Incredible Goa September 2022 by Goa Prism Digital Media

SEPTEMBER2022 POSTAL LICENSE NO : Registered - G-2/RNP/MON/Goa/28/2022-24VOL 7 ISSUE 11, PANAJI GOA, RNI : GOAENG/2016/66434 GOA’SONLYSOCIETY BAPKALIKAAT EMPOWERMENTWOMEN FEATURES INTERVIEWS STORIES EVENTS FITNESS TECH STARTUP TOURISM AWARENESS OPINION NEWS BUSINESS FOCUS VEREKARVIRAJ GOANTALENT PVIJAYAAIS TRENDSETTER DEMPOVITHAL YOUNGGOA BHARAVIGOT STARTUPGOA IGBUSINESS THE FERN KADAMBA IGHOSPITALITY SHREYA EKAWDE MAMAMISO IGFOOD SKALGOA IGEVENT SURAJ MORAJKAR PIONEERING LUXURYREALESTATE ONTHESHORESOFGOA

40 STARTUP GOA

In a democracy, the opposition is a strong pillar that maintains the balance by keeping the ruling party on its toes and making them answerablefortheireverywrongdeed.Butimagineanassembly...

36 GOAN TALENT

28 WOMEN EMPOWERMENT

The Fern Kadamba situated on the new Old Goa Panaji Highway is an upscale 5-star business hotel that is also known as Goa’s ﬁrst eco-sensitivepropertyanditisrightlylocatedintheHeritage...

46 IG EVENTS SURAJ MORAJKAR PIONEERING LUXURYREALESTATE ONTHESHORESOFGOA

The pandemic has created a new generation of start-ups in various sectors especially for those working from home resulting in many changingtheirﬁeldofworkandstartingnewbusinesses.

42 IG FASHION

CONTENT incrediblegoaoﬃcial@incredible_goa @incrediblegoaoﬃcial incredible-goa/ / / 18 34 36 3844 www.incrediblegoa.org/ /08 GOA SEPTEMBER 2022INCREDIBLE

26 IN FOCUS 10 EDITORIAL 12 GOA BUZZ

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38 YOUNG GOA

Viraj has developed a love and passion for classical music right from a young age even though he has an engineering background. He grewupinbeautifulCarambolimvillageclosetotheheritagesite...

30 IG FOOD

Married to a renowned physician, Dr Rajendra Bapat, Kanika Bapat is a very well-known personality in the art and creative ﬁeld in Goa. “IhavedonemypreliminaryeducationatStTerezaHighSchoolin...

Shreya Ekawde, a BCA Graduate from Don Bosco College, Panaji, is a travel enthusiast and in line with her passion, she decided to setup a travel company with the help of her husband Rohir Naik...

Vijaya Pais is the founder of Offbeat Goa. She is a Mangalorean Goan and was born in Dubai where she did her preliminary education.Whenshewassix,herfamilymovedtoMumbai.Vijaya...

32 IG HOSPITALITY

Mama Miso brings Pan Asian food to the coastlines of Goa giving the natives as well as the tourists and travellers of Goa a unique and enthrallingdiningexperience.Servingadelectableselectionof

34 TREND SETTER

Born and brought up in the capital city of Goa, Vithal Dempo did his primary education at Sharda Mandir School before moving to CanadianInternationalSchoolinBengaluruandcurrentlyheis...

The festivities kicked off in Goa with Ganesh Chaturthi on the last day of August followed by Visarjan throughout the beginning of September. Dassehra will fall on 5th October and Diwali (coming early this year) will be on the 22nd October. Goa, being so alive with a harmonious mix of religions, is a place of ample festivities and something or the other is celebrated throughout the year regardless of the season.

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No Opposition

Development in the state is at its peak with the longest flyover in south Goa which will ease the traffic jams. A lot of these developments will be completed ahead of the new tourism session that will start this year in November with foreigners arriving in big numbers. The exponential growth in the hospitality sector and ongoing infrastructure are signs of booming tourism this year.

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Goa and Goans are known for peace and harmony and our politicians have proved this by merging in to one party thus promoting this image. Now there will be no need to present the bills to the floor because soon Goa will be ruled by a single party, with one agenda and without any opposition! Maybe we won't have to vote anymore because if everyone's on one side, why would there be any elections? Here everyone wants to work for the people and develop for them and Goa is always been considered a model state. If this new formula of a single party with no opposition becomes 100% successful here, then it will be implemented across the country and perhaps India will be soon under the banner of one political party with no opposition. Do you think this will really help in the development of the country? Development of each individual whom we voted to represent us in the assembly? Or the development of the masses who have voted for the Whatdevelopment?Iamtrying to put across here is the present state of every citizen who has voted for one or the other party's candidates and feels worried about the future of our democracy, because once a single party rules with ZERO opposition, it may not remain a democracy but development will surely take place. Do let me know your views on this scenario and until next time happy reading…

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AUGUST2022 To err is human. Although we take due care while publishing themagazinetoensureitisfreeofanymistakes,anyomissions or errors are entirely unintentional. In case you ﬁnd any erroneous photographs, language, missing credits or anything else published incorrectly, please feel free to bring it to our notice We believe in publishing matters that catch our readers' attention and at the same time impart information. We hope all our readers appreciate the content and help us makethispublicationevenbetteranduseful. Editorial, Sales & Administrative Office GOAPRISM DIGITALMEDIA North Goa : Vigo Bharati, 501, Suntek Kanaka Corporate Park Patto - Panaji - Goa. 403001 South Goa : FIIRE Business Incubator, Fatorda - Goa. 403602 Call: +91 89990 85172 / 96651 83739 Email: info@goaprism.com ©AllrightsareReserved.Reprinting,publishingwholeorpartwithoutobtainingtheexpresswrittenpermissionofeditorandpublisherisstrictlyprohibited.Allthe imagesunlessotherwiseindicatedareusedforillustrationpurposeonly

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Once upon a time, Goa was known for only tourism but now things have changed. People do not only know Goa for its tourism but also for the political games being played these days Whatever is taking place in Goa is possibly something that has not been seen anywhere else in the world. India boasts the largest democracy but if there's no opposition, how can that be so?! The BJP has decided to eradicate the opposition and they have become 95% successful with the majority of the opposition merging into the BJP Party and soon there will be 40 MLAs (in the 40-seat assembly) and all will belong to the BJP.

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PhotographyManager

4 All India Darts Association Secretary - Mr Prasanta Saha

All India Darts Association has always been keen to promoting the game of Darts in the country.

f o r e c o n o m i c

r e

IT Minister Rohan Khaunte Launches eTechSkill Academy at Miramar

Screening of The Road to Kuthriyar

Team will be selected from this championship to represent the country at the Asia Pacific Cup 2022 in Taipei, and at the World Cup 2023 in Denmark. The event will be graced by 1 All India Darts Association president - Mr Rajiv Pratap Rudy.

A s i t g r o w s i n p o p u l a r i t y worldwide, we look for foster emerging states in the sport reach new levels of adoption, and to help take the Indian World Cup Darts Contingent to the next level.

Duration: 1 hr 54 mins

eTechSkill Academy by Parvish Andani Kamat, owner, an online and in person centre at Miramar, Panjim, Goa was launched today by Shri Rohan Khaunte, Minister of Information and Technology, Govt of Goa, as today is also Parvish’s late mothers birth anniversary, Kulsum Andani.

to connect with more colleges and academic institutions and offer these short term courses and have Goa’s professionals and students be well prepared for careers. She also mentioned that the Training will be done in English, Konkani and Hindi.

Mr Surendra Prasad, Hospital Director Manipal Hospitals, Goa, said “ Manipal Hospitals Goa, will support various aspects of Pediatric care, as nurturing and well-cared-for children are more likely to completely develop their cognitive, language, emotional, and social skills; to mature into healthier adults; and to possess a higher sense of self. Early intervention, with consistent, qualified care provided under one roof, can generate better outcomes that will help children and their families change what pediatric development means in their lives ” The Centre for Pediatric development also provides fully equipped facilities guided by trained professionals for children with special needs.

Pattached.pCitizens4classestWhilebenefits.inauguratingheposterforofTECHfor0+andSenioralongwithParvishandfamily.hotographarvishwouldlike

2. Honourable MP, Union Minister for Tourism, Shipping, Port and Water Transport & President of the Goa Darts Association - Mr Shripad Naik.

Directed by: Bharat Mirle

Film: The Road to Kuthriyar

This Thursday, 8th Sept. 6.30 pm, Sachin Chatte will host the screening of the Tamil English film, The Road to Kuthriyar, the debut feature of director Bharat Mirle who will be present for the screening, along with other cast and crew members. The film p r e m i e r e d a t t h e B u s a n International Film Festival and subsequently, has traveled to several festivals around the globe, and received rave reviews.

Shri Rohan Khaunte, Minister of Information and Technology, Govt of Goa said his department was looking to promote digital services especially in the remote

5. CII Tourism convener (Goa) and Secretary Goa Darts Association - Mr Carlos de Sousa. They will attend the prize distribution ceremony at the venue on the 17th of September 2022.

Parvish is an Advertising, M a r k e t i n g a n d M e d i a professional for more than two decades, eTechSkill Academy is in hybrid format, online and off line.

We are organising the Goa N a t i o n a l R a n k i n g D a r t s Championship 2022 from the 15th September to the 17th September 2022 jointly with the Goa Darts Association at the Pride Sun Village Resort & Spa, Arpora - Goa. We expect a participation of 150 contestants from 15 states around the Tcountry.hetournament will witness p a r t i c i p a t i o n f r o m D e l h i , M a h a r a s h t r a , R a j a s t h a n , Jharkhand, West B e n g a l , A n d h r a P r a d e s h , Karnataka, Bihar, Assam, Orissa, Gujarat, Jammu & Kashmir, Chattishgarh, Uttar Pradesh, and TheGoa.Indian

a a s a n d t h e segments of society

a therapy for these children. Mrs K e l l y A n n e D S i l v a i s a n accomplished Educator at the world renowned Hanen Centre. She spoke about the need for identifying these children and reaching out to support them.

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Manipal Hospital, Goa is pleased to announce the launch of it's C e n t r e f o r P a e d i a t r i c Development, at Dona Paula. Manned by a qualified team, they will evaluate, guide and treat c h i l d r e n t o w a r d s b e t t e r communication and skills This one of a kind Centre will work with schools and educators to bring awareness in the communities about the need for early diagnosis and intervention in the care of children with special needs. The Centre was launched by Shri Pramod Acharya, EditorPrudent Media. Ms. Mamta Hussein, Kathak expert and accomplished trainer for special children, spoke about her experience in teaching dance as

3. Union Minister for Sports and y o u t h A f f a i r s a n d H o m e department - Mr Nisith Pramanik.

Belonging to the rare genre of docu-fiction, this is a remarkable film about humans and nature. It revolves around Dhruv (Dhruv Athreye, also a researcher in real life), who is conducting a mammal survey of the Palani hills, a part of the 600 km Kodaikanal wildlife sanctuary In his endeavor, he meets Chinna Dorai, a local tribesman and a unique character in his own right, who becomes his guide in this unchartered territory. Bharat Mirle (director, writer, producer), Dhruv Athreye (the main protagonist), Mithun Bhat (cinematographer), Alok Kotian (sound), and other crew members will be present for this special screening.

