January 2021 by Incredible Goa

VOL 6 ISSUE 3, PANAJI GOA, RNI : GOAENG/2016/66434

JANUARY 2021

POSTAL LICENSE NO : G-2/RNP/GOA/28/2018-21

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Tribute To Mandatai Bandekar

A LADY OF SUBSTANCE 30

Women Empowerment

Sheryl Dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Souza

Prasad Paul

Shreya Prabhu

Sweet Nation

Trendsetters

Goan Talent

Hot Picks

CREDITS

JANUARY 2021

RNI : GOAENG/2016/66434 POSTAL LICENSE NO : G-2/RNP/GOA/28/2018 - 21

CREDITS Editor & Publisher Rajesh Ghadge rajesh@rajeshghadge.com

Finance & Admin Rajeshree Naik Ghadge

Mandatai Bandekar - A Lady of Substance

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Layouts & Design From the Editor’s Desk

26 In Focus IFFI 2021 - Hybrid Edition The 51st International Film Festival of India (IFFI) will kickstart on the 16th of January and this time with the scenario will be completely different since for the ﬁrst time in Hybrid format with...

Women Empowerment 30 Sheryl Alfonso e D’Souza With a Master's degree in Food & Nutrition and Diet Ethics from Bombay University, Sheryl Alfonso is pursuing her career as a teacher and diet consultant in Goa for the last 20 plus years. She is a well-known name in the ﬁeld of Diet & Nutrition in Goa...

Trend setters Chef Prasad Paul

Goan Talent Shreya Prabhu

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Young Goa Gaurav Awasthi

Hot Picks Sweet Nation

Coming from a family that always appreciated great food, Deepak Tripathi, always had a vision to set-up a food store in this tiny state of Goa, something that could take on the might's of top Indian brands...

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Contributors Norbert D’Souza Sheryl Afonso e D'Souza Shobhika Jaju Dr. Paresh Lotlekar Anita Athi

Circulations Mark Fernandes Ganesh Raj

Diet & Nutrition

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Aakash Ghadge

© All rights are Reserved. Reprinting, publishing whole or part without obtaining the express written permission of editor and publisher is strictly prohibited. All the images unless otherwise indicated are used for illustration purpose only. In case you feel that any image/s or content/s should not be there / needs due credits / having copyrights, you may please immediately inform the same to editor / publisher in written format, the needful will be done in the following issue. Printed, Published & Owned by PAPERAMA INDIA. Printed at Printek Printers, and Published at L-5, Alfran Plaza, M G Road, Panaji – Goa. 403001 India. Editor & Publisher: Rajesh Ghadge 12 \ INCREDIBLE GOA \ JANUARY 2021

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FROM EDITOR’S DESK

Disaster Do Not Ring Door Bell

therealrajeshghadge therealrajeshghadge rajeshrghadge rajeshghadge rajeshghadge rajesh@rajeshghadge.com www.rajeshghadge.com To err is human. Although we take due care while publishing the magazine to ensure it is free of any mistakes, any omissions 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 make this publication even better and useful.

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Disaster strikes without giving warning and it is our job to be prepared for it anytime anywhere. The Coronavirus attack on the world is a live example. It has opened the eyes of every human being, and it also taught us that we have to be very humble and protective towards our environment and lifestyle. Although Coronavirus in itself is not deadly, it is our lifestyle that made it more fatal. If you look at the facts and gures of fatality reasons and rates, you would see that people with vulnerabilities were those who became the target of virus. Goa being a prime tourism destination faced the biggest brunt of the pandemic. The tourism industry depends on the movement of people but lockdowns resulted in closure of businesses which had a knock-on effect on tourism. Everyone panicked, unaware of how to deal with the situation as it was the rst time that this generation has witnessed something so big, disastrous, and threat to a human race and at this juncture, survival became the rst preference of everyone. There was a complete halt on all types of businesses, except for those selling basic commodities that were required to live. Although Goa lost more revenue than can be accounted for, the state also bounced right back as soon as the “new normal” started. Today, Goa is perhaps the only place in India that is open for business with little to no fear of Covid-19. Millions of tourists entered Goa to celebrate the New Year and most of them were nether bothered about the pandemic nor did they follow any SOPs, but despite this, Goa seems not to have had a second wave of infections unlike so many other places across the world. Whatever may be the reason behind this, a blessing of God or the strong immunity of a Goan, as they always call it, something has made Goa safer than most places. As we are already back to business, it's time to learn from the past and move on towards a brighter future with complete enthusiasm. The team at Incredible Goa is here with another issue of our magazine, with more stories and updates. The cover story of this issue features Late Mandatai Bandekar, paying her a tribute on her 75th Anniversary entitled “A Lady with Substance,” as truly she was. I am sure that Mandatai's story will be a path of inspiration to many of our female readers. Incredible Goa will soon be adding another feather in its cap with the launch of “INCREDIBLE GOA: FOOD & HOSPITALITY” Magazine on a digital platform. This will be Goa's rst food & hospitality magazine that will be giving a platform to many unsung heroes from this industry. The rst issue will be launched in February 2021, but until then happy reading…

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COVER STORY

A Tribute to Mandatai Bandekar The Lady of Substance By Rajesh Ghadge

I have never had an opportunity to meet and interact personally with Mandatai and naturally, it would have been a very difďŹ cult task for me to write about her. However, I was fortunate enough to attend Mandatai's 75th Birth Anniversary organized by Nana Bab in her memory and that offered me a glimpse of what a great personality late Mandatai was. I have attended innumerable memorial programs prior to this, but this was something completely different. It was curated in such a way, that Mandatai's entire life just scrolled in front of my eyes, and I was instantly inspired to pen down this story.

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This story is based on the feedback given by four people who have been very close to Mandatai and who have been a part of her journey, in one way or another. The rst pillar of this story is Mandatai's kid brother, Anand Kari, aka Nandu Mama, who was with her right from their childhood. Second is her eldest son Nitin Bandekar. Being the rst child, he had been very close to his mother. The next one is Shri Ramakant Khalap Ji, a very close acquaintance and a family friend of the Bandekars. Lastly, Dixit Sir, who runs two institutions related to the empowerment of women and children. These four people are an integral part of Mandatai's life journey and they have been a part of the different phases of her life, their perspective makes the story both complete and comprehensive. I am sure that through this story, I will try to bring the memories of Mandatai back to life. Since the story is based on the feedback from her close relations, it has to begin right from her childhood, doesn't it? Manda Bandekar, also known as Mandatai i n t h e s o c i e t y, d u e t o h e r dedicated contribution towards society, and especially towards empowering the women and girl child who come from a very humble background. Being the eldest child in the family, she used to take care of her siblings like their mother, and that quality in her helped her throughout her life. She played all her roles very ef ciently and without any complaints. She was the lovely wife of Narayan (Nana) Bandekar, loving and caring mother to Nitin Bandekar and his ve siblings, elder sister to Anand Kari, a brilliant student of Sir Madhukar Dixit, and an affectionate friend of Ramakant Khalap Ji. Mandatai was born in Pune city, situated in the neighbouring state 18 \ INCREDIBLE GOA \ JANUARY 2021

of Maharashtra. Pune is known as the city of education, rich in culture, and when you will go t h ro u g h h e r s t o r y, y o u w i l l understand that she indeed carried that rich culture and education throughout her life. Mandatai's youngest brother, Anand Kari, is the rst pillar of this story, and who will tell us about Mandatai's journey right from the beginning. Anand Kari is dearly known as Nandu Mama amongst the close family circle of the Bandekar Family. Nandu says “Mandatai was like my mother, and since I was the youngest, she always cared for me like her child.” He also added “I remember the incident when I was in primary school and she was a high school student. In those days, the schools used to organise a cinema trip for the students at a very subsidised rate, and she always used to take one more ticket for me.” He then added: “On the day of the cinema trip, she used to come and pick me up from my class with extra clothes. She was so simple and gullible that she never understood the practical world.” Nandu Mama then went on to say: “A very simple example I would like to share here is that she used to carry a powder tin and comb with her, and to date I never understood as to why someone would apply powder on the face before going for the movie… but for her it was important, as she wanted me to look very decent when going to a social event.” According to Nandu Mama, he never had any interest in studies right from the beginning. But despite that he managed to complete his studies and he says that the credit for this goes to Mandatai. “I still remember that Tai used to carry my school bag all the way to school, because I was always more interested in the activities happening en route to my school,” he said. He added

