WEEKEND UPDATES

STORMY TALEIGAO PANCHAYAT

DURING the recent Gram Sabha meeting of the Taleigao Panchayat on November 27, 2024, there were protests over illegal construction licenses and water diversion in the Taleigao and Dona Paula areas. Local residents Francis Coelho, Ceaser Machado, and Cecelia Rodrigues of AAP raised the issue of diversion of water in Dona Paula to the five-star Taj Resort. It may be recalled that the Taj Group has taken over the management of Cidade-de-Goa. The members of the Gram Sabha objected to construction licenses VP/Taleigao/construction license 28/2024-2025/1506 issued for the residential complex in low line paddy field at survey number 76/1 plots A and B. These fields are classified as Morod and are surrounded 360 degrees by low-line paddy fields. The activists alleged that goons from Tonca-Camrabhat threatened them. 

AIRES OCI APPLICATION

THE application for the Overseas Citizen of India card filed by Advocate Aires Rodrigues, originally resident of Ribandar and now a citizen of Portugal, has been rejected by the Foreign Division of the Ministry of Home Affairs. The Goa bench of the Bombay high court has now issued a notice to the joint secretary of the Foreigners Division over the failure to comply with the high court order of July 25, 2024 directing the Ministry of Home Affairs to consider and decide on the application within 30 days.

To sum it up Goan advocate Aires Rodrigues had acquired Portuguese citizenship after surrendering his Indian passport. Aires argues that he is fully entitled to an OCI card. All Indians living abroad, including those who may have acquired citizenship of foreign countries, are entitled to an OCI card. The OCI card confers several benefits including empowering citizens of Indian origin to buy property in India and Goa.

CAKE MIXING CEREMONIES IN FULL SWING!

Festive spirits and the sweet aroma of Christmas cake filled the air at the Verna-based Kamaxi College of Culinary Arts during their annual Christmas cake-mixing ceremony.

STUDENTS and faculty at the Verna-based Kamaxi College of Culinary Arts (KCCA) kicked off celebrations for the upcoming festive season with its annual Christmas cake-mixing ceremony on campus starting November 28, 2024.

Cake-mixing has been a campus tradition for years, students and faculty gathered around the table to mix an aromatic blend of premium dried fruits, nuts and fine spirits — the ingredients essential for creating rich, flavorful Christmas cakes for the year-end festive season.  The ceremonious cake-mixing  was accompanied with the playing of Christmas tunes and this put the atmosphere into a cheerful holiday spirit. Said Chef Playton Dias (faculty chef, Bakery & Pastry, KCCA), “This  ceremony connects us to a tradition which is rich in history and an overwhelming feeling of the festive spirit.”

The tradition of cake mixing marks the beginning of Christmas preparations to bring  together friends, family and loved ones. Cake mixing was originally a method for the preservation of fruitcakes and other sweets during the winter months, “The origin of cake mixing dates back to the 17th century in Europe where families got together and mixed Christmas cakes and puddings well in advance to give it time to mature and develop flavours,” added Dias.

The process of cake mixing involves combining dried fruits, nuts and spices with flour, sugar and eggs. This mixture is then baked into a cake or pudding. Parixit Pai Fondekar (KCCA founder) shared his excitement about the event and noted the importance of togetherness during this time of year, he concluded, “Christmas is the time for joy, and every year at KCCA we organise the cake-mixing ceremony. Goan families who are abroad, come down to celebrate Christmas together and bond with each other.”

VMSCL SECURES SECOND RUNNERS-UP POSITION FOR  ‘BEST LEGAL AID CLINIC

VM SALGAOCAR  College of Law was adjudged as Second Runners Up-“Best Legal Aid Clinic,” in the 3rd Prof VS Mallar Legal Aid Competition, 2024 at the valedictory ceremony held on November 26, 2024 in online mode. The competition got  participants from 59 law schools and colleges across India.

