My Goa December 2014

50 DECEMBER 2014

the heartbeat of goa

VOL 1 ISSUE 1 PANAJI-GOA

Missing the Big Picture

IFFI 2014 was a series of mis-managed episodes

“We want more Konkani-medium schools in Goa” Chetan Acharya, President of Konkani Bhasha Mandal on the challenges faced by the language

Need for a strong Opposition The Congress in the State Assembly is a sorry caricature of the party that it once was

In the Hot Seat Laxmikant Parsekar

Laxmikant Parsekar may have got the Chief Minister’s chair without breaking a sweat.

But is the coveted position, a bed of roses or a crown of thorns?

Contents

december 2014

14 First Person

Chetan Acharya on Konkani Bhasha Mandal

16 Cover Story

The challenges before Goa’s new Chief Minister

20 Politics

Cleofato Coutinho on the discouraged state of Opposition & Harshvardhan Bhatkuly on Parrikar and Panjim

22 Focus Goa

Sachin Chatte on the organisational mess at IFFI 2014

24 Heritage

Prajal Sakhardande tracks the history of Terekhol Fort

16

26 Wah! Goa

Tallulah D’Silva on the Global Shapers conclave at Quito

28 National Interest

Harshvardhan Bhatkuly pays homage to V R Krishna Iyer

30 Art

Naguesh Rao Sardessai profiles Sanjay Harmalkar

32 Nostalgia

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22

Vasco Pinho reminisces the Café Central days in Panjim

34 Bookworm

Bomoicar | Once Upon a Time in Goa

36 Music

30

‘Konkani Unplugged’ released by Sidhanath Buyao

40 Food

24

The Farmers’ Market by Karen Anand at Grand Hyatt Goa

42 Sports

The rise of FC Goa | Geno Sports Awards | Rugby Tournament | Goa River Marathon

50 Final Word

Aditi Sequeira on being a Goan girl in Chennai

06 Editorial 08 Inside Goa 38 People 45 Beautiful People

42 34

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MY GOA DECEMBER 2014

45

Harsh Reality

editorial

The fountainhead of creative energy DECEMBER 2014 VOL 1 ISSUE 1

Publisher & Editor Harshvardhan Bhatkuly Group Head Urvija Bhatkuly Team Akhil Prabhu Verlekar Alisha Patel Annalise Gouveia Govit Morajkar Mayur Santinezkar Pritesh Naik Rachel Fernandes Sigmund D’Souza Contributors in this Issue Aditi Sequeira Cleofato Almeida Coutinho Naguesh Rao Sardessai Prajal Sakhardande Prakash Kamat Sachin Chatte Tallulah D’Silva Vasco Pinho Office Address Editorial, Advertising & Administrative Office My Goa 409, Citicentre, EDC Patto Plaza Panaji, 403001 Goa India Tel.: 0832-2425514, 6456555 Email: mygoa.mag@gmail.com My Goa is a monthly magazine dedicated to Goan issues, society, culture and heritage.

MY GOA is published, printed and owned by Harshvardhan V. Bhatkuly at 409, Citicentre, EDC Patto Plaza, Panaji - Goa 403001 India and printed at Printek Printers, Bengaluru.

Editor: Harshvardhan V. Bhatkuly

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MY GOA DECEMBER 2014

Just as we dust off the last remains of the International Film Festival, here in Panjim, I can’t but think of an event that gave Goa’s capital city the oomph factor – albeit, for its heritage and cultural side. Although one cannot discount the fact that the IFFI did bring about a change in the way Panjim looks, but it surely was not where it all started.

The festival that made Panjim feel cool about its heritage and its architectural vestige was undoubtedly the Fontainhas Festival of the Arts.

By far the best time Panjim has had in one of its most charming locales. I was lucky to be a passive party to what could have become an important landmark in Goa’s tourism calendar. But fell prey to disinterest and later cynicism from the organizers, sponsors, residents and yes, the State.

The first time round when the Fontainhas Festival was planned, it was as if the entire jigsaw was waiting to be pieced together. The organizers – Goa Heritage Action Group – was a group of very enthusiastic mix of professionals and heritage lovers. Each making strides in their given profession – writing, architecture, retail or hospitality. Goa had a ‘can-do, will-do’ Chief Minister in the form of Manohar Parrikar who also incidentally was the Panjim MLA and the City Corporation was in the hands of Sanjit Rodrigues, an officer known to get things moving and work done under the Mayorship of Ashok Naik, admired for his non-intrusiveness. A perfect mix of men and matters.

The idea was simple – to focus on Panjim’s heritage by using Fontainhas as a backdrop. The draw was art and the medium were the houses of local residents. For the first time, people in Goa, or for that matter India, opened up their homes for other people to walk in. Art was hung and displayed in the living rooms of Fontainhas residents. People would walk in and appreciate the works, talk to artists and I can name at least a handful of artistic careers which have been the direct creation of this festival. That done, there would be music and live performances enacted in the public squares of Fontainhas. A brass band near Mary Immaculate High School, a divli naach near the fountain (from which Fontainhas derives its name), Remo belting Maria Pitache near Panjim Inn or Lorna singing Red Rose from the little ground opposite Antonio Sousa’s house.

Add to all this, the essence of authentic Goan cuisine in the bylanes of Fontainhas. Mum’s Kitchen, Hotel Mandovi, Raanchikud and others would dish out mouthwatering wonders one after the other.

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It used to be a week full of art, music and good cheer. Where friends would meet in the evenings for a bite and a bit of music. Where children would get their poratraits in pencil drawn by students of the art college. Where decent deals for buying local art were cut, thus creating a whole new bunch of artistic pool in Goa. It must be said to the credit of accomplished Goan artists like Vamona Navelcar, Rajeshree Thakker, Sonia Sabharwal and Subodh Kerkar, who magnanimously shared space with young upstarts, many of whom have today gone and carved out their own identities.

Was the festival successful? Hugely. Just go by how people have begun to restore old houses, not to mention the sudden demand for old ‘Portuguese’ houses from cash-rich Delhiwallahs and their ilk. I am sure the festival also led to the rise in sales for Goan colours in paints – the burgundy oxide red, ‘custom house’ blue and the yellow with a tinge of ochre in it. The objective of the Goa Heritage Action Group to disseminate information about our architectural and cultural heritage seemed to have been achieved. But then it was the job of the Tourism Department to latch on to such a wonderful property that could have ensured quality tourism for years to come. Not to mention the impetus it would provide to local artists who have to, by and large, rely on art galleries to push their works.

The one area where the organizers could have fared better was to create a bridge with the residents who not only had to open up their houses and literally compromise on their household privacy for a week or more, but who rightly or wrongly felt used by the authorities. What did they receive besides a fresh coat of paint? My gut feel is that had they been offered centre-stage to being trustees of the event, the Fontainhas Festival would have flourished and gone from strength to strength. It was too good a property to be diluted and eroded the way it has been.

This festival was put together by the collective genius of a handful of people. Further testimony to a fact that the universe conspires to get things done when a few people have a larger interest of the society at heart. The Goa Heritage Action Group has always been blessed with people who mean well for Goa’s cultural and architectural heritage.

Now the only missing link is the political will.

Sure, IFFI is a bigger event and draws the stars (paid for, of course), but the Fontainhas Festival brought art and life of Panjim together. Could we have a once more?

We want to hear from you. Tell us what you liked and what you didn’t about us, your favourite story or section and most importantly, what you’d like to see featured in My Goa Write to us at: mygoa.mag@gmail.com Unsolicited material may not be returned. The opinions expressed in My Goa are not necessarily that of the publishers. While great care is being taken to ensure accuracy of information, the publishers are not responsible for omissions or incorrect information. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the permission of the publishers.

Inside Goa Manohar Parrikar is India’s Raksha Mantri

Manohar Parrikar was appointed as the Defence Minister of India after taking oath during the cabinet expansion of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s cabinet. Apart from addressing the issue of frequent ceasefire violations, threats imposed by various extremists groups, threats from In-house anti-national groups, Parrikar has the responsibility of modernising the third largest army in the world. He further added that India does not need

to worry about either Pakistan or China, but has to focus on its defence capabilities.

“I’ve been bestowed with the responsibility to take care of defence forces’ needs. I will make sure that all the defence deals, which are needed on priority, are fast-tracked,” he said. Soon after taking charge of Defence Ministry, Parrikar had assured that there will be transparency and speedy acquisition of critical equipment for the forces

Semana Da Cultura Indo-Portuguesa (Goa) hosts sixth Lusophone Film Festival The Semana Da Cultura IndoPortuguesa (Goa) recently organized the sixth Lusophone Film Festival at Marquinez Palace in Panjim and in Chowgule College, Margao. This edition of the Lusophone Film Festival organized by Semana da Cultura Indo-Portuguesa (Goa) showcased films from the Lusophone regions, namely Mozambique, Cape Verde, Guinea Bissau, Portugal, Brazil and Angola. The film festival opened with the Mozambique movie Another man’s Garden (O Jardim do Outro Homem)

by Sol de Carvalho. A former journalist, editor and photographer, Sol de Carvalho is a well known documentary and film maker. His film Another man’s Garden (O Jardim do Outro Homem) revolves around the life of Sofia, a young girl in Mozambique who is studying to

be a doctor but soon discovers that her professor wants more from her than hard work. Her unwillingness to compromise her values and potentially her health is the crux of the story.

The film festival included a total of 11 critically acclaimed movies and documentaries from six Lusophone countries. Speaking on the occasion, the Convenor of the Executive Committee Dr. Rui Carvalho Baceira, Consul General of Portugal in Goa, said, “Through the film festival, one is able to see how dynamic the film industry in Lusophone countries is. While the language is a common thread running through, the films showcase the diverse culture of the countries.

The films being screened are among the best films from across the Lusophone countries”

Goa bags favourite Indian Leisure Destination at Condé Nast Traveller Readers’ Travel Awards 2014 Condé Nast Traveller India, a well known magazine in the domain of travel, announced the winners of the fourth edition of its Readers’ Travel Awards at a glittering ceremony at JW Marriott, New Delhi recently.

Renowned for its pristine beaches, Portuguese heritage and delectable cuisine, Goa was chosen as the Favourite Indian Leisure Destination, for the third consecutive year.

Additionally, Park Hyatt Goa

Dilip Parulekar receives the Award

Resort and Spa was chosen as the Favourite Indian Leisure Hotel by readers.

Dilip Parulekar, Minister for Tourism, commented, “Goa Tourism takes pride in being judged the ‘Favourite Leisure Destination – India’ at the Readers Travel Awards by Condé Nast Traveller. This is a testimony to the popularity of the state as a holiday option among travelers. While beaches are synonymous with Goa, other

aspects like its heritage, history, cuisine, nature and wildlife are also attracting tourists.

Goa also has a wide range of festivals all through the year which reflect our culture and legacy, this air of celebration combined with tourist-friendly facilities is a formula that has worked for us. Right now, we are focused on improving our infrastructure and other related facilities so that Goa continues to remain a favourite”

Police Inspectors asked to monitor night patrolling In view of the tourist season and especially due to recent incidents of thefts, the police department has directed police station in-charges (police inspectors) to perform night duties for five days in a week to monitor night patrolling.

The order in this regard has been issued by InspectorGeneral of Police Sunil Garg.

However, it will be implemented

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MY GOA DECEMBER 2014

on trial basis till the end of this tourist season.

According to Garg, “the decision has been taken in view of the tourist season as well as recent thefts that have been reported in the state.”

“For five days in a week the police Inspectors have been directed to perform night duties. PIs during night duties will supervise and monitor the

night patrolling,” Garg said.

Apart from night duties,police inspectors will also have to perform duty during daytime. “We are implementing it only on trial basis until this tourist season and depending on the outcome, a decision will be taken,” Garg said.

He claimed that the police inspectors performing night duties will also help improve

functioning at the police stations.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar held a crime review meeting with top police officials.

Sources said Parsekar was briefed on the crime scenario and the measures taken by the police in connection with the recent spate of thefts, especially in South Goa

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Inside Goa Miccky Pacheco inducted as Minister

Mickky Pacheco

The BJP-led Goa government has inducted Goa Vikas Party supremo and Nuvem MLA Miccky Pacheco in the Laxmikant Parsekar Cabinet.

Pacheco was given the Rural Development, Archives and Archeology porfolios. It is

learnt that Pacheco has been rewarded for ensuring the BJP’s victory in the South Goa constituency in the General Elections held this summer.

Pacheco whose public life has been a series of controversial actions was a surprise inclusion in the Cabinet. “When people have elected him knowing everything, it is my responsibility to make best use of legislators whom people have elected.

Moreover, none of these cases against him have happened in the present term,” said Chief Minister Parsekar when asked after swearing-in ceremony as to how a person with tainted background could be inducted in his Cabinet

Affidavit facilitation service launched in North Goa Affidavit facilitation service has been launched in almost all village Panchayat offices besides Mamlatdar offices in North Goa District, said the North Goa District Collector Neela Mohanan. Mohanan said that the service was first launched at the village Panchayat of Harvalem in the Sankhali taluka at the hands of Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar. Affidavit facilitation service has also been launched in Pernem and Ponda talukas as people are required to furnish affidavits while procuring income certificates,

domicile certificates, character certificates, ration cards, residence certificates and many others. Mohanan also added that the Government discovered the need of the hour when people were forced to shell out huge amounts when asked to submit an affidavit and thus decided to launch this facility for the benefit of the public. She also said that all Government offices have formats ready with them and the officers only have to change the names, addresses, and other details for which affidavits are required

V M Salgaocar Institute of International Hospitality Education hosts international faculty members The newly inaugurated VM Salgaocar Institute of International Hospitality Education (VMSIIHE) recently welcomed international faculty members Sebastien Semenzi and Georges Ortiz at its sprawling campus in Raia, South Goa. Semenzi and Ortiz will be at the institute for the next few months and will train the students in the finer nuances of hospitality. Semenzi, one of the leading chefs in France, was the Chef Instructor at Glion Institute of Higher Education, Glion, Switzerland. He has worked with Escofier, Lucien Ogier (Ex Chef de partie of Mr Escofier) and with Jean Bordier (Ex-President of Chefs-Maitres Cuisiners de France). He was awarded the Best Chef in France in 1989 by the Professional Baccalaureate for Catering, Traditional Cooking completion. Georges Ortiz, a well-known name in the field of food and beverage studies from Switzerland comes with the vast experience. He was a Food

Exposition of the holy relic of St. Francis Xavier

GSHC begins sale of flowers at subsidized rates Acting on plans of making flowers affordable to local residents, Goa State Horticulture Corporation (GSHC) commenced sale of flowers at subsidized rates through their first outlet located at Tonca.

The outlet will be followed by at least three more in city areas.