that his entire attention was on the magician showing the tricks by the roadside. “I always wanted to understand how that magician brings the dead man back to life with the help of the magic wand. But she would not listen to me, and drag me to the school, and it was because of her that I nally managed to complete my studies.” From here the story takes another turn - as Nana Bab comes into the picture. According to Nandu Mama, somehow, he nished primary and secondary, and even graduated - due to the consistent efforts of Mandatai. But now comes the second phase when Mandatai met Nana. “This is a very interesting part of the story,” said Nandu Mama, adding that there was the entry of a new character into the story and that was Nana Bab. “My Tai fell in love with Nana Bab, and according to me it was my job to protect my Tai from this trouble, as I was the one Tai protected the most.” During that time Nana Bab was completing his higher studies in Pune. He used to live in the same building as Mandatai. “Nana Bab was staying on the top oor and was doing his college, and I was sure that there was something going on between Nana Bab and Tai. In those days Nana Bab had a g o l d e n c o l o u re d L a m b re t t a scooter. It was not long before I got the news that Nana Bab and Mandatai were roaming around on this scooter. I used to get very angry with this man who came into our life, but my Tai bettered that phase of my life, and Nana Bab married my sister and I became his brother in law.” After nishing his graduation, Nandu Mama came down to Goa on the invitation of Mandatai. “I always wanted to work in the bank, and Tai called me to Goa, saying Nana Bab had made an arrangement of a bank job for WWW.INCREDIBLEGOA.ORG

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me,” and he then said: “When I came down to Goa, Nana Bab told me to go to the Bank of India on the bus stand, as my job is already xed there. No interview, no appointment, it was a straight job offer. That was the time I realised the value and affection Nana Bab had towards me.” Nandu Mama did not work at the Bank of India for the rest of his life, as soon Nana Bab gave him an opportunity to work in his of ce and handle the accounts. Nandu Mama now recollects how his entire life has changed due to Mandatai and Nana Bab. “I would not have been what I am now if it was not my Tai and now Nana Bab” with these words Nandu Mama nished his part of the story. Mandatai and Nana Bab have six beautiful children, Nitin is the eldest amongst them, and being the rst child, he was very close to his mother. Nitin became very emotional while talking about his m o t h e r. A c c o rd i n g t o h i m , Mandatai loved to celebrate her birthday. “We all recollect four years back when she was unwell and she was looking forward to her 70th birthday on 29th January and she had also planned everything for that,” said Nitin with almost tears in his eyes. Mandatai was an excellent planner and she had a wonderful bucket list of things that she wanted to do. “I remember mummy used to write down everything in her diary, the things she wants to do, in fact, she wanted to do everything she always planned. Even today, we refer to her books and notes for things that we would need help with such as names of our ancestral family members, recipes, and all this is kept intact in her cupboard to date,” he added. Mandatai had a deep interest in music. “She used to like English music but not many people know about it,” said Nitin adding that her favourite song was 'The USA WWW.INCREDIBLEGOA.ORG

for Africa - We Are The World'. Nitin said: “Mom was a very good planner, music lover, and writer but unfortunately, I do not think she could complete the book she was working on. The poem that you see here was something that she had written when she was unwell. As I recollect, after she came back from the hospital, she called for all of us, and she narrated the poem that she had been working on at the time. She loved writing, and she would write in her diary on a daily basis about her day and all the things that she would like to remember and document. In fact, it was she who inculcated this habit in my siblings and me, to start writing a diary and to maintain the same. Not all of us write a diary, but for most of us that do, we have learned to maintain a diary from her.” According to Nitin, Mandatai was a very adventurous person and she would always inspire us to take up some adventurous travel holidays. “But at the same time, she was also nervous about travelling too much due to her leg problem but that didn't stop her from enjoying life,” said Nitin, adding that “as far as I recollect, the holidays that we have gone on in the last 10 years were all due to the push given by Mummy. She wouldn't be limited to just travelling within the country, and would always welcome any trip that would come up. When we did visit any international country, she would then go on to say how she would love to visit someplace within India itself.” “My mom was a wonderful mother. Bringing up 6 children is not a joke. She has never said no to us for anything, and all of us growing up, even though we were a year or two apart from each other, we all had individual problems that we would discuss with her and she would listen to us carefully. But sometimes she would get angry and tell us how to

do it the right way. She knew when to be strict and when to be loving, and she would tell us how it was the right way to do something or behave in a certain way,” he averred. Another thing Nitin told me about his mother is about her passion for driving. “Besides being a wonderful listener, an adviser to all of us, a wonderful poet, and with her being adventurous, she loved driving cars. She had a Volkswagen Jetta, this was the 1st Jetta we had and Daddy had dubbed it as “Mummy's Car” so that nobody else should touch it,” he said, adding that “she was learning classical singing and she would travel to Panaji for her classes with her tutor, and she would travel thrice a week by taking the car out on her own. W ith us being younger, we would always wonder at the time how she would travel all the way so far.” Finally, Nitin concluded saying that they organised the musical night on her birth anniversary, due to her love for music. “In her honour, and in remembering her, is why we held this evening in musical fervour by playing all her favourite songs and music, by inviting her friends, family and loved ones.” The story narrated by Nitin gives us deeper insight into the life of Mandatai and how she dealt with the situation at home, whether it is about her children or otherwise. She was a determined lady and knew very well how to deal with the most complex situations with ease. Shri Ramakant Khalap Ji does not require any introduction, as everyone knows him as a veteran politician and a very kind-hearted person, with a very graceful and pleasant personality. Ramakant Ji came into contact with Nana Bab sometime in the 1980s, and that later blossomed into a deeper friendship. According to Mr Khalap, he and Nana would always discuss politics, music, education JANUARY 2021 / INCREDIBLE GOA / 21

and current affairs and Mandatai would also become a part of their conversation. “She (Mandatai) once heard my speech over the TV/radio, and she would call me up and tell me, “Ramakant, you spoke so well” and I would feel as if she was right in front of me and this is how Mandatai became an essential part of my friends and family circle.” “I still remember that every time I visited their home, she would ask me to stay over, have lunch and only then leave. All of this conveyed in her loving and compassionate tone and approach towards life. Even though the dinner was late, she would ask us how the food was and how did we like it,” he added. Mr Khalap still recollects how pleased personally Mandatai was when he said that the smile that we see here on the painting is nothing compared to the smile that I have seen in real life, and that is something extraordinary. “The way she spoke was very soft and mellow but she made sure her point of view was never left unheard. The conversations between us were always fruitful and wonderful, and at times when there were events, she would call me up and ask me whether I was going for the same. She would instruct me to get my wife along and that once the program gets over, we would go out for dinner,” he averred. While talking about Mandatai, Mr Khalap suddenly remembered one important incident. “In the month of December, Mandatai, Nirmala (my wife) and I were sitting in the veranda of the temple in the cold weather and there is something magical about the relation between the atmosphere and music that kept us hooked and enthralled,” he said adding that “she had done a lot for the society and contributed her part in many ways, but never have I come across 22 \ INCREDIBLE GOA \ JANUARY 2021