Manipal PediatricHospitalsLaunchesDevelopmentCentre

Goa 2022,ChampionshipRankingNationalDartsGOA

the data that the companies are asked to submit as part of registration with DoIT and the delay in providing policy benefits to the eligible companies and s t a r t u p s . T h e P r e s i d e n t h i g h l i g h t e d t h e g r o w i n g opportunities in the global market post the pandemic and how some of the companies from Goa are making their mark globally. He

also stressed on the role of media in ensuring that Goa and the GoG takes note of this work being done by the IT companies in Goa. The President also announced that the Annual Awards night will be held in Nov this year followed by International IT submit in the first quarter of next year. Knowledgebased workshops are also lined up for the industry CXO's, professionals and students.

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presented the annual report of the association highlighting the various activities and initiatives of the association Treasurer, Gajanan Kerkar presented the accounts for the year 2021-22. GTA President, Milind Anvekar while welcoming the members h i g h l i g h t e d t h e c u r r e n t challenges and opportunities for the industry and presented the roadmap for the next 8 months.

5th AGM of Goa Technology Association Held in Panaji

Fifth Annual General Body Meeting of the Goa Technology Association (GTA) was attended by its members from IT/ITES companies and Technology startups. After the last two virtual AGMs, members expressed their happiness for being able to meet face to face and network during the physical AGM this year. GTA S e c r e t a r y , R o h a n W a r t y coordinated the proceedings and

D u r i n g a v e r y a c t i v e a n d i n t e r a c t i v e Q & A s e s s i o n , m e m b e r s e x p r e s s e d t h e i r unhappiness over exclusion of the only industry body GTA from the IT Advisory Board constituted by the Govt of Goa Allotment of Government work to non Goan companies by passing the process was also highlighted during this meeting. Various options to collaborate and share professional services were also discussed during the AGM. Vice P r e s i d e n t , S u j e e t S h e t t y proposed the vote of Thanks.

The industry c h a l l e n g e s i n c l u d e shortage of s k i l l e d manpower in Goa, lack of csGceospacesc–mainlyinfrastructurelackofoworkingandtheptionsforxpansionforompaniesinoa,Dataecurityoncernswith

Goa as a world-class leader in Sincetourism.”inception, IHCL has always been synonymous with Goa, having inclusion and business responsibility embedded in its DNA. Thus, constantly striving for the local communities to share in the benefits of its presence with maximized local employment and generating new avenues for business opportunities with a collaborative approach towards helping improve the quality of life a n d g i v i n g b a c k t o t h e community. IHCL comprises of a group of brands and businesses that offer a fusion of warm Indian hospitality and remarkable service including Taj, SeleQtions, Vivanta, Ginger, amã Stays & Trails, Qmin and TajSATS. With a footprint of 21 unique destinations in the state and over 1500 rooms across the length and breadth of the state, IHCL continues to define the changing landscape of tourism in Goa as the largest hospitality operator and leader in the tourism sector.

IHCL Continues to Benchmark Toursim Standards In Goa

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In a continued effort to achieve industry benchmark standards for quality tourism in Goa, Mr. Vincent Ramos, Senior Vice

President – Goa of the Indian Hotels Company (IHCL) is e m p a n e l l e d a s member of the E m p o w e r e d Committees for the Goa Tourism Board, an apex body for planning, policy m a k i n g , strategizing and o v e r s e e i n g t h e implementation of various tourism p r o g r a m s a n d initiatives in the state In his new role, Mr. Ramos will contribute towards the various Land and Infrastructure d e v e l o p m e n t p r o g r a m s a n d initiatives in Goa. Spearheading the largest hospitality operator in the state, Mr. Ramos brings with him exceptional leadership skills and a multitude of management

experience from within the tourism industry. Hailing from the beautiful island of Chorão in Goa and being son of the soil, he has been actively involved with the local state authorities to enhance tourism in Goa as Mentor for the Goa Chamber of Commerce & Industry (GCCI) Committee –Tourism vertical and as an E x e c u t i v e M e m b e r o f t h e Managing Committee of Travel & Tourism Association of Goa ( T T A G ) a s w e l l a s t h e Confederation of Indian Industry (CII)

SpeakingGoa.on the appointment, Mr. Ramos said, “Goa has immense potential to position itself as the world's best travel destination With a combined and unified effort of all the partners and stakeholders in the industry, I am certain that Goa can achieve exemplary standards in tourism. It is an honour to be in service of the state and we look forward to e m p o w e r i n g t h e S t a t e Government with all the required support and achieving our common goal of repositioning

thrive in the state while keeping in mind Goa's authenticity. Through this event, we, at AIC-GIM, aim to expose Goans to the next era of the internet and trigger curiosity in them to explore its many Wfacets.”orkshops and sessions like 'Create your own Blockchain within minutes' by Blockchain veteran Aliasgar Merchant and 'Building your own Metaverse Application' by Chaal Pritam, a W e b 3 b u i l d e r t o o k p l a c e simultaneously and garnered much attention and curiosity. This highly technological field is quite m a l e d o m i n a t e d a n d t o encourage more women to explore it, a segment called 'Women in Web3' was also a part of the conference and consisted of panel discussions by some of the leading women in the field. They highlighted the challenges faced and some key moments in their respective careers, which m o v e d t h e w o m e n i n t h e audience greatly.

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K u m a r C R ( P R E S I D E N T ELECT of NAR INDIA) and Mr. Gajanan Karkare

( C h a i r m a n I E I GSC). Special invitees from the NAR-INDIA who also be graced the event were Mr. Ashwin Rasane (DIRECTOR WEST ZONE), Mr Hitesh Thakur (HON. SECRETARY) Mr. Vikas Agarwal (JOINT SECRETARY) and Mr Nitin Kesarkar (CHAIRMAN YOUTH OnWING).the following day, the Goa Association of Realtors (GAR) led the official delegation of the National Association of Realtors (NAR-INDIA) to meet the Hon'ble Chief Minister of Goa Dr. Pramod Sawant. Under discussion, among

India's first ever chain-agonistic Web 3.0 Conference saw techenthusiasts from across the globe converge at Goa for the threeday power packed event Atal Incubation Centre at the Goa Institute of Management (AIC GIM) partnered with GirlScript Foundation to bring the event to the state and was attended by over 600 techies.

Shardeum shared their knowledge with the curious y e t d r i v e n a u d i e n c e s Opportunities and c h a l l e n g e s r e l a t e d t o B l o c k c h a i n ,

and definitely in Goa I was pleasantly surprised by how beautiful this tiny state is. It is very important for a country like India to have a specific region which can support the growth of blockchain and crypto. Goa very much reminds me of Bali, an island in Indonesia, which is slowly becoming a hub for blockchain Rdevelopment.”ajeshJoshi, CEO AIC GIM Foundation said, “I have been following the concept of Web3 for a while and I can definitely say that I find it interesting. I look forward to the chance of funding upcoming Web3 startups based in Goa Goa has tremendous potential to turn into an ideal ecosystem for the growth of startups in India This doesn't mean we have to sacrifice the Goa we know and turn it into a concrete jungle. Something like Web3 can be given a space to

wapCryptocurrency,rotocols,NFTndmanymoreerebroken

When asked about his experience, Indonesia based Teguh K Harmanda, COO TokoCrypto, said “This is my first time in India

The Chief Guest for the event was Mr Sumanth Reddy (VICE

India's First Web 3.0 Conference Sparks Interest Among Tech-startups In India

The Goa Association of Realtors (GAR) hosted the Installation Ceremony of its 4th Governing Council 2022-2024 at the 'The Fern Kadamba Hotel & Spa', Kadamba Plateau, Goa on Friday, 19th August' 2022. In attendance at the event along with the full strength of the Goa Association of Realtors were the top brass of the National Association of Realtors (NAR INDIA) and local dignitaries and stakeholders of Goa real estate.

C H A I R M A N & F O R M E R P R E S I D E N T O F NAR INDIA) The Guests of Honour a t t h e e v e n t included Mr. Shiva

A few budding entrepreneurs also had the opportunity to pitch their ideas to Buidlers Tribe, a Web3 incubator which AIC GIM had previously partnered up with to launch a blockchain accelerator programme in the state of Goa.

other matters, was the constant delays in the registration process w h i c h h a s b e e n c a u s i n g resentment to property buyers and sellers and revenue losses to the Government. Dr. Sawant had assured to look into the matter on an urgent basis and ensured a quick resolution. In the days preceding this meeting, similar assurances have also been given by the Law Minister Shri. Nilesh Cabral & the State Registrar Shri. Ashutosh Apte who have also promised to renovate the office of the Civil-Cum-Sub Registrar at Mapusa, Bardez, Goa The Goa Association of R e a l t o r s e x p r e s s e d t h e i r gratitude to Dr. Sawant for his intervention which resulted in the announcement of transfers and postings of the Civil cum Sub Registrar (C R S R ), Group B, G a z e t t e O f f i c e r s o f t h e registration department with i m m e d i a t e e f f e c t o n 24/08/2022.

4th Installation Ceremony of Goa Association of Realators Held at Fern Kadamba Hotel

Multiple speakers from various Web 3 associated companies like Alchemy, Solana, Lumos Labs, and

down at the conference over the course of the three days.

Vitto Rivabella, Nader Dabit, Francesco Ciulla, Farza Majeed and Teguh K Harmanda were a few of the global innovators in Web3 who flew down to Goa from parts of Europe and the US to make an impact on the young minds present at the conference.

When asked about the future of Web3 in India, Anubha Mane, Founder of GirlScript Foundation said “We can currently see that in Web2 companies like Google and Microsoft, even though the CEOs are Indians, these companies did not originate in India. That is one of the primary things we need to change. India has the labour and the intellect to achieve such heights There is a myriad of opportunities in the field such as b u i l d e r s , d e v e l o p e r s , o r marketers. I just want people to know that Web3 is not just Cryptos and NFTs. It is a valuable career option as a whole.”

SURAJ LUXURYREALESTATE ONTHESHORESOFGOA

COVER STORY incrediblegoaoﬃcial@incredible_goa @incrediblegoaoﬃcial incredible-goa/ / / www.incrediblegoa.org18 / GOA/ SEPTEMBER 2022INCREDIBLE

MORAJKARSURAJMORAJKAR PIONEERING

Suraj Morajkar, head honcho of Sun Estates Developers, Goa is a prominent member of Goan high society, known for his opulent parties and equally flamboyant personality, with a guest list extending to the who's who of the Indian film industry. What makes him stand out, however, is the extraordinary story of his success. Suraj is a first-generation businessman and in the short span of time, since its inception, the rise of his enterprise to the forefront of Goa's real estate industry has been meteoric. His humility and down-toearth attitude though are what truly set him apart.