The competition is a joint initiative by Symbiosis Law School, Pune and National Law School of India University, Bengaluru in collaboration with the Department of Justice, Ministry of Law and Justice, Government of India. It involved six components namely, Legal Podcast and FAQs on theme “Access to Legal Aid and Allied Laws Podcast,” Speed mentoring involving legal literacy programs, Street Plays in regional language and Jan Sunwaii, reel making with the objective to engage youth in raising legal awareness, Litigation Assistance Lab to actively engage law students in providing hands on support for legal cases, and submission of final report with testimonial video.  The competition had  different submission dates between August to November, 2024.

The selection process involved shortlisting of top 15 teams, followed by jury interaction. The college core team comprised of faculty co-ordinators Dr Aamod Shirali and Asstt Prof. Shaina Dhulapkar, student coordinator  Nidhi Gawade, Achal Candolkar, Saisha Mandrekar, Jane De Souza, Advait Kumar, Michael Lobo, Kiran Patil, Shreya Sawant, Arya Nadkarni. The college gets Rs15,000 as prize and certificate of merit for the core team.

SIDDI KONKANI RIVIVAL

WHO are the Siddis? Siddi people are descendants of the Bantu people of east and South Africa, who were imported as slaves by the Portuguese even to India and Goa. They were sold to Goan bhatkar or landlords in different parts of the Konkan region. Over a period of time, the later freed Siddi integrated with the local people and adopted Konkani as their mother tongue. The Siddi people maintained their African traditions particularly in songs and dance forms.

What is interesting is at this year’s IFFI in  documentary film, Jayan K Cherian in his  “Rhythms of Dannam” — shot in Yellapur – tells the story of a 12-year-old focusing on Siddi tribal rituals and music. The Siddi people converted to Islam when they were purchased by the Sultan of Bijapur.

In Goa, they were converted to Christianity, and in his documentary Cherian focuses on the struggles of the Siddi people to maintain their identity and dignity of labor in captivity and in freedom. A must catch up with documentary film this if we care about  history!

AR RAHMAN MARRIAGE CONFUSION!

THE “Times of India” carried a report on AR Rahman separating from his wife Saira Banu whom he has been married for 28 years. There were rumours linking the separation to AR Rahman’s affair with Mohini Dey a bass guitarist. Both the AR Rahman and Mohini Dey have denied any such relationship. But Rahman is still not clarified if he remains married to his wife Saira Banu whom he has been married for 28 years. Rahman’s daughter Khatija has asked fans to respect the privacy of the family. The wife has claimed that she had some medical issues and has decided to take a break from the music composer.

`KALIYA MARDAN’ REBORN

 THE world’s oldest restored film on the big screen “Kaliya Mardan,” the Dadasaheb  Phalke 1919 silent film has been restored by the National Film Archives of India. A background score and a soundtrack have been added to the film. The original soundtrack featured the folk singers of the Bengali Baul community who were influenced by Ramanuja’s Bhakti movement. The story revolves around a young Lord Krishna killing the giant snake which in the film is Kaliya Mardan. The restored version of the film was screened at the 55th IFFI on November 27 to a very appreciative audience.  

CRITERIA FOR JUNIOR POST

THE Goa Staff Selection Commission has announced the criteria for recruitment of lower division clerk and junior stenographers for filling vacancies in the government. We do not understand why the stenographers have not been promoted to data entry operators as nobody takes dictation any longer? The eligibility conditions include knowledge of typing skills in English and Konkani and a capacity for reasoning (whatever that means). The minimum mark for the computer-based test is 45% for the open category and 40% for the reserved category. The government has notified 232 posts of LDC and recovery clerks in various departments to be filled in before the end of the year. 

PLEA FOR RECOVERY

OWNERS of commercial units at Prabhu Chambers in Mapusa have called up the collector to speed up recovery of compensation from builder Venkatesh Prabhu. Complainants at a press conference in Panaji claim that the builder has failed to give possession of premises to rightful owners. Earlier, RERA had given an order in favor of the purchasers, stating that they should be compensated with Rs11 crore.