Training is being provided to vendors in making bouquets so that they can sell a range of products viz. arranged flowers as well as loose bunches.

The scheme to sell flowers was announced recently and

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GSHC is looking for applications from individuals and women self-help groups to set up more outlets and increase the supply of subsidised flowers in the market. The biggest advantage of buying from GSHC is that the flowers are available at cheaper rates. For instance, Gerbera that is sold for Rs 10 per flower by outside sellers, is just made available for Rs 5. While a bunch chrysanthemum that costs Rs 400 will be available for Rs 150 through corporation kiosk

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The most awaited St Francis Xavier Exposition began recently, with the sacred relics of the year 500 plus year old Saint, St Francis Xavier taken out in a solemn procession from the Basiclla of Bom Jesus to the Se Cathedral for exposition by select members of the holy pastoral services in Old Goa, place where his relics have been conserved. This year marks the decennial celebration of the exposition looked forward by the pilgrims and devotees all

over the world.

Important o f f i c i a l s including Chief Minister, Laxmikant Parsekar were present at the occasion.

The first mass was thronged with thousands of pilgrims and devotees from all the over the world.

During the sermon, the Archbishop of Goa and Daman, Felipe Neri Ferrao thanked the authorities of Goa for their immense contribution and support for this holy cause. A book commemorating on the life of Christians past and today was also released.

The Exposition will continue till January 2015

Inside Goa

GCCI holds seminar on tourism & trade in Nepal

Savio Messias, Narayan Bandekar, K P Dhakal, Ameya Abhyankar, D Pokharel, R S Kamat

Goa Chamber of Commerce & Industry (GCCI) facilitated a seminar on ‘Tourism, Trade and Investment opportunities in Nepal’ organised by the Embassy of Nepal in collaboration with the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) at Hotel HQ in Vasco.

The Nepal Embassy was represented by Krishna Prasad Dhakal, Chargé d’Affaires who delivered the keynote address and by Dhundi Raj Pokharel, Minister - Economic who briefed the participants about the Tourism, Trade and Investment opportunities in Nepal.

Narayan Bandekar, President, GCCI welcoming the guests said that as close neighbours, India and Nepal don’t share just the borders but also share a unique relationship of friendship and cooperation that is characterized by open borders and deep-rooted people–to– people contacts of kinship and culture. As far as trade and industry is concerned, Indian firms are the biggest investors in Nepal, accounting for about 40% of total approved foreign direct investments. While Nepal is in the process of reviving its tourism industry, Goa has been trying to reposition itself as a destination which offers many more things like culture , heritage and adventure. At this juncture both Nepal and Goa can learn a lot from each other and that makes this seminar very relevant.

K P Dhakkal said that low labour cost – below regional

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and global standards, abundant and untapped geographical resources and minerals, besides enormous potential for hydro power are some of the features that make Nepal an attractive investment destination.

Besides, he said that Nepal offers big tax exemptions, generous provisions for repatriation of profits and investment protection agreements with India. Hydropower, Service sector – viz. Education and Tourism, Infrastructure development, ITES and Agriculture are some of the sectors wherein Nepal seeks investment. Goa and Nepal, he said, have a great potential to work together as both are prime tourist destinations and tourist packages could be developed linking Mt Everest, Buddhism ancient Nepalese temples to Goa’s beaches, architecture, temples and churches. Dhundi Raj Pokharel said that all industries except for a restricted few are open to FDI and that bilateral treaties between India and Nepal give investors ample protection to their investment in Nepal.

Ameya Abhyankar, Director Tourism, Government of Goa, expressed his views on ‘Prospects for Co-operation between tourism stakeholders in Nepal and Goa’. He said that both India and Nepal are rooted in history and culture and the two peoples also shared a great bond. He said that Goa encourages eco and cultural tourism and the government would be certainly interested in working on tourist circuits between Goa and Nepal

Goa to issue Visa-on-Arrival at Dabolim Airport Getting to Goa is going to be easier for foreign tourists as the Central government has finally launched the much awaited Visa-on-Arrival facility extending to 43 countries.

The Dabolim airport is one of the nine airports in India which has been included in the list for providing the facility. The single entry tourist visa is valid for a period of 30 days.

The list of 43 countries considered for Visa on Arrival facility are Australia, Brazil, Cambodia, Cook Islands, Djibouti, Fiji, Finland, Germany, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Kiribati, Laos, Luxembourg, Marshal Islands, Mauritius, Mexico, Micronesia, Myanmar, Nauru, New Zealand, Niue Island, Norway, Oman, Palau, Palestine, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Republic of Korea, Russia, Samoa, Singapore, Solomon Islands,

Thailand, Tonga, Tuvalu, UAE, Ukraine, USA, Vanuatu and Vietnam.

Dilip Parulekar, Minister for Tourism, stated that he had been pursuing the issue of Visa-on-Arrival (VoA) and E-Visa with the Central Government for over more than two years, and was happy to announce that the facilities have finally been launched and extended to 43 countries. He thanked the Central Government headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Union Minister of State for Culture and Tourism, Dr Mahesh Sharma and Union Defense Minister and ex-Chief Minister of Goa Manohar Parrikar.

Goa Tourism is confident that the launch of VoA will increase foreign tourist arrivals from 12 to 15 per cent annually said the Minister

Goa courts will now conduct evening sessions Further to the Government’s decision to set up evening courts in the State, the Law Department has notified the rules. Under the Goa Evening Courts Rules, 2014, the High Court may notify as many courts to be evening courts.

These courts will function from 5.30 to 7.30pm and will try all kinds of cases, suits or other proceedings.

The courts will also have jurisdiction to entertain and

try all kinds of cases as may be assigned by the principal district judge, principal judge or chief judicial magistrate, as the case may be, states the government notification.

It adds that the High Court may appoint, depute or transfer any serving judicial officer as a judge of the evening courts.

And that the rules have been notified by the government in consultation with the High Court of Bombay and GPSC

Actor Raghuvir Nevrekar passes away Senior Marathi social organizations actor-director representing Hindu Raghuvir Nevrekar Goans in Mumbai. He died in Mumbai was well known for his on 23 November character Falgunrao 2014 following a in Marathi musical brief illness.

He comedy Sanshay was 85. Raghuvir Kallol. He was also Nevrekar, who hailed one of the earliest Raghuvir Nevrekar from Madkai in Goa, gained playwrights for Konkani radio popularity on the Marathi stage plays. His play Poppe Babali through his performances in Mumbai was popular for its both positive and negative roles humourous characterization of which he executed beautifully.

Poppe Bab’s visit to Mumbai. He Nevrekar was active member also starred in the first Marathi of the Goa Hindu Association, television serial Shwetambara one of the oldest cultural and in the 1980s

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SavoirFaire

The beautiful side of Goa

First Person

chetan acharya

President, Konkani Bhasha Mandal

There are many who believe that speaking in Konkani gives them a lesser status. People do not use Konkani in many places where they could Chetan Acharya is leading Konkani Bhasha Mandal at a critical and interesting juncture in the history of the language. A soft-spoken man, who would rather let his work do the talking, spoke with My Goa Chetan Acharya

Tell us about the history of the Konkani Bhasha Mandal?

Konkani Bhasha Mandal (KBM) is one of the oldest organisations set up on 30 September 1962 for the development of Konkani language, literature and culture. The entire Konkani fraternity was brought under one umbrella by this organisation through different activities and programs. KBM was able to build an army of selfless workers who had strong social commitment and zeal to work for its language and culture.

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During the early times, KBM conducted literary conferences and seminars and played a very important role to begin primary education in Konkani language.

It formulated the Konkani syllabus for primary educations and even prepared textbooks for the same. It has done what the government should have done otherwise. KBM did its work in a time when Konkani had not got any recognition from the government, or the Sahitya academy. History has it that at times when it felt financial crunch,

the selfless soldiers of Konkani have even taken loans by keeping the gold ornaments of their wives as security and continued their work for KBM. Such was the commitment towards the language. KBM continues to do its work with the young brigade of Konkani now spearheading its committee. With several activities and programs, KBM is now in the process of developing syllabus for the pre-primary schools.

Why is it that there exists a tug of

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war between the Devnagri and Roman script protagonists? Don’t you think that both sides should come together to fight for the common cause of the language?

The tug of war is a superficial battle drawn by selfish interests who want to fulfill their aspirations at the cost of the language. It is only the politicians and those interested in posts and positions who are keeping this issue alive to protect their chairs. KBM has never opposed Romi script and instead encourages writing in the script. We have not differentiated even while giving awards and several writers have got awards for Romi writings. The opposition to Romi in education and official language is not a one sided decision but a decision taken years ago by discussing and deliberating with both the proponents of Romi and Devnagiri. Some of the people who demand the inclusion of Romi in the Official Language Act and education should be guided by the stalwarts and elders so that all can work hand in hand for the betterment of the language.

Do you believe that the language is at a risk of being endangered – the belief being that lesser and lesser people are speaking Konkani.

What is your frank opinion and how do you wish to reverse the trend, if at all?

The present trend seems to have a wrong impression that speaking in English would lead to modernization. There are many who believe that speaking in Konkani gives them a lesser stature.

And only youth cannot be blamed for this, since several parents believe in interacting with their children in English with a view to make them ‘modern’ right from childhood. The risk is of this false impression. However, I can also see several youngsters on Facebook or WatsApp and other social media, now using Konkani to interact and even downloading Devnagiri scripts to write.

This would not have been possible

without the love for their language.

What is the biggest challenge that is faced by the Konkani language?

The biggest challenge is that people do not use Konkani in many places where they could. Even while speaking and interacting, we seem to need the crutches of English. While the universal principal says that a child learns better in his or her mother tongue, we seem to be running towards the English medium schools. I, being part of the management of Konkani medium school, can proudly boast that our students have been extremely successful in their future. Our students are today strongly based abroad, in the capital markets, in medical, engineering and several such fields and they proudly announce that their Konkani education has made them stronger. The challenge is to shed the false pride of English and accept our own for good. The challenge is to convince people about this truth.

The challenge is to work together with the government to establish more and better schools in Konkani medium.

What have been the highlights of the Konkani Bhasha Mandal during your Presidentship?

I got the privilege of being the President in the 50th year of KBM which also saw the start of its middle school during my tenure. We proudly named it after veteran Konkani writer Ravindrabab Kelekar. We released the third edition of the Konkani grammar book at the hands

of the CM Manohar Parrikar during the golden jubilee celebrations that also saw the felicitation of all its past presidents. A special quiz competition for higher secondary and college students was instituted by Adv Deepa Singbal in the memory of her husband Adv, Arun Singbal since last year. We also hosted the All India Literary Festival of Akhil Bhartiya Sahitya Parishad. We were able to organise two translation workshops in association with National Book Trust that saw students translating around 30 books to Konkani. These books will be published soon. Our school is growing fast and we have been able to organize several special activities with the support of generous helping hands. KBM’s Shenai Goembab Kathamal, Radha Mukund Naik elocution competition, Chitrangi, Goa Yuva Mahotsav have touched greater heights with increased participation and better organisation. We are now in the process of formulating the syllabus for pre-primary schools. We have already prepared a chitrabodh (picture

book) for primary students, which will be released soon.

What is the stand of the Academy on the flip-flop that the government is doing on the medium of instruction issue?

KBM’s stand has remained the same since beginning. Primary education has to be in the mother tongue. And hence any government cannot take a stand opposed to this principle

DECEMBER 2014 MY GOA

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Cover Story

The BJP central observers B S Yeduriappa and Rajiv Pratap Rudy contained the dissent of Dy. CM Francis D’Souza and made him propose Laxmikant Parsekar’s name as Chief Minister.

L

axmikant Parsekar’s accession to the coveted chair of Chief Minister could be the envy of the likes of Rajendra Arlekar and Francis D’Souza, but an array of problems that are awaiting solutions for far too long, could make the chair a hot seat for Chief Minister himself.

Honestly, Parsekar as Health Minister in the erstwhile Manohar Parrikar government may not have impressed

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many, but his first statement to the media after taking over as Chief Minister certainly caught the public imagination when he unhesitatingly told a local English daily that he would be the face of the State BJP in 2017 polls. A statement not only very adventurous in the Goa BJP, which is dominated by Parrikar, but high on ambition as well.

For all his bravado, indications from his month-long stint at the new job are that the Parsekar government, as

expected, has been working under the shadow of Manohar Parrikar. According to media reports, it does follow the expected pattern with the entire Cabinet virtually waiting for the weekend arrival of the former Chief Minister and Goa BJP’s undisputed leader, to resolve all the major issues and take a final call on contentious subjects.

While there are many admirers of Parrikar within the BJP as well as outside of the party who find Goa sans Parrikar

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In the Hot Seat Laxmikant Parsekar

Laxmikant Parsekar may have got the Chief Minister’s chair without breaking a sweat. But is the coveted position, a bed of roses or a crown of thorns?

by PRAKASH KAMAT situation of turmoil and chaos. Whether his detractors agree or not, while Parrikar has indeed left behind a legacy of an all inclusive coalition which has disparate groups like neo-Hindutva votaries in MGP,

There are several unresolved issues like Regional Plan, shifting of casinos out of river Mandovi, a half-finished primary education policy and the simmering discontent over the mining issue. And add to it now, the amendment in Tenancy law difficult to fathom, there are others like Dr. Francisco Colaco, who have openly voiced mixed feelings over Parrikar’s exit. “Someone who reigned with an iron hand and was intolerant to dissent, a man who instilled fear upon anyone who dared to oppose him, is at last being shunted out to Delhi,” said Dr. Colaco’s letter in a local newspaper recently. He goes on to observe that Parrikar had started with a bang, but sadly ended with a whimper, reducing the State to a

on the one hand and a large number of Catholic support base on the other, backing the government.

If he is credited for carrying along such a coalition with élan and ease, on the flip side, he will also have to share the blame for saddling this government with a baggage of several unresolved issues right from a much delayed Regional Plan, contentious problem of shifting of casinos out of river Mandovi, a halffinished primary education policy and

not to speak of the simmering discontent over the mining issue.

As if these issues were not enough, Parsekar is left firefighting over the flames ignited by Parrikar’s misadventure of amending the highly sensitive Tenancy Reforms, not taken kindly to by the masses.

The manner in which the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had to induct the ever-controversial and mercurial Mickky Pacheco in the berth vacated in the Cabinet by Parrikar’s departure to New Delhi, speaks volumes of Chief Minister Parsekar’s monumental challenges in running the BJP-led coalition government in the absence of Parrikar.

While pressures from Mickky Pacheco notwithstanding, Parrikar had managed to use him politically and still keep him at bay, for the last two-and-a-half years. It spoke of Parrikar’s Machiavellian politics in handling single-handedly the Catholic support base not only across the State, but particularly in Salcete. Parsekar may surely be found wanting on this front.