any articles or newspaper clippings that said so. A few of her countless contributions include her work for The 'SEVA' Trust, in the eld of music and musical education, in the eld of literature (Sahitya), and out of the many wishes she had, the most prominent one was to have her own newspaper.” “One day she mentions this idea of newspaper to me and Nana. She was curious and asked us in a very questioning tone whether it would work out since there was already an established presence of newspapers such as Gomantak, and Navhind Times,” said Mr Khalap, adding that the topic then landed upon who would t the role as the editor for the newspaper. “I suggested the name of one of my close friends, Late Vishnu Wagh. The four of us then met one day and discussed in length about the ideas and the newspaper, but in another life, this paper would have seen greater heights of success had Vishnu stuck to the same instead of doing something else and unfortunately this newspaper never happened.” According to Mr Khalap, there are countless moments from Mandatai's life that are re ected in her poem. “During her last days, Nana called me up and told how she was hospitalised and I immediately went to see her. She was in no condition to talk, but there was a smile on her face that was so consistent that nothing could change it,” he said. “Today she's maybe not amongst us, but each time that I visit the Bandekar house, I do feel her presence and that is still something that is present in me.” “According to me the ability to bring together family, friends and loved ones is not an easy task and it is something not many people can do,” he said, adding that, “the things that she did for the people was done unconditionally and they

were not done for any reason other than love and compassion, as she never expected anything from anyone in return. She wasn't pompous, neither proud, even though she belonged to a really prominent family, she really knew how to carry herself with con dence and class. Everyone knows how Mandatai and Nana were the most happening and sought-after couple in Vasco - and this is what set them apart, because of the love they shared and the way they carried themselves.” With these words, Mr Ramakant Khalap Ji concluded his part of the story. The next person I am going to bring to this story will tell some facts about Mandatai. He is famously known as Dixit Sir, Professor Madhukar Dixit, who has been an integral part of Matruchaya Trust and Vishwa Hindu Parishad, to carry out the cultural and social activities in Goa. Dixit Sir came in contact with Mandatai due to her social workrelated activities. “I feel deep inside my heart that Mandatai should have been here today but there is no remedy to the destiny,” said Dixit Sir, adding that Mandatai had been associated with Matruchaya right from its inception. “She used to come and play with the children, and that time, I was not aware whether she was one of the trustees of the institution, but it was a pure soul. Later she became the trustee of Gomant Lok Seva Sansthan. But unlike most of the trustees, she was very active on a personal level in all the activities of the institution.” According to Dixit Sir, Mandatai was the real promoter of women empowerment. “When she used to come to Matruchaya, she was always in favour of giving the proper platform to the women living there. Many were unmarried mothers, separated due to illWWW.INCREDIBLEGOA.ORG

treatment from husband and family, and Mandatai was of the opinion to resettle them in the new families. She never wanted those women to live in that Mahila Ashram for the rest of their lives. She wanted to empower them by giving them employment so that they stand off their own feet. She never let the excuse of distance, time and situation come in her way and she would consider the children at Matruchaya as her own kids.” “She never stopped at this, as she was aware that she is not going to be there forever to take care of this, and hence she started bringing her daughters-in-law along with her to Matruchaya, to make them acquainted with the situation so that after her they should be able to carry on this tradition,” said Dixit Sir, adding that “there is a practice in politics to hand over the powers to their family members, but here she always wanted to hand over the tradition of social work to her family members. She used to think of who will take care of these ladies at Mahila Ashram after her.” According to Dixit Sir, Mandatai never did all these social activities for the sake of any returns. Her whole purpose was to give new life to those ladies who are in the Ashram due to someone else's fault, they were there since they were not privileged to have the education and employment and Mandatai wanted to ll that gap. “I just want to say the lines from Sant Kabir's poems where he says “Jab Tum Paida Hue Jagat Me, Jag Hase Tum Roye! Aisi Karni Kar Chalo, Tum Hase Jag Roye” It means “When we came into this world, we cried while people were laughing, but make sure when you leave this world, you should laugh while the world cries for you”. Although I said the four pillars of this story initially, I feel that the story of Mandatai will remain WWW.INCREDIBLEGOA.ORG

incomplete if I do not include the part of her close friend from her hometown Pune, who also married in Goa, into the Joshi Family, Mrs Lalita Joshi. I will address her as Lalita Tai, who lives right opposite Mandatai's house and spent a lot of time with Mandatai. “Being married in Goa in the 1970s, we both used to hear people saying that “Bhaili Chali Hadlya” (bride brought from outside the state) and we used to feel bad but we used to laugh it out,” she said, adding that since they belong to the same generation, they had many things in common. “ L u c k i l y, w e a l s o b e c a m e neighbours after getting married, and my house was just opposite her house. My kids used to go to her place she had a swimming pool in her house and let me tell you, that she always behaved like a mother to my kids, and this gives a clear indication as to how strong emotionally and culturally she was.” Mandatai and Lalita Tai were not only connected socially but also culturally since both of them had a similar liking towards art and culture. “Manda was very passionate about the music and she would never miss a single program in Goa related to art and music. I remember during the Damodar Saptah, she used to come to our place especially to cheer-up the artists and musicians. According to me, she had a lot of admiration for the artists and musicians. She had devoted herself to social work and cultural activities. During those days, Vasco city had no music school and she was the one who started Shadj-Gandhar music Academy, in Vasco.” According to Lalita Tai, she never neglected her responsibilities at home while participating in social and cultural activities. “She had a liking towards Parijat (jasmine) owers and she had planted a tree

of jasmine in the house, and when I used to appreciate that, she would always tell me that “according to mythology it is said that Parijat has come to Swarga (Heaven) and it does not grow everywhere but see in my house how it has ourished. She was really proud of each and everything in her house.” “She used to apply herself to everything at home with complete dedication, and the reason she wrote everything in the diary is to make sure that this tradition continues with the next generation,” said Lalita Tai, adding that she handed over the entire encyclopaedia of the family to her daughters-in-law before leaving this world. “She loved every moment of her life. Before the end of this conversation, I would like to recite this poem by Bakibab Borkar, Swarga Nako Sura Lok Nako Lobh Saha Iha Lok Hava! Trupti Nako Maj Mukti Nako, Yethil Harsh ni Shok Hava. This means: I don't want heavenly abode but I want to live this life, in this world, with all its pros and cons.” This is of course not the end of the story and there are many things that I might have missed here since I could not connect with many people who might have an even better version on this. I am sure that this story gives a glimpse of the king-size life that Mandatai had lived on this earth. May her soul rest in peace and may her story give light to all the people who are searching for heaven on this earth.

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IN FOCUS

2021 IFFI WILL SET THE NEW BENCHMARKS Subhash Phaldessai By Rajesh Ghadge

The 51st International Film Festival of India (IFFI) will kickstart on the 16th of January and this time with the scenario will be completely different since for the ﬁrst time the ﬁlm festival will happen in Hybrid format with the much wider reach to the audience across the globe. Organising a festival of this magnitude that too during the COVID times is not an easy task but the vision and dedication of the Vice Chairman ESG (Entertainment Society of Goa) Mr Subhash Phaldessai made this impossible thing possible in a very short span of time. How the entire thing worked out, you can listen from the man behind it… 26 \ INCREDIBLE GOA \ JANUARY 2021

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The rst challenge was to renovate the INOX Multiplex and make it ready in time for the IFFI and that was one of the biggest challenge in front of Mr Phaldessai as the Covid was on its peak in the month of May 2020 when they took up the task in hand and the Monsoon was about to begin from June onwards. “But that did not stop us from nishing the task. We invited the tender and nalised it in the month of May by hading over he work order to the successful bidder. I was following up the entire progress very closely till the end of the successful completion of the same, said Mr Phaldessai adding that one of the major challenge in front of him was to manage the labourers, contractors, skilled manpower, Engineers who were stationed here in the ESG complex, “Even if one person was infected with the virus it could have been the big disaster and could have ruined the WWW.INCREDIBLEGOA.ORG

entire ow of work. There were around 200 people working at any given point of time and work was going on 24X7.” “We did not allow anyone to leave the ESG complex and everything they needed was provided to them inside the premises itself. All of them were completely cut off from the outside world till the task get completed. None of them went out, nor got infected, and this was something that we had complete control over as we wanted to maintain this level of health security,” he added. After spending nearly 40 crore rupees the New Inox Multiplex transformed into one of the most amazing place in Goa. “There is a big transformation from what it was, we have not only worked on the look and feel of the multiplex, but the technology used has also been upgraded. in terms of the projection system, and the sound systems amounting to roughly 40

