Tag: Panaji Goa

Events in Goa

“Sky Was Never the Limit”: Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla Inspires Students at Goa Book Festival 2026

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Written by Intern Rency Gomes || Team Allycaral 

Day 3 of the Goa Book Festival 2026 witnessed a powerful convergence of inspiration, intellect and imagination, highlighted by an electrifying interaction with astronaut Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, AC, who addressed over 1,200 school students and took them on a journey beyond Earth.


“I travelled to space with a billion hearts with me. The sky was never the limit—not for me, not for you,” Shukla said, reflecting on his historic mission to the International Space Station. In a session moderated by Yuvraj Malik, Director, National Book Trust, India, the astronaut spoke candidly about fear, discipline, perseverance and the realities of life in space.

Sharing rare personal moments, he recalled the anxiety he felt during launch, likening it to opening an examination paper despite months of preparation. He described the intense physical strain of take-off, the mental challenge of isolation away from family, and the long process of relearning how to walk after returning to Earth. Through humour and videos, he brought space closer to students—sharing stories of playing basketball in zero gravity, walking on ceilings, momentarily forgetting gravity after returning, and listening to Vande Mataram while heading to the launch pad.

Answering questions from students, Shukla spoke about missing home-cooked food, coping with separation from family, and the importance of focusing on the present. He encouraged students to dream big, stay resilient and see setbacks as part of growth. Reflecting on identity, he said that beyond borders and planets, humanity shares a single home—Earth.

He also spoke about India’s space ambitions, including the Gaganyaan mission and plans for India’s own space station, telling students that the future of the nation’s space programme would be shaped by their aspirations.

The day also featured a felicitation ceremony, where Padma Shri Vinayak Khedekar and 52 eminent literary figures from Goa—including writers, poets, novelists and emerging authors—were honoured. The ceremony was attended by Prof. Milind Sudhakar Marathe, Chairman, NBT; Dr. Kiran Thakur, Chief Patron of the Goa Book Festival; and Kiran Kendre, Editor of Kishor magazine, among others.

At the Author’s Corner, the panel discussion “Konkani, Marathi, English: Multilingual Future of Goa” explored Goa’s layered linguistic identity, emphasising multilingualism as a lived cultural strength rather than a conflict. Speakers highlighted dialogue, balance and adaptability as key to preserving Goa’s linguistic harmony.

In “Ancient Stories, Modern Dreams,” author Shantanu Gupta reinterpreted the Ramayana as a framework for leadership, ethics and entrepreneurship, drawing parallels between Rama’s vanvaas and modern crises that demand resilience, responsibility and integrity.

The session “History as a Living Conversation” saw Mohan Shete, in conversation with Sanjay Chakanne, bring history alive through engaging narratives drawn from Anandmath and episodes from the life of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. By recounting battles such as Basrur and Palkhed, Shete reinforced the idea of history as a living dialogue shaping collective identity.

Filmmaker Chandraprakash Dwivedi, in conversation with Dev Kanya Thakur during “From Text to Screen: The Art of Adaptation,” reflected on transforming literature and history into visual narratives, emphasising research, inference and creative intuition. The session was attended by Sports Minister Ramesh Tawadkar, who later felicitated Dwivedi.

The Children’s Corner buzzed with energy as nearly 2,500 students participated in dance, movement and storytelling workshops. Activities blended learning with creativity, including digital literacy through the Rashtriya e-Pustakalaya platform, culminating with a staged presentation of the Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Saga.

Cultural evenings added vibrancy to the festival, with instrumental ensemble Maluhaa presenting immersive compositions blending Indian and Western classical traditions, followed by powerful folk and martial art performances by Team Mammalan from Puducherry, led by Padma Shri awardee Master Kalia Mamani K. Palanivel.

Day 3 of the Goa Book Festival 2026 stood out as a celebration of curiosity, courage and cultural continuity—where space science met storytelling, and ancient wisdom inspired modern dreams.

Business

GCCI Hosts Joint Professional Programme on LLP Compliances, Startup Funding and Growth as Part of Startup Week 2026

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Written by Intern Rency Gomes || Team Allycaral 


Panaji, 16 January 2026: The Goa Chamber of Commerce & Industry (GCCI), in collaboration with the Goa Chapter of the Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI), successfully organised a Joint Professional Programme at GCCI, Panaji, as part of Startup Week 2026. The programme revolved around the themes “Igniting Growth: Startup Funding, Investment & Compliance” and “LLP & its Compliances” and received an encouraging response from entrepreneurs, professionals, startups, MSMEs, and students.



Welcoming the participants, Ms. Pratima Dhond, President, GCCI, underlined the importance of awareness, compliance, governance, and continuous learning for sustainable business growth, particularly within the startup and MSME ecosystem. She highlighted GCCI’s role in supporting businesses through advocacy, capacity building, and professional collaboration.

