated the report.
According to the officials at GMR, Oman air is not alone that is talking about the shift.
“Oman Air is the first one to start the talks, but several airlines are talking to us. We a r e a l s o i n t o u c h w i t h domestic airlines and the slots will be finalised when a clear decision is taken about the start of operations,” said a GMR Goa International Airport Ltd (GGIAL) official. GGIAL has refused to offer any official statement.
Meanwhile, the political parties have started cashing on the opportunity to target the state government on this issue. The Benaulim MLA Venzy Viegas said that he has written to chief operating officer Nasser Al Salmi to “strongly protest this decision”
as it is counter-intuitive to the interests of Oman Air’s operations as well as that of Goans. “Yesterday, I received a message from one of my constituents regarding an email received from Oman Air,” he said.
The fear of the closure of the Dabolim Airport is also creating tension amongst the taxi operators but the fact remains that Dabolim Airport will not be closing down since all the airlines won't be shifting to the Mopa for the simple reason is people travelling to south Goa will always have the options open to book their ticket to the (GOI) Dabolim Goa instead of (GOX) Mopa Goa.
R e s p o n d i n g t o t h e s e apprehensions, chief minister Pramod Sawant said that the state and Centre will work on a plan to ensure that flights are equally shared between the new airport at Mopa and the existing Dabolim airports.
A senior official from the department of civil aviation said that once GGIAL obtains the required permissions, the state government will invite P M N a r e n d r a M o d i t o inaugurate the Mopa airport.
A housewife, mother of two, servicewoman and a sportsperson, Usha Narvekar dons many hats simultaneously and is currently Goa's best-known archer who won first place in the first online archery competition organised by the Field Archery Association of India which recently took place in Goa. Her husband, Deepak Naverkar, holds the position of Deputy General Manager in a public relations in GTDC.
Born and brought up in Keri Sattari Village in North Goa and a graduate in the arts, Usha now works in the accounts department of the Goa Government and pursues her passion at the same time. After finishing her 12th standard at Bhumika Higher Secondary, Usha decided to learn computers to secure a j o b i n a G o v e r n m e n t department. “I had a plan of completing my graduation after getting a job and that's why I decided to first go for a computer course. I got this love for sports from my father. He was a sportsman and later j o i n e d t h e G o a P o l i c e Department Right from my school days, I used to take part in various sports activities, such as kho kho and kabaddi. Looking at my performance, one of my teachers guided me to play for the national team. I followed his instructions and started practising for the nationals at Campal Ground in Panaji and I competed in the National Games in Delhi, followed by Hyderabad and
Chennai,” she adds
When Usha went to play kabaddi at the National Games in Delhi, she was just 17 and studying in 11th grade at Bhumika Higher Secondary “After finishing my higher secondary education (12th) I went to do a computer course and I got a job in the accounts department on the merits of my sports achievements
Initially, I applied for jobs by looking at advertisements and passed in typing tests, but I got the job from the sports quota.”
Now that Usha had a secure job, she wanted to pursue her dream of completing her graduation “I took the permission of my director and he happily allowed me to continue my graduation from K o l h a p u r U n i v e r s i t y . I completed my graduation while working full time in the accounts department with my major subjects as economics and political science,” she said.
Life is not easy, especially for s o m e w o m e n w h o a r e
expected to do a job and at the same time take care of their family also. “I received many offers to go for the nationals but I could not participate due to certain responsibilities at home Meanwhile I was also learning to swim but during that time my sister got married and I did not get permission from my p a r e n t s t o c o n t i n u e swimming,” said Usha Her parents were ageing and they needed her support. “I could not disobey my parents and they were my first priorities.”
Usha tells us that her husband was her greatest support and he always encouraged her in all her endeavours. “When I got married to Deepak, he never stopped me from pursuing my dreams but after I became a mother my entire attention went towards my home, family and children and I decided to take a break from sports,” she said.
The story of Usha's entry into archery is very interesting. When pro-kabaddi started on
the national channels, Usha tells us that she told her daughter about how she used to play kabaddi. “My daughter was surprised and asked me to show her the steps and when I demonstrated my skills, she was shocked and encouraged me to re-join sports. My elder daughter is more into social media activities while my younger one had lots of love for sports, hence I decided to enrol her on some sports activities and got her enrolled in gymnastics in which she performed on a national platform,” she said.
While her daughter was busy training in her gymnastic class, Usha decided to enrol herself on some activities as well, thereby utilising her time. “I had to wait almost two hours outside the class for my daughter and I decided to enrol for archery at Zito Archery Club. My coach Mr Zito Godinho was very supportive and that was the new beginning in the field of archery.”
“With encouragement from a
coach and my family I picked up the skills faster and went to Nagpur where I met the secretary of the Archery Association of India, Mr Pramod Chandorkar, who gave me guidance in archery techniques. I also attended his lectures. After this, I also went to attend the seminar on a r c h e r y a t R a i g a d i n Maharashtra and gained a lot of knowledge in this field. I also met with many national and international coaches who guided me in the right direction in archery,” she explained.
The First Gold Medal in Archery Usha got her first Gold Medal in Archery in 2017. “My Coach Zito took me to the National
A r c h e r y Competitio n organised on Pedem Grounds on M a p u s a where I got m y f i r s t G o l d M e d a l i n the senior category. Then I went t o D u b a i where I got my second m e d a l i n archery I a m
currently, she is training under Chetan Kawalekar who is a secretary of the Archery Association of Goa Now I have plans of going to the state and national level championship Sports is an activity that keeps you fit.
Today so many of us sit at desks all day and don't have time to do exercise under these circumstances and sports play a key role. I don't get time during working hours so I train after finishing at the office,” she said. When I asked her if her office s u p p o r t s h e r i n h e r endeavours, she said that they all do but there is so much workload in the accounts department that it becomes difficult to take leave for
s p o r t s activities “I cannot follow a career in sports at the expense of my work as many p e o p l e a r e dependent on me and that is why I practice after office hours and on S a t u r d a y I practice from 4 to 6 pm,” she said.
Usha wants a career in the f i e l d o f archery, “It's a new field and I w a n t t o establish my place in it. I am capable of continuing in archery while giving my all to my job and my family. If I have to appear at national level then I need to practice at least 3 to 4 hours per day and for the Commonwealth Games, it needs to be 8 to 9 hours per day so once I reach that stage, I will take the advice of my husband and maybe leave my job to do this intense training.”
“I also want to give a small message to all the women out there- keep yourself fit and occupied with things that give
you a purpose regardless if you are working or not. With the help of time management, you can build your career and pursue your dreams and before I end this conversation I would like to thank a few people who were instrumental in my journey first is my husband Deepak Narvekar , then Mr Rajendra Kekar, Pratapsingh Rane, Vishwajit Rane, and our CM Dr Pramod Sawant who have all helped me in my journey.”