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I have known Suraj for a long time. At the time of our first meeting, he was already an established real estate developer in Goa, but when I heard the story of his struggle a n d s u c c e s s , I f o u n d something truly worth writing h o m e a b o u t H o w e v e r , convincing him to sit down and answer my questions, was a mammoth task in itself. Below are a few excerpts from our

Sinterview.uraj,w h o s e n a m e i s

with additional options of providing modern facilities like swimming pools because that is the real Goa for me I wanted to keep the concept o f G o a , c l u b b e d w i t h international design and we made sure that locations were good. I must say that we were lucky as the buyers understood o u r c o n c e p t a n d w e maintained consistency throughout.”

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big ticket events here and in fact, I was instrumental in bringing that Deep Purple and Channel V into this tiny beautiful state called Goa,” he said, adding that this is a very old story that goes back more than two decades, “In fact, that is how I am very well connected with the Bollywood film industry. It was due to those connections that I decided to enter the real

independence. “We just replicated the same concept when I saw that we are losing that Goan touch with the rampant development that had started taking place I decided to create individual housing that comes with a piece of land and water body surrounding it and that was very much accepted by our Ifbuyers.”youlook at the real Goa,

synonymous Goa's luxury real estate sector, has built homes for celebrities like actors Neha Dhupia, and Chunky Pandey; cricketer Yuvraj Singh; designer Ritu Kumar; Eicher Motors MD, Vikram Lal; and former CEO, Café Coffee Day, Naresh Malhotra, to name a few.

S u r a j b e g a n h i s

entrepreneurial journey at the age of 24, with a proprietary f i r m h a v i n g a n i n i t i a l investment of 90 thousand rupees in the year 1996. Today, his business has grown to be a w h o p p i n g 2 5 0 c r o r e Bcompany.eforehe became a real estate magnate, however, he dabbled extensively in the entertainment industry. “I am the first person to bring many

away from the developed cities, people still live in individual and large homes and these show Portuguese architecture spread across various parts of the state. “The famous Latin Quarters, or Fountainhas, also has large b u n g a l o w s w i t h f i n e architectural work done on them with dozens of rooms inside. I have always wanted to build something like that

estate sector that was booming in the late 90s in AccordingGoa.” to Suraj, there is no dearth of luxury housing in Goa, as Goans are used to living life in luxury. “What we have done is shift old wine into a new bottle,” he said. He tells me that houses in Goa have always been large and independent with ample space around them post

About challenges he faced while selling his luxurious villas, Suraj said that he has not faced any obstacles to date.

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“We have and continue to build a few apartments with class and good commercial value to them. We started with

most here is consistency and that I maintain at all cost.”

Ever one to seize an emerging opportunity, Suraj extended his business to the the Goan Hospitality industry as well, with the creation of his first project called Sol de Goa “We collaborated with a renowned Indian fashion designer, Tarun Tahiliani, to design Sol de Goa and luckily

a s k e d a b o u t t h i s , h e responded, “I think that is just the perception people have of me I always worked with people who have loved and a p p r e c i a t e d m y w o r k , regardless of their profession and social standing, I have a famous Indian cricket player who has purchased his second home from me and there are celebrities, music directors and bankers, but what matters

Suraj has always believed in creating luxury villas, choosing t o a v o i d c o n s t r u c t i n g apartment structures. When I asked him about this, he replied that he did build apartments in the beginning.

Suraj has been working in the f i e l d o f r e a l e s t a t e development for more than 2 decades and to date, he has never compromised on quality and products. “We provide top notch products in our luxury villas and most of our business has been generated through the recommendation of our satisfied clients,” said Suraj With regard to his celebrity clientele that have

bought second homes from him, he said, “I never catered to any one segment of society that you address as 'big people' but instead we have strived to create products that attracted these so-called big Surajpeople.”Morjkar is known to be an exuberant persona, with great connections in the film industry and big business houses in India, but when

According to Suraj, his c o m p a n y p i o n e e r e d t o introduce the concept of luxury housing in Goa in the

beach facing apartments when I entered this industry. It's certainly not the case that I went straight to luxury villas. However, over the last two decades, we have only built luxury villas. The main reason behind this is that we felt that this is the most lucrative field.”

in our product and kept innovating with time.”

“When you create a good product, a dream home, it automatically attracts buyers from all walks of life. We never went and knocked at the doors of people to sell them our villas, instead, we believed

form of duplex apartments. “We were the first to introduce duplex apartments in the 90's where we provided the double height in the living room and a way to the bedroom on the first floor from it. But there were some limitations to those apartments it was only possible near the coastal areas, and brought on a specific type of clientele since it is a tourist attraction.

Anyone wanting a second home in Goa would prefer to live closer to the beach.”

villas that will be coming up in the Arambol area of North G o a W e h a v e a l r e a d y acquired the land and are working on the final plan. This project is unique as the villas are situated inside a hotel property and will be managed by the hotel,” he said. Suraj tells me that these new super luxury villas will not be available in the open market to purchase, “We will be selling these villas only on invitation. We sell to people who understand our products I don't like people who try to hard negotiate I am not against negotiation, since I believe that is their choice. But when it goes too far, I realise that this product is not meant for them. It's not our ego, but we believe that the right person should reside at the right address,” he added. “We will build homes that will be looking out to the ocean and we are also bringing in many new talents that we are training at the Hilton who will shift to the Arambol project once its completed. We have also offered this opportunity to the people from my village who want to learn the tricks of the trade and make their careers in the hospitality industry. We are planning to make a golf course which is another new project that is in the Thepipeline.”Bollywood Connection

Suraj has also re-developed a property situated in the heritage zone of the capital city, while maintaining its oldworld appearance “When I got the opportunity for the r e d e v e l o p m e n t i n t h e conservative zone, I decided to create a statement product and for that project, I engaged the international architect company,” he said.

Big Thing

Suraj is known for having very good connections to the I n d i a n f i l m i n d u s t r y –something that can be seen by glancing at the list of the c e l e b r i t i e s w h o h a v e purchased his villas in Goa. In fact, many of them shared video messages wishing him a happy birthday. “Those video messages were compiled by my daughter as a birthday surprise for me. I didn't ask them to send those messages! They have been my friends for more than 2 decades: it's all

he was the design director for our new project at the Hilton as well, which is Sun Estate Developers' most monumental project. We started the Hilton project in 2015 and completed it by the end of 2019,” he said. Suraj wanted to make this Hilton a statement product and brought on some of the most well-known international architects on to collaborate with him in the creation of this m a m m o t h p r o j e c t . H i s company signed with Hilton Goa 10 years back but it took almost 4 years to finalise the d e s i g n “ T h e b i g g e s t challenge that we faced was the starting of the hotel after it was completed because of the pandemic When we launched it in 2020, once the pandemic subsided, it was a big challenge for us but we managed to overcome that phase and today the Hilton at Saipem is one of the biggest p r o j e c t s i n G o a ' s t h e hospitality sector, and is owned by a first-generation Goan entrepreneur.”

A firm believer in competing only with himself, Suraj says “I don't believe in competing with others because I believe you are your own competition. This is something you can see in every one of my new projects. Each is always better than the previous one,” he Thesaid.Next

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When I asked Suraj about the next big thing he is planning, he said “I am working on a new project featuring super luxury

a b o u t m a i n t a i n i n g t h e relationship that has matured over a period of time.”

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Suraj Morajkar is known for developing areas that were not situated on the coastal belt. Undertaking high value projects along the coast is

easy but creating a state wide presence and reputation requires the strength and temerity to persevere. Suraj h a s w o r k e d d i f f e r e n t l y compared to other developers creating a niche for himself in this sector. “People in the 80s

and 90s were only aware of a r e a s l i k e B a g a , a n d Calangute, not Nerul and Saipem. I decided to give the people a different choice, away from the seashore - with a l i t t l e m o r e p r i v a c y Celebrities and big pocket buyers do not want to live in areas that are d e n s e l y populated and our North Goa beaches are t h e m o s t p o p u l a t e d o n e s i n t h e state I saw t h a t o p p o r t u n i t y and provided properties in villages like N e r u l a n d Saipem, a little way away from

the hustle and bustle of the beaches, to maintain my clients' privacy.”

Suraj Morajkar has always worked to develop his village and thus create employment for its people “We have p r o v i d e d e m p l o y m e n t opportunities to more than 500 people who are directly or indirectly working with us, in our real estate company and hospitality ventures During the times of Covid when taxi drivers and other daily-wage earners lost their jobs, Hilton Goa Resort provided them w i t h e m p l o y m e n t a n d supported them by bringing a football team into the hotel. Transport and other amenities required by the team were taken care of by the hotel while providing to the taxi drivers.

Let us liberate the children from poverty. Make sure children receive an education and a meal. ONTHISINDEPENDENCEDAY

El Shaddai Charitable Trust, Socol Vaddo, Assagao Goa - 403507 Ph: +91 7796082607

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The Congress party started losing ground in Goa after the results of 2017 elections when Goans gave them a mandate to form the government, but despite them having the majority (being single largest party), they could not manage to form a government which in turn left some discontent MLAs to form a gang and leave the

“I am a person who believes in God. I went back to God. I told him that these are the circumstances. What should I do? God told me to take my decision. I am with you,” said Kamat, who returned to BJP after almost 17 years.

platform is next to impossible and the rumours of the remaining 3 MLAs waiting to join BJP in the near future, leaves the house with hardly 3 MLAs sitting in opposition.