TEMPLE BELOW AJMER SHARIF

A HINDU organization in Rajasthan is claiming that the site of the Dargah Khawaja Mohindin Chisti, popularly known as Ajmer Dargah, is the site of an ancient temple. The Hindu Sena’s advocate is claiming that there was a Shiva temple at the site of the dargah and it was demolished. The Archaeological Survey of India has been directed to survey the area to verify the contention of this Sena. The charge is that the dome of the dargah contains the pieces of the temple and here is the  evidence.  

BANGLADESH TO BAN ISKCON?

THE priest of the ISKCON temple in Bangladesh, Krishna Das, has been detained. He is accused of exposing attacks on Hindu temples in Bangladesh after the new regime headed by Mohamad Yunus chatured power. Hardline Muslim groups are now reportedly calling for banning ISKCON, a movement for Krishna consciousness which has a large following amongst foreigners as well as Indian wealthy and middle-class Hindus. Most of the major temples of ISKCON are located in Vrindavan, the birthplace of Krishna, and in Mumbai and West Bengal. In fact, so fast-growing and attractive is this movement that there’s ISKCON temples the world over now including a huge community of ISKCON followers in the United States, UK and Europe. ISKCON followers try to imbibe Vedic  lifestyles adapted to modern times. 

WARNING AGAINST VITAMIN D JAB

DOCTORS are advising against single injection Vitamin D to compensate for its deficiency in the body. The injection vitamin should be avoided as it can cause excessive vitamin D levels and lead to kidney stones. The best source of vitamin D is sunlight and sunlight is what so many foreign tourists from the cold countries of the world come seeking in holiday destinations like Goa and other south East Asian countries where there’s an abundance of sunshine to bask in. But reportedly if you’re unable to get sunshine in your life doctors prescribe a 60,000 IU sachet every month. We too have been advised but do not know whether to obey or not.

DEAF COMMUNITY FOR SILENT MASS

THE Exposition of the Sacred Relics of St Francis Xavier has brought together many faithful and opened doors to various possibilities. For example, in a historic moment, Goa celebrated a first Silent Mass to the joy of the Goan Catholic community comprising the deaf and hard of hearing, on the occasion of the Feast of Christ, the King – it was celebrated with fervor at the St Francis Xavier’s Training Centre for Children with Disability in Old Goa on  November 24, 2024.

The Holy Eucharistic was presided over by India’s first deaf priest, Fr Joseph Thermadon in Indian sign language and vocalized by Fr Jolly from the diocese of Kunnur. Fr Preyesh Kalarimuriyil, director of Adam Ministry of the diocese of Thalassery, led the faithful to participate in this liturgical celebration in sign language. These three priests led the pilgrimage of 120 members of the Catholic Deaf Association of India, from various parts of the country.

Fr Savio Fernandes, Asst Director of Caritas-Goa, welcomed the special category pilgrims and recalled that 50 years back the Church in Goa envisioned this centre and built it up from the proceeds of the exposition of the sacred relics of St Francis Xavier in 1974. He also expressed his deep gratitude to God for this day and thanked the presence of the pilgrims together with members of the Goa Catholic Deaf Community.

Fr Joseph’s Eucharistic celebration in Indian sign language has given to the Goan deaf Catholic community members an opportunity of inclusive Mass, and thus highlighting the Synodal Journey of the Catholic Church in Goa.

Fr Jolly in his homily highlighted that Christ the King was the center of the life of St Francis Xavier and therefore, he was able to communicate the message of love and hope. The alter servers for the mass were three deaf Catholic students of St Xavier’s Academy; namely Joyston, Melcy and Jeevan who enthusiastically served  during the Eucharistic celebration.

The event was part of the Exposition of the Sacred Relics of St Francis Xavier. In view of this, Convenor of the Exposition Committee Fr Henry Falcão, also thanked the community on behalf of the Archbishop Filipe Neri Cardinal Ferrão, stating that this is an ecclesial event. He added that the focus of the exposition is a renewal of our personal and family life and highlighted that the Eucharist, Confession and the Veneration of the Sacred relics of St Francis Xavier is the focal point of the  exposition. He attributed the language barriers and communication gaps of St Francis Xavier to those of the Deaf Community.

