Tag: #india

Events in Goa

Raponkarancho Sea Food Festival 2025 Opens at Arambol, Celebrating Goa’s Coastal Heritage

Tanisha Cardozo

Written by Tanisha Cardozo || Team Allycaral

Arambol came alive with aromas of fresh seafood, lively music, and vibrant coastal traditions as Day 1 of the Raponkarancho Sea Food Festival 2025 unfolded, setting a festive tone for the days ahead. The festival offered a heartfelt tribute to Goa’s maritime heritage, blending culinary excellence with cultural expression and community participation.

The festival was formally inaugurated in the presence of Hon’ble MLA Shri Jit Arolkar and Director of Tourism Shri Kedar Naik, along with Shri Deepak Narvekar, Deputy General Manager (Marketing), GTDC, and other dignitaries and community representatives. Their presence marked the beginning of a celebration deeply rooted in Goa’s coastal identity and fishing traditions.

Addressing the gathering, Hon’ble Minister for Tourism Shri Rohan A. Khaunte emphasised the importance of such festivals in preserving traditional livelihoods and cultural practices. He noted that the Raponkarancho Sea Food Festival plays a crucial role in safeguarding Goa’s fishing heritage and culinary legacy, while also strengthening community-led tourism that reflects the state’s authentic character.

Director of Tourism Shri Kedar Naik echoed these sentiments, highlighting that the festival serves as a platform to bring fishing communities, local cuisine, and cultural traditions together. He underlined that initiatives like these promote experiential tourism while ensuring that local communities remain central to tourism development in Goa.

Visitors were treated to a diverse spread of traditional seafood preparations, thoughtfully curated by local fishermen and culinary experts. Each dish reflected the flavours of coastal Goa, offering an authentic gastronomic experience rooted in age-old recipes and fresh local produce.

Adding to the festive ambience were live cultural performances that showcased Goa’s rich artistic traditions, creating an immersive experience for both locals and tourists. Music, dance, and community interaction transformed the venue into a lively celebration of coastal life.

The Raponkarancho Sea Food Festival 2025 stands as a vibrant celebration of Goa’s coastal traditions, community spirit, and culinary richness. As the festival continues over the coming days, it promises more flavours, performances, and experiences that reinforce Goa’s vision of sustainable and community-driven tourism.

Sports

Legal Titans Stay in Semifinal Race; United Brothers Extend Winning Streak in Advocates Cricket League

Tanisha Cardozo

Written by Tanisha Cardozo || Team Allycaral Sports Desk

Legal Titans and United Brothers produced impressive performances in Sunday’s Advocates Cricket League 2025–26 T20 matches at the Chicalim ground, Vasco, keeping fans engaged with competitive cricket. United Brothers continued their dominant run by registering their fourth consecutive victory, while Legal Titans stayed alive in the race for the semifinals with a convincing win.

In the opening encounter, Lotlikar Lions set a challenging total of 167 for 8 in their 20 overs. Venkatesh Rathod led the charge with a powerful 79 off 40 balls, striking seven fours and four sixes, while Prashant Borkar added a steady 45. Legal Titans responded strongly with the ball, as Satchit Mauskar delivered a standout spell to claim four wickets, well supported by Jeevan Divkar who picked up two.

Chasing the target, Legal Titans made light work of the chase, racing to 168 for 4 in just 15 overs. Pravin Gawas played a blistering knock of 68 from 37 balls, smashing six fours and five sixes, while Satyam Ghogale contributed a solid 37 to seal a morale-boosting victory and keep their semifinal hopes intact.

In the second match, United Brothers were bowled out for 134 in 17.3 overs, with Rahul Shet, Dattaraj Gawas and Dattaraj Parab providing key contributions. Risers’ bowlers Dattaraj Arondekar and Sandeep Naik picked up three wickets apiece to restrict the total.

However, Risers failed to capitalise on the modest target and were dismissed for 106 in 18.1 overs. Raghu Parab starred with the ball for United Brothers, claiming four wickets, while Dattaraj Parab added two more to complete a comfortable win.

With these results, United Brothers moved to the top of the table with eight points from four matches, pushing 18 Juners to second place. Legal Titans remain firmly in contention and are set to face the unbeaten United Brothers next, a clash that could prove decisive in shaping the semifinal line-up of the tournament.

Sports

MCC Thunder Storm into MCL 11 T20 Final After Gritty Win Over MCC Knights

Tanisha Cardozo

Written by Tanisha Cardozo || Team Allycaral Sports Desk

MCC Thunder booked their place in the final of the MCL 11 T20 cricket tournament with a hard-fought 14-run victory over MCC Knights in the second qualifier, played at the MCC Ground in Margao. The win sets up an exciting title clash against MCC Tigers, scheduled for Sunday, and capped off a closely contested encounter that kept spectators engaged till the final over.

Batting first, MCC Thunder put up a competitive total of 169 for 8 in their allotted 20 overs. Om Fadte anchored the innings with a composed knock of 38, while Dr. Rohan Badve contributed a vital 37 and Roshan Naik added a quick 28 to bolster the middle order. The Thunder batters showed intent and resilience, ensuring a challenging target despite disciplined bowling from MCC Knights, with Siddharth Ghanekar emerging as the pick of the bowlers with figures of 2 for 25.

In response, MCC Knights mounted a spirited chase and remained in contention for much of the innings, eventually finishing on 155 for 7 in 20 overs. Sairaj Dhond top-scored with 27, while Smit Dalvi’s 26 and Pranav Biche’s 21 kept the scoreboard ticking. However, MCC Thunder’s bowlers maintained pressure at crucial moments, preventing the Knights from gaining momentum in the final overs.