With astute politician from South Goa and former Chief Minister, Luizinho Faleiro, returning to Goa, the BJP has had no choice but to bring in Pacheco to keep Salcete divided to allow Parsekar to carry on. Undoubtedly, the position of the Goa Chief Minister, which, he or anyone else for that matter, thought was out of bounds with Parrikar around, has come to Parsekar on a platter. Does he know how to deal with this?

Challenges before Parsekar will be

DECEMBER 2014 MY GOA

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Cover Story Parsekar’s profound hope lies on an expected financial package from the Centre, courtesy Parrikar. If that does not come through, the new Chief Minister may find the going really tough.

A State Budget in March with compulsions to continue sops and mining resumption still not in sight, could be a difficult proposition Laxmikant Parsekar

multi-fold and many. The disgruntled club of Speaker Arlekar and Dy. Chief Minister D’Souza, who lost out in the race for the Chief Minister’s chair, is further widened by joining of the likes of Deepak Dhavlikar, Avertano Furtado and Mickky Pacheco – the triumvirate sulking over poor (portfolios) deals meted out to them in his Cabinet.

Whether he likes it or not, much to the plight of Parsekar, he will have to work under the direct shadow of his predecessor Parrikar. Every decision he takes, every move he makes, will be under close scrutiny. Parsekar has another problem. Having been in politics long enough, he considers himself Parrikar’s contemporary, and will make an attempt to step into his shoes and run the government like Parrikar did.

The problem is that he can’t, and that could well be his undoing. Come the State Legislative Assembly Budget session, which is not far from now, and Parsekar’s political acumen will be publicly tested. Ministers, including the Chief Minister may find the going tough, with no larger than life Parrikar anymore on the treasury benches, rushing to their rescue every time they are cornered or grilled.

Right from day one, Laxmikant Parsekar has been shrewdly trying to distance himself from the centralized power style of Parrikar by telling the Press

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MY GOA DECEMBER 2014

that he would come out with his plan to decentralise the entire functioning of his government. Contrary to Parrikar’s oneman-show, Parsekar’s government may give a semblance of a decentralized set up, but it does not need much political intelligence to realize that Parsekar himself would be a proxy of the much powerful RSS lobby, if not Parrikar, who would be the real power-centre of this government. Yet again, while Parrikar’s government definitely worked under the shadow of RSS, his stature in Goa BJP, his influence with the Central BJP and Nagpur, definitely allowed him the

elbow room for political maneuverings.

Coupled with his shrewd political skills, Parrikar continued to run with the hare and hunt with the hounds as far as his rapport with the minorities and loyalty to RSS was concerned.

Much to his credit, Parrikar managed two years in power with a non-BJP government at the Centre when the crisis of mining ban gripped the State economy. He somehow managed to continue the show by micro managing the State’s finances for the last 30 months. Parsekar’s profound hope lies on an expected financial package from the Centre, courtesy Parrikar. If that does not come through, the new Chief Minister may find the going really tough. A State Budget in March with compulsions to continue sops and mining resumption still not in sight could be a difficult proposition. The continuation of goodies of social security schemes like Laadli Laxmi and Dayanand Social Security to a large number of beneficiaries means a monthly outflow of around Rs.150 crores.

It is, therefore, quite pertinent that Laxmikant Parsekar has identified resolving unemployment as his immediate challenge, and boosting selfemployment and creation of jobs as his priority. One of the areas where Parrikar failed to deliver, contrary to expectations, was tackling the corruption with an iron hand. His “zero tolerance to corruption” remained merely a slogan. His systematic indifference to instill various mechanisms to usher transparency and create a deterrent for the corruption in the system were baffling to say the least. Parrikar’s

All the promises made by the Parrikar-led Parivartan regime have been proved false and that the much touted ‘Zero tolerance for corruption’ was only a slogan that has been proved to be a fraud perpetrated on Goenkars vijai sardesai

Fatorda MLA

www.LinkedIn.com/My Goa 30-month-rule did more harm to RTI, a weapon he used skillfully to expose the corrupt Congress rule, and saw no serious attempts to either activate the Lokayukta or strengthen the Information Commission. The implementation of Public Service Guarantee Act continues to be a far cry, as well. “All the promises made by the Parrikar-led Parivartan regime have been proved false and that the much touted “Zero tolerance for corruption” was only a slogan that has been proved to be a fraud perpetrated on Goenkars,” says Fatorda MLA Vijay Sardesai, hitting the nail on the head.

When Parsekar promises clean administration, what will be closely watched will be whether he takes proactive steps to restore the institutional mechanisms for transparency and against corruption. “My government would go for clean administration, overall development of the State and implementation of the social schemes,” he said in a press interview, urging the people to give him at least some time, so as to prove himself. For the already half-way down its tenure, time could be running out for the BJP government.

Parsekar has also gone one step ahead, promising not to interfere in the functioning of the Ministries of his Cabinet colleagues, promising to “just guide them,” indicating departure from the Parrikar style of functioning. With the kind of lightweight portfolios they have been allotted, Mickky Pacheco and Avertano Furtado on the one hand and Deepak Dhavlikar on the other, are a disgruntled lot. While none of the alliance partners dare to rock the boat mid-way, especially with the BJP strongly in power at the Centre, Parsekar will have to be alert to any build-up of dissident activity around him, especially with his No.2 having not taken kindly to his accession.

Feel the Heartbeat of Goa FROM THE PUBLISHERS OF

Disgruntled partners: (CW) Mickky Pacheco, Adv. Francis D’Souza, Deepak Dhavalikar and Avertano Furtado are sore about the ministerial portfolios given to them

While there might be a new surge to unseat the BJP government with the arrival of Luizinho Faleiro, the government may continue to be steady even wihout the hovering presence of Parrikar in the State, for Parrikar will surely continue to pull the strings from New Delhi.

It is true that Parrikar has left the State when the mining crisis is yet to be fully resolved, when the Regional Plan controversy is heating up and the Dabolim-Mopa airport controversy is at its peak. Parsekar would be aware that the real test of the government would be in cases and matters where the stakes are much higher. “People are wondering whether the U-turns that the earlier government excelled at, will continue.

The Parsekar government’s stand on these U-turns, which include the Regional Plan, mining, casinos whose licenses expire in December this year, medium of instruction, etc., will be closely watched.

Parsekar should be fully aware that

Disgruntlement over losing out in the race to be CM may make Speaker Arlekar and Dy. Chief Minister D’Souza see red; and the discontent could be further widened by joining of the likes of Deepak Dhavlikar, Avertano Furtado and Mickky Pacheco – the triumvirate sulking over poor (portfolios) deals meted out to them in Parsekar’s Cabinet the people of Goa will expect him to take tough stands in these matters, and will evaluate his performance on this basis. The skeletons of the previous government of two and a half years will come tumbling out as their ‘Raksha’ is no longer in Goa,” says Vijay Sardesai articulating the difficult ride for the Laxmikant Parsekar’s government.

“The Goa Bachao Abhiyan was never properly heard by Parrikar. Can we expect better from Parsekar? Or will he also continue the U-turn policy of the last two and a half years?” asks the only powerful voice in the Opposition today. “But even as some see Parsekar’s position as unenviable, he might well turn around and surprise all of us because Goa expects so little from him. So he needs to do very little to score,” says a recent editorial in O Heraldo”. This may turn out to be true and a win-win situation for both, Goa and Laxmikant Parsekar

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Be it art and society, politics and culture, current affairs and trends. Come, feel the very core of Goa. Read My Goa. DECEMBER 2014 MY GOA

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Politics

A street fighting opposition required Cleofato Almeida Coutinho

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he Congress party in Goa, after its defeat two and half years ago, has still not come out of its shell. In the meantime it lost the general elections and got reduced to a rump of 44 MPs. The Congress faced the fury of the electorate even in its traditional bastion of Salcete reducing the party to a single digit in the House. After two and half years, the present regime has almost become a mirror image of the past government on almost every front, but the difference now is that the present government has no opposition both inside and outside the Assembly.

The Congress party has surrendered the entire opposition space to an independent MLA also from Salcete.

Democracy without opposition is a frightening proposition. Is it that the party is to function only when in power?

Is power the only cementing factor? Why should the people take a party seriously if it goes out of circulation when out of power?

The Congress party has not taken a proper stand on behalf of the mining dependents or mining affected. There is no whisper against the non-functioning of the institutions of transparency be it the State Information Commission or the accountability body – the Lokayukta. It has no stand on corruption in administration and malgovernance at all levels. The party has not even taken a clear stand on the airport issue – an emotive issue in Salcete, though individual leaders from South have been opposing the new airport at Mopa. The party is silent on the governments’ stand on the regional plan and a somersault

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The Writer discusses the decline in the morale and erosion of base of the Congress party as a worthy opposition in the State Assembly and suggests that it could look at Manohar Parrikar’s rabble rousing tenure as Leader of Opposition that reversed the BJP’s fortunes in Goa, as a possible case study on the casinos. Drug trade also booms without a whimper.

It is in that context that the return of Luizinho Faleiro as the chief of the Goa Pradesh Committee shall have to be seen. To what extent the party can recover and reorganize itself in the remaining two and half years before the next assembly elections is the challenge before the former chief minister. Though he is seen as part of the old guard, the party had run out of options but has put its best foot forward.

Congress’ problem has become complex with the split on its alliance with the Nationalist Congress Party in Maharashtra. The traditional support base of the party had been in talukas of Salcete, Bardez, Tiswadi and Mormugao, due to the merger of the then United Goan Party into the then Congress.

Under the alliance with NCP, Bardez and Mormugaa was almost given up to the Nationalist Congress Party for over a decade. The immediate task is to have a proper strategy with the local leaders of the NCP on their entry into the party so that the party gets enough muscle in

To what extent can the Congress recover and reorganize itself in the remaining two and half years before the next assembly elections is the challenge before Luizinho Faleiro, who has been brought in to head the GPCC

the traditional strong hold of Salcete, Bardez and Mormugao. The new GPCC chief shall have to take a call on the independent MLAs whose performance have also caught the imagination of the people. How the GPCC chief shall deal with the other independent MLAs from Salcete supporting the government is worth noting. The public is closely looking at how the new GPCC chief shall deal with the political terrorists of Salcete!

If one goes by the trends of the Lok Sabha election, the performance of the Congress party in Salcete has been impressive, despite the non existence of the organization. There is no ideological glue that binds the constituency satraps.

The social base has been shrinking due to various schemes brought in by the government which distributes doles to all and sundry. The party has not lent its shoulder for any cause dear to the hearts of Goans leaving the field open to media, activists and non-governmental organizations.

The immediate past history from the states show that Congress party

Luizinho Faleiro

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Parrikar and Panjim

anohar Parrikar’s resignation of the Panjim seat and the consequent by-elections to the capital’s constituency has finally created some political excitement in a State that has seen political stability for nearly 9 years now.

In 1994, Manohar Parrikar wrested the Panjim seat in a contest against a weak Keshav Prabhu who was fielded by the Congress. It was a watershed year for the BJP in Goa, as they won 4 seats in the Assembly for the first time. It was also the year that spelt the beginning of the end for the MGP. The Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Paksha had fought the 1994 election as senior alliance partner along with the BJP and Shiv Sena. Atal Behari Vajpaye, then at his fiery best – and BJP’s prime ministerial hopeful, held the audience captive outside Mahalakshmi Temple, where he addressed a huge gathering. Baban Naik, one time MGP legislator, who was then sitting in the audience, was invited on stage and I believe it was at that very moment that MGP ceded the seat to the BJP – which it would retain, without breaking a sweat, for two decades.

Very few people in Panjim knew who Parrikar was and where he came from, apart from his RSS friends. He had unsuccessfully contested the Lok Sabha elections two years before. But the master strategist that he is, must have sensed a political opportunity in the capital city which was then represented for two consecutive terms by a jovial and easy-going baker from Mala, Joao Baptist Gonsalves, better known as JB. JB did precious little for the city apart from being the nice man that he

was. Always had good things to say to others. And was ever smiling. I know this because I purchased a full loaf of bread, a fruit pie and 6 patties from him every afternoon then.

But if JB had any grand vision for the city, was not known to his constituents. And here was an IIT engineer – Parrikar’s electoral advertisement in the 1994 elections did not make any attempt to hide his academics exploits. In fact, when asked “Parrikar who?” “IIT engineer” was the response that you would more often than not, get. Parrikar also had a plan and well spelt out manifesto for the city, hitherto an unknown or not systematically disseminated piece of vision by MLAs. I still remember the Campal/St.Inez creek cleansing advertisement released by Parrikar as an election promise – which later his political opponents chose to tickle him with for non-action.

Parrikar would then move around with his RSS and party pals – Subhash Velingkar, Lele Sir, Raju Sukerkar, Datta Kholkar and others. Two young advocates – Sanjay Usgaocar and Vilas Thali, were also part of his crack team.

Two elections against Keshav Prabhu, 1994 and 1999, were virtually a walk over for him. One must also bear in mind that the chief ministerial candidate of the MGP in 1994, Ramakant Khalap had lost the elections to Sangeeta Parab

in Mandrem– and barring his stint as Lok Sabha MP and later his elevation as Union Law Minister in Deve Gowda’s cabinet, the Mapusa based lawyer-banker’s political fortunes in the State were on Manohar Parrikar the wane.

In 2002, Parrikar contested as a sitting Chief Minister against one time Panjim mayor, Ramesh Silimkhan fielded by the Congress Party, and won comfortably. In 2007 though, fighting a one-to-one battle against Congress’ Dinar Tarcar, his margin of victory was barely 1400 odd votes. In 2012, he wiped out Yatin Parekh – another mayor of the capital city.

So now that the man who was the face of Panjim for 20 years in the Goa Legislative Assembly and a vociferous and most heard voice in the State, has chosen to leave it all for Delhi, there is a mad scamper of hopefuls who had contained their electoral aspirations – many for years together, as they did not want to cross paths with Parrikar.

It is more or less certain that BJP will field long-time confidante of Parrikar, Siddharth Kunkolienkar for the seat and Mayor Surendra Furtado has staked his claim for the Congress ticket. Babush Monseratte, canny customer that he is – is keeping everyone guessing. But as I mentioned above, political excitement is coming back to Panjim. Let’s watch the contest closely

has a capacity to bounce back only if its leadership performs well in the opposition. N.T. Ramarao’s Telugu Dessam wiped out the Congress party from its traditional citadel of Andhra Pradesh on the issue of Telugu pride.

Y.S. Rajashekahar Reddy as leader of opposition fought back, bringing the party into reckoning and almost creating a cult figure in himself. Siddarammaiah in Karnataka, Harish Rawat in Uttarkhand also put a determined fight against the BJP and brought back the party to power. In states like Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh the

party failed to throw up any challenge.