CS Darshan Karekar, Chairman, ICSI Goa Chapter, stated that startups play a vital role in employment generation and national economic growth. He noted that the objective of the programme was to create awareness about regulatory compliances applicable to startups and business entities.

CA Rohan Bhandare, Hon. Secretary, GCCI, and Chairman, GCCI Taxation & Financial Services Committee, expressed satisfaction at the joint initiative being held on the occasion of National Startup Day. He emphasised that the programme reflected the shared vision of GCCI and ICSI in promoting innovation and entrepreneurship, and stressed the importance of continued collaboration on knowledge-driven initiatives for strengthening the business and professional community.

The Chief Guest, Ms. Trupti Sharma, ROC-cum-Official Liquidator for Goa, Daman & Diu, advised participants to actively engage with authorities and raise genuine grievances instead of facing compliance challenges in silence. She noted that the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) remains receptive to valid concerns raised by stakeholders.

Elaborating on the relevance of Limited Liability Partnerships (LLPs), Ms. Sharma explained that the LLP concept was introduced in 2008 and that LLPs now account for nearly one-fourth of the total number of registered companies. She observed that registrations remain relatively low mainly due to lack of awareness. Highlighting LLPs as a preferred structure for family-run businesses, she pointed out that LLPs involve fewer compliances compared to companies, with the LLP agreement being the “soul” of the entity, and also offer easier and faster exit options.

Using an analogy, Ms. Sharma remarked that if MCA is the heart of compliances, professional bodies like ICSI and ICAI act as the arteries, while GCCI functions as the lungs, providing the oxygen necessary for the system to function efficiently.

Guest Speaker CS Vinayak Khanvalkar, Former President of the Institute of Company Secretaries of India, delivered an insightful session covering startup funding, investment avenues, and compliance-related aspects in line with the programme agenda.

The programme concluded with an interactive session, allowing participants to seek clarifications and directly engage with the experts. The joint initiative was widely appreciated for its practical insights and relevance to the evolving needs of startups and businesses in Goa.

The event was compered by Ms. Rakhi Malkarnekar, while the vote of thanks was delivered by Ms. Shantal Naik. The programme was coordinated by Mr. Sanjay Amonkar, Director General, GCCI, and Mr. Kiran Ballikar, Director, GCCI.

Events in Goa

Human Stories Behind Borders: ‘Displacement’ at Serendipity Arts Festival Explores Migration and Exile

Tanisha Cardozo

Written by Tanisha Cardozo || Team Allycaral

Migration and displacement, often discussed through numbers and geopolitical debates, take on deeply human dimensions at the Serendipity Arts Festival 2025 through the exhibition Displacement, curated by art historian Rahaab Allana. Open to viewing at The Old PWD Complex in Panaji, the exhibition brings together artists from South Asia and the Gulf region whose works reflect lived experiences of exile, asylum and rupture.

Allana situates the exhibition within the context of recent global migration trends, noting that 2024 witnessed record levels of displacement worldwide. From conflicts in Syria, Iraq, Palestine and Afghanistan to internal displacement within South Asia, the curator connects global crises with local and regional realities. These transitions, shaped by racism, border anxieties and minority-majority debates, form the conceptual backbone of Displacement.

The exhibition foregrounds image-based practices that confront today’s volatile socio-political landscape. While wars, territorial conflicts and ideologies dominate headlines, Allana stresses that it is ultimately human lives that bear the consequences. The works on display insist on a humanist approach, using art as a provocation for dialogue and empathy at a time of increasing polarisation.

Many of the artists featured are themselves living in exile or seeking asylum far from their homelands. Their works speak of both internal and external displacement, addressing themes of severance, surveillance, memory and loss, while also revealing how art becomes a means of survival and community-building. Through creative expression, these artists forge connections and shared spaces even while navigating life in exile.

Among the notable works is that of Afghan artist Hadi Ranaward, whose piece maps Kabul with delicate origami planes and helicopters hovering above the city. The shadows they cast evoke constant scrutiny and surveillance, capturing the psychological reality of living under watch and within contested spaces. Such works invite viewers to reflect not only on territory and power, but on the everyday lives shaped by them.

Trained in art history and photography, Allana’s curatorial practice has long focused on decolonising visual narratives, a sensibility that is evident throughout the exhibition. Rather than closing conversations, Displacement opens them up, encouraging viewers to ask questions and engage with perspectives that are often marginalised.

At its core, Displacement resists simplification. It does not seek easy resolutions but instead insists on complexity, compassion and attentiveness. Within the broader framework of the Serendipity Arts Festival, the exhibition stands as a reminder that behind every migration story is a human life — carrying memory, trauma, hope and the enduring need to belong.