Crores worth of changes have been done on the place,” said Mr Phaldessai adding that he had one of the major challenge before him to complete the entire work and that too in the limited time so that IFFI happens in the month of November. “Despite trying all the possible ways, we still got delayed by almost two months and this happened as most of the materials that was supposed to come from outside India was halted due to the Covid condition and other protocols.” According to Mr Phaldessai when the entire world was silent under lockdown he and his team was working inside the ESG to accomplish the impossible task. “We had turned the challenge into the opportunity and while everyone else was shielded and was settled at home, the ESG Team and the Inox Team were both working together and got this done awlessly,” he said. JANUARY 2021 / INCREDIBLE GOA / 27

This will be the rst time in the history of a International Film Festival of India that the IFFI is happening in a Hybrid Form, which means the events and lm exhibitions will be done in physical as well as online formats. “As we all know that the Life cannot stop and we decided to take up this challenge. Somewhere we had to start as the economic activities had come an halt and unless we take some action, it was not possible to come out of the shell,” said Mr Phaldessai adding that The Economy of the country was going downwards and there was no revenue structuring happening. “How long are we just going sit at home and expect things to work outWe couldn't possibly survive without the economic activities so the Directorate of Film Festivals and the Information and Broadcasting Ministry, sat down with us and decided on holding IFFI in Hybrid Format.” Now that the festival is happening in the Hybrid format the things won't be same as it were in the past, stated Mr Phaldessai. “We are doing something that has not been done by anyone before, screening part of the Festival would be done in Physical (Of ine) format and the other aspects of the Festival such as the Master classes and Retrospectives will be done online and for this we have already made all the necessary arrangements such as Software, System Applications. We have done the necessary tests before giving hem out to the public. It was a really challenging atmosphere but we managed to get all this done and we are con dent that everything will go smoothly,” said Mr Phaldessai. “We will be taking care of all the guidelines set by the MHA while doing the screening of the movies in the auditoriums, although we have the Auditoriams with the capacity of 900 seating but as per 28 \ INCREDIBLE GOA \ JANUARY 2021

the MHA guidelines only 200 seating will be allowed at any given time. Besides that we have also cut down on the delegate numbers from earlier 14000 to mere 2500 this time. Besides the 4 Auditoriums of Inox we will also be using 1 Auditorium of Kala Academy. At the moment, we have the 4 Inox Auditoriums, 2 ESG Auditoriums, and 1 Auditorium at Kala Academy,” he added. Unfortunately this time there will be no outdoor activities due to the Covid situation. “There won't be any public screening this time and other activities have been completely scrapped since they attract a huge crowd and that can be a bit of problem with respect to the ongoing pandemic. The DFF has clearly mentioned how we shouldn't carry on with the Open Air Screenings as we cannot violate the guidelines ourselves.” The next challenge that Mr Phaldessai spoke about is the Sanitisation process of the various locations of IFFI. According to him, this time there will be a big leap in the process of handling the international and national guests. “Earlier we used to provide them with the rooms on the sharing basis but this time that won't be possible and we will have to provide them even the car on a individual basis as nobly would want to share the car with the others and this way number of rooms and cars arranged for the guests will go up tremendously. Before, the cars were kept in common for the guests, as the seating could be 4-5 in the car if the destination was same but now due to all our sanitisation protocols we have dedicated cars for people in a singular manner. Cars will be sanitised pre and post travels and so on. The Auditorium seats will be sanitised, before every show and after show. We have arranged for all the

Sanitisation Fogging Machines, and this way there will be a huge gap between shows. Even the screening of the lms will be reduced this time compared to the previous year. last year we has showcased more than 350 lms but this time that gure will not cross the mark of 200 lms and this year most probably Kala Academy will be used for the opening and closing ceremony of the festival,” said Mr Phaldessai. \ As far as the crowd is concerned, this time there won't be more than 200 people allowed for the opening and closing ceremony. “Unlike last year wherein more than 5000 guests has attended the Opening and closing ceremony of the IFFI this year that number will remain limited to just 200 and to maintain this we will be giving the entry passed only to the people of Festival Core Team and rest of the people will be able to enjoy the opening and closing ceremony online only,” he said. This year the ESG has also cut down on the cultural programs during the opening and closing of the festival with only limited number of activities. “This time we have given the preference to the Goan performers to participate in the cultural programs presented during the opening and closing of festival. This time we have given all the tenders to Goan artists which also includes the decorations and installations at the ESG venue and other locations. We're looking to push our local and Goan talent by the way of giving them more exposure and perks when they do work with us in this festival. I am really proud and happy to say that the Goans are doing a really wonderful job with us for the Festival.

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WOMEN EMPOWERMENT

Sheryl Alfonso e D’Souza

JUGGLING BETWEEN HER PASSION AND PROFESSION By Rajesh Ghadge

With a Master's degree in Food & Nutrition and Diet Ethics from Bombay University, Sheryl Alfonso is pursuing her career as a teacher and diet consultant in Goa for the last 20 plus years. She is a well-known name in the ﬁeld of Diet & Nutrition in Goa and is associated with Goa's biggest gymnasium chain, Norbert's Fitness Centre. Being a dietician hasn't been an easy task for Sheryl. In 2000, when people were hardly spending time and money to consult professional Dieticians, Sheryl did not give up and continued her journey through this roller coaster ride. Sheryl's inspirational story is a guide for many women who aspire to accomplish and master the multitude of roles a wife, a mother and a career woman all at the same time… WWW.INCREDIBLEGOA.ORG

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Sheryl completed her Bachelor's degree in Food and Nutrition from the Goa College of Home Science and then she decide to go to Mumbai for her Master's degree in the eld of Food Nutrition and Diet Ethics. “After completing my masters in Mumbai, I was invited by the Goa College of Home Science College for teaching,” said Sheryl adding that back then it wasn't the full time job and that gave her opportunity to venture into the eld of consulting dietician at Neomi's Fitness Centre. “It all just started with taking my students for a visit to the Neomi's Fitness Centre (Now Norbert's Fitness Centre) to help them understand the role of a dietician,” she added. According to Sheryl, during this time she rst met Norbert to whom she later tied the knot, making him her life-partner. “At that time Norbert was heading the Neomi's Fitness Centre and he offered me an opportunity to work at Neomi's as a part-time dietician. I also jumped at this opportunity since I was staying close by,” said Sheryl. This was the beginning of a new journey for Sheryl as a dietician and a clinical nutritionist. Sheryl recollects that there was very little demand for dieticians during those days “I started my work with Norbert and started approaching doctors in my free time to get more assignments, but none of them were open to the concept of having a dietician working with them so freelancing as dietician was out of the scope,” said Sheryl, adding that working

with the gym was only option for her and at that time Neomi's was the only place to combine nutrition with exercise where normally gyms focus solely on exercise only. According to Sheryl, initially the demand for dieticians started coming only from people looking to lose weight “They gradually began to understand that working out and following a nutritious diet showed a better and bigger difference. Back then it was only at Neomi's we used to work out a program including diet plans,” she said. Although the awareness started, still it was not the grand success she expected since people still weren't accustomed to combining food with working out. “A few of them who understood the value of diet in their plan joined the program and also saw visible effects. In the diet plan, results are not instant and people need to be patient and consistent: no cheating on meals. A few who joined saw the results and the others who were observing gave it a try too, eventually,” she added. Most people associate dieting with weight-loss only. However, nutrition isn't restricted to this and indeed, people who need to gain weight must also follow a particular plan. Nutrition and diet also aids medical ailments such as diabetics, and heart disease,” averred Sheryl. Sheryl ventured there where very few people were brave enough to, making her journey very special. She always had an interest in going into the medical eld, but