I n a d e m o c r a c y , t h e opposition is a strong pillar that maintains the balance by keeping the ruling party on its t o e s a n d m a k i n g t h e m answerable for their every wrong deed. But imagine an assembly house with no opposition! Now this notion is becoming a reality in Goa. The rumours that Congress MLAs, including the former BJP rebels Michael Lobo and former Chief Minister of Goa in the Congress regime, D i g a m b a r K a m a t , h a v e transformed into reality. Eight MLAs initially took a trip to Delhi and later on formally joined the BJP party. Before this the Congress tally was at 11 and now they have only 3 MLAs left and there are even rumours that they too are about to deflect to the BJP. In a 40-member assembly, the BJP now has a strength of 33 MLAs (20+8+5) which includes 2 M G P M L A s a n d 3 Independent supporting them from outside. Considering the 33 on BJP's side from 40 Member house leaves with only 7 MLAs (3Cong + 1 GFP + 2 AAP) and none of them have a common agenda hence them coming together on a single

THE OPPOSITION IS NO MORE IN GOA

The Calangute MLA Michael Lobo had left the BJP in the recent assembly election and joined Congress with a vision to form the government in Goa this time, but failed miserably. By the time he realise his mistake it was too late and he and his wife, who won the seat from Saligao constituency defeating the Goa Forward Party candidate, were left with no option but to sit in opposition. The problem with sitting in opposition is that it does not allow them to do any self or public development and finally he decided to leave

power to retain their MLAs

IN FOCUS incrediblegoaoﬃcial@incredible_goa @incrediblegoaoﬃcial incredible-goa/ / / www.incrediblegoa.org/ /26 GOA SEPTEMBER 2022INCREDIBLE

loyalty (which was never there in first place) by taking the oath and filing affidavits but they failed The former CM Digambar Kamat, who led the r e b e l M L A s a l o n g w i t h opposition leader Michael Lobo, said he “spoke to God” before joining BJP and he was a d v i s e d t o t a k e a n “appropriate decision”.

to the reports, in what political experts are calling a record, 24 members of Goa's 40-seat Legislative Assembly have switched parties during the current fiveyear term. This means 60 per cent of the assembly has changed parties between the two state Congresselections.dideverything in its

party to join the BJP and to make it politically viable 11 MLAs (2/3rd) entered into BJP with no risk of facing re Accordingelections.

a c t

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Congress and he would focus on development and won't allow the BJP to sell the land to outsiders However, he too decided to join the BJP! Everyone who left BJP has one common agenda and answer and that is they have done this for the development of Goa but they forgot that their

Mopposition.eanwhile the Congress leader Pawan Khera blamed the BJP for poaching the Congress MLAs using the

What will happen when the opposition is melted down to zero? Will democracy survive in such a situation? The mandate of people does not hold any significance in today's corrupt political scenario hence voting for anyone from any political party will be of no use if they are going to jump from one party to another or merge into single party on the pretext of development. What is the solution for such situation?

i o n s w i l l f i n i s h t h e

The question here is, who is responsible for this? The BJP who did everything in their power to finish Congress? Or the Congress MLAs who could not stand the heat of the situation and decided to succumb to the might of the ruling party? Whatever may be the reason, we cannot deny is there is no more opposition in Goa. Now the ruling party may not be required to go on the floor of assembly with bills etc and instead they'll pass them anonymously and there won't be any opposition for the Thissame.is just the beginning. The game has just begun and slowly the remaining people will also join the BJP for the sake of 'development' and the day is not far when you will see Goa as the first and only state in India to have zero sitting in opposition and once this formula becomes successful, they will start implementing it across in other states.

Saam Daam Dand technique.

To Get Featured or Contribute mail us at info@foodandhospitality.org https://tinyurl.com/3za95jb5 THE LATEST ISSUE OF FOOD & HOSPITALITYMAGAZINE IS OUT!! TO READ FREE PLEASE SCAN THE QR CODE OR VISIT

StCongress.CruzMLA

Rudalf Fernandes who won the seat defeating the BJP MLA and won the seat had assured the people of St Cruz that he will stay in

“The saffron camp has adopted all kinds of tactics to poach the MLAs. They used federal agencies to threaten these MLAs, wooing MLAs with money, gave threats by goons they left no stone unturned to make 'Operation Kichad' successful.

in the office and I approached him to ask if I can apply for the post and he nodded positively. He also guided me through the process and I joined the Goa Doot as a sub-editor trainee,” she added.

Married to a renowned physician, Dr Rajendra Bapat, Kanika Bapat is a very wellknown personality in the art and creative field in Goa. “I have done my preliminary education at St Tereza High School in St Estevam before joining the Polytechnic College situated in Panaji where I completed my Steno and Secretarial Practice course While doing this course I got married to a doctor. But I must say that I am very lucky to have a very supportive husband who has never stopped me from continuing my education and even after having my first baby, I completed my BA in Mass Communication.”

The journey to becoming a journalist and publisher was not easy for Kalika since she had a background in Steno and Secretarial but that did not stop her from pursuing her goal “I decided to do w h a t e v e r i t t a k e s a n d completed my BA in Mass Communication from a distant l e a r n i n g i n s t i t u t i o n ,

By Rajesh Ghadge

Entry into Goa Doot

Born and brought up on St Estevam, a scenic picturesque island situated in Tiswadi taluka in north Goa, Kalika Bapat is a journalist by profession with an interest in music composition. Kalika is also a publisher and editor of a yearly book called Srujan and currently she holds the position of Executive-Member of Institute Menezes Braganza, Panjim-Goa.

JOURNALISM IS MY LIFE AND POEMS ARE MY SOUL

Ya s h w a n t r a o C h a u h a n College in Maharashtra.

Back to Tarun Bharat

Kalika reflects that Sagar Jawadekar from Tarun Bharat revived the College Vishwa Magazine that Kalika used to contribute to while at college and handed it over to her to run it independently until After2015.”saying goodbye to Tarun Bharat, Kalika decided to join t h e n e w l y l a u n c h e d newspaper “Goan Varta” where she was given the post of Editor for the supplement. “I handled the daily supplement and special supplement on Sundays at Goan Varta. The tenure at Goan Varta was very short but at the same time, it was the last place that I worked before I decided to start my own publication I published my first book in 2017 on the subject of Food Culture entitled “Annapurna.” Now I publish one book in a year on different subjects. The reason behind entering into the publishing business was that I don't want to sit idle at home. A n o t h e r r e a s o n b e h i n d starting these publications was to prove myself and send

WOMEN EMPOWERMENT @incredible_goaincrediblegoaoﬃcial @incrediblegoaoﬃcial incredible-goa/ / /

“I joined the Goa Doot in 2005 and completed one year as a trainee sub-editor and in 2006 I joined the Tarun Bharat as a contributor and I went on to become the staff reporter by 2015 where I handled the f e a t u r e c o l u m n i n t h e newspaper dedicated to art and culture of Goa. I was writing on social issues, women empowerment and youth. At Tarun Bharat, it was a full time job While working with Tarun Bharat, I met many people across Goa taking t h e i r i n t e r v i e w s a n d understanding their problems and since I loved my work, I would even travel down to Canacona. After Tarun Bharat, I worked with two more newspapers but people still recognise me as Kalika from Tarun Bharat.”

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During that time, in the nineties, computers entered t h e o f f i c e s p a c e a n d knowledge of tech became essential so I started learning computers. I wanted to enter into the media field but was not sure whether I would join any media house since the job was not on my bucket list but while in college I connected w i t h T a r u n B h a r a t , representing a magazine called “College Vishwa” as a college representative.”

“The work at Tarun Bharat was more freelancing,” said Kanika. “While doing that I was also writing articles and poems for other newspapers. It just happened that one day I went to the office of Goa Doot Newspaper to submit a poem a n d c a m e a c r o s s o n e advertisement for a vacancy. They were searching for subeditors, news reporters and content writers. Luckily the editor of the newspaper, Mr Paresh Prabhu, was available

inspiration from my father who has spent his life writing devotional compositions and he believed in educating society through this. I believe that my entire personality has been a gift of my father that a l w a y s k e p t m e d o i n g something for the society. We always support good causes and doctor Bapat goes out of his way and donates to such Kcauses.”alikabelieves good work always pays off, “Money is not everything: we need to pursue our passion and do something for society When we do something with expectations, w e a r e a l m o s t a l w a y s disappointed We need to have a hunger for doing something for society and people and everything else will follow,” she concluded with these words.

Starting a new venture is not a difficult task but sustaining it is. “When I decided to enter into publication, I initially I spent money from my own pocket and whatever I earned from the Goan Varta I spent on my first book Arranging finances was the biggest challenge before me The department of Art and Culture has surely provided me with the financial support to take some of the burden away from me. The only return I get from this is the satisfaction of doing something for the artists in Goa. One can break even in this field, but making any profit is next to impossible.”

the message across that a woman can also do something creative on her own without any support.”

WOMEN EMPOWERMENT

Starting her own Venture Manassa creation is a YouTube channel and social media page that was created to bring artists from across the globe together on a single platform When the Covid lockdown started, people s t a y e d i n s i d e t o a v o i d infection and during that time Kalika thought of something new and Manassa Creations came into existence. “On this platform, I organised various programs bringing artists from various fields of art and culture together on a single platform. It was not difficult for me since everything was happening virtually and I used to organise programs right from the comfort of my home and after the lockdown and restrictions were lifted I

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The Challenges

continued to do the programs. Everyone was tired and bored of sitting at home and when the restrictions were lifted and finally lockdown was over, I continued doing the programs in physical Accordingpresence.”toKalika she will always regret leaving Tarun Bharat. “For whatever reason, I left Tarun Bharat but regret that decision since it was the only media that gave me a huge recognition. I had done more than 500 interviews of people from different walks of life from local to national and international personalities I had an opportunity to meet stalwarts like Kishori Amonkar, Lata Mangeshkar, Birju Maharaj and Mario Miranda and I featured the rich art and culture of Goa whenever I got an opportunity Besides m e e t i n g r e n o w n e d personalities, I also covered events like fashion shows and

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The Way Ahead

international film festivals.”

Currently, Kalika is working on taking Manassa Creations to different heights “I had s t a r t e d t h e M a n a s s a C r e a t i o n s t a k i n g t h e

course the classic indoor seating, coated in pastel pink makes for a warm and serene atmosphere to peacefully enjoy your meal. With dishes like Rock Shrimp Tempura, Crispy Chilly Lotus, ButterGarlic Miso Lobster, and many such mouthwatering options, you are going to be spoilt for choices.

IG FOOD incrediblegoaoﬃcial@incredible_goa @incrediblegoaoﬃcial incredible-goa/ / / www.incrediblegoa.org/ /30 GOA SEPTEMBER 2022INCREDIBLE

Mama Miso offers multiple seating areas for every mood, from a beautiful garden seating that makes for the ultimate spot to dine al fresco to a deck that gives you a stunning view and of

Mama Miso will find its way to the traveller’s itinerary with its handcrafted offerings. It’s trendy, it’s chic, and it’s fun modern Asian dining, removing the frills but keeping the thrills of delicious authentic dim sum, sushi, and small plates, setting an all-new benchmark for Asian Dining in South Goa.

Mama Miso has beautifully brought together Chinese simplicity along with Japanese aesthetics, merging to create the perfect space, made even better with scrumptious food and a welcoming and comfy ambience to soothe and recharge your stomach and your soul.