Caravela café and bistro is n o w a n a m e t h a t i s synonymous with great coffee and excellent food. It’s been my favourite for years now and it makes me immensely happy to see how they have grown from 1 to 3 outlets and hopefully many more in the time to come.
Although I have been to all the outlets of Caravela, the Fontainhas one, the Candolim one and the newly opened one on the 18th June Road, this new outlet has my heart. It has a different vibe altogether. It's chicer, and vibrant and has a youthful appeal that cannot go unnoticed. I am sure it will soon be a hot spot for all youngsters who like to hang out at places that serve great food, and coffees and are easy on the pocket too. From the moment you walk through the door, you feel a positive vibe everywhere. I find it very homey. While the decor is simple and nothing loud, you can't fail to notice some eyecatching posters on the walls that add to the whole vibe of the cafe.
Its spread across 2 floors, where the lower floor offers limited seating, but lets you get tempted with its huge display of desserts that are freshly prepared in house, every day and also the lower floor has a small shop like
By Aditi Malhotra
setting from where you can buy some exclusive stuff from the hills of South India, like pickles, chocolates, organic soaps and much more.
Sharing more about the cafe, Cyrus Noronha, Executive Director, Caravela Cafe & Bistro said, “Our third outlet is our commitment to serving g r e a t f o o d w i t h g r e a t ambience to visitors in Goa. I believe in conversations over food as the best way to bond with people. In a traditional Goan home, food is the c e n t r e p i e c e f o r f a m i l y gatherings where everyone comes together and shares.
Our ‘No Work Cafe’ policy is not always loved by everyone, but we have limited seating and continue to have a very loyal user base who love coming to our outlets for the c o f f e e , f o o d a n d conversations and not work.”
This place is sure to satisfy your coffee cravings whether you prefer it hot or cold. Classic cold coffee and Vietnamese coffee from this cafe are my all-time favourites, as well as a cappuccino or latte that is unrivalled There are some o t h e r b e v e r a g e s a l s o available on the menu, but a true coffee lover can't leave the cafe without tasting one of their signature coffees.
Speaking more about their coffees, Carlos Noronha Jr,
Images by Caravela
Executive Director, Caravela Cafe & Bistro shares, “Our cafe roasts its own coffee known as Latin Quarter, we have 5 varieties of coffee suited for different palates. Two are dark roasts and two are medium roasts, we also have a light roast for people who prefer their coffee on the milder side.
We roast every alternate day so one can always get fresh coffee Our coffee is also available for sale at all our three outlets as beans or in powder form.”
Caravela has some amazing options for food on their menu and their All Day Breakfast in particular is a delight to indulge in.
R i s s o i s a r e C a r a v e l a ' s speciality. Although the prawn ones are unbeatable, trust me, the veg version is equally delicious. Also on the menu are Beef Samosas or Beef Potato Chops and Croquettes (Beef & Chicken), which are worth trying if you want something to munch on while you sip your cup of coffee.
The burgers and sandwiches are definitely worth digging for if you ' re looking for something more filling. Among m y p e r s o n a l recommendations are the Ham & Cheese Sandwich, the Chicken Club Sandwich, and
the Tomato Cucumber Cheese Sandwich. Also, the juicy and delicious Beef Burger. They also have some pasta on the menu, and I loved the seafood pasta I tried.
There is a lot of temptation in the dessert section. You can choose from delectable cake slices, apple pies, tarts, pancakes, and seradura. The warm apple pie and croissant with my coffee were delicious, b u t d o n o t m i s s t h e cheesecake and the carrot cake, they were the best I had. Overall, for me, Caravela is a place that I can always trust with good food, good coffee and good service as well. And I personally look forward to more of their outlets opening soon.
So if you haven’t been to the new outlet on the 18th June road, this is your sign. Go for it. Restaurant Details
Address:
Panaji, 18th June Road Shop Number 3, Vagle Vision, Dr Pandurang Pissurlekar Rd, Panaji, Goa 403001.
The resort’s Blue Lagoon bar was our next stop where I enjoyed a refreshing gin n tonic along with some bar nibbles like Chicken Malai Tikka and Chicken Popcorn. Mama Miso, the resort’s Pan Asian fine dining restaurant was our ideal choice for a lovely dinner. I really cannot begin to put into words how awesome and delicious the food was. Each and every item on our table was thoughtfully prepared and full of flavours.
ByAditi MalhotraNestled in the picturesque South Goa and with just 2 minutes walk to Arrosim beach, Heritage Village Resort & Spa is a perfect getaway for your next family vacation.
The hotel reflects true Goan essence with the Portuguesestyled architecture taking precedence while the rooms are comfortably appointed with all modern amenities to ensure a pleasant stay.
The warm hospitality of Heritage Village Resort & Spa awaits you right at the entrance, with smiling faces, serenaders that groove to the Goan tunes and a refreshing drink of coconut water. As you settle down in the beautiful lobby sipping your welcome drink, you get a glimpse of the h u g e p o o l i n t h e f r o n t surrounded by greens and also the all day dining restaurant buzzing with people.
We were attended soon by the warm staff, and directed towards my room. I stayed in a Deluxe Room, offering a sense of expansive space with contemporary interiors and elegant décor This well appointed room, came with a small balcony offering a pool
view and was complemented by modern amenities and thoughtful inclusions such as a diwan cum bed. They were p e r f e c t f o r a r e l a x i n g vacation.
The in-room hospitality with a personalised welcome letter, a bottle of wine, a fruit basket, cookies and nuts is something that will remain with me for a long time as I am a big fan of small gestures.
After relaxing for some time in our room, we headed for a hearty lunch at the all day dining restaurant Chutney, there was a South Indian food festival, where we indulged in a specially curated South Indian menu. For starters, we relished Meen Varuval, popular South Indian Fish Fry and Kozhi Melagu Charu, a fragrant chicken soup. Both t h e i t e m s w e r e s u p e r delicious, I especially enjoyed the warm soup a lot.
Up next was Ennai Kathirikai which is a South Indian curry made with tender brinjals and also there was Mutton Ishtew with Appam and both these main course items were really good. Paruppu Payasam was something I had never tried before and was great, it was a
payasam made with moong lentils simmered in coconut milk.
After having this delicious meal, we returned to our room for a quick nap and then headed for a dip in the pool. The poolside also has a bar that can serve you amazing cocktails and chilled beers We enjoyed every bit of staying in the pool for a long and leisurely dip. As I wanted to spend some more chilled-out time with my son, a curated picnic on the beach was next on our agenda. Arrosim beach is just 2 minutes walk from the resort and they do have buggies to take you there We had a beautiful set-up on the beach complete with some nibbles like nachos, cookies, brownies and sandwiches along with chilled beers and coffee as well. The picnic baskets full of these goodies and beach toys ensured that our picnic was indeed fun.