In fact, the party itself is accused of not permitting state level leaders to bloom.

Even Manohar Parrikar, after loss of power in 2005, performed extremely well as Leader of Opposition. It is that role as Leader of Opposition that caught the imagination of the people. He street fought back to power almost singlehandedly.

There is no doubt that the main threat to the party comes from its inability to allow poplar leaders to rise from within its ranks. Locally rooted persons could change the prospects if they are given

a place of respect and assurance of the tickets for the next assembly elections as against the present situation of patronage.

The task before the new party chief is to market the party to the people with a taint free label. It is imperative that if the party has to do well it has to take up issues dear to hearts of Goans. If the party is unable to put up a stellar performance in the house, the party can certainly put a good performance outside the house. The locally rooted leaders also require a platform to street fight the government

by Harshvardhan Bhatkuly

The writer is a practising Advocate

DECEMBER 2014 MY GOA

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Focus Goa international film festival of india 2014

Missing the big picture sachin chatte

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he 45th edition of Asia’s oldest and India’s premier film festival was held in Goa this year and it was the 11th year in succession that the festival was held in the state.

It started in 2004 with a lot of fanfare and a few controversies – most of which were blown out of proportion as it turned out – but since then it has settled down in many ways.

But how has IFFI’s progress been over the years? Well, it has been more a case of one step forward and two steps backwards and, occasionally, the other way round. And sometimes a

The Writer was left frustrated and bewildered by the fact that year on year, the organisers of the International Film Festival of India have mastered the art of taking the level of the event lower than the year before side-step. There are other film festivals that have caught up very fast and IFFI faces competition from MAMI despite the fact that IFFI has almost four times the budget of its Mumbai counterpart – Rs.20 crores versus Rs.5 crores. And IFFI is not half as good on many counts.

In fact, the only lesson learnt this year is that we have not learnt anything from the previous years and whatever little was gained has also been frittered away in this edition.

The problem basically lies with lack of professionalism and a desire to set things right. You don’t need an Einstein to sort out many of these issues.

Besides, it is not so much about money as it is about the money being wisely spent. In movie parlance, if it is not seen on the screen, it is a waste. With two factions, the Entertainment Society of Goa (ESG) and the IFFI Secretariat at the helm of affairs, there is always a tug of war going on as to who gets a bigger slice of the pie. This turf war is futile because in the end, the victim is brand IFFI itself. For example, this year the raging debate was who will do the décor for opening ceremony.

And it is certainly not the case that one faction is more competent or productive than the other. For example,

Pic Courtesy: JoeGoa UK

The more I see of the IFFI schedule, the more I am convinced that they roll dice to decide the scheduling of films. Otherwise, how on earth can you explain a Masterclass scheduled with Satish Kaushik and an animation film like ‘Mighty Raju’ in an auditorium that seats 950 while the Cannes Palm d’Or winner Winter Sleep is screened in a theatre with a capacity of 230 odd?

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the Entertainment Society of Goa keeps organizing IFFI roadshows every year.

Now if you haven’t created awareness after hosting the festival for a decade, it is highly improbable that a roadshow will help.

What irks us the most is that the same mistakes are repeated year after year. Now it appears to be easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for IFFI officials to amend their mistakes. To start with, it is natural for every festival to take pride in the films that it screens – everyone wants to have the crème de la crème of films from around the world. But even if you have the best of films, it is important to disseminate information about them and schedule them with some sense, otherwise what good is getting those films?

In what can be termed an unpardonable sin, the list of films was released just two days before the festival this year, earning IFFI the dubious distinction of being a festival that is completely out of sync. All they had to do was upload the contents on the net, but that too was an insurmountable mountain to climb. Why is it so important to know those details, you may wonder. Well, to begin with, for the festival it helps to create a buzz. Instead of blowing up money by plastering bus stops and other places with IFFI posters and flagging off road shows, it will give so much more mileage in the media if they announce the details in advance, even if it’s piecemeal The more I see of the IFFI schedule, the more I am convinced that they roll dice to decide the scheduling of films.

Otherwise, how on earth can you explain a Masterclass scheduled with Satish Kaushik (with all due respect to him) and an animation film like Mighty Raju in an auditorium that seats 950 while the Cannes Palm d’Or winner Winter Sleep is screened in a theatre with a capacity of 230 odd? Year after year it has been lamented that the scheduling of films should be done by someone who has some knowledge of cinema. Older films are screened in bigger auditoriums while some new gems are shown in smaller theatres. Moreover, the acclaimed films

Pic Courtesy: JoeGoa UK

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There are other film festivals that have caught up very fast and IFFI faces competition from MAMI despite the fact that IFFI has almost four times the budget of its Mumbai counterpart – Rs.20 crores versus Rs.5 crores. And IFFI is not half as good on many counts are not evenly spaced out – in the first five days there were just a few of them and in the second half there has been an overabundance. We were forced to twiddle our thumbs in the first five days and skip some good films that clashed with others in the second half. Either way it was disappointing. Are these films being screened just for the record or to actually reach out to the maximum number of people? The answer is not blowing in the wind, it is in your face!

Ultimately, the festival is about films, and the experience of watching them should be made as pleasant as possible. The colours of the IFFI peacock’s feathers and the texture of the red carpet are not of particular interest to film buffs.

The Goa Government has lofty plans to build new infrastructure in Dona Paula. Currently, the theatres put together have a capacity of around 2500 and we are not sure what exactly the new infrastructure will comprise.

There is a simpler solution at hand.

There are 3 theatres in Panjim (Cine National, Samrat-Ashok), even if the Government upgrades them for Rs.1 crore (which is the amount they spent on the hangar for the opening ceremony in 2012 and ‘13) you have readymade theatres and all within the vicinity of the existing theatres. A new multiplex is also coming up in Porvorim, probably by next year, which can also be used. Ravindra Bhawan in Margao was upgraded with great fanfare by the then Chief Minister, screenings can be held there for residents of South Goa. There is so much that can be done with minimum costs, if there is the will to do it.

On the whole, this has been one of the more disappointing IFFIs on many counts. All we wanted was to watch good films, comfortably and conveniently.

Sadly, that didn’t happen.

The term ‘paradigm shift’ was used frequently in the last couple of years with regard to taking IFFI to the next level. One is still waiting for an iota of evidence that paradigms have been shifted, and not just responsibility The writer is a radio jockey and film critic

DECEMBER 2014 MY GOA

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Heritage terekhol fort

Prajal sakhardande

The Writer laments the insensitiveness of leaseholders of this heritage property and Government apathy of moving the Terekhol fort from public domain into private hands

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MY GOA DECEMBER 2014

Gateway to Aparant

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oa wears the crown of the historic heritage Fort of Terekhol or Tiracol. The Terekhol fort should be declared as one of the seven wonders of Goa, vis-Ă -vis its beautiful scenic location on the hillock and the Terekhol river along with the vast expanse of the sea that it commands.

The view from the ramparts of the fort overlooking the Keri beach dotted with the Casuarina tree cover is a treat to the eyes.

However the leaseholders of the fort have spoilt the pristine beauty of this historic-heritage fort. It is my passionate and humble plea that the

history and heritage character of the fort needs to be preserved.

The story of the fort takes us to the years 162740 when the Pedne mhal was under the Bhonsle Kings of Sawantwadi (also known as the Wadikar Bhonsles) who were vassals of the Adil Shah and later of Shivaji.

The Fort of Terekhol was originally built by King Khem Sawant Bhonsle of Sawantwadi between 1627-40 and since then, the fort has witnessed a number of historical events that look place there including the martyrdom of Sheshnath Wadekar and Hirve Guruji.

In 1664, it came under the dominions of Shivaji’s Maratha Swarajya when he conquered it from the Adil Shah of Bijapur. Bhonsles of Sawantwadi were the feudatories. The fort has a complex political history as it changed political hands many a times from 1640 to 1961.

From Shivaji, his son Sambhaji inherited it in 1681 and following Sambhaji’s execution in 1689, it briefly went to the Mughals under Aurangzeb.

From 1707 to 1746, the Bhonsles of Sawantwadi ruled the mahals of Pednem-Bicholim-Sakhali-Sattari, independently. In 1746, the Portuguese led by the Marques of Alorna conquered the Terekhol fort from the Bhonsles of Sawantwadi. The Bhonsles of Sawantwadi reconquered the fort, till finally in 1788, the Portuguese reconquered Pednem and the Terekhol fort and with the conquest of the Terekhol fort and Pednem mahal in 1788, the whole of Goa came under the Portuguese rule till 19th December, 1961.

The Portuguese built a Chapel dedicated to St. Anthony in the fort and added turrets at the various corners of the fort as watchtowers. In 1835, the fort witnessed a military revolt and bloodshed. On 15th August, 1954, the

Pic Courtesy: Sanjeev Trivedi

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Leaseholders have altered the historic cannon landing space and cut in steps there. They have placed yellow tiles, bathroom style tiles in the fort thereby defacing the original historic-heritage characters of this beautiful fort. fort was taken over by the Satyagrahis led by freedom fighters Alfred Afonso who planted the Indian tricolor flag on the rampants of the fort for 22hours.

Then the Portuguese arrested Alfred Afonso and re took the fort from the Satyagrahis. In another Satyagraha led by brave patriot Sheshnath Wadekar was fired at by the Portuguese from the ramparts of the fort on 3rd August, 1955. On 15th August, 1955 Tulshiram Hirve alias Hirve Guruji from Panvel in

Maharashtra led a batch of Satyagrahis at the Terekhol fort. He too was fired at by the Portuguese and died a martyr like Sheshnath Wadekar.

Thus, we see that the fort has a glorious history of political conquests, spirit of nationalism and is a symbol of Goa’s liberation from colonial yoke.

However, leaseholders have shown scant respect for its history and rich heritage by making alterations and changes to the heritage and historic character of the fort which they have no right to do as the fort is in public domain.

People have sentimental value towards the fort and its history. The leaseholders have altered the historic cannon landing space and cut in steps there. They have placed yellow tiles, bathroom style tiles in the fort thereby defacing the original historic-heritage characters of this beautiful fort. Now we learn that the fort has been once again leased by the government. One has to protest against this blatant and insensitive alterations to the fort and demand that the public school have open access to the fort anytime without any restriction as it belongs to the people of Goa and not to any private interests

Prajal Sakhardande is a historian, teacher and heritage activist. Images of the Terekhol Fort, before it was leased out, were clicked by entrepreneur-bike enthusiast, Sanjeev Trivedi

DECEMBER 2014 MY GOA

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Wah! Goa

Social Enterprise: the Quito experience tallulah d’silva

The writer heads the Goa Chapter of Global Shapers, an initiative of the World Economic Forum; and recently had the opportunity to visit Quito, Ecuador to participate at Spark – an event that nurtures social enterprises

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There were essentially two reasons why I was keen to participate in Spark Quito (17th-19th Oct 2014), one was the fact that it offered an opportunity for Shapers (of the Global Shapers Community, an initiative of the World Economic Forum) across the globe to contribute to local development in Ecuador, to work in teams to further develop selected social business and entrepreneurial projects and of course the chance to travel to Ecuador and a once in a lifetime opportunity to see Galapagos.

My head was reeling with possibilities. Here was a chance to learn more about how youth and women could become social entrepreneurs.

How simple ideas could become tools to impact community positively and provide income to unemployed seeking alternatives from the mundane to do something more meaningful. The possibility to learn more about a new place was also very exciting. I was keen to learn more about Quito city – a UNESCO world heritage site, how it manages tourism, etc and also about Galapagos, the UNESCO World Natural bio-reserve, how it manages conservation, tourism, etc. So I gave it a shot with a very good application and guess what? I got selected!

Social entrepreneurship is yet to make a presence in India and Goa. What is a social business? Like an NGO it has a social mission, but like a business it generates its own revenue to cover its costs and while investors may recover their investment, all further profits are reinvested into the same or other social businesses. Like Yunus social initiative, Manzil, or many global initiatives

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MY GOA DECEMBER 2014

Understanding social business models

12 Shapers from 10 different countries were selected to be a part of this twoday event. There were Shapers from India, Chile, France, Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Colombia, Germany and Ecuador. Each Shaper brought along different experiences and expertise to the table. Sustainability, healthcare, web technology, youth leadership, social entrepreneurship,

Social entrepreneurship is yet to make a presence in India and Goa. What is a social business?

Like an NGO it has a social mission, but like a business it generates its own revenue to cover its costs and plough the profits back in the business

business administration, art and culture in education, innovation, public policy, entrepreneurship, informatics, community building and networking, On the first day, we were introduced to all the participants and the 3 selected social entrepreneurs. Dominga lead by 2 passionate women, Paula Guerra and Gabriela Delgado, is a women’s network where Ecuadorian indigenous women produce hand-woven clothes and these are sold to an international market with an objective to promote local handicraft and empower local indigenous women. It began its operations in the Quito Historic Centre in 2012. The second social business was MOI led by Carlos Huerta with a focus on education. Its objective was to provide an e-learning platform for children with interests outside what is taught in school. And the third social entrepreneur was Cabildo Juvenil led by Christian Cunache and Darwin Vasquez with an objective to empower local youth of the old town of Quito by making kits to promote Hydroponics in urban spaces and encouraging residents to grow their

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We were divided into 3 groups based on our expertise and interest in the selected social businesses. The 2 days were packed with a dynamic environment and learning tools and different experts guiding us along on various processes to fine tune each social business model.

The work sessions were held at the landmark Directorate of Metropolitan Development and Municipality of Quito, an old warehouse refurbished for adaptive reuse. The Quito Hub Shapers, many of them with a passion for social entrepreneurship, had put together a very well structured wire frame for work over the 2 days. On the first day, we were introduced to the 3 social entrepreneurs and then engaged in an icebreaking session conducted by a Shaper from Cordoba Hub, Julian Bronstein, a ribtickling clown loved by all, followed by an interesting session on how to scale up a social business by local Quito Hub Shaper, Michelle Arevalo. Then commenced a very thorough, excellently

structured and timely guided session, by one of the most down to earth and passionate Quito Shapers from France, Helene Billaud.

With specific time slots for ideation, design, evaluating practicality of the model and validation of the same, we worked effectively as a group – brainstorming, exploring additional ideas and concepts to strengthen the model, understanding ground realities, planning on ground surveys, setting up websites, sharing on social networking platforms for feedback, etc. The next day, we continued and were guided further to gather information from the local community; prepare a canvas to pin down the larger objective, as to who the target client would be, etc.

And it was all finally wrapped up with a session guiding us on how to pitch the

idea and win funding for the project!

Cabildo Juvenil won the grant and competition. Dominga too, were extremely good. Going forward all the Shapers who participated in the event resolved to take this to the next level by keeping in touch and helping not just Cabildo Juvenil but also Dominga and MOI to reach out and take their ideas and products to the community at large.