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somehow she spotted that her talents lay in a less medicinebased aspect of health and tness so she joined the eld of diet and nutrition. After completing her postgraduation in the eld of Food & Nutrition and Diet Ethics from Bombay university, Sheryl then decided to move in to teaching. “Honestly, getting into teaching wasn't my decision and it was more of an invitation,” she said adding that it was her principal Dr Rao who asked her to join the college, as she saw potential in Sheryl to be a good teacher. “I had a plan to stay in Mumbai and work in the eld of Nutrition, but when I got the call from Dr Rao I decided to give it a try, although jobs were not easy to come by during those days (20 years back). I took up the opportunity and soon I realised that I am enjoying it.” Sheryl presently teaches at the Carmel College in south Goa and she also continues to be a practicing dietician at the Norbert's Fitness Centre. “I am teaching at Carmel College for the last 3 years. The college has an M.Sc. program in Food Technology, hence I very much enjoy my work and at the same time I continued to be dietician at Norbert's Fitness Centres. Norbert's brand helped me by giving me an opportunity which is more valuable than setting up my own clinic,” she said. Sheryl realised that imparting knowledge to the students is more satisfying than being dietician, “The work of a dietician is my

COMING SOON

passion but there is a more deeps e a t e d i n c l i n a t i o n t o w a rd s teaching. That is something I would never want to give up,” she said. Sheryl is slowly realising that it is a time to set up a brand for herself. “It is more of a brand ideology which I would take up myself and that I would feel that I have done my duty towards education.” Besides teaching and working as nutritionist, Sheryl also writes for number of publications in Goa. “I had started off with the Navhind Times and later shifted to Herald, then Weekender and for some time I also wrote for Viva Goa,” she said. Sheryl currently writes a weekly column for Incredible Goa. In her spare time, especially on holidays, Sheryl loves to go trekking. “It is just one of my hobbies and I've been doing it for the past 15 years. I am also

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associated with Dr Prithvi Amonkar and his group, since their trekking is something that I really enjoy.” Sheryl is now aiming at doing a Ph.D in Nutrition and Diet. “It has been my long pending dream which I now have time to do, since my daughter is also grown up and she can take care of herself,” said Sheryl. According to Sheryl, once an opportunity knocks on your door, one must grab it. But at the same time, you need to stay focused on what you want. “I don't know whether this is a negative or a positive thing, but many of us have dreams in life and we are versatile in so many ways, as with me where teaching and nutrition are my passions but at some point in life you realise that you have to let go of one to achieve success in the other. It becomes a dif cult decision, but as a woman you

need to spend a few moments thinking what it is or how and where you see yourself in a few years' time. Putting those words down on paper and working towards them should be really important. As it is easy for us to get diverted along the way and being a woman there are family responsibilities as well, but once you have set out on a task, don't get distracted and get these tasks done and eventually complete them all. “It isn't that responsibilities are just a female obligation or duty, but it is something that you value because deep down most of us want to be a mother or a wife, and that shouldn't be a burden to you. That is why it is important to nish phases of your life in such a manner that you can enjoy everything that you are doing, but don't look at it as burden and this is something that women should look at and understand as well,” with these words she concluded.

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TRENDSETTER

Prasad Paul FOCUS ON YOUR STRENGTH AND MAINTAIN SIMPLICITY By Rajesh Ghadge

Chef Prasad Paul started his journey into Food & Hospitality in 1985 when he joined the Institute of Hotel Management (IHM), Chennai and the reason behind joining the food industry was his introvert nature. According to Chef Prasad Paul he always wanted to work from the behind the scenes and remain hidden. But as you know that talent cannot remain hidden for long and something similar happened with Mr Paul as his work started getting recognition, he became more popular and today everyone knows Chef Prasad Paul in Goa and perhaps even across the country. Chef Prasad Paul remains very introverted but he is no more just behind the scenes. This is the story of the journey of Chef Prasad Paul. 34 \ INCREDIBLE GOA \ JANUARY 2021

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“I have always been a very introverted person and wanted to remain behind the scenes and that is why I chose to remain in the kitchen,” said Mr Paul, adding that after nishing his Hotel Management course at IHM, he had various options to select from and he decided to run a kitchen. “I always wanted to work from behind the scenes and be hidden. This is how I decided that I would join a kitchen where I wouldn't have to speak much to people, and I would stay in my comfort zone.” Chef Prasad Paul had a lot of passion for food processing “I have always been attracted towards different kinds of cuisine and that was perhaps one of the major reasons I chose to start a hotel management course.” =Mr Paul's father inspired him join the hotel industry. “My father had some idea about the industry at the time so he suggested that it and even though he was a teacher himself, he had a real strong sense of what the course would be,” he said. The journey of Chef Prasad Paul started from his rst appointment at the Hotel Oberoi in Chennai. “After that I moved to Bangalore,” said Chef Paul. At the age of 23, Mr Paul had decided to venture into a business and he along with couple of his friends started a restaurant. “My rst entrepreneurial experiment failed so miserably that I was forced to make a decision that I would never ever venture into business again anytime.” After the failure of his business, Chef Prasad Paul decided to stick to working inside the kitchen and along the way he learned to cook a lot of cuisines like French, Italian, Greek and Lebanese. “This way my journey continued and initially people thought that I would not be able to achieve much due to my introverted personality but I soon proved them wrong when I 36 \ INCREDIBLE GOA \ JANUARY 2021

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became the Executive Chef at a well-known 5-Star property,” he said adding that becoming an executive chef was his dream. Chef Prasad Paul had to travel a long before coming down to Goa. “From the Oberoi I moved to the Mahindra Group and from there I joined the Meridian group in Bangalore for some time before coming down to Goa, where I joined the club Mahindra Resort in Varca, in the year 1999. “When I landed in Goa at Club Mahindra, the hotel project was in its initial stages and here I got the opportunity to learn the project phases, like how the kitchen is designed, and how equipment is procured, planned and placed. This was a completely new experience for me, because earlier the places I had worked at I dealt with only operations, but at Club Mahindra I learnt project planning work,” said Chef Paul. This experience opened the new avenues to Chef Prasad, “Mahindra Group was growing rapidly at that time and they started opening in more locations across the world so I was made the part of each project including planning menus, staf ng numbers and so on, and this went on for another 7-8 years,” he added. Chef Prasad moved to Cidade de Goa after leaving Club Mahindra

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somewhere in 2007 and from here he started to get exposure into the media. “At Cidade de Goa I got an opportunity to do the food presentation on the local television channels like Goa 365 and HCN and I managed to do around 50 shows for various channels which gave me good exposure and so now I was ready to face the camera.” Just like many of us, Chef Prasad also had a plan of retiring from his job and starting his own venture, “This was something that was always at the back of mind and at the age of 45, I left my job and started my own consultancy rm to help new entrepreneurs to set up their business in the Food and Hospitality sector. I was a part of the setting up of Bay 15 restaurant at Odxel and till date I have completed almost 20 projects in Goa and even undertook a hotel project at Kolhapur in Maharashtra, but due to the pandemic it was postponed. Currently I am working on a project at Bangalore,” he said. Chef Prasad is now concentrating m o re o n t h e H o t e l p ro j e c t consultancy, “Besides this I also like to coach and mentor people who want to enter the hospitality business. I have seen in the industry, how the food business works and how structures are

designed and how things can be upgraded, and being in the industry for the last 30 years, I have garnered experience and knowledge as I learned myself.” Chef Prasad is also a part of the Goa Culinary Forum which is a place for chefs across the state. “It all began with the idea that me and Chef Raman worked on and then more chefs joined in with us. Every region in India has a culinary forum, but also there is the main Indian forum, the Culinary Association. All of us joined there and we had our meeting to discuss work and the inauguration of the Goa Culinary Forum which took place at Club Mahindra in 2003. Chef Raman was the rst president, as he was the one who initiated the matters,” said Chef Prasad. Goa is a hub of Food and Hospitality in India and that is the main reason why people want to come to Goa “We have such a beautiful geographical atmosphere which is the main reason for the attraction of tourists as this is our main forte because of our beaches and the greenery, and secondly the culture of our people is very accommodating and we welcome people from every background and serve them and thirdly, our food and cuisines too play an important role that are helping this industry become more immense,” he said. According to Chef Prasad, if you are a small or a big unit, there should be no compromise on standards and they should be maintained. A small place can manage to give the best treatment to their clients and they should focus on their strengths. Clean and hygienic atmospheres are the most important aspects, and maintaining simplicity is important at the same time. This goes for all levels of food and hospitality.