The sunset at the beach was almost surreal and you must indulge in this experience whenever visiting Heritage Village Resort & Spa This personalised picnic made it even more worthwhile.
Spinach Wrapped Chicken in Black Bean Sauce, Avocado Cream Cheese Roll, Crunchy Chicken Katsu Roll and the Chicken Ramen Bowl were my t o p p i c k s a n d I h i g h l y recommend you give them a try.
After such a delightful meal retiring to our comfortable room for a good night’s sleep seemed just right.
The buffet breakfast is served from 7:30 AM to 10:30 AM and we made it just in time to relish the same. The buffet spread had a perfect mix of Indian and English breakfast items.
Fresh fruits, eggs to order, hot n crispy dosas, cereals, juices and fresh bakes, all found a great space on the buffet With a glass of Mimosa, I enjoyed a portion of eggs benedict and some fresh fruits for my fill.
Sadly it was a short staycation and after breakfast, it was time to leave for home. But I am positive that I will be going back to Heritage Village Resort & Spa for a longer vacation very soon because t h e h o s p i t a l i t y , t h e experiences and the food, everything was top-notch.
Heritage Village Resort & Spa, Goa Arossim Beach, Cansaulim, Goa403712 Tel: +91 83266-94444 | Fax: +91 83227 54324E mail: goa@heritagevillageresorts.com
Inventions are born from a need. Bipin Kadam invented 'Maa Robot' for his daughter who, due to a rare disease, is unable to take care of herself and whose mobility is impaired. She was paralysed at birth but today, Maa feeds her and enables her to live independently. Let's take a look at the story of this incredible inventor, Mr Bipin Kadam.
W i t h h i s j a n m a b h u m i ( b
h p
a
e )
K u d a l , Maharshtra, and karmabhumi (workplace) in Goa, Bipin Kadam has come the long way to be in the position he is in today. Without a great start in l i f e w i t h h a r d l y a n y educational opportunities and h a i l i n g f r o m h u m b l e beginnings, these lack of resources did not stop him from achieving his dreams “Due to poverty and lack of resources, I had to leave my studies after finishing my SSC and I started to search for a job. I decided to move to Goa and it's been now 25 years since I've been here. I was of the opinion that when we stay a w a y f r o m h o m e , w e automatically become more responsible and learn better. When I came to Goa, I began work as an unskilled worker in a factory and made my way to the top position in the same factory after working and learning with complete dedication.”
He started off drilling and operating the lathe machine
which is a rotating workpiece similar to a cutting tool. The lathe creates sections of parts by spinning them using a cutting tool to take material off it. Examples of parts that can be produced on a lathe are crankshafts, camshafts, and bearing mounts. “In fact, I had no knowledge of how to handle a simple drill machine. I was not educated enough to handle things in the initial stages but I had a passion to learn and that quality of mine only helped me at every step.
After working for a decade on the lathe machine I finally got the opportunity to work on the specialised CNC (Computer Numerical Control) machines w h i c h o p e r a t e o n t h e instructions provided by the computers,” he added.
The journey from the manual lathe machine to the CNC machines was not easy. Bipin h a d t o e x h i b i t l o t s o f dedication towards his work which instilled confidence in his boss to allow him to h a n d l e t h e n e w l y commissioned CNC in the
factory “My boss saw the development of skills in me. It just so just happened that my owner's son joined the factory after finishing college and he found to be trustworthy to use the new equipment in t h e f a c t o r y a n d p r o v i d e d m e t h e opportunity to learn a n d o p e r a t e t h e machines. I started learning by watching him working on the computer and his boss w a s a w a r e t h a t teaching him new skills will only help them in return. After spending two years learning, I finally learned how to use the CNC machine. When I did my first job on the C N C , w e w e r e preparing a certain part for the defence force and when we took that for their approval they rejected it outright saying it's not up to the mark, but that did not stop me and I re worked it for a full month
before finally making the part that got us the contract to manufacturer a missile lock for the defence.”
“When we started designing machine parts for the defence
there were not many options available in Goa. We had to take trips to nearby states for this. After leaning the CNC, I did not stop learning more. I t o o k a n i n t e r e s t i n 3 D
modelling on the computer. I knew also that had I made any mistakes, they could be fixed easily.
The internet was not so popular in those days and searching for anything was not as easy as it is today so we could only learn on a trial and error basis and today I am capable of designing any parts of a machine with the help of 3D modelling,” he added.
Now that you know how much effort Bipin put in to get to where he is today, let's now take a look at how and when he decided to create a robot to help his daughter “My daughter is 17 years old now but I started this project when she was 14 to help her be independent and less reliant upon us for assistance. I tried all the things within my limits from trips to Haji Ali in Mumbai for blessings, but nothing really worked. My wife was also not keeping in good health and that made my task more challenging. I knew how to make machines so I thought, why not design something to help my daughter. However, I had little knowledge of robotics and so I decided it's time for me to learn this skill also. It took me some five years
but finally, I made this Maa Robot. It all started with me ordering a robotic kit and experimenting on it. Here, I learned how instructions are given to robots to act out instructions in a particular fashion and by that time, everything was available on the net so it made this project
vegetables. When Maa Robot was ready to be tested, I experimented on my younger son who is two years younger to my daughter. Maa Robot uses a spoon to feed her and can bring it close to her mouth, but using very little muscle movement of which she is capable, she can eat what is
functionality. Just as a mother feeds her child when they're hungry, Maa Robot feeds my child too, he explained.
Bipin wants to work and create more of these robots for children who are live with similar disabilities and also even the aged who can't feed or fend for themselves. “There are many old people who live in old age homes and many are wealthy but have no one to take care of them. They too want to live a dignified life with self-respect and I feel that this type of robot will be the answer to all their needs. Also, there are people who don't have arms and I am developing one such robot for the defence personnel who have lost their limbs in war.”
much easier. I then learned how vocal instructions work with the help of sound input. This is what exactly I wanted since my daughter is unable to perform tasks with her own muscles and hence the only option was to make use of sound instructions. Here I d e c i d e d t o c r e a t e a mechanical hand that could feed my daughter with voice input instructions.”
“When she asks for dal, for example, Maa Robot feeds h e r d a l w i t h r i c e o r
on the spoon near her mouth, said Bipin.
Bipin tells us that his daughter goes to the school but being in the special needs category, her development and learning is slower. They didn't want to keep her at home as it was important that she learnt interaction, knowledge and physical movements to keep her muscles working “The reason behind the name, Maa R o b o t w d e t o i t
Bipin receives many enquiries from all over the country from those who are disabled or are dependent on others and he is planning to work on the new models of robots customised for their individual conditions.
“There is a large number of people who are handicapped by birth or via accidents and they need some kind of solution. The Goa State Innovation Council has funded me to create another robot. I want put to use the knowledge that I have acquired for last 25 years and to do the best I can f o r o t h e r s w i t h i n m y capabilities,” he added.