And also take the idea of Spark Quito to their own cities to further the impact of bolstering and creating awareness about social entrepreneurship The writer is an Architect and nature lover

DECEMBER 2014 MY GOA

27

National Interest justice v r krishna iyer

The Last Apostle of Indian Constitutionalism harshvardhan sinai bhatkuly

The glory days of the Supreme Court of India were the 70s and 80s and one Judge who created constitutional revivalism with his path-breaking humane judgements was Justice V R Krishna Iyer

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he passing away of a judicial and constitutional doyen marks the end of an era.

For this was not just another judge who settled judicial disputes and interpreted statutes and legal provisions. V R Krishna Iyer meted justice – often to the needy, oppressed, wronged and those knocking fervently on the doors of the Courts in search of equitable remedy.

Vaidyanathapura Rama Krishna Iyer was born on 15 December 1915 at Vaidyanathapuram near Palakkad, in Malabar region of Kerala and joined his illustrious father’s law office at the age of 22. Practicing primarily on the criminal side, he quickly made a name for himself as a champion of the small and hapless litigant. Over time, and as most angry men of his generation – fed on global political thought and a penchant for debate coupled with a utopian mindset, young Krishna Iyer was drawn towards Marx. In 1952, he was elected for the first time as a member of the Madras Legislative Assembly and later served as Law Minister in the first democratically elected Communist government anywhere in this world, which was headed by another illustrious Malayali, E M S Namboodiripad. Krishna Iyer brought people friendly legislations like land reforms that made him a darling of the tiller and marginal farmer.

However, electoral defeat in the year 1965 was too much for him to stomach and he plunged himself back into his legal practice head on – which he had restarted in 1959. In 1968, he was elevated as a Judge of the Kerala High Court and later, he served as a member of the Central Law Commission

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MY GOA DECEMBER 2014

Justice Krishna Iyer would seamlessly weave judgements with verses from Homer and the prose of Oscar Wilde with as much grace and élan as he would bring to life the dictats of Bhagavad Geeta and the Bible

Justice V R Krishna Iyer

headed by former Chief Justice of India, P B Gajendragadkar. His stint at the Law Commission was a remarkable one as he had submitted studies on procedural changes in the legal system and also advocated clinical legal education and legal aid as a handmaiden of justice.

He argued vociferously that the legal profession was not a tool for personal profit, but it was a noble, higher calling that sought administration of justice as its end goal and therefore was a duty of public nature.

Glory days at the Apex court: Krishna Iyer was sworn in as the judge of the Supreme Court on 17 July 1973 and he retired on 14th November 1980 at the stipulated age of 65. But in a short span of a little over 7 years, he along with fellow judges like Justice Bhagvati redefined the domains of constitutional jurisprudence. His judgements did not dwell on the strict interpretation of the law, but went beyond to the root

of the dispute and he often took the benevolent perspective and applied justice to alleviate pain and suffering of the litigants.

In the landmark case of Maneka Gandhi (1978), he was at his personal best. The issue in question was whether the right to travel abroad and to be issued a passport for that purpose was implicit on the ambit of ‘personal liberty.’

Justice Krishna Iyer’s conclusion in his concurring judgment says “…’procedure’ in Art. 21 means fair, not formal procedure. ‘Law’ is reasonable law, not any enacted piece...”

Krishna Iyer won more fans than critics for his long narratives in judicial pronouncements. Often citing classics and mythology, he would seamlessly weave judgements with verses from Homer and the prose of Oscar Wilde with as much grace and élan as he would bring to life the dictats of Bhagavad Geeta and the Bible. In fact, Ram Jethmalani’s critique of his style of judgements drew the ire and consternation of the legal fraternity for whom Krishna Iyer’s judgements meant romanticism and poetry, while at the

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same time they delivered justice.

Krishna Iyer was often criticized for his reformative rather than deterrent rulings when it came to prisoners and to better prison conditions. His benevolence to prisoners is legendary like in the Sunil Batra (1979) case.

He was criticized for granting Indira Gandhi a conditional stay in June 1976 when she challenged the Allahabad High Court’s decision striking down her elections. The very next day, Mrs Gandhi clamped down the nation with her infamous Emergency. Nani Palkhiwala, who later championed petitions in the Supreme Court defending civil liberties, at that time argued Indira Gandhi’s brief and tried to impress upon Justice Iyer that the people were strongly behind the Prime Minister and to allow an absolute stay on the Allahabad decision. Krishna Iyer granted only a conditional stay within the legal tenets.

As an advocate, who had long fought

for labour reforms and for the working class, his interpretation of the term ‘industry’ in Bangalore Water Supply case (1978) opened the definition and brought a whole lot of businesses within the scope and ambit of the Industrial Disputes Act. In Ratlam Municipality (July 1980) and in Fertilizers Corporation Kamgaar Union (November 1980) Justice Iyer enlarged the scope of ‘locus standi’ by ruling that justiciability of an issue and standi are mutually exclusive, thus paving path for the rise of Public Interest Litigation in the country where all a petitioner had to agitate was the public wrong that she wanted to correct or to be injuncted, no matter whether she was directly harmed by it or not, so long as she approached the Courts with clean hands.

Living to his full potential, Justice Krishna Iyer passed away on 4th December 2014 – a fortnight from the

day he turned 100. Till recently, he was a vociferous spokesperson on public affairs and would speak his mind with no heed to being politically right or to please the Joneses. I had read about the famous farewell dinner that the Supreme Court Bar Association had given in his honour on his retirement and a citation was handed to him from the members of the Bar. It would be an apt eulogy to the champion of judicial righteousness. It read – “Permit us to remind you that the Bar is the judge of judges and no judge can avoid or escape the verdict of the Bar. We have summoned you this evening to hear our unanimous declaratory verdict.

Our verdict is a decree of affection and admiration. Let us also declare, in these proceedings which are sui generic, that we are not only your judges but also your judgment-debtors…”

The writer is an Advocate, Editor and Quizzer

DECEMBER 2014 MY GOA

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Art sanjay harmalkar

Portrait of a non-conformist naguesh rao sardessai

Sanjay Harmalkar is a person dedicated to social causes by calling, but deep within he is an artist with an eye for portraits

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anjay Harmalkar needs no introduction in the field of art and politics. He is a rare personality with such eclectic mix of creative potential and hardcore real politic. A concoction that has been, personally and professionally, a boon and a bane to him.

He has weathered many a storms and critical jabs, all for his inherent love for humanity and the weaker sections of the society. Being a political activist, Sanjay’s political stand and contribution in the social sector is a recorded fact. He is a passionate person with firm views and strong ideological posturing.

Passion is abundantly visible in his paintings. Specializing in Applied Art from the Goa College of Art, Panaji and earning a degree from the prestigious Bombay University, Sanjay went on to work as a commercial artist and successfully managed an advertising agency for a couple of years. He has the credit of designing many-noted brand, which are still visible, in the market.

When everything seemed rosy and success kissing his talent, Sanjay just chucked everything up to take a plunge into the political arena. A man with a sensitive heart and an admirable draftsmanship, he did make a mark in the social sector.

Along with commercial success of Brand Goa, came along various issues that threatened the identity of the sonof-the-soil. The demographic changes, construction boom, tourism explosion, petty crimes etc. were leaving a bad taste. Sanjay totally immersed himself into the movement and, in the year 1987, went on to establish the right-

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MY GOA DECEMBER 2014

Sanjay Harmalkar

wing Shiv Sena’s base in Goa only to be removed from the same, soon after.

He had made a mark, in the ensuing period, strong enough to draw attention and admiration. He floated ‘Janshakti’ and got his candidates elected to the Panchayat bodies.

Living a roller-coaster life, with unexpected ups and downs, Sanjay took that in his stride. A man with strong pride and self-respect, Sanjay rejected the reconciliatory gesture of the Shiv Sena Chief, Balasaheb Thackarey only to return back in the late nineties.

By 2005, Sanjay quit Shiv Sena and the dormant artist in him emerged with a force. With a body of work painted over a period, of exceptional quality, Sanjay bounced back with an exhibition of portraits at the Goa Kala Academy’s Art Gallery and made a mark as an artist with a penchant for portraits.

He prefers to paint famous personalities from varied fields. His natural inclination is towards the creative artistes. Melody queen Lata Mangueshkar and a portrait of Shridhar Parsekar with a violin, striking an engrossed pose, permeate a soothing melody of beautiful hues. Dattaram Vadkar’s portrait brings this great man alive. Besides this, he has painted portraits of business tycoon, Ratan Tata.

Sanjay was elated when he was offered an audience with Ratan Tata in his personal chamber and presented with a letter of appreciation.

Portraits painted by him are ensconced in some of the prestigious institutes and personal chambers. He has painted Goan business magnate Vasantrao Dempo and son, Naguesh Dempo besides royal personalities like Jitendra Deshprabhu and his father.

Portrait of ‘Lokmanya’ Bal Gangadhar Tilak is installed at the office of the Goa Union of Journalist and noted poet Bakibab Borkar’s portrait can be

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Lokmanya Tilak

Ratan Tata

Bhausaheb Bandodkar

seen at the Goa Konkani Academy and the Institute Menezes Braganza, Panaji.

Ram Manohar Lohia’s portrait is seen at the office of the Freedom Fighters’ Association.

Portraits painted by Sanjay must be smiling from the walls of every possible country in the world with clients spread in Germany, England, Canada and many other places.

The art aficionado seeks him and the general public loves his paintings.

His pen and ink portraits, which are executed by employing crosshatching technique, have minute details that ask for special attention.

His approach is bold and brush strokes confident which stems from his

Sanjay was elated when he was offered an audience with Ratan Tata in his personal chamber and presented with a letter of appreciation

Behind his tough looking exterior simmers a sensitive and creative person with love for vocal music. A passionate singer, Sanjay is a great fan of the yesteryears legendary playback singer Mukesh. He has been unfailingly organizing a musical night, for the last several years, dedicated to this idol of his, on his own birthday.

Sanjay serves on the executive committee of the State Bhartiya Janata Party and Marathi Academy. He is also the Chairman of the prestigious Institute Menezes Braganza, Panaji.

Odd but true; Sanjay the nononsense politician is an artist with an exceptional calibre and fathomless heart

preference for academic approach. Each of his work exudes quality that seems so real in spite of adding subtle commercial touch with typical colours sprinkled here and there.

The writer is an Artist, Art Teacher and Art Critic

Anthony Gonsalves

Madhav Gadkari

Ram Manohar Lohia

DECEMBER 2014 MY GOA

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Nostalgia

vasco pinho

Bhaaji-Puri at Café Central – those were the days The writer reminisces his days at the popular café of yesteryears and of the city that buzzed around it

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he traditional coffee houses of Goa, better known locally as lojas de cha i.e. tea shops, have over the years earned fame for the variety of treats they offer and for the quality of those preparations. Our flavours are our own secret and the Udupi restaurants, of a more recent vintage in Goa, cannot satisfy the Goan taste buds.

It is well known that Goans themselves are great taste-seekers and taste makers. The better known recipes have often remained closely guarded secrets of successive generations of the restaurant owner-families. It is this factor that makes them unique, besides their own names on the board, some of which are still written in Portuguese: Café Central, Café Tato, Café Bhonsle, Café Pracaxa, Café Remanso, Café Real etc. – most of them Hindu owned. There is no doubt that medium-size Hindu enterprises and businesses had made some of our Goan eateries not only business-like, but delicacy oriented as well, Of all those old cafés of the bygone years, there was one which made the best variety of bhaji-puri, bhoje, batatawaddas and other mouth-watering preparations. With the owners, quality was an article of faith, never to be compromised. Well, the place I am referring to was old Café Central – the establishment which in those days was located on the ground floor of Residencia Fatima – now known by the name of Jesuit House. I have noticed that the plaque on the main façade of the building bears the name of the wrong road: Dr. Domingos de Souza Road

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The old Velho Building where the Jesuit House now stands

instead of the correct one: the Travessa da Revolicao. I have also seen people parking large cars on its footpath – sometimes which, like matkaa gambling in Goa, under the law, is not permissible, but is openly visible. The other road, the main, is the one that goes from Clube Nacional through Velho e Filhos up to its turn that connects itself to Elvino Brito Road, after passing by Sayed Abbas, and ending at the esquina at the foothpath turn.

Well, or Ora bem! – as we would say in Portuguese, it was this Café that had carved a niche in the hearts of Panginenses or Panjimites for the high standard of service and hygiene that is professed and maintained. Children, adolescents and grown-ups alike queued up for a place inside the eatery. In the 1950s, society, here in the capital, which at that time included a large number of Pakle – the Portuguese – as they were

commonly referred to by the locals. The explanation that paklo or pakle is derived from pakaan, feathers – in Konkani – is a feasible one, since in the 17th and 18th centuries, the Portuguese fidalgos wore fashionable, embellished hats with an arrangement of a feather or two.

Café Central occupied the corner place of the old Residencia. Its location was strategic. It could be seen from two roads and also people could enter it from either of the two footpaths that substantially encircled the building.

Though it was doing business in a minicity – Pangim, it did so at a roaring pace.

Literally, morning time or evening. Its secret, in less than a sentence, was ‘a small business with large hearts’, very typical of the general ambience of those former inimitable Goan belos dias – our good old days.

Adding to the appeal of its service were its most affordable prices, and also

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the fact that every customer, or entering, was received with a warm Bom dia! Or Boa tarde! – and then thanked with the most polite Muito Obrigado! – on leaving.

The owners were three gentlemen from south India. The founder was sr.

A.S. Gaitonde who was assisted by his nephew, sr. S.R. Wagle and a friend of theirs, sr. S.D. Bandekar, all came from the ersthwhile State of Mysore. They had set up shop in Goa and had made Panjim their second home. Fairness demands we acknowledge the important role played by people who in those days had come from other parts from India to make good Goa, an even better place to live.

In all our public eating places – as you know – there is a rush hour, at Café Central, it used to be between 5 and 7 pm. In his book An Outline of Money Lord Geoffrey Crowther had indicated mankind’s four great inventions: the fire, the wheel, the vote and money.

To my mind, in this part of world, we realized the fifth: bhaji-puri, which was de-li-ci-ous!... when a la Café Central. I was twice-in-a-week visitor to the café, but there were many others who had become incorrigible bhaji-puri addicts.

They were there morning and evening every day, every month, the whole year round. A Portuguese Army Officer, Majour Faustino Duarte, used to refer to them as Os prisioneiros do Café Central. That was around the time when Rau’s CineTeatro Nacional was showing Stewart Granger in The Prisoner of Zenda.