Mama Miso brings Pan Asian food to the coastlines of Goa giving the natives as well as the tourists and travellers of Goa a unique a n d e n t h r a l l i n g d i n i n g experience. Serving a delectable selection of dishes, greatly inspired by the Asian street-food culture, Mama Miso will take you o n a w h o l e n e w c u l i n a r y adventure like never before. Enjoying an Asian beer or a Sake after a day full of exploring the beaches and streets of South Goa is as good as it can get! Their Tea Bar also showcases a variety of teas and coffees, along with classic Asian drinks as well as whimsical cocktails like the Asian Pearl Mule, Bees and Flowers, the Umami Mary, and many more such drinks, making sure there’s something for everyone. The Live Kitchen is one among its many interesting features. This culinary art form where the customers can watch as their food is being prepared and also interact with the chefs makes for a very intimate dining experience.

MAMA MISO - A PREMIUM PAN ASIAN DINING EXPERIENCE

afraid to lose the large size of business which has more benefits in terms of source of income.”

Kadamba is an eco friendly boutique hotel having all the rooms in the hotel come fitted with an energy saver panel. The hotel offers 31 Winter Green Rooms, 11 Winter Green Premium Rooms, 4 Fern Club Rooms, and 2 Hazel Suites with contemporary and heritage views. Goa’s rich heritage pays tribute to the hotel's furnishing, art, and cuisine, set amidst the lush greenery of a sprawling property.

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DINNING

RECREATIONAL FACILITIES Includes outdoor swimming pool set next to Cafe Tinto. Modern & equipped fitness center with steamed bath & Spa on the second floor. Besides this, there is an ultra-modern squash court & Card Room.

FERN KADAMBA - THE ECO-FRIENDLY BOUTIQUE HOTEL IN GOA

Cafe Tinto - a unique coffee shop on the first floor overlooking the swimming pool. Serves buffet breakfast lunch & dinner along with International & Indian Cuisine

Tarshish - Speciality restaurant serves authentic Indian & Mughlai Cuisine.

recreation facilities make our property special among others. The hotel also has other facilities such as Spa & Salon, Squash Court, 3 Layered Swimming Pool, and the Largest Gymnasium Tsetup.”heFern Kadamba also has multiple options when it comes to the Banqueting facility and they can cater from 10 pax to 400 pax for any social and corporate requirements It has meeting rooms with different capacities

Garrafào TheBar a well stocked bar to quench one's thirst with beer, international spirits, and cocktails.

besides the hall and an open-air P o o l s i d e l a w n f o r l a r g e Banqueting or events Easy access to the property and massive parking facilities attract guests to us for their events.

The Fern Kadamba situated on the new Old Goa Panaji Highway is an upscale 5-star business hotel that is also known as Goa’s first eco-sensitive property and it is rightly located in the Heritage Centre of Goa. The property is owned by Milrock and managed by Concept Hospitality Private TLimited.heFern

According to the General Manager of the property Mr Rajeev Kumar, he has never faced an issue with the occupancy. “Each type of property has its pros and cons and managing a small property is easier compared to the large one. On the one side, we are doing exceptionally well with our occupancy rate but at the same, we feel sad when we have to refuse many of our repeated clients due to the unavailability of the rooms. It leaves a bad taste with guests when we say “NO” during their future booking. Also

SERVICES AND FACILITIES

According to him, Fern Kadamba is highly recognized amongst corporate clients. “We have 88 hotels across the country and overseas and besides the unit sales, we have 9 regional sales offices in different locations in

segment having all the modern facilities and situated in the heritage center of Goa. “Our hotel has 48 well appointed rooms along with various options for Banqueting and Multi-cuisine dining. We are also one of the Eco-Sensitive hotels striving hard to adhere to the go green factor a n d o u r s t a t e o f t h e a r t

Speaking on the USP of the property he said The Fern Kadamba comes under the upscale 5 star business hotels

GUEST ROOM & FACILITIES

India,” he said adding that their presence is very strong in Metro and 2nd-tier cities. “Our business comes from various channels and sources and according to me, word of mouth publicity gets more than half our job done Every happy guest refers us to their contact and references and that works very well for us.”

By Rajesh Ghadge

Although she had an interest in media and journalism, destiny never really goes to plan and at the age of 23, she moved back to Dubai to fly with Emirates Airlines as a flight attendant. She had to share her apartment with her elder sister who was already working with the airlines. She had majored in Phsychology and literature. After flying for around 6 years, she decided to move back to Mumbai in 2009 only to find herself in Goa in 2012 where she still lives and “Iworks.aminto photography and I had a studio in Mumbai back t h e n I n o l o n g e r d o photography though. We had a studio in Mumbai where we used to do a lot of work in fashion and commercial advertising domain before shifting to Goa where I decided to spend time doing social work and pursuing my passion for writing. I always wanted to do something that makes me happy. The writing just happened to me as when I moved to Goa, I wanted to do

This group which started with just a few members in 2015 has now got some 20 thousand members in a space of just a few years “The group was known as Offseason Goa to target those domestic tourists who usually come to Goa during the off season. It all began with posting various places I had come across in Goa but later on it turned into a community of people seeking information about VijayaGoa..” was not looking for any visibility or fame when she started the group and it was just made to help people with updates on Goa “It all happened organically. As time passed, I started moving towards healing, and organic food and this came to me when I started thinking about

you want to stay healthy and live a healthy life then you n e e d t o c h a n g e t o a vegetarian lifestyle and the New Earth Market provides that. The market that started with the purpose of providing organic foodstuff soon turned into a community where people from various walks of life would come together and network. This market does not have a fixed physical location and every month we choose a new place to set up,” she said. Vijaya believes in a more sustainable lifestyle and that is the reason she decided to work towards reducing waste. “Waste bothers me a lot since I myself was a huge consumer of expensive clothes while I was flying and when I moved back to Mumbai I had 90 pairs of shoes! I decided to donate things I don't use but the question was where or to whom? If I gave my items to an orphanage it will be of no use to them so I decided to have a sale and whatever proceeds were generated could then be given to the orphanages in

PROVIDING OFFBEAT INFORMATION TO PEOPLE TRAVELLING TO GOA

why people fall sick and realised that it was from the kind of food they eat and the lifestyle they follow and that was the beginning of my new initiative called “New Earth TheGathering.”NewEarth Gathering is a marketplace where people would sell items that are connected to a healthier lifestyle. “This also includes awareness on and help to stop usage of single-use plastics. Vegetables are non-toxic and chemical free as they are naturally grown and groceries were organic and we also encourage the distribution of seeds and saplings as a part of our initiative to encourage people to grow their own vegetables and even cleaning products that were sold in the marketplace was chemical free,” she added.

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Vijaya Pais is the founder of Offbeat Goa. She is a Mangalorean Goan and was born in Dubai where she did her preliminary education. When she was six, her family moved to Mumbai. Vijaya is the youngest of five siblings and her father was a self-made musician. Vijaya, being a quite studious girl, loved traveling and journalism and her deep compassion and love for the animal turned her vegetarian at the age of 12.

When asked about veganism, Vijaya said “I tried to be vegan but that did not work since I was travelling a lot but I decided to stay vegetarian since I love animals and try not to eat meat. I believe that if

something and opportunities come my way While I was writing, I decided to move into digital marketing and in the y e a r 2 0 1 4 I s t a r t e d a Facebook group called “Off Season Goa” for people visiting Goa.”

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social and online presence, we try to help all those NGOs through our platforms. Online shopping has changed the e n t i r e p e r s p e c t i v e o f consumerism and people keep buying left, right and centre, then they have so much that they don't know what to do with so much surplus and that is where we come in because the clothes are the second

Besides setting up the Offbeat Goa group, Vijaya has also setup a community for women known as “Sisterhood of Goa”.

have also created a separate group for job seekers in Goa. I have seen many people travel to Goa and they want to take up employment here and this platform helps them a lot.”

largest environmental hazard on the earth since blended fabrics cannot be broken down into the soil. Besides this, a lot of water is being used to clean up the dyes used in these fabrics and the Good Karma Shop is the answer to all these problems I am passionate about spreading the mindset of making use of the second-hand products in India. If people start recycling and reusing, in the long run it will make bigger impact on the “Isociety.”moved to Goa in 2012, a decade ago and I have done whatever I can in the short span of time but I have lot more to do. I always believed in giving back and Goa is no different for me. The reason b e h i n d c r e a t i n g t h e s e volunteering networks is to give back and anybody can make use of these platforms to contribute their share. We

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Goa. Today this community has grown exponentially and we keep holding the sale periodically wherein people donate their clothes and u n u s e d i t e m s a n d t h e proceeds of the same go to various NGOs,” she said.

“Most NGOs in Goa do not have a social or online presence and since we have a great platform with a strong

“In this community we have regular meetups and discuss issues concerning women in Goa. We have lawyer on board who speaks to the women about their rights if, for example, they have been mistreated by their husbands or in-laws. We tackle all the subjects that women tend to struggle with. We also do selfdefence workshops for women and in the near future I am planning to create an app based platform that will connect people who need help to the ones who want to lend their helping hand”.

www.incrediblegoa.org TREND SETTERS

ALWAYS BE A HUMBLE HUMAN BEING

Speaking about his journey into classical music, told me that GEC taught him many life lessons that he will carry through the rest of his life.

“When I was 9, I joined my first classical music class at G a n d h a r v S a n g e e t Mahavidhyalaya at Corlim, Old Goa and trained under my guru, Shri. Balkrishna Kelkar sir. I did my Madhyama-Purna in classical singing under him.”

along is what made my parents look to give me proper training. I have always taken part in music or singing events and functions in school or college and I believe that played a major role in my life. About my Guru- while most of the students used to be afraid of him because he was strict, I never felt that way while training under him and he taught me very well. Learning classical sangeet made it easier to learn other genres of singing for me as I always wanted to be a versatile singer,” he narrated.

“I feel that I am gifted in the field of singing. Listening to songs being played on the TV and humming and singing

By Rajesh Ghadge

Viraj has developed a love and passion for classical music right from a young age even though he has an engineering background. He grew up in beautiful Carambolim village close to the heritage site Old Goa where he did his preliminary and secondary education from Mushtifund High School in Panaji and is currently doing his final year in the Civil Engineering from GEC (Goa Engineering College) Ponda.

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W h e n a s k e d a b o u t t h e challenged he said, “No challenges! As I said before that my family was very supportive, so were my friends and followers. So that made it very comfortable for me to pursue my passion. But I still wanted to complete my engineering studies so I took the decision of doing both simultaneously,” said Viraj However, he recalls that in 2017, he had lost focus on his studies during his HSSE, “I had

Viraj comes from a very humble background. “My dad is a fabrication engineer and my mother is a government servant. My parents realised very early that I was good at singing so they always

encouraged me to sing since childhood and they played a big role in my success in this f i e l d . I f i r s t b e g a n b y participating in many statelevel singing competitions, and the moment I started w i n n i n g p r i z e s I g o t recognition from the various

live performing artists of Goa, who then called me to perform at their shows. I would like to give credit to Manohar Tamankar Bhai, who gave me my first shot at this.”