An engineering graduate from the Goa Engineering College, Anish Sood comes from a family background of music where his father and uncle were both guitar players. Anish grew up with a lot of music around him and he hails from a time where digital music, heard on mobile phones were not the norm, as they are now. He has an array of cassette and CDs of which he is very proud. His true passion for music started really when he reached college.
While I was doing my studies at the Goa Engineering College in Farmagudi, I used to participate in college events and was a part of the organising team. That was the time I actually got into dance music and DJing, and along the way, I taught myself to how to play and compose music, although I had no formal training in this field.”
Talents are in-born and they just need a push in the right direction with some training, to really flourish. “I belong to a family of engineers and everybody in my family is an engineer We are in the business of heavy machinery, logistics and construction After finishing engineering, I joined the family business and worked for around 10 years before I got into music full time. While I was taking care of my family business, I was continuing my journey into music composition and DJing.
E n g i n e e r i n g i s a v e r y interesting subject and music just happened to me along the way. In fact, it was a side
hobby that finally turned into my career,” he added.
According to Anish, what he's
done is a great example of how passion can be pursued with full dedication while
doing a day job in any field of your choice. “When I joined the engineering college, I didn't imagine I'd give it up to do music. I didn't think I'd leave my f a m i l y b u s i n e s s t o d o s o m e t h i n g c o m p l e t e l y unrelated. Also, according, to me, analytical and logical skills improve to a big extent when you do engineering and you also develop a strong mindset regardless of which field of work you are into. For example, if you are a creative person and you have an engineering background then only the sky is the limit,” he averred.
Image CreditsNathan D'SilvaIn engineering, there is a stream of digital music engineering wherein one can learn to master digital music engineering but Anish did not opt for that since he believed that it all came to him very naturally. “I was always good with computers and creating sound with computers was easy for me, hence I never felt that I need to study it. With the internet revolution, things have changed drastically and
you can teach yourself whatever you desire to learn online. I made use of YouTube to learn how to mix music and create a new music. I am completely self taught,” he said with a grin.
When I asked him about his first opportunity as a music composer and DJ, he said it came about at a lounge owned by one of his friends. “It was the learning phase for me and fortunately my friend offered me an opportunity to perform and it all started from there. I used to spend from 3 to 7 pm practising alone and slowly it became my full-time job. We eventually started booking more artists to perform at that venue and that is how I built my network around the country. I then started getting invitations from them to perform in their cities and the rest is history,” he added.
While performing at various
locations across the country,
A n i s h s l o w l y s t a r t e d composing his own music “The skill of composing my own music got me the opportunity to play out of the country, as many brands started signing with me. This also got me the opportunity to do the Hello World Tour. It was in 2013 when I j u s t s t a r t e d g e t t i n g popularity. It was the time when dance music started catching on in India.
Entry into Sunburn Sunburn brand promoted by the Percept company, is one of the biggest entertainment c o m p a n i e s t h a t h o s t electronic dance music. They had organised a contest in 2010 to remix tracks and Anish won that contest. “That contest opened the doors of Sunburn EDM festivals to me and I have been playing with them since then,” said Anish.
After 12 years as one of India's
most successful names in dance music, Anyasa was born yearning to tell new stories via n e w s o u n d s “ A n y a s a translates from Sanskrit as 'spontaneous and effortless' and to me, that is how this evolution feels,” says Anish of his new moniker and music identity. “I feel with Anyasa, I have the opportunity to change the narrative and wipe the slate clean,” he adds.
Anish says “NO” he does not have the time now to compose music or enter into the Bollywood music industry. “Time is the main factor which I don't have at the moment since I spend most of my time travelling for shows and the remaining time I spend composing the music for myself. Maybe 10 or 15 years down the line, when I slow down and I limit my touring, I will be open to working with
film and TV Ads or anything that comes on my way. Also, t h e s t u d i o s a n d m u s i c production happen in Mumbai so that is not my focus as of now and right now I am more focused on being a solo performer,” he said.
Speaking about future plans, Anish said that he is going to release two more EPs. “EPs means a mini album of 4 tracks, I have already released two EPs under the Anyasa brand and one more will be released by the end of this year or early next year and by end of next year I will be releasing the full album,” he said.
“Finally, I want to say that I am really excited to share my new music with everyone and will be playing a bunch of shows also in Goa in the next few months. I am always proud to be from Goa,” he concluded.
A b o u t T h e E n t r y i n t o
Born in Dubai and brought up in Goa Zaid became the Triathlete Nutritionist at the age of 24, he wanted to move out to Canada to do his master's but then the Pandemic hit and all his plans remain stagnant. According to Zaid, he was overweening during his early school and college days, he weighed around 200 hundred pounds and that finally prompted him to enter into the field of athletics and fitness. The Incredible Goa Team interaction with Zaid to find out more about his journey into fitness.
“I was born in Bahrain where my parents were working and then later moved to Dubai where we stayed for about 7 years,” says Zaid adding “We finally shifted to Goa in 2007 when my dad decided to set up his own pharmacy. I studied in Don Bosco Panjim where I also completed my higher secondary and bachelor's in computer applications (BCA).
I was all set to move to Canada to pursue my Master's in Computer Science when all of a sudden the pandemic hit and everything went to a halt.”
Speaking about his entry into the field of Fitness and Sports he said, “Ironically I was overweight during my teenage and young adult years. By the time I had completed my 12th grade, I weighed over around 200 hundred pounds (100 Kgs)
Being fat always stopped me from doing things that I really wanted to do, I used to love playing football but never got any good at it since I had very poor self-esteem. I used to play video games spending countless hours in front of the
computer screen playing Counter Strike and used to eat junk food.”
But by the time he entered the second year of BCA he decided to change his lifestyle to lose weight and joined the gym to become fitter. “I started with walking on the treadmill and doing workouts I saw online at my colony gym and a couple of months down the line I had lost a few kilos which motivated me to get completely into fitness,” he said adding that from there he turned into using proper exercise techniques learning from youtube “I created a meal plan and an exercise program for myself which helped me a lot and my weight went down to 67 Kgs from 102 one and a half years.”