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GOAN TALENT

Shreya Prabhu DREAMING OF REACHING THE SKIES By Rajesh Ghadge

Shreya comes from a middle-class family background but she has a dream of reaching the sky, and according to her “always trust in your own abilities and strengths. Believe you can and you are half way there”. There is no doubt that with the right direction and effort, she will achieve her desires one day. Shreya has always had a propensity towards the Bollywood dancing and right from her childhood she wanted to become a professional dancer so today, at the age of 19, she has achieved that and now performs at various events and programmes. WWW.INCREDIBLEGOA.ORG

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“Bollywood dancing had left a huge impact on my memories right from my childhood,” Shreya said, adding that she would wrap a dupatta around herself and make moves to the tunes of Bollywood numbers. Shreya's mother noticed her enthusiasm and decided to direct the talent of her daughter. “The rst opportunity struck me when I was eight years old. We w e re a t S a r v a j a n i k G a n e s h Programme and I saw the girls dancing on the stage. It was an All Goa Dance competition and I told my mom that I want to participate… and the rest is history,” said Shreya, adding that it was her rst dance competition for which she received a cash prize. She won rst place in the taluka level in Art & Culture talent hunt. Her rst endeavour gave her a boost of con dence to go ahead in the eld of dancing. “It made me realise that people like what I am doing, so that means I am doing something very important and the journey that started at the dance competition is continuing till date,” she said. Shreya appeared in her next competition when she was nine and won second place in the Junior category. “The dancers came from all over the state for that competition and it made me realise that if I can do so well without being professionally trained, imagine what will happen if I got professional training in this eld.” The next day Shreya told her mother that she wanted to join dance classes to learn western as well as Indian dance form. “Although I said that I wanted to learn western dance form, I was still always more inclined towards traditional Indian dance such as Bharat-Natyam and Kathak,” she averred. “Bharat Natyam is not just dance: in this dance form, you tell a story and most important thing is, it is a form of exercise 40 \ INCREDIBLE GOA \ JANUARY 2021

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which keeps us t,” said Shreya, adding that when she does Bharat Natyam she gets a full body workout. “With Bharat Natyam I feel that I can handle my body with grace.” Besides classical dance forms, Shreya had also learnt western dance forms like Jazz, “I joined Jazz dance classes in Don Bosco and after doing 2 years of training in Jazz I decided to switch back to my classical dance classes,” she said. Soon Shreya met her rst Guru, Nidhi Sanke, under whom she is training till date. “Under her guidance I did a performance on Sudha Chandran's Nache Mayuri song,” said Shreya adding that she and her mother had often travelled all the way to Canacona by bus, having to stay there since it was dif cult to travel back. Shreya and her mother have encountered many hardships on this journey. “It used to be very tiring sometimes, but I never gave u p o r c o m p ro m i s e d o n m y dreams. When Nidhi Mam had to take a break from her classes due to her pregnancy, I went to join

Kala Academy since I could not take a break of a couple of years till she resumed her classes.” Shreya attended many events with Nidhi Sanke and with each event her experience and con dence kept growing. “Nidhi Mam gave me a very good platform and I am very grateful to her for that.” Presently Shreya is doing her graduation in Psychology but she did not give up on her dreams. “May be now that my preferences are changing and I need to put more effort in to my studies, but I did not give up on dancing, In fact I have a dream of having my own dance academy and one day I am going to do that.” Shreya's mother is a housewife and father works for a government department, “My parents have struggled throughout their lives and that made me become independent right from a young age. Even in my studies I was always working on my own and never troubled my mom for my studies,” she said. A c c o rd i n g t o S h re y a , a f t e r nishing her graduation in Psychology she wants to do a

post-graduation in Clinical Psychology. “After nishing my post-graduation in clinical psychology, I would look for a job since I do not want to go ahead with setting up of my own clinic immediately as it will require a lot of experience and investments too. So instead, I want to gain some experience and would continue to nish my dance training before I set up my own academy with the support of my Guru, Nidhi Mam,” she said. Shreya is very young and just like many youngsters she also has a good bucket list which she intends to ful l one by one. When I asked Shreya who her inspiration is, she said that she does stick to one and tries to learn from everything that comes her way. “Goodness is an investment that never fails and you have to ght through some bad days to earn the best days of your life. Don't give up and one more thing I want to mention here, don't seek revenge. Rather, seek the strength to forgive. Be patient, be strong and have courage,” and nally she quotes the message from Gandhi, “your life is your message.”

YOUNG GOA

Gaurav Awasthi SET PRIORITIES AND WORK CONSISTENTLY Team Incredible Goa

For 18-year old Gaurav Awasthi, son of a retired ofﬁcer of the Indian Navy, constantly being on the move, shufﬂing between schools has been ausual experience. Having studied in Navy schools in many cities, including Delhi and Mumbai, Gaurav moved to Goa just after his class ten. 42 \ INCREDIBLE GOA \ JANUARY 2021

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After moving to the tiny coastal state, the obvious thing that the parents – father Navin and mother Suman – did, was to search for good schooling institutes in the state for their two children. To d a y, G a u r a v Aw a s t h i h a s marked his name across several records, after having equalled the highest BITSAT score achieved in Goa (426/450), and also attaining the best know JEE (Advanced) rank (AIR 1444) known in the state till date. Furthermore, he also topped all three – Physics, Chemistry and Maths examinations – at the Goa Common Entrance Test (GCET). For the young-lad, having a xed routine has never been a top precedence, as he always believed that setting one's priorities straight, and working towards it in a consistent way can help reach to the point one wants to. “I learnt that it is better not to have a xed routine, but you only need to get your priorities straight. And one should de nitely not compromise on their sleep. That can impact your productivity for the rest of the day, hence, I try to get at least 7-8 hours of sleep everyday.” Being an avid book reader since childhood, Gaurav has always inclined himself towards ction books. “I have been lucky enough to have great science teacherssince childhood. When you have a great teacher teaching the subject, you also tend to start liking it. So, they got me interested into science,” he says. It was in class nine that Gaurav decided he wanted to answer the JEE exams, and since then, there has been no turning back for this dedicated and hardworking boy. In Goa, Mushtifund Aryaan Higher Secondary School was the ideal choice, as its conducive atmosphere, with its great focus on academics was the perfect 44 \ INCREDIBLE GOA \ JANUARY 2021

combination Gaurav needed to pursue his dreams moving ahead. Gaurav recalls that the initial rst months at MushtifundAryaan for him were a bit different,as he spent more time guring out what his daily schedule would be like. “Firstly, at least for a couple of months, it was a bit different. I spent the initial month trying to gure out what my schedule would be, how many hours should I sleep, how do I plan to do the work and everything.” At a time when academics are dotted with extreme pressure due to various societal and other reasons, nding the right balance in order to be mentally t to chase your dreams is also equally important. For Gaurav, relaxation was probably the most important thing that kept him going, coupled with short breaks in between study sessions. “I think relaxation is the most important part of keeping mentally t. During the initial few months of higher secondary, I thought I would ignore that, but it didn't work out well. Then, I kept taking short breaks. Even at home, I would study for a few hours, and then take a break; walk around the house, listen to music, go for a walk, play some board games with my sister,” he says. Going with the ow has always been a constant mantra for him, as being strongly focussed on his dreams, he was well aware which path he wanted to head into. “Go with the ow. If you don't feel like studying for that day, don't study. Don't force yourself to do something that your mind doesn't want to. Take a break and refresh yourself, and later come back to it,” he says. Staying in Caranzalem area, the 15-minute journey to school was always spent by him listening to music and enjoying the company of friends. In school, paying attention to academics was his

stop priority, as he believes that if one does that, 75% of the work is done. “If you just try and understand what is taught in school, and take necessary notes wherever needed, the work becomes a lot easy,” he says. With more focus on academics over the last two years, Gaurav says he's de nitely become a more indoor person as he has had to tone down a lot on outdoor activities. Having achieved remarkable scores in all his entrance exams, Gaurav's has a rather unique philosophy that he believed in. “My whole philosophy is hard work can get you to a point, the rest, luck certainly plays a role. There are a lot of things that could have gone wrong (w.r.t entrance exams answered), but luck played its role. We can get to a point, after that it's a l l l u c k , ” h e s a y s . “If you're doing something, I think you should de nitely try to do the best you can. But, coming rst also depends on other factors. You can never just say I am going to come rst, but you got to work with that aim in mind, and do justice to all the efforts put in by the teachers also. Parents also are very