Fr Rosario Walter D’Souza expressed his words of gratitude, saying “this is a historic and joyous event for the Church in Goa.” He thanked Fr Maverick Fernandes, director- Caritas, Fr Savio Fernandes, Avelino D’Sa (president, DRAG) and Josephine Fernandes for coordinating the event. He also congratulated the staff and student community of St Francis Xavier Training Centre for Children with Disability for arranging and setting up the place for the event.

He also thanked Megha Bhatia, general manager-Taj Fort Aguada, Bosco Furtado (Cluster HR Manager North Goa, Taj Hotels) for supporting the employability of the students of this centre and also for sponsoring the refreshments for the day. It was a faith enriched, and an ecclesial celebration, filled with hope and joy for the Church in Goa on the occasion of this great event of the exposition of the Sacred Relics of St Francis Xavier. 

VATICAN DELEGATES ATTEND 18th EXPOSITION

A DISTINGUISHED delegation from the Vatican attended the decennial Exposition (2024) of the Sacred Relics of St Francis Xavier in Old Goa, one of the most significant spiritual events in the region. The visit marks a momentous occasion in honouring the rich history and heritage of Goa.

Upon their arrival, Shreyas D’silva, Under Secretary, GAD, extended a warm welcome to the Vatican delegates.  Sandip Jacques, IAS, Secretary, Revenue and Commissioner, interacted with the delegates and welcomed them to the Exposition (2024) of the Sacred Relics.

His Excellency Archbishop Edgar Peña Parra, Substitute of the Secretariat of State, conveyed his happiness in attending the event. In his address, he shared a message of love, emphasizing that to love God is to love others, and underscored the importance of doing one’s best for others. “This brings us here to Goa for the Exposition,” he said, adding that the heritage of St. Francis Xavier is priceless.

His Excellency Bishop George Koovakad, Cardinal-Elect and Coordinator of the Apostolic Journeys, also expressed his gratitude, describing the moment as profoundly sacred.

The visiting Vatican delegation included Monsignor Javier Domingo Fernández González, Chief of Protocol of the Holy See, who previously served as the Counsellor at the Vatican Embassy in New Delhi; His Excellency Archbishop Rolandas Makrickas, Coadjutor Archpriest of the Saint Mary Major Basilica in Rome; His Excellency Bishop Flaviano Rami Al-Kabalan, Apostolic Visitor for the Syrian Catholic Faithful residing in  Europe and Procurator of the Syrian Catholic Church in Rome; Dr. Melania Iermieri, Assistant for the Apostolic Journeys. 

The Vatican delegates took time to visit the museum and attend Mass. They will participate in several other events during their stay, furthering their engagement with the cultural and spiritual significance of the Exposition.

The ceremony was also attended by Auxiliary Bishop H. Simiao Purificacao Fernandes, Fr. Lawrance Fernandes, and other distinguished officials.

MP SHRIPAD NAIK VISITS GOA PAVILION IN NEW DELHI

Union MoS for Power, Shri. Shripad Naik visited the Goa Pavilion set up at the India International Trade Fair, 2024, which has been receiving tremendous response from the general public for Goa’s rich cultural heritage and local handicrafts at New Delhi.

Information Officer, Department of Information and Publicity, Shri. Kiran Munankar welcomed Union Minister at the pavilion. 

Union MoS, Shri. Naik visited the stalls setup at the pavilion and also witnessed the cultural performance by the artists.

THIRD WAY, INDIA AND GLOBAL SOUTH

DR SAMIR Saran, president of the Observer Research Foundation (ORF), New Delhi will be speaking on the topic: “The Third Way- India and the Global South” at the International Centre Goa (ICG) on Monday, December 2 at 630pm. This is part of ICG’s  “Public Lecture” series to be moderated by Pushkar (ICG director). The event is free and open to the public.

It may be remembered that the ORF is India’s premier think tank, headquartered in New Delhi with affiliates in North America and the Middle East. Dr Saran’s research focuses on issues of global governance, climate and energy policy, technology policy, and India’s foreign policy. He curates the “Raisina Dialogue”, India’s annual flagship platform on geopolitics and geo-economics, and is the founder of CyFy, India’s annual conference on cybersecurity and internet governance.