Speaking about his entry he said during the covid all gyms were shut down and he went back to his old eating habits which resulted in gaining weight. “It was a quite hard time for me as I felt that all the hard work that I had put in was going down the drain one day I
came across a post on social media about a friend of mine doing a triathlon which is a combination of Swiming, Cycling and running without a break. I was surprised, at how the athletes can do this such long distances and with mindboggling times. I started following a few top level triathletes like Jan Frodeno and Lucy Charles Barclay which gave me an insight into what goes into training for a triathlon and the level of discipline and hard work it takes to be at the top of the sport. This was super inspiring and I got really interested in the sport,” he explained. It was in the year 2020 Zaid made an announcement that he will be participating in the triathlon, without knowing how he will manage to do that. “I had no training in swimming, cycling and running. I started my training and realised that I cannot run even a kilometre without gasping for air and having pain in my shins and ankles. I took out my cycle that was not been used
for about 5 years and got it serviced and started riding it every other day but soon I realised that if I had to win without injuring myself, I would need someone to train me,” he said adding he soon got in touch with coach Agnelo Desa, whom he met at a café a n d t a l k e d a b o u t h o w triathlon training. “I started my training under him in March 2021 and haven’t stopped since. I trained with a group of athletes of all ages and backgrounds who motivated me and pushed me to become better. I also got introduced to my swimming coach Indrajeet Khadlikar who helped me from being someone who couldn’t swim at all to now having decent timings at a national level in triathlon all in the span of a year.”
“Nutrition plays a big part in endurance sports and I really wanted to educate myself about it. So I decided to get some formal education and I did courses through Precision Nutrition and NSCA which are some of the most reputed
institutes in the field of sports science and nutrition. These helped me a lot to plan nutrition for my training and apply what I had learnt,” he added.
S p e a k i n g a b o u t t h e challenges faced by him, Zaid said, ““Triathlon is a pretty expensive sport once you really start getting into it mostly because of ‘cycling’ as you need to have a good bike to race with and all the expenses that go around it. When I started out it was a bit of a rough patch for our family, because of covid our business wasn’t doing really well so we couldn’t afford a road bike which I could use to race. Our neighbours saw the passion that I had for the sport and gifted me my first road bike for which I will forever be grateful to them as it helped me improve my cycling and take part in many triathlons and cycling races.”
According to Zaid, the
national level ITF Open Triathlon was one of the main events in which he took part. “It was my first ever triathlon and it was Olympic distance in which we do 1.5 km swimming, 4 0 k m c y c l i n g a n d 1 0 k running,” he said adding, It was an eye opener for him into the world of triathlon and that was his first national level sporting experience. “After the Chennai Triathlon, I was really motivated to race more so I took part in all the local triathlons and running races that were organized in Goa and did well in them.
The National Games was the most amazing experience that Zaid had. “That event was like the Olympics of Indian sports.
Everything was taken care of for the athletes. It sponsored our race kits, and food and our travel and stay were also taken care of. We were a team of 4 athletes, 2 male and 2 female that represented Goa. I came 20th from a field of 32
athletes in the individual sprint distance and in our mixed relay event we stood 9th overall out of 15 states. Placing in the top 10 was a good a c h i e v e m e n t f o r u s a s triathlon has just started developing in Goa,” he said. According to Zaid, his future plans are to become the best athlete that he can possibly be and to grow his nutrition business so that he can help a lot more people reach their goals using the experiences that he has. “One of my main goals is to secure a podium at the next national games which are supposed to be held in Goa next year. Winning in my home state would be an amazing achievement.
I know it is really ambitious but I also dream about being at the 2028 Olympics. I believe that if I put in the hard work and remain consistent there is a p o s s i b i l i t y o f t h a t happening.”
Speaking about the message
to aspiring Triathletes he said, “I would just like to say that if you’re really passionate about something please give it a shot, you won’t regret it. I feel that everyone should lead a healthy life and if there’s someone looking to make a change in their life do it now. If you ’ re interested, the cool thing about triathlon is that anyone can get into it no matter their age, shape or size Swimming cycling and running are some of the most amazing sports out there and these will help you to build your fitness and just have an overall better quality of life. If y o u ’ r e l o o k i n g t o g e t competitive in any sport I w o u l d s a y t h e k e y i s Consistency. It is the work that you put in day after day over a long period and not something you do for some time and then stop.
D u r i n g h i s P h D , h e characterized the molecular mechanism of novel drug targets in preclinical models o f a n x i e t y a n d m a j o r depression Subsequently, followed it with postdoctoral training in Germany, France and Singapore.
During his time in Singapore, he completed a 4 month B i o e n t r e p r e n e u r s h i p certificate course at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore where he learnt about various stages involved i n b i o t e c h n o l o g y a n d healthcare related startups He also had the opportunity to a t t e n d s e v e r a l s t a r t u p competitions at various stages of development which gave him the confidence to pursue his own entrepreneurship aspirations.
He has a PhD in biology from Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry/Ludwig Maximilian University, Munich, Germany a n d h a s c o m p l e t e d a B i o e n t r e p r e n e u r s h i p certificate course at Nanyang Technological University, S i n g a p o r e D u r i n g t h e pandemic, personal hygiene became essential everywhere
Roshan Naik, currently incubating at the FiiRE Incubator with his startup idea, grew up in Ponda and did his schooling at A.J. De Almeida High School and GVM’s SNJA higher secondary school.
Further, he studied Chemistry and Biotechnology during his undergraduate and postgraduate studies at Goa University.
After a 2 year stint in the food and beverage industry as a process officer, he went to Germany to pursue his PhD at Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry/Ludwig Maximilian University, Munich, Germany.
By IG Teambut at the same time, frequent u s e o f d i s i n f e c t a n t s i s associated with an increase in the incidence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) bacteria M e t h i c i l l i n r e s i s t a n t Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is one such AMR bacteria which are hard to treat in clinics due to its resistance to most of the c o m m o n l y p r e s c r i b e d antibiotics or inappropriate use of antibiotics leading to life-threatening conditions.
“We at Diagopreutic Private L i m i t e d w o r k o n r a p i d bacterial diagnosis within the same day unlike 2 3 days currently undertaken and can help reduce undesirable sidee f f e c t s a n d t a r g e t e d treatment approaches. Indian Network for Surveillance of Antimicrobial Resistance (INSAR) reported a Methicillinresistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) prevalence rate of 41% based on data from 15 tertiary care centres (National Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance (NAP AMR) 2017 2021, Government of India). Treating MRSA is the top ten priority area for the Ministry of Health
a n d F a m i l y W e l f a r e , Government of India. I initially got interested in S aureus bacteria,” he said.
“After successfully completing the GSIC prototyping grant work, I applied for the GSIC Ideathon event where I presented my idea related to rapid diagnosis of MethicillinResistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA) and I won the s e c o n d p r i z e i n t h i s competition in December 2021. This bolstered my confidence and I successfully applied and was selected for the Nidhi-Prayas grant (up to 10 lakhs) incubated at FiiRE, Fatorda, Goa to develop the prototype. During my work in the last 6 months, under the guidance of my mentor Mr Kishor Shah and various sessions related to startups organized by FiiRE, I have made steady progress on my prototype developments I h a v e a l s o s u b m i t t e d a provisional patent application for differential bacterial diagnosis based on visual c o l o u r c h a n g e u s i n g a p r o p r i e t a r y m e d i a formulation,” he added. S p e a k i n g a b o u t t h e
challenges he said “Some of the work required dedicated space and lab setup which we managed by either renting out space or doing the work on a pay basis in dedicated labs.”