The esquina or corner at the road junction just outside the popular Café, where the two footpath converge, was and still is, if you will notice – a breezy place. Here, there is a permanent air current, so refreshing, that descends from the side of Confeitaria Italiana – another well-known business place, located fifty meter to the East. The refreshing spot was a favourite one for us to spend an hour reviewing a social scenario of the capital, or craving for the latest novidade. It was also the place where one would meet the city’s rumour mill runners, who were ever eager to receive and pass the most recent anedota do Bocage – which normally was one of their own ‘fresh’ concoctions, which were subsequently attributed to Manuel Maria Hedoux

Café Central in those days was located on the ground floor of Residencia Fatima and served the best variety of bhaajipuri, bhoje, batatawaddas and other mouth-watering preparations.

Barbosa du Bocage, the renowned Portuguese poet who lived in Goa and Daman for few years in the 18th century.

Note that ‘fresh’ i.e. a recent anecdote is not the same as ‘anedota fresca’. In Portuguese, ‘fresca’ could mean top ‘raw’ to let the fair sex hear it.

One of the most humorous stories of Bocage goes that he was caught redhanded flirting with a pretty girl from the footpath of one of the roads of Daman.

When he was spotted by the girl’s mother, she expressed a vituperative ‘Cao!’ i.e ‘Dog!’. The girl was inside the house leaning against the window sill.

Poet Bocage at once replied in verse: ‘Eu ca da rua, ela da janela… se eu sou cao ela e cadela’- meaning ‘your daughter is a ‘window bitch!’ if I am a ‘street dog!’.

‘Sardarji’ jokes, invented mostly by the Jats of Western UP or the stories of the Alentejanos, mass-produced in Portugal, were unheard of in Goa. We were much more than self-sufficient in our own jokes. From the footpath corner, moreover, one could buy the day’s issue of Goa celebrated Diario da Noite. And was sold by several news-paper boys – the ardinas, who would earn their daily bread by either selling newspapers or polishing shoes, around the area. This tradition has survived partially until now, though at present it is limited to a cobbler, who can be seen at the footpath corner.

Across the road, in the Municipal Garden, then officially called Jardim Garcia da Orta – so named after the great Portuguese naturalist doctor of Jewish origin – there existed two benches, invariably occupied in the evenings by a group of ladies and gents

who were notorious for their gossip.

These benches were still to be seen until the more recent re-development of the garden. These were known among the old timers as the bancos de ma lingua or the gossip benches of the sharp-tongued.

Believe me, those sharp tongues were much sharper than kitchen knives. Theirs was not mere light gossip, as you may suppose. There was real Doctorate level research into each story!

On the other side of the lane that separated Café Central from the old building of Clube Vasco da Gama, there existed a book stall – Livraria Academica – a popular bookshop where one could get the latest magazines from Lisbon and lots of children comics – all in Portuguese. I possess volumes of these.

Next to it was Café Tato an enterprise run by the Dhuris, a Goan Hindu family hailing from Nerul. Its bhaji-puri too, was appreciated for being, according to some, even more characteristically Goan.

Its present owners, the third generation, have preserved the magic formula until today. Some youngsters would opt for this other preparation of cha e bhajipuri – priced at four annas. Thus, those five hundred square metres around the two Cafés attracted a lot of people, who after enjoying the best talk of the town in the garden, would converge into the popular eating places to savour the fabulous ‘fifth invention’ of mankind. This is the panorama that flashes back to my memory amidst my recollections of those years, as faithfully as it was in the mid and late 1950s.

In those years too, at the place where the short road coming from Confeitaria Italiana merges with the main road, one would witness the inspiring sight of a policeman directing the traffic. On Christmas eve, the smiling sinaleiro was surrounded by gifts that he received from the businessmen around. He used to be overwhelmed with bottles of the Portuguese wines – Moscatel, Granjo, Lagosta, Porto, tinto – boxes of chocolates, cheese cans, biscuits, calendars and so on – a wonderful expression of regard for a Junior Official enforcing the Law – the traffic policeman who sadly today has been consigned now to derision and disrespect.

Continued to page 35

DECEMBER 2014 MY GOA

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Book Worm bomoicar

Stories of Goenkars in Bombay Reena Martins weaves together 31 essays of Goans who made a difference to the “city of dreams”

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nter India’s crowded commercial capital of Mumbai (also known as Bombay), and the Goan footprint is writ large – if not-so-visible till you start looking for it.

From Goan “joints” at Dhobitalao (originally a washerman’s lake), to the quadrangles of Byculla, Mazagon, Grant Road or Colaba, and beyond.

Football at Cooperage and Goan food at Ballard Estate all exported the Goan way of life to that city, which today has a population of 20 million. A new book on the subject seeks to capture the essence of it all, as it played out in the 20th century.

Titled ‘Bomboicar: Stories of Bombay Goans, 1920-1980’, the book is edited and compiled by journalist Reena Martins, originally from Velim but raised in Poona and currently working in Mumbai. It is available for sale at Golden Heart (Margao) and via mail order from goa1556@gmail.com besides other outlets.

It tells the story of the alpha world city and the wealthiest urban centre of India through the words of over two-andhalf dozen Goans who lived there in this era.

We learn of the lives of prominent Goans such as police chief and ambassador Julio Ribeiro and urban planner Edgar Ribeiro, writer George Menezes, nightingale Lorna Cordeiro, and the author Victor Rangel-Ribeiro.

But from the words of the average ‘Bomoicar’ also emerge a fascinating story of the simpler life in the city and a depiction of its times. In past decades Martins narrates her own story of arriving in Mumbai in the thick of the 1992 communal violence, and then goes back to the Bombay Goan world of the 1940s in Bandra, the “aunties” and the kudds (village clubs where migrants from Goa resided).

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Through the stories she took years to carefully collect, she zips through Goan theatre or tiatr in Bombay (as the city was then called), and musicians there.

The book has two Goan musical greats – Lata Mangueshkar and Anthony Gonsalves – on its cover.

In the 31 pithy essays that follow, contributors talk about the “city of light”, summer holidays in Goa, living in the kudds, matchmaking, romance, fairs and festivals, and educational forays in the big city (from boyhood years at St Stanislaus to almost getting thrown out of a technical radio officers’ school as described by Floriano Lobo of Moira).

One of the most touching stories is

by Canada-based Roland Francis, who

In the 31 pithy essays that follow, contributors talk about the “city of light”, summer holidays in Goa, living in the kudds, matchmaking, romance, fairs and festivals, and educational forays in the big city describes an elderly impoverished AngloIndian lady known as “Cotton Mary”, her serenading and the changing times of the Anglo Indian world in Bombay, as it related to the Goan there. Cynthia Gomes-James talks about the profs at a prominent Catholic institution in Bombay, St Xavier’s College. Elsewhere in the book, she also describes the festivities around the arrival of Our Lady’s statue to Goan homes there.

Chef Masci, the Bombay steamer, cinemas, restaurants and moneylenders, bangddacurry rice, the Bandra Fair, the Chris Perry-Lorna magic, and Goa-India economic blockade days are the other individuals, institutions and events remembered in this book.

Martins, who edited, compiled and conceptualised the book, calls herself a Bomoicar and the book she has just edited and compiled is titled similarly

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Pantaleao Fernandes releases

‘Once upon a time in Goa’

Little Nile releasing the book. Also present are Alexyz (extreme left), Angela Ferrao and Pantaleao Fernandes

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he children’s book, ‘Once Upon a Time in Goa’ was released at the Goa Art and Literary Fest on the 6th of December, by Master Nile Fernandes, in the presence of the author Pantaleao Fernandes, illustrator Angela Ferrao and popular cartoonist Alexyz, to a cheering audience of school children.

The book is a collection of five stories, set in Goa, and includes common animals like chickens, pigs, foxes, eagles, frogs and turtles.

Continued from page 33

Café Central Today Café Central has moved from the place which in those days was at the heart of Panjim, over to a new location, which though lying within the central-most commercial part of the city, occupies a less nostalgic location in my stories. And also even if it retains the old name, it no longer serves the bhaaji-puri with the magical formula. Yet, the old sprit of service and high quality of its delicacies, as had been infused by the pioneers, has survived in its entirety.

And that is why its name, Café Central, reminds us that it still is very much the small business with a large heart, very central to our city life also. No wonder, it continues to attract a large clientele of both new and old timers.

Symbolically, the author’s son Nile pulled out the book from a bag, just as he pulled out the stories from his dad at bedtime. The colourful illustrations make the book a delight for primary school children. It informs them what life was in a village a few decades ago and gets them to connect with what they read when they visit any hinterland village where the idyllic life described in the book still exists

Operating a business, these days, involves an altogether different game plan. It looks easier if you consider economics of scales only – the market being a huge one. But it also involves greater risk, higher cost, bureaucratic ‘demands’ control, labour unrest etc. yet a main difficulty a catering business has to take care of is quality control.

The new Café Central has overcome all these problems through dedication and honesty. As a Goan, I would be failing in my duty if I were not to express a word of appreciation to the businessmen involved then and to those who are involved in running it now. Our society has to make a distinction between crooks who deluge newspaper pages with self congratulatory messages, and those others who deserves our applause for being the silent, trend setters about

Lawrence & Mayo launch special St Francis Xavier pens L&M Accessories is a ‘brand extension’ of the mother brand Lawrence & Mayo. In the last 2 years, this brand has seen an upward growth with the launch of L&M Watches and more particularly L&M Pens which are available in ‘Granite Series’ and also specially crafted ‘Religious Pens’.

The L&M St .Francis Xavier – Limited Edition Pens with just 100 Limited pieces are being launched in Goa to commemorate the Exposition of St. Francis Xavier’s holy relic.

The L&M St. Francis Xavier Limited Edition Pen is made of whole body brass section with a unique and special image of St. Francis Xavier crafted and embellished on the body of the Pen.

A Pen is a writing instrument used daily to sign papers, cheques, receipts and other important documents in the normal course of the day. It is also used to answer exams and apply professional thought to paper. But special occasions warranty a special L&M Pen like a Marriage date, property signing agreement, birth Certificate of a Child, a business contract, purchase of a new home or office.

The pens are available across all Lawrence & Mayo stores in Goa whom newspapers makes no mention.

For all the benefits that have flowed to the Panginenses for the last sixty years, all of us, former Konkani-MarathiPortuguese speaking Goans and others owe Café Central and the other Cafes a sincere Dev Borem Korun, a Muito Obrigado. From the rest, a casually expressed ‘Thank-you!’ – appears good enough The writer is a Historian, Economist and Publisher

DECEMBER 2014 MY GOA

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Music

Konkani Unplugged

Sidhanath Buyao cuts his latest album with great fanfare

Sidhanath Buyao

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he ‘Konkani Unplugged’ music album by noted music composer and singer Sidhanath Buyao, was released at the hands of Chairman of Dempo Group of Companies, Shrinivas Dempo, at Ravindra Bhavan-Margao, recently.

The release function was followed with live performance by Sidhanath Buyao and Swapnil Bandodkar with Bollywood musicians from Mumbai.

Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardesai, NRI Commissioner Govt. of Goa Dr. Wilfred Misquita, Singer Swapnil Bandodkar, eminent Konkani writer and lyricist Adv. Uday Bhembre, lyricist Saish Palondicar, Nandan Hegde Desai and Sanjay Borkar, musicians Rishi Chanda, Nirmalya Dey and Yatin Talaulikar, Rutvik Buyao, Agnelo Cardoz, Surgei Godhina and Agnelo DaSilva were

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present on the occasion. The President of Konkani Bhasha Mandal Chetan Acarya was also present.

Speaking on the occasion, Shrinivas Dempo said that Konkani language is rich and music makes it richer. He also praised the work of ‘Goem Shahir’ Ulhas Buyao and his son Sidhanath Buyao, who is continuing legacy of music that his illustrious father gave Goa. “It

is really good that Rutvik Buyao, son of Sidhanath, has also played drums in this album. Music legacy of this family is continuing to the new generation and this is the best example of it.’’ Dempo said.

Dempo who is closely associated with Buyao family, congratulated Sidhanath, for his 16th music album.

Vijai Sardesai, independent MLA from Fatorda, also praised the work of Buyao and said that Konkani language should reach to the heights in all sectors. “It is strange that Goan ministers take oath in Marathi, though they speak Konkani at home. Konkani lovers should take note of such ministers.’’ Sardesai said.

Celebrity Marathi singer Swapnil Bandodkar speaking on the occasion said that he loved to work for this album and that he enjoyed all songs.

The live performance named as ‘Tribute to Goem Shahir Ulhas Buyao’ of Konkani songs by Swapnil Bandodkar and Sidhanath Buyao was appreciated by the audience.

The lyrics for this album are penned by noted Konkani writer and lyricist Adv. Uday Bhembre along with Saish Palondikar, Nandan Hegde Desai and Sanjay Borkar. The revolutionary song written by late Manoharrai Sardesai and ‘Goem Shahir’ Ulhas Buyao are also included in this album.

Along with the guru of devotional music, Ajit Kadkade singers like Swapnil Bandodkar, Bela Shende, Vaishali Samant, Savaniee Ravindrra, Jaanavi Prabhu Arora from Mumbai and Anita Dsouza from Mangalore, have sung for the album.

Buyao has also introduced Puja Dalvi, a Goan singer in this album. He too has sung songs and duets on the theme ‘Krishna and Christa’, along with Pt.Kadkade.

CDs are available at all leading music stores and Post Offices across Goa

People Dr Subodh Kerkar

Subodh Kerkar designs the poster for GALF 2014

Subodh Kerkar’s fascination for seascapes is well known. The doctor-turned artist has honed his creative skills very close to the famous Calangute beach, where he once used to reside and now runs the Kerkar Art Gallery from.

Subodh designed the poster for the recently held Goa Arts & Literary Festival (GALF) 2014.

Subodh usually paints in water colour but this time he experimented with something different. “I have not created something stark like this. The poster was designed in paper cut technique.

The stark side of the image was cut on paper I have not created and screen printed to create my favourite theme – waves, boats, coconut trees and something stark like this. lamps.” The International Centre Goa had The poster was designed commissioned the artist to design the poster in paper cut technique earlier this year

Steve Gutkin and Marisha Dutt celebrate 2 years of Goa Streets It’s been a wonderful ride for Goa Streets these past two years. The News & Entertainment weekly started with a promise to offer readers worldclass journalism, in addition to weekly, comprehensive listings on everything there is to do, see and eat in this sunny state. This promise has been fulfilled, week after week. Two years ago the venture was launched with a “flash mob” on the Dona Paula jetty that has now become one of the most viewed events from Goa in YouTube history. The iconic image of the “Granny on a Harley” has gone viral worldwide. Streets has been involved in a great many events – from charitable bazaars to musical performances to various kinds of festivals.

Goa Streets’ approach may have taken some getting used to for some.