“I did my primary, secondary a n d h i g h e r s e c o n d a r y education from Mushtifund High School in Panjim and currently I am doing my final year in Civil Engineering at GEC, Farmagudi A major amount of my childhood was spent around Mushtifund and all the temples surrounding it. I miss all that when I look backwhat wonderful days they were.” he said.

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Viraj said that his main goal is to be a well-known playback singer and a music composer and keep learning in this field of music. “It's a cliché but I also want to set an example that no matter where you come from, Goa or Maharashtra or anywhere in India, you can be successful if you give your 100%,” he said.

“In November 2017, Zee Marathi Sa Re Ga Ma Pa had their Goa auditions. I was not really prepared for it, but I thought of giving it a shot and I cleared the Goa auditions round followed by the mega auditions in Mumbai where I reached the top 15. This was a real opportunity for me I consider myself very lucky to have it reached that level of a c h i e v e m e n t , b e c a u s e everything worked out well. The journey through was one hell of a ride I'd say The auditions were so stressful. A whole day of waiting to receive the final results. After that, it was majorly fun as I made new friends there. We had a lot of fun at the hotel

to take a break to reappear for certain papers. But that gap came to me as a blessing as it lead to one of the key moments in my life as of yet,” he added.

GOAN TALENT

Zee had kept us at. Doing riyaz and learning new things from co-contestants was my most valuable learning during that experience. The making of a reality show and odd times of shooting at 2 am at night and lack of sleep and long travels from the hotel to the studio w e r e o n e h e c k o f a n experience for me. I am very fortunate to have had such experiences at a young age and will be useful for the rest of my life.”

a job in the civil engineering field. I have just completed my civil engineering and also keep doing my shows. I will also resume my singing training to improve myself as I want to reach newer hights in this field. I'd like to say that my journey has just begun,” he Viraj'sadded.advice is to t “listen to your guru and well wishers and learn to differentiate between good and bad which is very important Never let your passion die especially if you are serious about taking up singing as a career. Do not take a long break while you are learning music- it's hard to get back. Support or not, believe in yourself and work hard Be confident while singing on stage and enjoy your performance Finally, whatever heights you reach, always be humble.”

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“About the future plans, I want

Challenges arise for everyone. I have faced plenty of themsome harder than others. One is the sudden loss of interest in photography. I remember that time as being quite dark and difficult as I tried to navigate through my passions to find a future job and I must say that without the help of my p a r e n t s , m y l o v e f o r photography may have never been reignited.

Hi, I am Vithal Dempo. I was born and raised in Panjim, Goa, and studied in Sharada Mandir School. Later when I was 5 years old, my family moved to Karnataka and I continued my education at Canadian International School (CIS) in Bengaluru. At the age of 13, my family moved abroad to Portugal to help expand my views and knowledge of the world Currently, I am living in England and continuing my studies at ACS International School Egham, where I plan to spend the rest of my academic Alongyears. with academics, I am a sports enthusiast and often spend my time watching football, cricket, tennis, martial arts, and boxing to name a few. In my free time, I enjoy cooking, photography,

Born and brought up in the capital city of Goa, Vithal Dempo did his primary education at Sharda Mandir School before moving to Canadian International School in Bengaluru and currently he is pursuing his education at ACS International School Egham in England. Besides his studies, Vithal also spends lots of time pursuing his interest in sports and photography. Here are excerpts from the interview with Vithal.

learning and understanding for you?

and gaming. I often do these things in order to relax my mind from the stresses of everyday life. Tell us about your background and a little about your entry into the field of photography and social Photographywork.started off as a hobby for me. I grew up in a business family, and I often r e c a l l m y s e l f b e i n g a rebellious child so naturally I wanted to do something different. My passion for photography started right from the tender age of 7-8 when I used to click photos with mobile phones borrowed from my friends and relatives.

way

P h o t o g r a p h y w a s n ' t something that I just picked up over the matter of a couple of days. It's been a work in progress for many years. If you see some of the pictures I have taken over the years you would burst out laughing! According to me anything you do, whether it's photography, engineering, or banking, it's a journey. It's a long process of learning and improving: something I discovered many years ago that changed my perspective on life.

ALWAYS FOLLOW YOUR INSTINCTS

YOUNG GOA incrediblegoaoﬃcial@incredible_goa @incrediblegoaoﬃcial incredible-goa/ / / www.incrediblegoa.org/ /38 GOA SEPTEMBER 2022INCREDIBLE

Give us a brief introduction of where you grew up, your schooling and where you studied, including your s p e c i a l i s a t i o n s a n d anything additional

I definitely owe a lot of my current and future success to my parents They always stayed beside me during hard times, especially when it came to things I was passionate about. They and my sister always supported me and helped me overcome these challenges. Some other minor challenges I have had over the years include low self confidence and lack of discipline. These severely affected my photography journey as the quality output o f p h o t o s d e c r e a s e d significantly However, with

Over time I have researched, reflected upon and positively criticised my photography skills to a standard in which I am much happier. However, I claim that “perfection” is something no one can attain so I still follow the same principles in order to keep myself humble and focused on creating and posting pictures that I find of high quality. Tell us about the challenges that you faced along the

It was more a natural instinct rather than a forced habit. This passion for photography kept growing exponentially, especially after I became a teenager. My entry into social work was influenced by the charitable work I had done in m y s c h o o l s w i t h m y grandfather.

How did you pick this up and how was the process of

By IGTeam

S o m e k e y e v e n t s a n d programs I have been a part of were “Contextual Learning” and “CAS”. These programs allowed me to not only d e v e l o p a p a s s i o n f o r community service but also help build my passion for photography and other activities. Recently, I was able to volunteer and work for “El Shaddai” in July 2022. We were also able to raise a large charitable fund for them. El Shaddai focuses on providing education to children in slums and we thought it would be a great cause to raise money for them These programs and

Any tips or messages for the people who are aspiring to enter this side of the career that you have taken up?

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the help of my friends and family, I was able to bounce back and start doing what I love.

being grateful for the life God has given me and my family.

For people aspiring to be photographers or start photography, I will provide you with a piece of advice that I feel changed my perception of photography. It is important to do what you are passionate about, and never feel the need to post a picture or do something which you aren't satisfied with. Always follow your instincts.

events have never been f o r c e d , s e l f b e n e f i t o r publicity. Rather, I like to do these programs to give back to the community as a way of

What were some of the key events or programs you might have been a part of? How would you highlight your journey into this, and what was the main goal for you?

will definitely continue to share pictures of mine on social media. If you would like to follow the page, it's @stimulating snapshots. It's an Instagram page where I post daily pictures I have taken, along with quotes to compliment them. Apart from that, I am excited to turn to a new chapter in my life and see what is there to come.

What are your future plans? Currently, I'm focussing on completing my final passions.mswhilstcdgscashworkcharitablemloveIufWuthbyacademiceareforeeadingoniversityhatollowsisnknown.wouldtodoorelikeIavethisummer,ndontinueupportinmanyifferentharitiesalsoharingyI

VIGO BHARAT A PHYSICAL START-UP SPACE FOR ENTREPRENEURSBUDDING

become the Start-up hub of I n d i a a n d h e n c e h i s enthusiasm and keenness to enter that space. He is well versed with the nitty-gritties of

entrepreneurship and how an initial push for great ideas can change the face of Goa.

STARTUPGOA incrediblegoaoﬃcial@incredible_goa @incrediblegoaoﬃcial incredible-goa/ / / www.incrediblegoa.org/ /40 GOA SEPTEMBER 2022INCREDIBLE

o m a n e w b r e e d o f

This is the new age of start-ups where those with brilliant ideas who want to begin a business to showcase them has really taken off. Goa is a hub of such start-ups where many hundreds of people have moved their base to the state for business with pleasure.

Mr Sandeep Agarwal, a prominent businessman and head honcho of the Hare Group of Companies is the major force behind the concept of the Vigo Bharat start-up space. He believes in Prime Minister Modi's Digital I n d i a i n i t i a t i v e a n d i s motivated by the idea of innovation so he decided to begin this startup hub. The promotors of Hare Group of Companies are a 25-yearold business family with an emphasis on the Brick and Mortar kind of business. They are now looking to venture into different industries and diversify as well. “In the process we are looking for innovations in our Brick and Mortar Industries as well and t o p r o m o t e s t a r t u p s / entrepreneurs who can bring that innovation in terms of p r o c e s s s i m p l i f i c a t i o n , reporting efficiency, quality c o n t r o l , e n v i r o n m e n t sustainability etc. So we are open to exploring new ideas in these areas that will come f r

I t i s h i s h a r d w o r k , perseverance and all the efforts that he has put in over the last 25 years that has made Hare Krishna Group an

The pandemic has created a new generation of start-ups in various sectors especially for those working from home resulting in many changing their field of work and starting new businesses.

established business house in Goa. Hare Krishna Group's primary business area has been manufacturing and the potential in Goa made Mr

Agarwal migrate from Orissa and build this empire here in HeGoa.is of the opinion that Goa has the potential yet again to

Mr SandeepAgarwal - Promotor of Hare Krishna Group of Companies

Vigo Bharat is one such physical start up space situated in the business hub of the city known as Nariman Point of Goa Vigo Bharat started with the idea of assisting budding start ups and entrepreneurs in their f u t u r e e n d e a v o u r s b y providing them with office space along with all the facilities that a start up requires at the incubation Vigostage.Bharat is backed by Hare Krishna Creative Realty Pvt Ltd (HRCRPL). This company is a part of the Hare Krishna Group. The Hare Krishna group is a Goa-based group that has withstood the test of time to mark their space in the state of Goa for over 25 years. The m a i n p r o m o t e r o f t h e company is Mr Sandeep Agarwal, aged 45 years and a commerce graduate based in Goa. He has been in the family business since the age of 20.

“We are looking to invest in a

development of the country,” she added.

bouquet of start-ups and build a portfolio of companies with the potential of becoming unicorns. We plan to invest in at least 10 companies by the end of 2023. Preferably we would like to invest in ideas a n d i n n o v a t i o n i n t h e manufacturing space, but we are sector agnostic at the moment. We are looking for start-ups that can scale up p a n I n d i a a n d a l s o internationally if possible. We aspire to create unicorns from Goa.”

STARTUPGOA

“This start up space is very dynamic and exciting and it is overwhelming to see some ideas which not only have great business potential, but also connect us on an emotional level and we can see the difference they can make. It is through Vigo Bharat I got to experience this,” she Madded.rSandeep

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Vigo Bharat is also a medium to create a legacy and be open to exciting opportunities which, if tapped at the right time, could become unicorns and in the bargain multiply the investments made. “This would be motivating for more investments in future and a s s i s t i n t h e o v e r a l l

mining. “Yes, the ideas have to be viable and scalable as well.

“There are challenges as well and some risks at this point with the booming start up space and the extra push from the Government would see us sail through but only time will tell. Right now it is a learning curve for us and listening to entrepreneurs about their ideas with so much passion and love is nostalgic and takes me back to my days of starting a business, but times were different back then.”