Dr Saran also spearheads the foundation’s efforts to foster new international partnerships and incubate young leaders’ networks and youth-led conversations globally. Dr Saran has authored four books, edited important journals and publications and written several academic papers and book chapters. He is featured regularly in Indian and international print and broadcast media. His latest publications include “The New World Disorder and The Indian

Imperative” (2020) with Shashi Tharoor and “Pax Sinica: Implications for the Indian Dawn” (2019) with Akhil Deo.

(Those interested in attending the session must RSVP: +91 92844 75746, Rahul Chandawarkar +919822022283, Communication Strategist  Cashewrina Events |Goa)

TANAVADE APPRECIATES EFFORTS OF ARTIST AT GOA PAVILION AT IITF

  Member of Parliament, Shri Sadanand Tanavade visited the Goa Pavilion at the India International Trade Fair, 2024, New Delhi.
          On his arrival at the pavilion he was received by the Information Officer, Shri Kiran Munankar, Department of Information and Publicity. Evincing keen interest in the various handicrafts items being marketed at IITF, Shri Tanavade lauded the efforts of the Department for projecting Goa’s rich cultural heritage and Cuisine at national events which is acknowledged the world over.  Interacting with the cultural artist and the artisans at the Pavilion, he appreciated and felicitated them for their efforts to display their talent outside the State.

ORGAN & TISSUE DONATION AWARENESS

THE Directorate of Food & Drugs Administration in association with Goa State Price Monitoring and Resource Unit (PMRU), an arm of National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority, under the Department of Pharmaceuticals, Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers, Government of India, situated at FDA, Bambolim conducted as a part of IEC activity, a seminar on organ donation with SOTTO “State Organ and Tissue Transplant organization under National Organ Transplant programme (NOTP) on  November 22, 2024. This was at the Conference Hall, Directorate of Food and Drugs Administration, Bambolim.

Organ donation is the need of the hour, as every year around five lakh people in India lose their precious lives due to end stage organ failure. There is a steep discrepancy in the number of organs needed and their availability for transplant. A detailed presentation on organ donation that involves organ retrieval, storage and transplantation of deceased donor was given by Shraddha Kelkar, Consulatant (IEC), in the presence of Dr Preeti Varghese, Joint Director, SOTTO Goa. About 50 FDA employees were present for the session.

A breast cancer screening camp by YouWeCanFoundation was conducted for female employees of DFDA. This is non-profit organization established by cricketer and cancer survivor Yuvraj Singh with a mission to fight cancer through awareness, prevention, early detection, patient support and survivor empowerment.

CM VISITS GOA PAVILION

CHIEF Minister Dr Pramod Sawant visited the Goa Pavilion set up at the India International Trade Fair, 2024 happening at the Pragati Maidan in   New Delhi from November 14 to 27. The CM who was visiting on Nov 25 was happy to see the Goa Pavilion receiving tremendous response from the general public for Goa’s rich cultural heritage and local handicrafts.

On his arrival the CM at the pavilion he was greeted by information officers Kiran Munankar and proprietors of Mirchi Republic media Aryan Khedekar and Sanman Kenkre. Apart from a warm traditional welcome he was entertained by traditional Goan fugdi dancing.  Dr Sawant complimented the  Department of Information & Publicity and other line departments for showcasing “Swayampurna Goem” Goan-style, to support  Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s dream of achieving a Viksit Bharat by 2047. He also suggested the presentation of more products under the “Make in Goa” concept so that Goan products achieve recognition and a national and international market.

The Goa State Innovation Council which has been displaying and providing demos on various robotics techniques to transform their ideas into successful start-ups also received tremendous response from youth visiting the pavilion. Gift hampers were given as a token of love by Information Officers Allwyn Pereira and Kiran Munankar. The pavilion has been conceptualized, designed, erected and managed by Mirchi Republic Media.