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emotionally vested in all this. I de nitely wanted to do the best I could. I'm happy with the way things turned out.” Currently, with an All India Rank of 1444 in JEE Advanced (best known in Goa till date), Gaurav has quali ed to seek admission into any of the Indian Institute of Technologies (IIT's) in the country. His preferred choices currently are the top IIT's – Bombay, Delhi and Madras – and with the admission process slated to commence somewhere later next week, his ngers are crossed hoping he can get into his preferred institute. W ith an interest gravitating towards aerospace and mechanical elds, he believes that being broad areas as such, it will allow him to venture into something else in the future. Gaurav also has a passion towards space research and rocket design, some elds he de nitely would like to explore in the future. Describing the atmosphere at Mushtifund Aryaan, Gaurav recalls that the students there have ended up spending more time at the institute than they did at home, and as such, they have become one complete family.

“We had a lot of funand also helped each other a lot. We would discuss our doubts and solve question papers. The teaches also really encouraged that,” he says, adding, “Our teachers were the people who worked harder than us, for us, so that we could get into a good institute.” The entire two years in Goa has not been a one man show for young Gaurav, as he has, and will always continue to be grateful to his parents for their support. “My sister too, for not troubling me too much,” he says. “I am thankful to all my teachers for all that they have done. As students, we have all done mistakes, but they have always given us second chances and never judged us for our worst mistakes. I'm really grateful for that,” he says. Now with a bounty of extra time on his shoulders considering the little break until the admission process commences, Gaurav has resorted to making up for his lost sleep, while also enjoying a lot of movies. He also has been attempting to learnt to cook, “but I keep burning things, but I'm getting there,” he says.

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Sweet Nation BRINGING THE BEST OF INDIAN FOOD TO GOANS By Team Incredible Goa

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After having pitched this idea, nearly two years ago, in 2018, at a dinner with his business partners, Deepak, along with his wife Namita, envisaged this journey w i t h p o s i t i v i t y, a n d a f t e r meticulous planning, “Sweet Nation” was born. Starting from scratch however wasn't an easy task, as along with the business model, the family also had to put in arrangements to set-up a factory that would handle the production process of the food venture. Namita, attributing the concept of this business venture to her husband, said, “Sweet Nation was a dream project of my husband. He always wanted to have a competitor or an equivalent to Haldiram's and other companies. While having dinner oncewith his partners, they sort of came about this idea and he took it upon himself saying that he is going to do it. We have managed to start off now and are doing quite well.” The pandemic obviously was a big blow to several existing businesses, and for Sweet Nation – which was in its nal stage of setting-up – it was no different. Just a few days prior to the nationwide lockdown, the family had all its employees arrive in the state to progress with beginning the venture. They had initially planned to get the business up and running on April 26 – the auspicious occasion of Akshaya Tritiya. “On 19th March, all the staff came from across India and we were expected to start but we couldn't. They came here just before the lockdown and everything was shut

then. We then took care of their ration and food. It would have been very easy to say we can't take care of you as our business had not yet started, and we were well within our rights to say that, but we didn't,” says Namita. After shuf ing between dates and uncertain times, Sweet Nation was nally launched on 6th August, 2020. At Sweet Nation, the focus is completely on Indian foods, ranging from sweets, desserts, to savouries, snacks and chaat, keeping in mind high quality ingredients which is one of the most important priority at the company. At a time when many entrepreneurs and food businesses are venturing into bakery and other Western food items, at Sweet Nation, the idea was simple – showcasing the best of Indian foods to a very untapped market here in Goa. “The market is very saturated for businesses such as bakery and other items and almost everybody is doing it. Through our business venture, we wanted to showcase the best of Indian foods.There is a huge demand for Indian foods from Goans, as well as from several non-Goans living here,” Namita says. Being focussed on its choice, i.e. Indian foods, the family started off with traditional Indian items, and slowly began adding variants and fusion of food interpretations to its menu. Sweet Nation has successfully managed to mark itself as a respected brand among its regular

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customers at its Panaji store, and with various innovative chains opening up across the country, many people are looking at such ventures for an appetitive, healthy and affordable meal. With almost all its ingredients sourced from local vendors in the state, Sweet Nation has a very streamlined production, with a semi-automated process at its factory in Velha-Goa. “As the scale goes up, we may automate a little more, but the most important thing about our production is that they are complaint with all safety standards,” she said. With Deepak adding his wealth of knowledge from his business elds, Namita has been exceptionally good when it comes to dealing with people; and with this duo combination, added with the support of its 30 hardworking and dedicated staff, Sweet Nation has already set smiles upon many. Adding an important tip to young entrepreneurs, Namita says, “Being a team player is very important when starting off a business. It isimpossible to do everything on your own. Selfimprovement is the most important thing for any entrepreneur, and focus on yourself so that you are at the top of your game.” With all safety measures in place in view of the current situation, Sweet Nation has also tied itself with food delivery portals such as that of Swiggy and Zomato, and with its live-counter in the pipeline, the venture only plans to grow in the coming weeks.

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DIET & NUTRITION

NATURAL PAIN KILLING FOODS AND HOW THEY WORK By Sheryl Alfonso e Dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Souza

Aging leads to a slow deterioration of muscles and joints, making each more susceptible to damage and injury. The physical activity went wrong, such as when playing a sport or a wrong move in the gym, can lead to a sprain which makes the injury known by way of a surge of pain. Pain is, hence, a natural outcome of damage, and is an important signal warning us that tissue has been damaged and needs immediate attention. 50 \ INCREDIBLE GOA \ JANUARY 2021

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An injury causes the release of chemicals that alert nearby sensory nerves, which in turn carry the 'pain' message to your brain. The brain processes the message and sends a signal to your motor nerves, telling them to prevent any action that will aggravate the 'pain'. Hence, if you strain a muscle while playing or have arthritis, your motor nerves will not allow you to move the affected part, in a bid to 'rest' it, thereby preserving the part from further damage. Your body also has a very natural way of managing pain – it releases endorphins, chemicals that are painkillers and pain-relievers. Human physiology is truly amazing!!!!! Pain can be classi ed as 'acute' or 'chronic' depending on the duration it lasts. Acute pain is momentary – for example, a sudden are-up of an old back injury or a gout attack or a stomach cramp – and subsides as soon as the 'cause' has been treated. Chronic pain lasts for months and even years and is often because a permanent treatment has not been established. Acute or chronic pain caused due to in ammation of the injured site can be prevented and managed with the help of certain antiWWW.INCREDIBLEGOA.ORG

in ammatory foods. Identifying foods that trigger pain is the rst step towards a dietary approach to pain management. Acute or chronic pain caused due to in ammation of the injured site can be prevented and managed with the help of certain antiin ammatory foods. Maintaining a food diary will help you isolate foods or food combinations or cooking methods that bring on or aggravate pain. Members of the nightshade family (potatoes, tomatoes, and aubergine), sugar-rich foods, meats, and high-fat dairy are known offenders of pain but can behave differently in individuals across the community. Vitamin C-containing foods such as citrus fruits and vegetables and sprouts, which support collagen structure and especially help deal with joint-related pains Fried, grilled, and processed foods are also best avoided, especially in cases of chronic pain. The following foods have been established as being painpreventers and pain-relievers, and including them on a daily basis in your diet can help alleviate pain: · Foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids such as sh, walnuts, axseeds · Vitamin C-containing

foods such as citrus fruits and vegetables and sprouts, which support collagen structure and especially help deal with jointrelated pains · Micronutrient-rich foods, especially those containing Zinc, Selenium, Folic Acid, and Vitamin B6 and A (a combination of nuts, seeds, dark green vegetables, orange-yellow-red fruits and veggies, and whole grains), develop the immune system that helps ght pain · Spices such as turmeric, and sulfur-containing onion and garlic are known to contain antiin ammatory substances · Anthocyanin-rich foods such as berries and cherries also stop in ammation and its associated pain · Maintaining gut health with the help of probiotics (curds, yogurt, lassi, buttermilk) is today known to help alleviate pain symptoms The repetitive emphasis on including the above food groups as part of your daily diet speaks about the healing powers of them. Do yourself a favor, then – and make sure that your breakfast, lunch, dinner, and any in-between snack contains a healthy serving of one of the above-mentioned foods. JANUARY 2021 / INCREDIBLE GOA / 51