Dr. Rohan Badve delivered an outstanding all-round performance, following up his batting effort with impressive bowling figures of 2 for 21. He received excellent support from Sudhir Shet, who claimed 2 for 15, and Sudesh Rane with 2 for 25, as Thunder’s disciplined attack restricted the scoring and sealed the victory. Paul Fernandes also chipped in with a wicket, conceding 27 runs.

For his impactful contributions with both bat and ball, Dr. Rohan Badve was adjudged Man of the Match, with the award presented by Mandar Parodkar. With this win, MCC Thunder advance confidently into the final of the MCL 11 T20 tournament, promising an exciting showdown against MCC Tigers as the competition reaches its climax.

Events in Goa

Raponkarcho Sea Food Festival 2025 Celebrates Goa’s Fishing Heritage in Arambol

Tanisha Cardozo

Written by Tanisha Cardozo || Team Allycaral

The Department of Tourism, Government of Goa, will organise the Raponkarcho Sea Food Festival 2025 from December 28 to 30 at the Main Parking Area, Arambol, highlighting Goa’s rich seafood heritage, traditional fishing culture and vibrant coastal lifestyle. The three-day festival aims to offer visitors an immersive cultural experience rooted in local cuisine, music and community participation.

The festival will feature traditional Goan seafood cuisine stalls, cultural programmes and live musical performances, with entry free for all visitors. Programmes will begin daily from 6.00 pm, while the inaugural ceremony will take place on December 28 at 5.30 pm in the presence of Chief Minister Dr. Pramod Sawant, Tourism Minister Shri Rohan Ashok Khaunte, senior government officials and representatives from the tourism sector.

Speaking ahead of the festival, Tourism Minister Shri Rohan Ashok Khaunte said fishing has been central to Goa’s way of life for generations and continues to shape its coastal communities and food culture. He noted that the festival provides a platform to honour the skills of the fishing community while promoting authentic Goan seafood and strengthening cultural tourism through community-led initiatives.

Director of Tourism Shri Kedar Naik stated that the festival has been curated to bring together cuisine, music and cultural engagement in a festive setting, with Arambol serving as an ideal venue to showcase Goa’s cultural diversity and local traditions.

The opening night on December 28 will feature a musical line-up led by iconic Goan singer Lorna, along with performances by Purple Rain, Black Slade and Afroz Sayyed. December 29 will see performances by Gravity, Brainwash, 24K India and Teri Miko, while the festival will conclude on December 30 with performances by Forefront, The Imperial, Usman and Sartek.

Through initiatives like the Raponkarcho Sea Food Festival, the Department of Tourism continues to promote Goa’s traditional cuisine, cultural expressions and community participation, enhancing the festive tourism experience during the year-end season.

Finance

HDFC Bank Releases First Standalone CSR Report, Spends ₹1,068 Crore in FY25

Tanisha Cardozo

Written by Tanisha Cardozo || Team Allycaral

HDFC Bank, India’s largest private sector bank, has released its first-ever standalone annual Corporate Social Responsibility Report, marking a significant milestone in its decade-long journey of social impact through its umbrella initiative, Parivartan. The report highlights the Bank’s sustained commitment to inclusive and sustainable development across the country.

In FY 2024–25, HDFC Bank spent ₹1,068.03 crore on CSR initiatives, reflecting an increase of nearly ₹123 crore over the previous year. As of March 31, 2025, the Bank’s cumulative CSR investment stands at ₹6,176 crore. Over the past ten years, Parivartan has touched 10.56 crore lives across 28 states and eight Union Territories, with projects implemented in 102 of the 112 Aspirational Districts identified by the Government of India. The Bank has also extended its rural development initiatives to 298 border villages.

The CSR Report outlines HDFC Bank’s work across six core focus areas that address critical social and environmental needs. Its flagship Holistic Rural Development Programme follows an integrated, cluster-based approach to improve infrastructure, education, natural resource management, health and sanitation, positively impacting over 14.92 lakh households. In education, the Bank has strengthened access and quality through scholarships, digital learning and infrastructure, disbursing over 29,000 scholarships, setting up more than 2,600 SMART schools and establishing 930 community libraries.

Through skill training and livelihood enhancement programmes, HDFC Bank has enabled 7.2 lakh individuals, including youth and women, to secure sustainable livelihoods. Its healthcare and hygiene initiatives have expanded access to preventive care, maternal and child health services and hygiene awareness, benefiting over three lakh individuals through mobile clinics, cancer care support and maternal health initiatives. Financial literacy and inclusion efforts have empowered individuals with banking awareness and digital safety, with the Bank’s Vigil Aunty campaign on fraud awareness reaching over 21 lakh followers online.

The newest focus area under Parivartan, natural resource management, promotes sustainability through water conservation, afforestation, solar energy solutions and biodiversity conservation. To date, the Bank has created 14,520 water conservation structures and installed more than 69,000 solar lights, supporting long-term environmental stewardship.

Aligned with 10 of the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, HDFC Bank’s CSR initiatives reflect an integrated approach to development that balances economic progress with social equity and environmental responsibility. Commenting on the milestone, Kaizad Bharucha, Deputy Managing Director, HDFC Bank, said that Parivartan represents the Bank’s sustained effort to work alongside communities in unlocking their potential, guided by a philosophy of inclusive, locally relevant and future-focused development.