How can a publication that specializes in telling you where to go for clubbing and cocktails also take the lead in reporting on such issues as mining, Special Status and the economic future of Goa? How does the emphasis on events, parties, restaurants and leisure square with stories on the forgotten children of Goa, the Canacona building collapse, the state’s garbage menace and the trafficking of women and girls in Goa?

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MY GOA DECEMBER 2014

Marisha Ann Dutt & Steve Gutkin

Our biggest business challenge is finding new revenue streams to augment print and online advertising income. From events to e-commerce to innovative use of social media, we find ourselves constantly reinventing ourselves This, in fact, was the idea from the beginning. Comprehensive listings and

excellent journalism.

Streets has proven they can and do go together.

On being quizzed, how have they managed to make paper financially viable, seasoned journalist and ChiefMentor of Goa Sreets said “Goa’s media market is crowded, and there are many publications vying for the same ad business.

The trick for us has been to focus on the needs of the reader, as ad revenue flows from our publication’s popularity. Advertisers, after all, are part of the public!”

Marisha Ann Dutt who publishes and edits the weekly chipped in saying “Our biggest business challenge – and, fortunately, one of our most enjoyable ones – is finding new revenue streams to augment print and online advertising income. From events to ecommerce to innovative use of social media, we find ourselves constantly reinventing ourselves, and sometimes it feels like we’ve launched not just one venture but 20!”

www.google+/My Goa

Sanctuary Asia magazine presented the ‘Wind Under Wings Award 2014 to Nirmal Kulkarni.

Nirmal started out as a snake handler and nature photographer, but dons multiple hats as the Director (Ecology) of the Wildernest Nature Resort, Chairman of the Mhadei Research Centre, Team Leader of the Hypnale Research Station, Senior Research Collaborator at Madras Crocodile Trust and a Promoter of HERPACTIVE, a study initiative on herpetofauna.

All this was only possible thanks to the unstinting support of Captain Nitin Dhond, of the Merchant Navy who decades ago purchased a parcel of degraded, mined and deforested land in Chorla Ghat area that spans across Goa, Karnataka and Maharashtra. This is now a private, bio-diverse, nature conservancy in the Swapnagandha valley of the Mhadei bio-region, at the tri-junction of Goa, Karnataka and Maharashtra. Capt. Dhond put his entire life’s earnings into this land, devoting much of his monthly salary to acquire smaller adjoining parcels as they became available. He met and employed Nirmal in 1997 and together over seven years, through selective planting of local

Pic: Assavri Kulkarni

Sanctuary Asia ‘Wind Under Wings Award 2014’ to Nirmal Kulkarni

Nirmal Kulkarni

species and by encouraging natural regeneration, they transformed the valley into a 450-acre nature conservancy of incomparable worth and incredible biodiversity, with two rivers, the Haltar nullah and the Valvanti having sprung back to life. On five out of the 450 acres, they set up Wildernest, an eco-lodge, which employs locals and whose carbon footprint is lower than the carbon their land sequesters and stores each year.

In doing so, the project has also helped protect and conserve a vital

Nitin Kunkolienker to attend Economics Conclave Former President of GCCI, Nitin Kunkolienker will participate as a panelist at the prestigious fifth edition of the two-day Economics Conclave, Delhi. The conclave organised by the Finance Ministry will be inaugurated by the Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on December 10. The theme this year is ‘Structural Reforms and Growth in India’. Key issues for discussion will be infrastructure and growth, changing global scenario, trade and reforms, inclusive growth and agriculture among others. Kunkolienkar will be the panelist in the session on manufacturing challenges. Participants in the two day conclave include Tharman Shanmugaratnam, deputy Prime Minister, Singapore, Piyush Goyal, Minister of State Power, Coal and NRE, Rajiv Mehrishi, Finance Secretary, Arvind Subramanian, Chief Economic Adviser, Ministry of Finance, Dr Bimal Jalan, former Governor of RBI, Dr N K Singh, former member Rajya Sabha, Ajay Sriram, Chairman CII, and Yaduvendra Mathur, EXIM Bank Nitin Kunkolienkar

corridor for large mammals that is now being increasingly acknowledged by researchers as a vital link between forests of Maharashtra and Karnataka.

The Wildernest Eco-lodge encouraged Nirmal to establish the Mhadei Research Centre to document and conserve the biodiversity of the Mhadei bio-region.

A second, the Hypnale Research Station was established at Kuveshi, Karnataka and scores of aspiring young conservationists now use these institutions to work for the conservation of the Western Ghats.

Nirmal has been credited with the discovery of several amphibian species and is associated with multiple national and state organizations including the Goa State Wildlife Advisory Board. His team also works with other groups seeking to protect tigers in Goa. It is their united effort that resulted in the declaration of the incredible Bhimgad Wildlife Sanctuary.

Nirmal Kulkarni has had to face all the challenges that conservationists routinely face on daily basis, including funding gap between conservation imperatives and budgets, a lack of support from government agencies, inadequate field equipment and more.

However, fully supported by Captain Dhond and the Wildernest team, he pressed on and he says that nothing will stop their ongoing mission to protect India’s wilds, one valley at a time

Vamona Navelcar to show his works at Casa Goa Senior artist who features in the who’s who of European artists, Vamona Ananta Sinai Navelcar will host an exclusive art exhibition at Casa Goa, Calangute.

Navelcar who was for a long time living in Portugal, came back to his home at Pomburpa, Goa. Working religiously even to this day, he says, “At the declination of my age. I felt an urge to re-spire the philosophical, religious – be they Western or Eastern. I feel deeply unable to understand and go deep into the matter.

Had I an opportunity or being awakened very easily, to enable the treasure (philosophy, religion etc.), who knows the pattern of my life would have certainly taken a route quite beyond my imagination. It would have certainly revealed the purpose of my life.” Experience the philosophical art of this modern master a Casa Goa, Opp. Subway on the Calangute-Baga from 17th to 27th December 2014 from 11am to 8pm. Call 0832-2281048

DECEMBER 2014 MY GOA

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Food

Karen Anand hosts ‘The Farmer’s Market’ at Grand Hyatt Goa

I

n a bid to add to the mood and festivities of December in Goa, Grand Hyatt Goa and restaurateurcum-food writer and critic Karen Anand hosted the first ever Farmers’ Market in the state.

The Farmers’ Market saw participation from more than 80 local restaurants, dozens of avid home bakers, farm produce, gourmet goodies, organic lifestyle, amateur chefs, wineries and a whopping 100,000+ visitors.

At the market – patrons had the opportunity to explore new restaurants and old favourites in a ‘pop up’ experience while also looking forward to their favourite wineries. Grand Hyatt Goa, also showcased some of their famed specialty cuisines including Indian, Arabic, Asian, Italian, Grills and Desserts. The market also saw Karen Anand launch her new line of gourmet products in Goa under the brand KA Gourmet along with beautiful gift boxes for the Festive season.

Commenting on the partnership Karen Anand said that it was not just about the sheer quality of food on offer that makes the Farmers’ Markets special, but also the people and the place. She also hoped to create a market which becomes a repository of culinary knowledge and understanding as well as an opportunity to explore, ask questions, discover new flavours and savour a unique atmosphere and to have fun.

Jaco Le Roux, GM, Grand Hyatt Goa, also added that since the hotel’s opening in 2011, Grand Hyatt Goa has always been a trendsetter in different aspects and the Farmer’s Market only adds to their illustrious list.

The event marked the start of numerous Farmers’ Markets that the Grand Hyatt Goa will be hosting every Sunday for this season and will close the season with a similarly grand Farmer’s Market by Karen Anand later in 2015

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Karen Anand

Jaco le Roux

www.facebook.com/mygoa

Palasha: Fine dining par excellence opens at La Cabana, Ashvem beach When the winners of the National Platonic Tourism Award from Australia Tourism and Winner of the Gold Medal from All India Achievers ConferenceAirsonic Travels decided to take their beach side property La Cabana Beach and Spa to new heights, the results were guaranteed to be nothing short of excellence.

Dedicated to the art of living and the pleasure of savouring a combination of local Goan, Pan Asian, Indian and Mediterranean cuisine, La Cabana Beach and Spa recently opened its new restaurant, Palasha. Located on the Ashvem beach, the restaurant’s USP is its breathtaking panoramic view of the Arabian Sea. Palasha also promises to provide its guests with an exceptional upscale casual dining experience that will consistently exceed expectations.

Diners at Palasha can look forward to

an eclectic menu of contemporary and traditional favourites. The hand crafted menu will largely revolve around local, sustainable and seasonable ingredients. The menu, designed with a lot of creativity and innovation will feature dishes like Smoked Salmon, Crab Cakes, Curried Mac and Cheese, Goan Lobster Thermidor, Tandoori Jhinga Lasooni, Chandi Malai Tikka to name a few.

Palasha also offers a variety of specialty cocktails and an extensive wine menu that compliments the ambience as well as the food perfectly.

The restaurant also promises to be the perfect destination for a fashionable night out with power packed weekends hosting fabulous sunset parties

Usher in the Christmas spirit at Café de Goa It’s the season that everyone has been waiting for. The air is filled with cinnamon and orange, houses are lit with sparkling lights and Santa is just around the corner. Christmas is the perfect occasion to spend time with family and friends.

Sandwiched between verdant fields in Calangute, Cafe de Goa encourages you to sit back, relax and let them take care of your Christmas revelry. Following tradition, as is in Europe, they have a very special Sunday brunch planned for the four Sundays of Advent. The brunches will offer a delicious spread of Sunday Roasts, Stuffed Chicken, Yorkshire Pudding, Spiced Cabbage, Dumplings, Divine Puddings, cakes and everything you could possibly want to set the mood

for the festive season. They also have a wide selection of vegetarian dishes.

Not forgetting about Santa’s favourite kiddies, Cafe de Goa has a special treat for them. Every Saturday leading up to Christmas, they have special activities planned which include Christmas tree decoration making, themed cupcake and cookie decorating classes. Moms, dads and siblings are also invited to join in the festivities.

Going with the festive spirit in the

air, the cafe has lined up a festive selection of seasonal flavoured beverages which include Gingerbread spiced Mocha, Vanilla bean latte, Orange Ginger iced tea, Malt wine Sangria, Candied Ginger cookie shake and lots more.

Also available at the Cafe de Goa shop are interesting festive items such as Jacqueline’s organic coffee beans, homemade jams, Christmas tea, traditional German cookies and Stollen bread. They also have cupcake liners, fondant, sprinkles and much more to give home bakers the tools to create the perfect Christmas treats at home.

So what are you waiting for? Head down to Cafe de Goa for a truly memorable festive season with friends and family

log on to my-goa.com DECEMBER 2014 MY GOA

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Sports ISL 2014

Will the rugged Gaur bombard his way through?

FC Goa’s start in the ISL 2014 was a forgettable one. But the Goan bison has found his feet at the right time

T

To look at, the Gaur or the mighty Indian Bison, appears a shy, heavy, sluggish beast which is more often than not, not very interested in the trivial goings on anywhere near it’s hairy, imposing hulk.

But try and rile it and it can charge with the power of an elephant and the marauding poise of an army tank.

In a way, the story of FC and its performance in the Indian Super League quite mirrors the unique characteristics of the proud beast – Goa’s state animal, which coincidentally also features on the Indian Super League club’s official logo.

Or perhaps it wasn’t a coincidence at all.

FC Goa’s story in the popular ISL has been that of a team which came into its own after a string of early defeats roused into delivering winning performances.

The wins have not only cheered up the hundreds and thousands of the club’s died-in-the-wool fans, but has also catapulted the outfit into the top two tier

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FC GOA: Getting their act together just in time

It is the presence of globally acknowledged soccer celebrities like Pires, Santos and Zico, which is bringing in a sense of professionalism, belief, as well as popular enthusiasm, and has managed to keep FC Goa buoyant through the early rough spell of one of the world’s newest and exciting football leagues, which the ISL is being regarded as.

Imagine what would have been going through the minds of FC Goa’s promoters Messrs. Venugopal Dhoot of Videocon, Shrinivas Dempo of Dempo Sports Club and Dattaraj Salgaocar of the Salgaocar Group and the Club’s fans, after one

of the most well-billed sides in the ISL, coached by the league’s most wellknown and legendary coach Zico, could not make a mark in the first four league games, playing out three losses and one draw against Chennaiyin FC, Atletico de Kolkata and Pune FC and NorthEast United respectively.

Perhaps it was around that time that the spirit of the Indian Bison and the magic of a certain Brazilian Arthur Antunes Coimbra both surfaced and formed a synergy which has only gone from strength to strength with every game after the 2-1 win against Delhi Dynamos in its fifth encounter.

Cristo Fernandes, an FC Goa fan got it right. “All the credit goes to Zico for getting the perfect combination and moving the team from the bottom to the top of the table. He did not panic in the beginning of the league, when FC Goa were losing, but kept his faith in himself and the team. Sign of a confident coach,” he says.

FC Goa’s Amiri, the ISL’s only Afghani player also admitted that the sweat was finally beginning to pay off for the team.

“In the end, the hard work of the coaches, the players, the training and practice has to pay off somewhere. These are the results that we’re getting. The way we turned on in the second half of the season is the way we want to continue,” he said.

The story of FC Goa’s resilience and comeback and can be best understood from comments from the Club’s aware and football-literate fans like Jayesh Chimulkar, who summed up some of the team’s early performances this way.

“There is a lack of team coordination in FC Goa team. Goa should improve their forward and mid field play. It should be little bit faster. Our defense is good.

Clifford should come more early on field.

His corner kicks are awesome. Best of luck for the upcoming matches. We

www.twitter.com/@mygoamag

Promoters of FC Goa with Prafull Patel of AIFF during the launch of the club magazine

all are with you. We are FC Goans!” he claimed.

Pires may have retired from international football, but many like Noel Rodrigues believe that it is the presence of globally acknowledged soccer celebrities like Pires, Santos and Zico, which is bringing in a sense of professionalism, belief, as well as

popular enthusiasm, has managed to keep FC Goa buoyant through the early rough spell. “I have been watching matches on this ground since childhood.

Football has evolved a lot since then not just in terms of the infrastructure but also the professionalism displayed. But, I had never imagined in my wildest dreams that someone like Zico or Robert Pires

would come to Goa and train our local boys to play at this level of competition,” Rodrigues said.

At the time of going to press, FC Goa are already second in the league table, one point behind Chennaiyin FC, but with a better goal difference. The team has qualified for the semis and as the most attacking team in the league, are tipped as hot favourites to win the maiden edition of the ISL. Perhaps to deliver the final two blows in the semis and the final, all the team needs to do is unleash Zico’s tactics on field and while on it, look up to the Gaur with the curled horns on its jersey logo for inspiration. As team promoter Dattaraj Salgaocar puts it: “FC Goa best embodies the spirit of ‘Joga Bonito’ or ‘The Beautiful Game’ as the Brazilians know it. The ‘Gaur’ or the big-framed Indian bison symbolizes resilience, power and stability needed to deliver the goods”.