Through Vigo Bharat we are getting a different spectacle of doing business and these days it calls for being adaptable and flexible to sustain and be a part of the changing scenario and we could taste that flavour through Vigo Bharat,” said Sandeep Ji.

entrepreneurs and Vigo B h a r a t g a v e u s t h a t opportunity to welcome them with open arms,” said Ms Chandra who is heading this start-up initiative. The motto of Vigo Bharat is to support great ideas and foster entrepreneurship in Goa and the rest of India which could lead to a better working society, working opportunities and overall, for a better country moving towards i n n o v a t i o n , i d e a s , sustainability and creating Global Unicorns.

Agarwal, who belongs to a traditional business family start-up tells us that this is a very exciting concept for him since he believes that big businesses take off from small ideas.

Being from very traditional business families, it takes some time to understand and gauge the impact these startups can have on the overall p i c t u r e o f b u s i n e s s e s including manufacturing and

Goa is beautiful, a lot of credit goes to the startling impact of the architectural design left behind by the Portuguese; the monuments, their culture and their traditional clothes, which were entirely western, since they belonged to Europe, but what we don’t cease to r e m e m b e r i s o u r p a s t traditions and our ancestors who were residents of the GoaState.is

As we might or might not know about the other sarees that are included in our heritage like Ikat, Chanderi, Puneri,

contemporary fashion. Goa is well known for its various traditional attires, beginning with the Kunbi Saree. The term Adivasi saree often leads people to think of the red and white chequered sarees, but the variety is much m o r e C o n s i d e r i n g t h e Adivasis were spread across Goa and known by different names – Gawda, Kunbi, Kulmi, and some of them following Hinduism, some Christianity, it would be truly ignorant to generalize their clothing.

as casual wear unless it is an occasion suitable for an attire like that So why don’t we explore and style an outfit for a casual outing making the best use of that traditional piece? That’s why I decided to put to use and channel my inner vintage soul and of course draw inspiration from the place I call home, Goa. White cotton always goes the best for a climate like Goa, so instead of using a denim jacket, I switched it with a cotton shirt as an overwear. As the main top here, I modified this Kunbi material to a tube

Text: Shruti Haldankar

top, not missing out on the show of the fabric as well as the details of a Kunbi saree. Below that, since the ’90s generation wore high waist bottoms I wore blue high waist denim to give it a vintage look. My accessories are always minimal, so as an element of the vintage again, I wore a b l a c k c h o k e r w h i c h complimented the entire outfit. The tote bag is very much of an advantageous item whenever you’re going out somewhere. Girls always have lots of stuff to carry whenever they move out of the house, a bucket bag always helps because we can then dump as many things we want without making the bag look overpacked or congested. For the footwear, you are free to wear flats, boots or anything that you like. So there you have it, the perfect blend of traditional ethnic, vintage and modern all coming together in a beautiful combination that will make sure you catch all the attention.

IG FASHION incrediblegoaoﬃcial@incredible_goa @incrediblegoaoﬃcial incredible-goa/ / / www.incrediblegoa.org/ /42 GOA SEPTEMBER 2022INCREDIBLE

and culture alive in even the smallest of ways.

Photography: Tanmai Chodankar (The article has been republished from the website archives without any edits)

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of how I styled my casual, m o d e r n d a y o u t f i t b y transforming a Kunbi saree material into a tube top, blending a bit of the vintage Goan and the modern 21 st century Goan for this look. As I adore and have begun liking the vintage and retro culture, I make sure that there is at least one component which resembles the style of the 70s to the 90s, as I am very fond of retro pop art, music, the vintage, and furniture from the yesteryears. Although Goa has its traditional fashion in place, it would not only be challenging but also a major faux pas for us to wear sarees

GOING BACK TO THE TRADITIONAL RETRO WITH A GOAN ESSENCE

full of famous ancient m e m o r a b i l i a ; a l t h o u g h despite being a very small state in India, we have had a prodigious past, we Goans have a tendency to always keep our heritage, traditions,

Just like the other states, which have had their own respective traditional sarees, like the B e n g a l i s a r e e , t h e Maharashtrian paithani and so on, Goa has also got its own traditional sarees, which have become quite famous after a well known designer in the Indian fashion industry, who is known to be of Goan origin, Wendell Rodrick’s whose ongoing fashion project is about reviving the Goan traditional clothes and incorporating it into modern

Laheriya, Bandhej, Bomkai, G a d w a l , N a r a y a n p e t , Maheshwari, Kantha and Kanjeevaram. So as a Goan f a s h i o n B l o g g e r I a m dedicating this article to Goa, by adding this special Goan essence to my overall look for the very first time. Of course, we cannot revive our tradition by wearing a traditional saree for an everyday outing or as we young generation call it “hanging out”, but what we can do is add a hint of beautiful traditional wear like traditional clothes or even jewellery. Here is a simple way

SE It all started with me managing the Golden Goa FB Page that was dealing with travel and tourism. We had also created

SE - In a travel business, huge capital is required and you need to manage it properly. There can be many instances which may create problems in your cash flows and for that, I have my Guru who guides us so business runs smoothly.

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SE - In the beginning, there were very few enquiries but then we put up our systems which are in place today and with the help of my mentor and the support of my husband I managed to overcome all those difficulties and the business is running smoothly.

SE - I come from Batim in Goa Velha, and I completed my BCA from Don Bosco College in Panjim After my marriage, I oversaw the operations of Coderix run by my husband, Rohir Naik. I am very passionate about travel & tourism in Goa and panIndia. I used to manage travelrelated enquiries on the Golden Goa page and before starting my travel agency, I used to interact with travel agents from other states and that laid the stone of my dream project, mytravel agency Traveldeck

IG How have you set your travel agency apart from existing players? Tell us about your USPs and How you deal with the competition?

Shreya Ekawde, a BCA Graduate from Don Bosco College, Panaji, is a travel enthusiast and in line with her passion, she decided to setup a travel company with the help of her husband Rohir Naik who runs a successful IT company called Coderix in Ponda. Here are the excerpts of the interview with Shreya.

IG - Please tell us about your background and how you e n t e r e d i n t o t h e t r a v e l business?

SE Our target market is all around the globe and we have certain trade secrets which give us business whilst sitting in our office We have a team to manage all our activities and to provide the best class service to our high-profile clients. We have executed many tours in and out of Goa.

IG Tell us more about the packages and travel plans you currently deal in

SE – As I said earlier, travel is my passion and I decided to turn my passion into my profession. I love every bit of travel and I never get bored talking about this subject. I worked hard to learn the nittygritties of the business and now I believe that I am ready to handle my business very efficiently.

IG - How do you manage your f i n a n c e s t o s u s t a i n y o u r b u s i n e s s i n t h i s h i g h l y competitive space?

IG – The travel industry is big in Goa and quite saturated. How do you generate business and make travel plans?

I G A n y m e s s a g e t o t h e readers?

SE - No, I don't have any formal degree or qualifications in this field, but according to me, knowledge and experience plays a major role in any business and I have that. I have also done online courses which taught me aspects and methodologies of tourism Today nothing is difficult. Even if you don't have formal education in a particular field, getting the right resources on board helps a lot. Learning is a never-ending process.

it helps us to l e a r n a n d whichrawithaaalsogourmctaWeeandefpTmbetterwexperimentithnewthingsinthearketoday,eoplelookorsomeuniquexperiencesweofferxactlythisarealsowayfromheompetitionarketandtargetisnicheandallaroundthelobeWeseeourcompetitorssfriendsndcollaboratethemasndwhenequired,resultsingrowthin

I G Te l l u s a b o u t o n e unforgettable moment that you came across while dealing with your clients

my own office in Ponda for which I received real support from my husband, my parents and in-laws.

SE You should give time to yourselves to travel from your busy schedule. Travel with your family at least once a year. In today's tech obsessed world, social media may well be the perfect platform to showcase the world's beauty, but travel is so much more than just getting that perfect Instagram shot. Travel should be meaningful. It should excite and inspire you, rejuvenate and ground you, educate and challenge you Travel to meet different cultures, travel to relax, travel to eat different delicacies, travel to get transformed, travel to live out your bucket list dreams and leave our world a better place.

IG – How did this idea of setting up a travel agency strike you and what steps did you take to start it?

SE - Competition is all around and

IG - What are your future plans?

IG - Did you have any formal education in the field of Travel and Tourism? Tell us more about it.

SE - As Goa is gearing up for the tourism season from October, we are promoting Goa with great fervour. Other destinations include Kashmir, Kerala, Shimla & Manali. Foreign destinations like Singapore, Dubai, Maldives, Vietnam and other destinations in Asia are also a part of our profile.

PASSION FOR TRAVEL TURNED TO A BUSINESS

BYRAJESH GHADGE

the business.

IG - What difficulties have you faced in your business and how have you dealt with them?

SE - It was our first tour: our first family tour to Kashmir. They had thoroughly enjoyed the tour and gave us positive feedback which built up our confidence levels. After that we did several tours in Kashmir and our representative sent us dry fruits & saffron all the way from Kashmir for completing 20+ tours within 3 months.

several managedpotherfawchome.workingtcbookingsasesmadtcaIBesideservariousatavtpackagestravelforouristsisitingGoandfromhereIgotccesstotravelelatedxperiencesthat,alsodidanonlineourseonravelestinationsndtravelethodologietc.SoonItartedcceptinganduratedravelplansfromIalsoollaboratedithtravelgenciesromthepartsofcountry.Postandemic,Itosetup

SE - Our future plans are now to create the best online booking platform which will make b o o k i n g s e a s i e r f o r o u r customers. We plan to launch our website soon.

IG – What is the reason behind choosing this field of work?

Skalleague Shekhar Divadkar was installed as the new President of Skal Club Of Goa, for the term 2022 24, at a glittering ceremony held during the AGM on Sunday, the 28th of August 2022 at Alila Diwa - Goa, MajordaGoa, which was well attended by members, invited dignitaries and the press. Honorable Minister for Transport, Industries, Panchayat Raj & Protocol, Shri Mauvin Godinho was the Chief Guest for the event, while Director of Tourism and CEO of the new formed Goa Tourism Board, Shri Nikhil Desai was the Guest of Honour. Curtorim MLA & GIDC Chairman, Alexio Reginaldo Lorenco & Benaulim MLA, Captain Venzy Viegas also graced the occasion. Director of Transport Shri Rajan Satardekar attended the event too.