MENTAL HEALTH

BODY POSITIVITY AMONG CHILDREN AND YOUTH

By Shobhika Jaju

What are your ďŹ rst thoughts, when you look at yourself in the mirror every morning? Do you appreciate yourself and your physical appearance or do you focus on small blemishes and look for new signs of ageing? Perhaps, you notice the radiant smile on your face early in the morning or you bash yourself up for eating that extra slice of cake, at last night's party? How we perceive our body and the bodies of others around us, is deeply rooted in our body image. 52 \ INCREDIBLE GOA \ JANUARY 2021

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As a parent, your body image and perceptions related to the “ideal body image”, also get passed on to your children. This can happen in one of two ways. On one hand, children also start internalizing similar beliefs such as their parents about the physical body and appearance, and may judge themselves or others, who don't meet those standards. On the other hand, if as parents you hold on to certain unrealistic and toxic beliefs about body shape, size or appearance, you are likely to question and comment on your child's physical appearance, clothing, and food intake. 'Body Positivity' refers to the idea that all bodies are equal and worthy of love & respect, irrespective of shape, size, appearance, color, etc. As a culture and movement, it goes on to acknowledge that popular media has a great role to play in determining our perceptions about our bodies. It tries to break away from society's need to categorize all bodies into binary categories of good or bad, healthy or unhealthy, and right or wrong. How we perceive our body, which is our body image, also in uences our thoughts and feelings about our bodies, and has a great in uence on other aspects of our life, like our mental health, selfesteem, depression, anxiety, con dence issues, and the like. Excessive preoccupation with the perceived aws of one's body can also have dire consequences and may warrant a diagnosis of a clinical mental health condition. The foundation of our beliefs about our body image is often laid out in childhood, during the early formative years. The messages that a child may receive from family, peers, or celebrity role models in uence their acceptance of their own body. Therefore, it is imperative that parents consciously try to promote body WWW.INCREDIBLEGOA.ORG

positivity among their children and adolescents. It is really not as hard as it seems. It's about engaging in certain behaviors and not engaging in certain others. Here are some tips to keep in mind: · Be aware of your own body image: Before you talk to your child about body positivity, it is important that you delve deeper into your own beliefs about physical appearance and more importantly, your own body. If you don't feel con dent about the way you look, it would be dif cult to help your child be otherwise. Further, ask yourself some tough questions about what are your beliefs about the “ideal body”, and question those beliefs. Where is it coming from? Is it healthy or unhealthy? Is there anything you can do to release those beliefs? · Watch out for stereotypic behaviors and words: Be aware of what kind of messages you send out about physical appearance in front of children. It is common knowledge that children pick up on and imitate adult behavior. For example, you see a popular celeb on television and make a comment like, “Oh, she seems to have put on weight”, or you look at yourself in the mirror, and say, “I am losing hair… I look ugly”; you are indirectly telling your child that physical appearance is the most important thing and even de nes one's overall self-worth. · Positive Conversations: Focus on health-related conversations at home, instead of appearance-related. For example, while talking about inculcating healthy tness-related habits at home, focus on why it is important to stay t and active, instead of focusing on the need to lose weight. If you see your teenage daughter not eating well and losing weight, instead of saying that, “hey, you look very thin”, you could say something like, “I can notice you have not been eating

much… is there anything I can do to help?” In conversations, it's important to focus on the health factor rather than just mere looks. H e re a re s o m e o t h e r q u i c k pointers, to help you raise body positive children: · As a family, you can set health-focused goals rather than weight-loss or appearance focused goals. · When appreciating your children or others in front of them, focus on their positive qualities, attributes, skills, etc. instead of just complimenting them on their looks or dressing. · Talk to your children about the negative and unrealistic standards of beauty which the media industry propagates. If possible, search for the no makeup looks of celebs or show them videos of celeb body transformation, wherein the celebs may have documented the tough journey of doing so. · Avoid comparing children with others and instead help your child focus on the positive traits of themselves and their friends. · Politely correct your children when they only value someone, because of that person's physical appearance. I believe that as parents, teachers, and caregivers, we have the power to make the world a better place and do away with negative stereotypes, one child at a time. So here is hoping that an entire generation will be raised to be body positive and then we can n a l l y, d o a w a y w i t h t h e stereotyping of physical appearance, and learn to appreciate all bodies.

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DENTAL HEALTH

HOW TO CLEAN YOUR TONGUE EFFECTIVELY

By Dr. Paresh Lotlekar

Unlike your teeth, your tongue has a rough surface full of many peaks and troughs that are the perfect place for bacteria to settle and grow. The tongue has the highest bacterial load compared to the other areas of your mouth. However, most individuals do not take the time to clean their tongue. Tongue cleaning will help you avoid tooth decay, bad breath, gum problems, and much more. Here are some simple tips to clean your tongue effectively. 54 \ INCREDIBLE GOA \ JANUARY 2021

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Pick a tool: It is relatively easy to perform tongue scraping and requires minimal equipment. There are various types of tools for tongue cleaning. Scrapers are the most popular of them. Tongue brushes, although relatively recent, are also relatively common. A toothbrush can also be used to clean your tongue. Scrapers are available in metal, plastics, as well as ecofriendly bamboo material. They appear to be either spoon-like shape or U-shaped. How to clean with a tongue scraper: Extend your tongue as far as you can. This is so that the maximum length can be accessed. You can also prevent gagging by stretching your tongue all the way. Place the scraper at the back of your tongue. Move it towards the WWW.INCREDIBLEGOA.ORG

f ro n t o f y o u r t o n g u e w h i l e applying gentle pressure. Remove and rinse the scraper with water to remove any debris and bacteria. Spit out any excess saliva during the tongue scraping process that could have built up. Repeat the above process a few times at different angles. Rinse your mouth with water or a mouthwash to remove any residual debris or food particles. For the next use, clean the tongue scraper and store it. How to clean your tongue using a toothbrush: Use a soft-bristle toothbrush. Stick your tongue out as far as it reaches. Place your toothbrush at the back of the tongue. Brush gently over the tongue in a back and forth motion. During the brushing, spit out the

saliva that collects in the mouth and rinse the toothbrush with water. How frequently should you clean your tongue? Bacteria grow quickly. Cleaning your tongue twice daily after you brush your teeth is the best way to reduce the number of bacteria in your mouth. Removing the debris from your tongue before bedtime will also help minimize bad breath in the morning when you wake up. Tongue brushing is a healthy addition to your everyday oral hygiene habits. Whether you use a tongue scraper, toothbrush, or oral mouth rinse, brushing your tongue will help minimize bad breath, as well as reduce the risk of cavities and other oral health problems.

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January 2021

Articles inside

Mental Health

Goan Talent Shreya Prabhu

Trend setters Chef Prasad Paul

In Focus

Hot Picks Sweet Nation

Diet & Nutrition

Young Goa Gaurav Awasthi

Women Empowerment