THE annual carnival or carnaval of Goa kicks off with the float parade in Panaji starting 4 pm on March 1. As in the past, the carnival will be flagged off from the old Secretariat and maintain the usual route down the Dayanand Bandodkar Marg, culminating and dispersing at the Kala Academy.
It’s a 4-day carnival to be celebrated all over Goa including Panaji, capital city. Leader of Goa Forward Party and Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardessai is holding his own exclusive Fatorda carnival from March 1 to 4. He has provoked controversy by posting a video of Pele, the Fisherman, with a group of bikini-clad beauties. There will be carnival parades at Mapusa on March 04, Vasco da Gama on March 02, Margao on March 03 – all distinct and different from the Fatorda carnival. The traditional carnivals are held at Navelim and Benaulim. The most popular among the carnival dances is the Red & Black dance organized jointly by Club Vasco Da Gama and Club Nacional.
King Momo for 2025 is Cleeven Mathew Fernandes from Benaulim.
INTERNET SERVICES
INTERNET is back in Panaji after almost 24 hours of blackout after the ruthless cutting of cables by the executive engineer of the electricity department Kashinath Shetye. Not only private organisations but even government departments, hospitals and the regional transport office, were affected by the internet shut down.
Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant was forced to intervene and has directed that internet service providers should be permitted to use Electricity department poles for connecting their fibre optic cables against payment of a specific fee.
With immediate effect ISP and television cable operators will be allowed to hang cables on electric poles with prior permission. It is estimated that over two lakh customers were affected by the internet black out.
TRUMP’S $43 CRORE GOLDEN VISA
ILLEGAL migrants will continue to be hunted and sent back in chains to their mother country. But those who have the money can buy a gold card residential visa to stay in the US permanently. The gold card like the green card allows a migrant to stay legally in the US — but does not entitle citizenship.
Not cheap exactly. The gold visa card has to be purchased for $5 million (a whopping Rs43 crore). Gold visa cards are expected to be made available starting first week of March.
TAMBDI SURLA SHIV TEMPLE
THE oldest Shiva temple going back to the 12th century is located at Tambdi Surla deep in the forests beyond Bondla at the foot of the Western Ghats. It is a simple stone structure with the Shivling at the center. For many years it did not even have a regular priest. The temple has its own water tank by the stream side here in keeping with the Hindu tradition (to facilitate a dip in water before entering the temple). The government is now proposing to develop the Tambdi Surla temple and its forested surroundings into a major pilgrimage tourism destination.
EUROPE HITS BACK
EUROPE is hitting back against Tesla boss Elon Musk for interfering in the political affairs of the continent as an extra-constitutional authority. The countries of Europe are boycotting Tesla electric cars and sales have plummeted. Though the sales of electric cars has increased by 37% in the last three months, Europe is switching to cars made in Japan. The sale of Tesla cars has fallen by 45%. Less than 10,000 cars sold in Europe in January compared to the 20,000 in the same period last year. A lot of Germans and the people of France especially, are very angry with President Trump’s blue-eyed favourite man, for trying to revive the dark Nazi years of German history in today’s fragile times with terrifying warfare talk rattling peace around the world.
BUSES TO BELGAVI RESUME
BUS routes from Maharashtra to Belgavi which was disrupted for almost a week have started again. The bus services were disrupted following a conductor on a Karnataka bus asking Marathi passengers to speak in Kannada.
It is claimed that some Marathi-speaking passengers assaulted the bus conductor. Following this the entry of all buses from Maharashtra into Belgavi stopped. It may be remembered that when states re-organisation took place both Maharashtra and Karnataka claimed Belgavi. Since then there have been constant clashes between the Kannada and Marathi-speaking people over Belgavi.
DIGITAL TRAFFIC FINES
TRAFFIC police and the RTO have been banned from demanding cash payments for traffic challan issued from March 1, 2025. Fines for traffic offenses will now only be accepted in digital mode. QR codes generated on each challan machine will facilitate digital payments.
VOCATIONAL AWARDS
GOVERNOR PS Sreedharan Pillai honoured individuals who excelled in promoting Konkani language at a function held at Institute Menezes Braganza Hall, Panaji, on ……. The function was organised by Rotary Club of Mapusa Eleganc. Present were Adv Rtn Adbrona Valadares, Club President Rtn Raaj Khalap, Rtn Sumedh Naik, Director, Vocational Services and Rtn Paresh Rivankar, Club Secretary.
Addressing the audience Governor Pillai said that the Rotary Club is a service oriented organisation and it is a movement spread across the country with programs of service for the betterment of common man. He highlighted the work of Rotary clubs which it does with dedication. He congratulated the committee members of Rotary Club of Mapusa Elegance.