Sk. Shekhar Divadkar a member of SKAL since 2007 held various key posts during his 15 years with SKAL, he was earlier Treasurer, Secretary, Vice President with Skal Goa, National Secretary for Skal International India and presently is Secretary for Skal International Asia, he is also member of the Skal International President's Committee for Statutes and By laws While continuing the tempo which was set by the past President Sk. Ernest Dias, Sk. Shekhar and his Skal Goa Board Members have a vision of creating a niche for the club in the areas of Conservation Of Environment, CSR, Social Causes concerning our Industry –Hospitality & Travel, to archive the history of Skal Goa to follow statutory requirements and above all giving Skal Goa a voice in India, in Asia and the World. This would bring about a better visibility for SKAL GOA on the Local, National and International platform.

SK SHEKHAR DIVADKAR IS THE NEW PRESIDENT OF SKAL GOA

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for the month of September 2022. In other words, for an invoice dated anytime in Financial Year 2021-22, the credit can be claimed not only in Financial 2021-22 itself, it can even be claimed from April 2022 to September 2022 in case it was not claimed in time.

By Gaurav Kenkre

a . A n y G S T p a i d o n purchasedmps(willtrDhasesexpenses/purcwhichareIRECTLYelatedtoaxablesales,beallowedexamplepecificackingaterialetc)

Question: Can I claimed input tax credit even if some

Firstly, we must understand what does “exempt” sales means. Without going into too much detail, exempt sales for this purpose of claim of input tax credit would cover:

Thus it is very important to reconcile Input Tax credit will in advance, and claim any missed out input tax credits before the last date is close.

Answer: Yes, for several types of businesses/industry, the Government has prescribed concessional GST rates (egs 5%) and for such businesses, GST input credits are not allowed. Examples are:

c.Catering services (except in certain cases)

Besides,categories.the above, there are certain restrictions relating to type of goods or services i.e. input tax credits are blocked on certain types of goods or services We shall have a detailed look at this in the next part.

c.Sale of land or complete Itbuildingistobe noted that Export is not considered as exempt sales, even though there is no GST charged on exports. If you have any of the above as your sales, then your eligibility to claim input tax credits will be r e s t r i c t e d F o r b e t t e r understanding, we can look at an example. A provision store is selling both exempted goods (food grains) as well as taxable items (other goods like soaps etc). His credit input tax credit eligibility will be as follows:

c . A n y G S T p a i d o n COMMON expenses (egs rent) i.e. expenses which are incurred to enable sale of taxable as well as exempt goods, will be allowed only as per a ratio. This ratio is the ratio of Taxable sales to Total sales. So if 70% of sales of the provision store are taxable, then he can claim 70% of the common input tax credits only.

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SIMPLIFYING INPUT TAX CREDITS – PART 2

a.Sales on which no GST is charged (egs essential items like food grains)

Question: Are there any business/industry specific situations where input tax credits are restricted?

d.Taxi service (except in certain cases)

b . G o o d s o r s e r v i c e s completely out of GST (Petrol, A l c o h o l f o r h u m a n consumption etc)

o r a l l o f m y s a l e s a r e exempt from GST?

of September, immediately following the financial year to which the invoice belongs. This might sound complicated, but can be explained with the help of an example.

b . A n y G S T p a i d o n expenses/purc hases which are DIRECTLY related to exempt sales, will NOT be allowed (example specific packing material purchased for sale of food grains)

In the previous edition, we had covered the basis of Input Tax Credit and a few conditions attached to claiming thereof. We will now proceed with further conditions prescribed in law.

a.Real Estate Construction business (except in certain cases)

The above is a simplistic way of explaining this rule and actual calculation may involve much more detailed working.

b . R e s t a u r a n t s e r v i c e (except in certain cases)

e.Rental of motor vehicle (except in certain cases)

f.Goods transport agency (except in certain cases)

CA Gaurav Kenkre is a CA in practice for the last 11 years. He is a regular speaker at various professional organizations, trade bodies, MNCs and Government bodies. He also writes regularly in local as well as national publications. Besides this he holds various positions in bodies such as ICAI, GCCI, College bodies, Rotary etc.

I f a n I n v o i c e i s d a t e d anywhere between 1st April 2021 to 31 March 2022, the invoice would be said to belong to Financial Year 202122 The September month immediately following this financial year is September 2022. So, for any invoice of Financial Year 2021-22, the last date to claim credit is the due date of GST returns filed

Answer: No, if your sales are exempt from GST, then claim of input tax credit is restricted.

Answer: Yes. There is a specific time limit for claiming of Input Tax Credit A business can claim input tax credit in r e l a t i o n t o a n i n v o i c e , maximum upto the due date of filing GST returns of the month

I n t h e a b o v e business/industries (except in certain cases), even if goods or services are purchased for purpose of business, you cannot claim the input tax credit. The GST paid will simply become a cost. As explained, the primary reason behind this is that the Government has prescribed a much lower GST rate of just 5% in most of the above

Question: Is there any time limit for claiming Input Tax Credit?

also commonly done after working out and for relaxation.

1 . PA S S I V E S T R E T C H I N G

It depends on what you're h o p i n g t o a c h i e v e b y stretching. If you're warming up for a workout, 5 to 10 minutes of dynamic stretching is plenty, If you're stretching to relax, 10 minutes is probably the minimum, as it can take time for your body to calm down enough for your muscles to relax. Increasing flexibility via stretching methods like PNF and isometric can be m o r e t i m e c o n s u m i n g because they cycle through periods of contracting and stretching But 10 minutes should be enough time for you to work on one or two joints,

Think gym class, when you used to bend over and reach

5.DYNAMIC STRETCHING

You do controlled exercises to move your muscles through their full range of motion, which helps warm you up for a workout and tells your brain to get ready to move. With dynamic stretching, you're moving to extend the muscles, Walking lunges, leg swings, and torso twists are just a few e x a m p l e s o f d y n a m i c stretches.

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muscle doesn't change length) to a static or active stretch, There's some force pushing against the muscle you're stretching. An example is a calf stretch in which you lunge one foot forward, straighten you back leg with your heel pressing down, and push into a wall in front of you with your arms. Typically, you alternate between contracting the muscle for 10 seconds and stretching the muscle for 30 seconds, and repeat for three t o s i x r e p s . I s o m e t r i c stretching can be great for people who want to make reasonably rapid advances in flexibility, because it sends more signals from the nervous system that tell the muscles it's okay to stretch further.

held for half the time of stretches.

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similar in that you're holding a stretch, but unlike passive s t r e t c h i n g , w i t h s t a t i c stretching you're in some way supporting yourself in the position of the stretch For example, if you kneel on the floor and hold a position to stretch out your hip flexor (the muscle in the front of your hip), you're doing a static stretch. But, “if you lie on your side on a massage table and have a physical therapist pull your leg back to stretch the hip flexor that would be a passive s t r e t c h . L i k e p a s s i v e stretching, static stretching is

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6.SOMATIC STRETCHING

3.ACTIVE STRETCHING is when you move a limb into a position to stretch a muscle and then hold it there under your own muscular power. For example, you lie on your back and use your leg muscles to lift one straight leg until you feel a stretch in your hamstrings; this technique can be helpful for people who are recovering from injuries, because it incorporates gentle strength Iwork.sometric stretching this method involves adding a static muscle contraction (the

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.

HOW LONG THE STRTCHING EXERCISE TO BE DONE?

2 . S TAT I C S T R E T C H I N G involves extending a limb to create a stretch sensation and then holding it there — often for 20 to 45 seconds, the terms "static stretching" and "passive stretching" are often used interchangeably, Static and passive stretching are

STRETCHING FOR BETTER HEALTH

Unlike the other types, somatic stretching doesn't require holding a stretch for a set length of time You release muscular tension through gentle, natural movements, with an emphasis on tuning in to how the muscles feel. You might, for example, let your head hang and pay attention to the sensations that come with it — or arch your back and stretch upon waking.

If stretching isn't part of your regular health and fitness routine, you may be missing Tout.here are several different types, and each offers a u n i q u e b e n e f i t S o m e common types of stretching include:

By Norbert D’Souza

Stretching improves flexibility and mobility, which helps prevent injuries (in sports and everyday activities) and m a i n t a i n s t r e n g t h a n d function later in life.

down toward your toes. For this type of stretching, an outside force (such as a towel, resistance band, gravity, or a n o t h e r p e r s o n ) h e l p s increase the stretch. Another example is a hamstring stretch with a towel or belt commonly done after a workout, and for relaxation.

4 . P R O P R I O C E P T I V E N E U R O M U S C U L A R FACILITATION (PNF) PNF i s s i m i l a r t o i s o m e t r i c stretching, except that the contract-relax scheme might be done for a much shorter time (15-second stretch and seven second contraction), This stretching technique also includes a contraction of the muscle opposite the muscle being stretched. So, a hamstring stretch would look like this,: Lie on your back and have someone lift one leg toward the ceiling until you feel a stretch in the back of your lifted leg. Hold there for 15 to 30 seconds. Contract the hamstring for 7 to 15 seconds, a n d t h e n c o n t r a c t t h e quadriceps (the muscle in the front of your thigh) for 7 to 15 seconds. Relax and let your hamstring be stretched a little further. Hold for 15 to 30 seconds. Contractions are

Many of us would have been told by our dentist that we require teeth braces but few of us muster the courage to get it done due to various r e a s o n s p r i m a r i l y t h e u n c o m f o r t a b l e f e e l i n g associated with it and the food restrictions. However , there is a solution to many of t h e d r a w b a c k s o f conventional braces and the

What are the advantages v e r s u s c o n v e n t i o n a l braces?

that you are looking to achieve. Treatment duration can vary anywhere between 6 Months to 2 years.

answer is simple! Clear aligners or Invisalign. What is invisible braces? Invisible braces, also known as a l i g n e r s i s t h e l a t e s t technological advancement i n b r a c e s a n d a i m s a t achieving the same results

with lesser hassles and disadvantages as compared to conventional braces.

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Do I need to see a dentist for it?

Why Invisalign?

INVISIBLE BRACES- THE NEW TREND

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 miles!

It varies depending upon case severity and the kind of result

Invisalign or aligners are significantly more aesthetic and comfortable compared to conventional braces as they are custom made Further,

Absolutely yes! Although many

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Because Invisalign are the pioneers of this technology and are backed all over the globe by dentists.Smile Craft is one of the few clinics in Goa that has an Invisalign certified orthodontist and has excellent patient feedback.

aligners are available today that also offer treatment facilities from home, they are not endorsed by dentists due to lack of research. It is very important to have a qualified o r t h o d o n t i s t w h o h a s undergone further Invisalign Certification treat you to ensure the desired result and no harm to your teeth.

By Dr. Schuyler Pereira

How do they work?

H o w l o n g d o e s t h e treatment take?

tray. Eventually at the end of the treatment the desired result and alignment is achieved.

they can be removed while eating which enables you to still enjoy all your favourite foods while still undergoing braces treatment.

Aligners such as Invisalign utilise specialised material to make 3D printed trays that you have to wear. Each tray is programmed to cause a certain degree of tooth movement, after which you have to move on to the next

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