“I was attending a science fest in Panjim in March 2021 where Goa State Innovation Council (GSIC) had an exhibition on various activities organized by them and grants available to individuals and startups. Soon after I started attending online meetings and workshops organized by GSIC related to funding, prototyping, and patent filing which was very useful. I also applied and was selected for a prototyping grant to convert excessive nitrate which is toxic to human and animal health and convert it to nitrogen gas using microorganisms Excessive nitrate in water is harmful to health and we have previously examined it in the Saipem ward in the Candolim area (Naik and Phadke 2022) to probe the potential cause of w a t e r p o l l u t i o n , ” h e explained.
“While working on this project, I examined the potential of several microorganisms to
convert toxic nitrate to nontoxic byproducts, amongst which Staphylococcus aureus caught my attention as it is a major hospital acquired pathogen that can cause pneumonia, bloodstream,
urinary or surgical site infections Interestingly, the same nitrate detection can be adapted for their rapid differential diagnosis and this work has been submitted for provisional patent filing by our
company (Diagopreutic Private Limited). Overall, there was a similar biochemical p
b e harnessed to either treat toxic nitrate in water or rapid differential diagnosis of infections,” he added. Speaking about the future plans he said, “Diagopreutic aims to be a market leader in diagnosis and prognosis of Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) We will provide accurate, reproducible diagnostic and prognostic tools to government and private labs globally, through the use of our innovative solutions.”
attending events either physically or at least in online mode whenever possible as many events are recorded these days. In the startup world, one can take various
different roles, either in regulatory affairs, patent filing, marketing, quality controls or lab work. You will acquire new knowledge to understand the various aspects of the startup world and give your best shot.
Reference: Naik RR, Phadke MR. (2022). High Levels of Nitrate in Well Waters of Saipem Ward, Candolim, Goa.
In: Ashish, D.K., de Brito, J. (eds) Environmental Concerns and Remediation Springer, C
Corresponding Author,” he concluded.
this Boutique where I aim to bring the best of classic and contemporary fashion and lifestyle to the people of Goa.
How do you distinguish yourself from others in a f a s h i o n d e s i g n e r store?
It's a Boutique cum Gallery an innovative concept that besides the u s u a l B o u t i q u e collections it's a Gallery where time to time we do E x h i b i t i o n s I n v i t i n g
Designers and Brands from all over India to display their collections directly to Consumers offering constantly the latest new and different Fashion Trends to Goa Since mine is also a Gallery, I don’t limit myself to only clothes. At OmRä one will find much more t h a n t h a t , s u c h a s accessories, home decor items, healthy snacks, bakes, and kid's clothes…
What is your greatest strength as a fashion designer store?
and trust that no matter what or when we (OmRa) have their back. The other thing is also that we keep having pop-up exhibitions every now and then, where we try and bring different varieties, styles & brands for our clients.
W h a t i s y o u r g r e a t e s t w e a k n e s s a s a f a s h i o n designer store?
Since I consider myself still new in the business, I’m also still learning about the taste and budget choices of the people in Goa. It’s a daily learning process, which I guess comes with any business. Which fashion brands do you appreciate besides your own?
Currently, I am really enjoying the look and style of Cloth Haus. A Mumbai-based brand which we will be showcasing in our boutique for the second time now. This time round with a more contemporary and festive collection.
Tell us about your influence on this fashion industry
successfully been able to bring a better change in many people’s fashion sense of style, by bringing to them more varieties at affordable prices. People leaving my store with a smile is always great, but when the same people Return to my store to buy more a n d m o r e i s m y g r e a t e s t achievement! It also gives me the confidence that I’m on the right path.
How do you keep yourself up to date with the latest fashion design trends?
I travel quite a bit and try curating a collection from the places I’ve visited. With Instagram and other social media platforms, it’s also become easier for one to know what’s the general trend out there.
Te l l u s m o r e a b o u t y o u r collections and how often you add a new design to your collection store.
Born and raised in Goa Varsha Hansraj got married to Ashok Hansraj in Portugal and after living there for almost a decade she decided to move back to India with her family. Her sense of style prompted her to enter the world of fashion and the brand OMRA was born.
Please tell us about yourself and how you entered the fashion field.
I was born and raised in Goa and after getting married I moved to Portugal after living there for almost 3 decades my husband and I decided to move back to India and settle in Goa. Soon I started to go to social gatherings where people used to praise my sense of style, which had a lot of European influence to it
Therefore, with the support of my family, I decided to start a small business from home, where I would showcase very exclusive and personally selected pieces of Indian and indo western wear
After a great response, I opened
The fact that we have something for everyone, at any budget is our biggest strength.
One can come to our store to buy something for themselves and maybe buy a gift for someone else before leaving or vice versa.
Having an in-house tailor who can quickly stitch up an outfit for a client, even at a short notice, gives our clientele the confidence
Growing up I’ve always loved dressing up and accessorising with matching bags and shoes… I have a big European influence in me whereas I like more of a subtle, classy sophisticated style for myself, but I also don’t shy away from colours. I wanted to bring that to Goa. My collection in my boutique is a reflection of who I am, therefore each and every piece you will see on the rack has been personally selected by me.
Te l l u s a b o u t y o u r m o s t significant achievement as a fashion designer store
I would like to believe that I’ve
I have a motto of never keeping 2 pieces of the same design and colour in my store. That’s why you will find me adding new stock every few weeks. Besides my inhouse stock, every month or once in two months I invite a new brand to exhibit their collection in our gallery so that our clients are always offered new and exciting things.
Tell us about your favourite trends in Fashion in past and present My favourite is the classical traditional sarees: whether it’s the Bandhani, Patolas, Banarasi, or Kanjivaram… they’ll never go out of style!
Krishniah Chetty Group of Jewellers, Bengaluru's oldest jeweller, with a 150-year history have brought the finest designer jewellery to Goa with a three day exhibition showcasing most exclusive jewellery for Goans. The exhibition began and showcased their array of jewellery on the 12th & 13th October at Nanutel Hotel, Margao and will exhibit the finest
jewellery from 15th to 17th October 2022 at Hotel Fidalgo, Panaji from 10:30 am to 8:00 pm. The exhibition was inaugurated at the hands of Ms Jennifer Monserrate, MLA of Taleigao Constituency and Pandit Ravi Chary, globally renowned artiste and the first Sitarist to emerge from the beautiful landscape of Goa.
This year's collection includes a fine range of rings, neckpieces and solitaire diamonds which bring together imagination, creativity and excellence in design and quality to give life to the rarest pieces with a bold touch of personality with the #CraftedForTheBold Denim & Diamond Collection.
instant decisions, and seamless transactions. Powered by technology, Fincare Small Finance Bank, on one hand, caters to the banking needs of micro enterprises enabling their financial inclusion, and, on the other, provides innovative banking services to digitally metro and urban customers. Fincare Small Finance Bank commenced banking operations on 21st July 2017 under Section 22 of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949. It was included in the Second Schedule to the RBI Act, 1934 published in the Gazette of India dated April 13, 2019.