Amit Naik, rapper, Gaudalupe Dias, poet, Jennifer Fernando, tiatra artist, Kalidas Satardekar, calligraphy artist, Mansi Dhauskar, sub-editor, Mukesh Ghatwal, music composer, Olavo Rodrigues, singer, Dr Prakash Pariekar, writer, Pramod Acharya, journalist, Rajdeep Naik, theatre artist, Rudra Ghotge, content creator, Sobita Kudtarkar, actress and Uday Chari, RJ, were felicitated with mementos by the governor.
Sumedh Naik, director-Vocational Services highlighted the purpose of vocational awards for promoting the Konkani language across various vocations. Rtn Paresh Rivankar, Club Secretary proposed the vote of thanks.
ENVISION THE FUTURE!
DNYANPRASSARAK Mandal’s College and Research Centre, Assagao hosted a two-day national conference on “Envisioning the Future: AI Tools for Libraries” on February 20 and 21, 2025. Organized under the leadership of Dr Jayaprakash G. Hugar, Librarian and Organizing Secretary, the conference was inaugurated by Prof Devika Madalli, Director, INFLIBNET, Gandhinagar, Gujarat. Prof Madalli highlighted the crucial services provided by INFLIBNET to colleges across India, with special emphasis on its impact in Goa.
The event commenced with an invocation dedicated to Goddess Saraswathi, followed by a welcome address by Prof DB Arolkar (principal of the college) who said the conference is a significant milestone in the institution’s Golden Jubilee celebrations. He emphasized that the event was a fitting tribute to the college’s legacy and its commitment to academic excellence, particularly in light of its recent NAAC ‘A’ grade accreditation in its fourth cycle.
Dr Jayaprakash G Hugar elaborated on the conference theme, tracing the evolution of library science from traditional print media to AI-driven digital repositories. He invoked Dr SR Ranganathan’s Fifth Law, “Library is a Growing Organism,” to underscore the transformative impact of AI on modern libraries. A key highlight of the event was the launch of the “Library ChatBot” — an advanced virtual assistant designed to enhance user interaction with library services. The chatbot was inaugurated by chief guest Prof Madalli, who commended the college’s innovative approach. She also released the conference volume on “AI-Driven Libraries: Shaping the Future of Knowledge Management.”
Guest of honour Prof CR Karisiddappa, former professor and chairperson, DLISc, Karnatak University, Dharwad, delivered an insightful address on the evolution of information retrieval systems, citing historical advancements from Gutenberg’s printing press to modern AI applications in libraries. He acknowledged AI’s potential in revolutionizing library services while addressing concerns regarding employment, emphasizing that technological advancements, much like the advent of computers, would create new opportunities.
Prof Devika Madalli’s keynote address detailed INFLIBNET’s contributions, including initiatives like Shodhganga, INDCAT, ePgPathshala, BharatCat, ShodhaChakra, and Sherni, which empower academic research and women researchers in India. She also noted the integration of the SOUL software into an open-source model, now used by 172 university libraries. She lauded the participation of Goan colleges in INFLIBNET’s initiatives and congratulated the college on its ChatBot innovation.
The technical sessions covered various facets of AI in library science. Dr PG Tadasad presented a theme paper on “AI in Collection Management,” exploring AI’s role in budgeting, cataloguing, metadata evolution, and ethical challenges. Dr Ramesh R Naik’s session on “AI for Information Retrieval and Discovery” highlighted applications in search engines, facial recognition, surveillance, and streaming services. Further presentations included Dr Sunil MV on “AI-Driven User Experience” and Dr TS Kumbar on “AI and Library Workforce Transformation.” Paper presentations chaired by eminent scholars showcased research on AI’s role in library management, user experience, and professional training.
The conference was a grand success, fostering discussions on the future of AI in libraries and reinforcing the college’s role as a pioneer in academic innovation. Dr Umesh Gawas gave the vote of thanks.
CANCER AWARENESS PROGRAM
ON Feb 27, 2025 in Curchorem the Jamaat-e-Islami Hind (JIH) Women’s Wing, Sanvordem, conducted a Cancer Awareness Program at ASN Galaxy Hall, Curchorem. The event, attended by 65 women, aimed to educate the community on cancer prevention, early detection, and overall health awareness. Two medical professionals addressed the gathering, namely Dr Samiksha Kuchadkar who provided a comprehensive insight into the causes, detection, and diagnosis of cancer through an informative PowerPoint presentation. She emphasized the significance of early screening in combating the disease.
Dr Shazia Shaikh highlighted the role of proper nutrition in overall health and cancer prevention. She also provided details of various services available at State government hospitals for early cancer detection, encouraging women to take proactive measures for their well-being.
The interactive session saw attendees actively engaged in discussions and seeking clarifications on cancer-related concerns. Many expressed satisfaction about the program significantly enhancing their awareness of cancer prevention and early detection. Women can always do with crucial knowledge about how they may maintain fitness and wellbeing.