TECH MEDIA START-UP EXPO

IT was a successful closure for the Tech Media Start-up Expo 2024 on Nov 25, 2024. The expo was organised by the Start-up & IT Promotion Cell of the Department of ITE&C. Over five impactful days it showcased  groundbreaking innovations at the intersection of technology and media. Transformative technologies were featured through eight promising start-ups, demonstrating Goa’s potential to grow as a hub for innovation and entrepreneurship.

Other highlights included emerging opportunities in Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR), Mixed Reality (MR), and the Metaverse, emphasizing their role in shaping the future of media production and storytelling.

IT Minister Rohan A Khaunte inaugurated the Behind the Scenes app during the Expo. This platform bridges the gap between filmmakers and innovators, creating a collaborative space for storytelling and technology integration. The launch highlights Goa’s commitment to positioning itself as a future-ready destination for media and innovation. The minister underscored the importance of collaboration between policymakers and innovators in fostering Goa’s media-tech ecosystem. He emphasized Goa’s transformation from a tourist destination into a hub of creativity and entrepreneurship, committed to providing the resources and support needed for innovation to thrive.

Others who spoke included Dr Chandrakant Shetye, chairperson of InfoTech Corporation of Goa. Eight promising Startups were selected by the Startup & IT Promotion Cell and given an opportunity to present their innovative solutions tailored to the evolving media-tech landscape on the global stage of IFFI.

The start-ups included – Fandora; a platform enabling users to invest in and co-own content IP across films, sports,  OTT series, PostMyAd; A digital ad management platform offering remote control of billboard campaigns, PYC AI; a global platform for licensing voices, avatars, and personas for artists and businesses. Character XYZ; an AI-powered service that offers characters-as-a-service for immersive games and experiences and Goan Narrative; a live streaming and documentary production platform showcasing local stories. These start-ups, along with others like Behind The Scene, Yellow Whale Labs and RecoBee, emphasized Goa’s potential as a growing tech and innovation hub. With government support and active participation from global stakeholders, the Tech Media Startup Expo has laid a strong foundation for future events that will further Goa’s vision as a hub for technology, creativity, and entrepreneurship. Importantly, the Expo facilitated active engagement between global delegates, local entrepreneurs, and industry leaders, resulting in three start-ups expressing their intent to establish operations in Goa.

AUTHENTIC SOUTH INDIAN FOOD `iD’ IN GOA NOW!

FROM the looks of it Goa is going south Indian in a big way with regard to food. iD Fresh Food, India’s largest and most reputed brand in fresh, natural food products, is on an ambitious growth trajectory. The Bangalore-based company is in Goa now as part of its  pan-India growth plan. You may look for the company’s range of produces beginning with idli-dosa batter. Idli and dosa varieties are much loved across India. The iD range also includes Malabar Parotta, Wheat Lachha Paratha, Paneer, Curd and last but not least of all, Coffee. The brand will soon launch its offerings of spices and chutneys in the market. Speaking at a product launch Rajat Diwaker, CEO (India), iD Fresh food said,  “We’re thrilled to bring iD Fresh’s authentic, natural and preservative-free products to the vibrant city of Goa. Goa is an important market for us, given its rich food culture and consumers who appreciate natural and traditional flavours. Our expansion here is a key step in our pan-India growth strategy.”

The aggressive plan for a pan-India expansion comes against the backdrop of iD’s phenomenal success in 2024. The company clocked a revenue of INR 554 crore in FY-24 and aims to clock INR 700 crore in FY-2025. In fact, the company had a 16% increase in its operating revenue, rising to INR 395.76 cr in FY-24 from INR 340.9 cr in the previous year.

This expansion aligns with iD Fresh Foods overarching growth strategy to enhance the accessibility and availability of its products nationwide.

By placing consumers at the centre of its mission, iD Fresh’s success comes from its dedication to homemade-style preparation, free from chemicals, preservatives, or artificial additives. The brand aims to deliver the nostalgic taste of traditional home-cooked meals. Rather than replace these cherished flavours, iD Fresh complements them, offering wholesome, authentic food in the healthiest way possible.

Currently, iD caters to over 45 cites, across 30,000 retail stores in India, UAE, USA and UK. Get an insight into its range of products, visit  www.idfreshfood.com

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