A bit of Brazilian flair and Bison-like grit should see FC Goa through

Geno Sports Awards function held Geno Pharmaceuticals along with Sports Journalists Association of Goa, recently hosted the Geno Sports Awards 201314. This year, applications were invited for each category and based on their performance, awardees were chosen.

Yash Fadte (Squash) was adjudged ‘Best Sportsman’ and Anura Prabhudesai (Badminton) as ‘Best Sportswoman.’

Nitish Belurkar (Chess) was given the ‘Best Upcoming Sportsman’ and Lifa Gama (Football) was crowned as the ‘Best Upcoming Sportswoman’. The Best Sports Organizer award was won by Paresh Kamat of Goa Athletic Association and Nilesh Naik (Tennis Ball Cricket) was given the ‘Best Coach’ Award. Goa-India Football Team was named the ‘Best Team’ and St. Xaviers College, Mapusa was awarded in the ‘Best College’ category.

Apart from these awards, two prominent international sports personalities from Goa – Women cricketer Shikha Pandey and International football referee Maria Rebello, were honoured with special awards for their outstanding performance.

Shikha Pandey is the only Goan

Awardees and organisers of the Geno Sports Awards with CM Laxmikant Parsekar, Dilip Salgaocar and Dr Sagar Salgaocar

cricketer who has played all three formats (Test, One day and T-20) in cricket at international level. She is the only second Goan cricketer to play Test cricket for India after the legendary late Dilip Sardesai. She made her Test debut in August this year against England and played in T-20 World Cup played in Bangladesh, last April.

Maria Rebello is a well known FIFA woman football referee, who officiated recently in Asian Games in Incheon – South Korea. Also she officiated in

I-League 2013-14 and also Durand Cup 2014, which was held in Goa in OctoberNovember.

This year, media person Michael Sequeira of PTI was also awarded for his contribution in the field of sports journalism.

Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar gave away the awards in the presence of Dilip Salgaocar, CMD of Geno Pharmaceuticals and Dr. Sagar Salgaocar, Executive Director of Geno Pharmaceuticals Ltd

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Sports Christmas Touch Rugby Championship 2014 to be held in Goa Goa Rugby in association with Banquet Sports will organise ‘Christmas Touch Rugby Championships 2014’, an all Goa Inter School and All India Club Rugby Tournament on December 21 at Campal grounds.

An international style rugby village will also be created at the Campal ground as a spectacle for Goans/tourists visiting the capital on December 21.

This is the first time in the history of Indian rugby that a rugby event is being organised on such a large scale, with world class amenities being provided to participating teams.

Aneesh Quenim

“The idea behind having this event was to give Goa its first international event and we shall achieve the dream of making an impact at the world stage,” Goa Rugby President Anish Quenim said in an official release issued on Monday. In

another first, Goa Rugby kicked off its trophy tour wherein the trophy will go through all the schools before finally coming at the venue.

Goa Rugby coach Keli and development officer Peter Fernandes have been

visiting schools along with the coaches to train school teams on a regular basis. “We have received great support from all the schools and the kids are looking up for the challenge,” they said.

Goa Rugby is currently active in more than 50 schools that had participated in the inaugural coaching seminar that was conducted by Goa Rugby Football Union way back in August.

It has been very active in schools conducting regular training sessions with the help of PE teachers and school management

Piyush Soni composes anthem for Goa River Marathon “The 5th edition of the now acclaimed Goa River Marathon, as named by runners from all over India, will happen on 14th December 2015. The event will start and end at the beautiful Baina Beach as the venue of India’s most entertaining marathon. Like last year, the event is called the Skechers Goa River Marathon, with Skechers, international brand of high performance running shoes, being title sponsors.

The vision with which the organizers – Vasco Sports Club started the event was two-fold.

To share a beautiful pollution free and picturesque route for runners all over India. To make long distance running a more popular sport in Goa.” Said Nitin Bandekar, President of Vasco Sports Club at Goa River Marathon curtain raiser. “This year, already 1400 entries in the half marathon and 500 in the 10km run of national and international participants have already registered. Till now, 12 teams have registered for the ‘Corporate Relay’. Cash prizes worth 6 lakhs are given to runners in the competitive event. The same are displayed on our website. www. goarivermarathon.com” said Secretary of the Club, Rakesh

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MY GOA DECEMBER 2014

Piyush Soni, Sunil Shrivastava and Nitin Bandekar with others at the T’Shirt launch of GRM 2014

Unny.

Runners from the world over have registered for the half marathon and the 10km run, making the GRM a truly international event.

14 top athletes from Ethiopia, Kenya, France and Equador have registered and more will be arriving on the 13th. Around 35 elite athletes totally have indicated their interest. This includes Hillary Kiproto (men’s winner in 2011) and Virginia Njeri (women’s winner of 2012) who have already registered. Looks like finishing time records are going to be broken this year as GRM 2013 winner Daniel Cheruiyat has also registered.

The GRM has truly been a

catalyst in spreading long distance recreational as a fitness sport in Goa. From a mere 5 Goans participants in the first edition, this year, in the 5th edition, 489 Goan participants have registered said Sunil Shrivastava of Carasid, who is one of the sponsors.

A 2-day bib and racer kit distribution along with a health and fitness expo is planned at Ravindra Bhavan, Baina, Vasco, on the 12th and 13th December. Prominent personalities from fitness field from like Nivedita Dempo from Goa, Ryan Fernando on Nutrition from Qua Nutrition, Dan Zico, running coach from Mumbai, on how to prepare

for a race, Shayamal Vallabjee sports scientist, from Mumbai and Arvind Bharathi from Runners for Life, Bangalore will provide tips on running for beginner and intermediate runners will get running knowhow during these two days.

The 5km Charity fun walk run will have active participation and proceed will be shared between the Charities, namely COOJ – a socio-rehabilitation for mentally ill adults, Muskaan – a support group for cancer survivors and patients, and Ashadeep New Dawn school for the Challenged. The organisers in a bid to boost the efforts of another charity – Magic Bus, will be actually using 30 volunteers developed into leaders by Magic bus from the lower privileged backgrounds of society. These youth will tomorrow be inspiring icons in their localities, inspiring poor children to use sport to develop their personalities.

The theme song of the marathon was also released which is composed by Piyush Soni and is titled “Keep pushing on – it’s your run.” Runners just do it – they run for the finish line even if someone else has reached it first is the mantra of the VSC /GRM anthem

Beautiful People

Wendell Rodricks and Malini Ramani dazzle at the Blenders Pride Magical Nights Pics: ANDREW PEGADO

Glamour took centre stage in Goa with Blenders Pride Magical Night Fashion Selfie, as the spectacular fashion event arrived in style at The Sofala on Nov. 28. The evening celebrated the Indian fashion industry with glitz and grandeur as models strutted down the ramp donning the latest collections of ace designers Wendell Rodricks and Malini Ramani. The event saw footballer Robert Pires in attendance. The show kick started the ‘Selfie Contest’ where the winner will get a chance to choose and experience any one fashion capital of Europe - London, Paris, Rome or Milan. To participate, all one has to do is post a selfie with the unique code on the wall and he/she will become eligible to win the four-day vacation. Speaking at the event, Raja Banerji, Assistant Vice President at Pernod Ricard India said: “Goa has style written all over it and is the perfect match for Blenders Pride Magical Nights”

Suraj Morajkar Jerome Marell

Soraya Makhija

Jessica and Robert Pires Pallavi and Shrinivas Dempo Manisha Tarcar Tanya Duggal

Wendell Rodricks and Malini Ramani

xxxxx and Wendell Rodricks

Khushi Dawda

Archana Bhobe Meenal Poonawala

Neelima Morajkar

Shefali Gandhi

Elaine Oscar D’Lima

DECEMBER 2014 MY GOA

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Beautiful People

Asha Arondekar hosts Orchid Awards for Women Achievers Asha Arondekar’s marquee annual awards show honouring women achievers in Goa, saw its fourth edition hosted in aplomb and style. 9 ladies from different walks of life were honoured by Orchid Group of Companies, the flagship concern headed by Asha. Deputy CM, Adv Francis D’Souza was the Guest of Honour at the event which was supported by Rotary Club of Panaji, headed by Manoj Patil. The awardees included Dr.Aldina Gomes (Education), Shubhangi Pednekar (Business), Dr. Meenacshi Martins (Art & Culture), Devika Sequeira (Journalism), Anura Prabhudessai (Sports), Sandhya Kalokhe (Social Service), Jyoti Kunkolienkar (Rural Empowerment), Aditi Joshi (Child Prodigy) and Nandini Sahay (Women Empowerment). Speaking at the event, Asha Arondekar expressed happiness at the way this even has grown in a short span of four years

Swapnil Naik

Amol Arondekar

Francis D’Souza

Asha Arondekar

Vaidehi Naik

Yatin Parekh

Aditi Joshi

Subhash Pethe

Meenacshi Martins

K R Sreenivas

Devika Sequeira

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MY GOA DECEMBER 2014

Amol & Asha Arondekar

Shekhar Sardessai

Pics: ALISTON DIAS

www.LinkedIn.com/My Goa

Shubhangi Pednekar

Manoj Patil

Nandini Sahay

Collin Curry

Neelima Morajkar Harshvardhan Bhatkuly

Jyoti Kunkolienkar

Babu Quenim

Anura Prabhudessai

Sandhya Kalokhe

K D Row

Gaurish Dhond

Aldina Gomes

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Beautiful People

5th edition of the Goa Arts & Literary Festival The 5th edition of Goa Arts and Literary Festival (GALF) 2014 was held on 4th December at Maquinez Palace, ESG in Panjim. The chief guest for the event was Professor Edwin Thumboo, the Singaporean academician and poet. While addressing the gathering, Thumboo said that as a child he had heard about Goa and its culture. His also getting updated with all the aspects related to Goa with the help of his friends and other reference books available. He said, “We should learn the cultures of other places and when we do that, we learn and know our own culture better. Every culture has something to say and every house has its own scams hidden and pressed. It is always good to ask questions, I always make it a point to leave a question for my students at the end of the examination paper where he gets chance to list a few questions for the examiner, this will help both the examiner to know the level of the student while the student will get his doubts across.” The address was concluded with a poem on the rich culture and legacy of Goa after quoting few words from other Goan Poets.

The keynote speaker of the event was Fashion Designer Wendell Rodricks who highlighted the importance of ‘Books in Social Media World’. He said, “Author Amitav Ghosh once told me that the future of the books is slowly dying, there will be a time where there won’t be books at all. The social media has reached so far and wide that everything is possible and much easier then it was earlier.” The GALF 2014 poster designed by Goan artist subodh Kerkar was unveiled at the occasion. Apart from that, Vidya Pai’s English translation of Mahableshwar Sail’s Konkani novel ‘Aranyakand: Forest Saga’ was also released Edwin Thumboo Vidya Pai

Mahabaleshwar Sail

Suresh Amonkar

Mini Krishnan

Sarparveen & Peter Singh

Ramesh Veluskar

Sagarika Ghoshe

Joachim & Sadhana Haider

Yatin Kakodkar

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MY GOA DECEMBER 2014

Sheeba Shah

Maria Aurora Couto

Pundalik Nayak

Pic: Avnish Rao

www.google+/My Goa

Jose Lourenco

Shashikala Kakodkar

Menka & Dilip Manguirish Pai Raikar

Datta Damodar Naik

Prajal Sakhardande M Shanthi Rajdeep Sardessai

Ulrike Rodrigues Dilip Borkar Shaila & Damodar Mauzo

Rajmohan Gandhi

DECEMBER 2014 MY GOA

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Final Word Aditi is a 21 year-old Goan girl studying Digital Journalism in Lungi land

aditi sequeira

Goan Girl in Chennai

H

oly cow, she probably drinks every day and parties every weekend!”

Talk about stereotyping.

This is the kind of reaction I encountered in my first month in Chennai. I stared in disbelief at the boys who had already classified me as ‘Coastal drunk girl’. I knew that Goa and drinking were considered synonymous but South Indians really took that notion to another level.

But the most epic reaction was from my roommate, when she met me. She’s a Bong (Bengali). “You and I have one thing in common for sure. Fish!”

The first thing that hits you about Chennai is the scorching sun in your face.

The first few months that I spent here were painfully hot and humid. But Aircondiioned classrooms and malls were always at my rescue. Except when the salesperson once said, “Try this ma, you will look pretty”. I am used to being called ‘ma’ now. Chennai does that to you.

The warden of our hostel requested me to get her some ‘bebina’ from Goa. She also hesitates to give me a gate pass on weekends, obviously picturing me lying wasted in a club, while I am at my sister’s place sleeping in a bed that does not kill my back.

When I was in Goa, dosa idli sambar was a meal that I associated with Sunday breakfast, but now I eat it almost every

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MY GOA DECEMBER 2014

second day. South Indians love their curd rice and rasam. While I salivate thinking of sausage pulao and green chicken curry, all this while I distastefully swallow buttermilk.

The Bongs hate the fish served at hostel. My roommate once said “The fish stinks and its eye is there, and people are still eating it. I nodded silently and cut the head off and ate the fish anyway.

We students have a tight budget, irrespective of whether you are a Mallu, Bong or a North Indian. The auto rickshaw drivers easily identify this weakness and exploit us either by quoting exorbitant rates or taking us for long jolly rides. The most frustrating bit is not being able to argue with these drivers. They cuss in Tamil and all I can say is “Anna...Anna...

When I was in Goa, dosa idli sambar was a meal that I associated with Sunday breakfast, but now I eat it almost every other day. South Indians love their curd rice and rasam. While I salivate thinking of sausage pulao and green chicken curry

Listen...”

But somehow I don’t feel the pinch as hard as my counterparts. Especially the Delhiites who grumble saying “Yaar, abhi Delhi me hote toh woh meter se lejata aur itna paagal nahi banata”.

Every time this happens I only laugh out loud. They find it hard to believe that I have rarely travelled by auto in Goa. I keep telling them autos are incredibly expensive there. A short distance from Panaji Bus Stand to Miramar beach cost me 100 rupees once.

If one lives in Chennai for over six months, he or she will realize that it is both a cosmopolitan and a conservative city. But it is your personal choice to live either way. Chennai is considered one of the safest cities in India and it indeed is.

It is also one of India’s biggest IT hubs and thus is developed in more ways than one.

When I first came here, I was ecstatic to visit Marina beach which is the longest urban beach in the country. I thought it would remind me of home, but I was standing in dirty sand and surrounded by hawkers speaking a strange language.

The food stalls are almost too close to the water. If you visit Besant Nagar beach at sunset, fire crackling from corn and fish is reflected in the sand and it looks quite beautiful.

All this while, I am thinking of home