Fincare Small Finance Bank Limited is proposing, subject to a p p l i c a b l e s t a t u t o r y a n d regulatory requirements, receipt of requisite approvals, market c o n d i t i o n s a n d o t h e r considerations, to make an initial public offering of its Equity Shares and has filed a draft red herring prospectus dated August 6, 2022 (“DRHP”) with the Securities and Exchange Board of India (“SEBI”).
Fincare Small Finance Bank, one of the fastest growing small finance banks, inaugurated its first branch in the capital city, Panjim, renowned for its natural beauty, distinctive beaches, and cultural diversity. With this launch, Fincare Small Finance Bank deepens its footprint along India's western coast. Inaugurating the banking outlet, Mr Rajeev Yadav, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, said, “We are keen to
f a c i l i t a t e e c o n o m i c progress of the people of Goa with a comprehensi ve bouquet of i n n o v a t i v e b a n k i n g solutions that we believe shall enhance t h e performance of Goa's key b u s i n e s s sectors, including fishing, a g r i c u l t u r e , t o u r i s m , a n d pharmaceuticals. We also aim to cater to the growing demands of the NRI clientele in the region by providing superior interest rates on deposits and a seamless digital banking experience.”
Fincare Small Finance Bank plans t o m e e t t h e f i n a n c i a l requirements of a wide range of customer segments with the 'Smart' banking proposition that it
believes has made Fincare a provider of choice across its operations A wide range of products, including high-interest savings and high efficiency current accounts with sweep insweep out facility, as well as a variety of loan products shall be available at the Fincare Small Finance Bank branch at Panaji. Transactions supported by the Unified Payment Interface (UPI) is another service provided by the Bank.
As of 31st March 2022, the bank serves 32+ Lakh customers in 19 States/UT and has a workforce of 12,000+.
About Fincare Small Finance Bank: Fincare Small Finance Bank is a new-age bank with a digital first approach. It offers its modern banking services through banking outlets, ATM, WhatsApp, Video Banking, Mobile Banking, Internet Banking and Chatbots. The bank aims to transform banking through automated processes,
The Equity Shares offered in the Offer have not been and will not be registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”) or any state securities law of the United States and, unless so registered, may not be offered or sold within the United States, except pursuant to an exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the registration requirements of the Securities Act and applicable state securities laws Accordingly, the Equity Shares are only being offered and sold (i) within the United States only to persons reasonably believed to be “ qualified institutional buyers” (as defined in Rule 144A under the Securities Act, “Rule 144A”) in transactions exempt from, or not subject to, registration requirements of the Securities Act, and (ii) outside the United States in “ offshore transactions” as defined in and in reliance on Regulation S under the Securities Act and pursuant to the applicable laws of the jurisdictions where those offers and sales are made. There will be no public offering of the Equity Shares in the United States.
CA Gaurav Kenkre is a CA in practice for the last 11 years. He is a
By Gaurav Kenkre
In the previous edition, we had c o v e r e d s o m e o f t h e conditions prescribed in law in respect of claimed Input tax Credit We will continue to cover some more conditions in this respect Question: Can I claimed input tax credits on ANY purchases of goods or services?
Answer: No, there are few restricted categories of purchases on which input tax credit cannot be claimed.
vehicles can be claimed only if:
i.Such vehicles are further sold or are used for making further “supplies” either of goods or services. Therefor a dealer of cars will get the input tax credit of cars purchased by him. Also, any business which uses these motor vehicles to further make supplies of services egs rental of vehicles, can also claim this input tax credit
situations:
Input tax Credit on on Motor vehicles is allowed only in very specific situations. Credit is not available on any motor v e h i c l e w h i c h i s f o r transportation of persons which has seating capacity of thirteen persons or less (unless conditions specified below are satisfied). This essentially means all normal passenger vehicles are not eligible for claiming input tax credit.
Input tax Credit on such
ii.Such motor vehicles are used for transportation of passengers. The term p a s s e n g e r s i s n o t d e f i n e d b u t i t i s u n d e r s t o o d t o b e paying customers who are getting the service of being transported from point A to point B iii.Such motor vehicles are used for imparting training on driving such motor vehicles i.e. driving schools can claim the input tax credit on the motor vehicles used by them The fact that the law states that input tax credit is not allowed on motor vehicles which are for transportation of persons, means that input tax credit can be claimed on vehciles which are NOT for transportation of persons i.e. motor vehicles for transport of goods for egs. Thus input tax credit on trucks, tippers, dumpers can be claimed.
b Purchase of water borne vessels like yachts, ships, boats etc and aircraft
Input tax Credit on water borne vessels like yachts, ships, boats etc and aircraft is allowed only in very specific
i.Such water borne vessels like yachts, ships, boats etc and aircraft are further sold or are used for making further “supplies” either of goods or services. Therefor a dealer of aircrafts will get the input tax credit of aircrafts purchased by him Also, any business which uses these water-borne vessels like yachts, ships, boats etc and aircraft to further make supplies of services egs rental of yacht, can also claim this input tax credit
ii Such water borne vessels like yachts, ships, boats etc and aircraft are used for transportation of passengers. The term passengers is not defined but it is understood to be paying customers who are getting the service of being transported from point A to point B. So, input tax credit on a ferry boat would be eligible.
iii.Such water borne vessels like yachts, ships, boats etc and aircraft are used for i m p a r t i n g t r a i n i n g o n navigating such water borne vessels like yachts, ships, boats etc or imparting training on flying such aircraft.
iv.Such water borne vessels like yachts, ships, boats etc and aircraft are used for transportation of goods. Thus, input tax credit can be claimed on cargo ships or barges.
c . S e r v i c e s o f g e n e r a l insurance, servicing, repair and maintenance in relation to motor vehicles, vessels and aircrafts, on whose purchase input tax credit is not allowed ( a s e x p l a i n e d a b o v e ) .
Basically, if you are not allowed to claim the input tax
credit on certain motor vehicles, vessels and aircrafts (due to above mentioned points), then you cannot claim input tax credit on services of general insurance, servicing, repair and maintenance also in relation to these motor vehicles, vessels and aircrafts.
In short, once a particular motor vehicle, vessel or aircraft is in the “black-list” for claiming input tax credit at purchase, it remains in that black-list throughout and no expenses in relation to such motor vehicle, vessel or aircraft are eligible for input tax credit.
