Rakshak Manipal Hospital Goa Conducts “RAKSHAK” Training for Enviroskills Academy Institute of Hotel Management Students

ON June 13, 2024 Manipal Hospital Goa once again joined hands with the Lions Club Panjim, Lions Club Aldona and Enviroskills Academy Institute of Hotel Management to organize “RAKSHAK” training program for students. The program was conducted with around 73 students of the institute who were given practical, hands-on training in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and essential first aid skills. Such training equips participants with critical life-saving techniques that can make a difference in emergencies. Present at the event were Abdul Razaq (president,Lions Club Panjim), Berna Prabhu (region chairperson, Aldona) alogn with other members of the Lions Club from Panjim & Aldona. Moses Fernandes (principal, Enviroskills) said, “We are immensely grateful to Manipal Hospitals for providing our students with this invaluable training. The hands-on experience and expert guidance have equipped our students with essential life-saving skills that will benefit their professional careers and personal lives. This initiative underscores our commitment to holistic education and the well-being of our community.”
The training program featured expert instruction from Dr Deeraj Jawda (consultant-ER, Manipal Hospital Goa) and his team. Learning with first aid techniques on mannequins and simulation equipment delivers a realistic and effective experience. Also present on the occasion was Sagar Prabhudesai (senior marketing officer, Manipal Hospital, Goa) who expressed his pride at being able to offer the Rakshak training program to the students, “Our goal is to equip as many people as possible with the knowledge and skills needed to save lives in emergencies. This program is a testament to our ongoing efforts to promote health awareness and preparedness.”

EUROPE & ILLEGAL MIGRANTS

THE United Kingdom and Portugal are great and beautiful countries. With abundant natural resources and being very progressive in all fields. However, both these countries, like many other European nations, are currently grappling with the alarming problem of refugees and illegal immigrants. Their governments are facing grave financial implications in dealing with these issues. A very heavy burden, indeed.
Understandably, there is a feeling of disquiet amongst the locals as lawlessness is also raising its ugly head. The new Portuguese government which assumed office earlier this year is contemplating stern corrective measures, while the next UK government which would assume office in a month’s time would have to roll up its sleeves and follow suit. In fact these are the issues at the centre of the current vigorous election campaign that the United Kingdom is now witnessing. The UK election campaign is just getting harsher by the day.
Once the electoral dust has settled, come what may, everything possible needs to be done to preserve the natural beauty and peaceful ambience of these fabulous nations in Europe.
—Aires Rodrigues, Ribandar

`GOA’S FILM INDUSTRY WILL ONLY THRIVE WITH STRONG HOME GROWN VIEWERSHIP FOUNDATION’

ACCORDING to writer-director Ronak Kamat, a radical shift away from the Indian film industry’s star-driven modus operandi should occur for Goan actors to gain platforms to showcase their talent.
Also, upcoming Goan filmmakers need to stay true to their roots while telling stories, instead of replicating previous film formats. He was speaking recently at the MOG Sundays talk titled “Indie Cinema & Mainstream Cinema, Ronak Kamat’s Journey” at the Museum of Goa, Pilerne, earlier this month.
Ronak also observed that to enable the local film industry to grow exponentially, the Goan audience needs to create a foundation for support in the state itself. He added, “Making a film in Goa is very easy; however, the processes that follow after are difficult. I do not feel like we have a proper paying audience for Goan films in the state. We need to get to a point where Goan films can work theatrically, and not just host voluntary, free screenings, as this is not a long-term strategy financially.”
Ronak Kamat has written and directed several short films and documentaries that have been screened and awarded in film festivals out of the state, such as “Caazu” (2015) which won the best documentary film award at the Rajasthan International Film Festival in 2016 and was selected at the Grenoble Film Festival in France. The other films under his writing and directorial belt include “Scars” (2017), “Bare” (2020), and an upcoming documentary on iconic Goan artist Vamona Navelcar titled “I am Nothing.”
Kamat has also experienced a successful venture into the over-the-top (OTT) media services in India in the capacity of a writer, co-writing the script for the thriller series “P.I. Meena” (2023), released on Amazon Prime Video. According to him the audience base needs to “start at home, as booming film industries in other states have a massive homegrown audience that provides both motivation and monetary support to their local filmmakers.”
Kamat stated that the format of “template filmmaking,” wherein new entrants in the directorial role attempt to recreate films that achieved widespread popularity, is killing creativity and plateauing the growth of India’s independent or indie film genre. “In my opinion, we are going through a poor phase in the Indian indie film industry, as most indie filmmakers utilise the same style – a camera is left on, a character walks slowly – and nothing new is said. While this worked a few years ago, the indie film industry in the state is now oversaturated with similar outputs,” he said.
Also in his opinion there is need for a fundamental shift in the Indian film industry as a whole, this begins with moving away from the obsession with “stars” in the industry and giving new faces opportunities to showcase their talent. “This move will enable actors from Goa to achieve wider success, as film audiences will be more receptive to the craft of the film’s storyline, cinematography and acting process, rather than appreciating a film only for its ‘star’ value.”
Goan youth who want to step foot into the film industry need to remain true to their roots and tell an authentic story, rather than repeating film recipes that will not find as much success due to them being overdone, “Creating films in Goa is to authentically portray Goan stories and remain as grounded as possible. We need to remain deeply connected to our heritage, to ensure that our films instantly click with our audience,” Kamat concluded.