GOVERNOR ASSISTS 272 CANCER & DIALYSIS PATIENTS
GOVERNOR of Goa PS Sreedharan Pillai distributed financial assistance to 272 cancer and dialysis patients from Governor’s Discretionary Funds at Raj Bhavan, Dona Paula, on August 30, 2024. today. While addressing the issue of financial support the governor said that the people of India are supreme, it is the duty of elected representatives and service providers to serve the people.
Governor Pillai shared that after the successful completion of Saimik Daiz Yatra he will be visiting the forest areas of the Goa to see and study the life of people living there taking stock of their grievances to redress them. He wished the cancer patients speedy recovery, commenting that cancer is now a curable disease and patients need not worry. He was happy that all applications received for financial assistance have been cleared by Raj Bhavan.
The distribution of financial assistance to needy cancer, dialysis and other patients is historical and an epoch making achievement in the history of Raj Bhavan, Goa. First Lady of Goa Rita Shreedharan Pillai also graced the occasion and earlier MRM Rao, IAS, Secretary to Governor, welcomed the guests while Sandesh Gadkari proposed a vote of thanks.
GOANS FOR MOUNTAIN CLIMBING!
Youth leader and businessman Chirag Datta Naik and industrialist Naval Narayan Naik are back home in Goa in one piece. Both of them scaled Mt Elbrus in Russia which is the highest mountain in Europe, at an altitude of 5,642 meters above sea level. This was their third major expedition. The first was at Mt Everest Base camp in the year 2019 at an altitude of 5364 meters and a second expedition was to Mount Killimanjaro in the year 2022 at an altitude of 5895 meters.
ULOI! FULOI! FOR KONKANI MAI!
IF you missed it this is for you. So that you don’t miss it next time. It was a ground breaking celebration of the Konkani language and literature which took place on August 20, 2024 at the Gomantak Sahitya Sevak Mandal, Institute Menezes Braganza, in Panaji. A first of its kind event to present Goa’s rich cultural history. Call it ULOI! FULOI!
The Spoken Word Festival has set a new standard for artistic expression and community engagement. This landmark event, organized by Encore Academy of Performing Arts, has redefined the landscape of Konkani language appreciation and literary arts in Goa.
ULOI! FULOI! is a testament to Goa’s evolving cultural scene, showcasing a level of professionalism and scale never before witnessed in the region’s arts sector. It was produced by event agency Event Speciale and curated by Pravin Sabnis, directed by Sushant Tari who artistically brought out the fact that Konkani is one of the few languages that is written in as many as five scripts. The festival has broken new ground, elevating the status of spoken word performances and Konkani literature to new heights.
The star-studded line up featured talent in reading in Konkani — poetry, story telling, stand-up comedy, monologue and rap and various skit performances — by Shailendra Mehta, Dr Shakuntala Bharne, Ramesh Ghadi, Guadalupe Dias, Rajdeep Naik, Shirish Lawande, Willy Goes, Ayyan Bhat, Sunil Sardesai, Amit Naik, Prashanti Talpankar and Sobita Kudtarkar.
These performers brought the richness of Konkani literature to life through various forms of spoken word art. This was further enriched by musical accompaniment of Dayanand Patekar and Vignesh Gaokar, adding depth and rhythm to the performances. Festival curator Pravin Sabnis commented: “The festival was tailored to focus on artists who represent a cross-section of the community, from intellectuals to writers, poets, musicians, theatre actors and rappers. Our aim was to showcase the diversity and depth of the Konkani-speaking community through this carefully selected group of performers.”
Students of Encore Academy showcased their talents with a captivating dance performance set to “Ek Ponti” — a piece written by the much loved Bakibab Borkar and beautifully presented by Dr Shakuntala Bharne. This integration of young performers highlights the festival’s commitment to fostering the next generation of Konkani artists
Festival ambassador and Encore co-founder, Cecille Rodrigues, had this to say: “We have a clear aim to reach out to children coming from Konkani-speaking homes and provide platforms for them to explore their creative expression in their mother tongue, Konkani. We wanted to build their confidence to express their ideas in Konkani on large professional platforms with full confidence and without hesitation.”
ULOI! FULOI! Hopes to be a rallying point for the Konkani-speaking community, providing a unique opportunity for language enthusiasts, literature lovers, and performers to come together, fostering a sense of pride and unity in their shared cultural heritage. Director of Encore and ULOI FULOI Francis Coelho proposed the vote of thanks with “This is the first time something like this has been attempted, we are very encouraged by the response and support from the community, individuals, brands, and the media. We will continue to push the envelope with the agenda of bringing together the Konkani-speaking community and providing a platform for the spread of awareness of our beautiful language and culture.” ULOI! FULOI! is the new benchmark for cultural events in Goa to prove that Konkani literature can be both traditional and contemporary, appealing to audiences of all ages. Join the movement!