The only situations in which one can claim input tax credit o n s e r v i c e s o f g e n e r a l insurance, servicing, repair and maintenance in relation to motor vehicles, vessels and aircrafts, are as below:
i
.If such services are received by a person who is engaged in the manufacture of such motor vehicles, vessels and aircrafts
ii
.If such services are received by a person who is engaged in business of general insurance services in respect of such motor vehicles, vessels or aircraft insured by him i.e. insurance companies
Thus only manufacturers and insurance companies can claim credit of services of general insurance, servicing, repair and maintenance in relation to motor vehicles, v e s s e l s a n d a i r c r a f t s (assuming they are blocked from claim of input tax credit by points (a) and (b))
In the next edition, we shall s e e s o m e m o r e conditions/restrictions.
Regular exercise strengthens your heart and lungs and it can strengthen bones, slowing down the process of osteoporosis. It can help you move easily by keeping your joints, tendons and ligaments more flexible. Can help you lose weight when combined with good eating habits or maintain ideal weight by burning excess calories and promote sense of well being.
Strength training is an important part of an overall fitness program. Here's what strength training can do for you — and how to get started. Want to reduce body fat, increase lean muscle mass and burn calories more efficiently? Strength training to the rescue! Strength training is a key component of overall health and fitness for everyone.
1. Use it or lose it, Lean m u s c l e m a s s n a t u r a l l y diminishes with age.
manage or lose weight, and it can increase your metabolism to help you burn more calories.
4. Enhance your quality of life. Strength training may enhance your quality of life and improve your ability to do everyday activities. Strength
training can also protect your joints from injury Building muscle also can contribute to better balance and may reduce your risk of falls. This c a n h e l p y o u m a i n t a i n independence as you age.
5. M a n a g e c h r o n i c
Common choices may include: BODY WEIGHT. You can do many exercises with little or no equipment Try pushups, pullups, planks, lunges and squats.
R E S I S TA N C E B A N D S . R e s i s t a n c e b a n d s i s inexpensive, lightweight b a n d s t h a t p r o v i d e s resistance when stretched You can choose from many t y p e s o f r e s i s t a n c e tubes/bands in nearly any sporting goods store or online.
FREE WEIGHTS. Barbells and d u m b b e l l s a r e classic strength training tools. If you don't have weights at home, you can use heavy bottles. Other options can i n c l u d e u s i n g medicine balls or kettle bells.
W E I G H T MACHINES Most fitness outlets offer various resistance machines. You can invest in weight machines for use at home, too.
Before beginning strength training, consider warming up with brisk walking or another aerobic activity for five or 10 minutes. Cold muscles are more prone to injury than are warm muscles.
Choose a weight or resistance level heavy enough to tire your muscles after about 12 to 15 repetitions When you can easily do more repetitions of a certain exercise, gradually increase the weight or resistance.
It's important to use proper technique in strength training to avoid injuries. If you're new to strength training, work with a trainer or other fitness specialist to learn correct form and technique. Remember to breathe as you strength train.
Your body fat percentage will increase over time if you don't do anything to replace the lean muscle you lose over time Strength training can h e l p y o u p r e s e r v e a n d enhance your muscle mass at any age.
2. Strength training may also help you: Develop strong bones. By stressing your bones, strength training can increase bone density and reduce the risk of osteoporosis.
3. Manage your weight. Strength training can help you
conditions. Strength training can reduce the signs and symptoms of many chronic conditions, such as arthritis, back pain, obesity, heart disease, depression and diabetes.
6. Sharpen your thinking skills. Some research suggests that regular strength training and aerobic exercise may help improve thinking and learning skills for older adults.
Strength training can be done at home or in the gym.
TRAINING. Cable suspension training is another option to try In cable suspension training, you suspend part of your body — such as your legs while doing body weight training such as pushups or planks. Getting started
I f y o u h a v e a c h r o n i c condition, or if you ' re older than age 40 and you haven't been active recently, check with your doctor before beginning a strength training or aerobic fitness program.
You don't need to spend hours a day lifting weights to benefit from strength training. You can see significant improvement in your strength with just two or three 20 or 30 minute strength training sessions a week.
Smilecraft is one of the top rated dental clinic’s in Goa. Dr Schuyler Pereira completed his dental studies from the renowned New York University in USA. He maintains state of the art dental practices at Goa and Bangalore. At Smilecraft a holistic treatment approach is taken when it comes to dental health. We offer a wide range of dental services ranging from teeth cleaning to cosmetic dentistry and implant. We indeed craft smiles that will last you
Ever seen your favourite celebrity and admired their perfect smile? Have you ever noticed how most of your favourite movie stars have a perfect set of teeth and w o n d e r e d h o w i s t h a t possible? Well, the answer is Teeth Veneers!
What are teeth veneers?
you how the new veneers will do. Once approved , your dentist will use a special prepare your teeth to receive the veneers using special drills. After that, your dentist will select the colour of the veneers and fix temporaries on top of your existing teeth. What are the types of teeth
Teeth veneers or porcelain veneers are thin shells of porcelain that are fitted onto your existing teeth using a special dental adhesive
How are teeth veneers done? Your dentist will first take an impression or scan and do a computer simulation to show
The two types of teeth veneers are porcelain veneers and composite veneers. While composite veneers are easier to make and faster, they tend to stain over time as they are made up of composite resin.
Can Dental veneers fall off ?
T e e t h V e
e r s a r e permanently fixed onto your teeth However, since the dental cement becomes weak over time, the veneers will e v
dentistry and has undergone extensive training in the field of aesthetic dentistry and cosme
a
h a
t o b e replaced. They should not fall of on their own.
Can you get veneers on just a few teeth?
Yes! A full set of veneers is often n o
e q u i r e d
Some people put them on a single c h
p p e d o r d
c o l o u r e d tooth, but it is recommended to apply them over the most visible teeth to achieve a cohesive look.
H o w m u c h d o Teeth Veneers cost in Goa?
The cost of dental veneers starts from Rs. 7,000 o
tic dentistry and regularly handles cases like teeth veneers. What is the Recovery and Post – Treatment Care?
a
d s p e r tooth. This cost
a
y depending on the kind of veneers
It may take about two weeks to fully adjust to the veneers. Wait for at least an hour after they have been fixed into place before eating anything so that they have time to p r o p e r l y s e t . Yo u m a y experience tooth sensitivity initially and can alleviate it by avoiding very cold or hot food and beverages Any minor side-effects will recede by the first week itself. Proper oral hygiene must be maintained in order to let the teeth veneers last longer, and special care should be taken to clean the area where the veneers meet t h e g u m s W e h i g h l y recommend using a water flosser to enhance your oral hygiene maintenance with dental veneers. If you maintain proper oral hygiene, your dental veneers will serve you for a very long time.
g discolouration and how many teeth you want veneered Your doctor will give you an estimated cost of the whole procedure upfront after a proper clinical examination. Why choose Smile Craft for your teeth veneers In Goa?
Smile Craft is constantly rated as one of the best cosmetic dentist in Goa. Dr Schuyler Pereira specialises in cosmetic
