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| Goa - 2005 Santosh Trophy Champions |
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| Support Soccer Activities at the grassroots in our villages |
| Vacationing in Goa this year-end - Take back & distribute Soccer Balls |
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MORE ON AN INTERESTING GOAN PLANT -- THE B.S.G.
By Miguel Braganza
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
When Dr. S.Z. Qasim, the then Director of National Institute
of Oceanography (NIO), inaugurated the unnamed 'Plant
Exhibition' at N.I.O. Entrance Plaza and released a souvenir,
little would he have thought that it would give rise to the
Botanical Society of Goa (BSG) or that it would grow into a
big organisation.
This 'Plant Exhibition' provided a forum for exchange of
views and plans amongst plant lovers in Goa. It also
generated funds that became a corpus fund that was
transferred to BSG. The annual Plant Utsav (or plant
festival) since 1998 is BSG's tribute to this band of plant
lovers led by Dr.Qasim. The rolling trophy is named after
another one of the leaders of this group, Maia de Graca
Figueiredo.
Dr. Padmakar R. Dubhashi, the then Vice-Chancellor of Goa
University, lit the traditional samai (or branched lamp) to
signify the inauguration of the Botanical Society of Goa in
1990. Dr. Arvind G. Untawale donned the mantle as its first
president. It basically survived on the participation of the
staff and students of Dhempe College's Department of Botany
and the Scientists of NIO till 1996, when the membership was
thrown open to non-Botany persons who loved plants just the
same.
The Botanical Society of Goa has carried out a
number of projects since its birth. The current
Speaker of Goa Legislative Assembly, Francisco
Sardinha, who was then the Minister of Agriculture,
inaugurated the exhibition of Flowers and Arborics
at Hotel Nova Goa in December 1991.
Chander Rao, Scientist at ICAR-Goa, demonstrated oyster
mushroom cultivation techniques, while his colleague, Vishram
V. Gaokar, demonstrated propagation methods for garden plants
in 1992. This writer, the then Garden Superintendent at Goa
University, gave a lecture-demonstration on indoor plants in
1993. The training sessions are held annually.
In 1997, when the Goa Board of Education decided to introduce
vocational courses in Horticulture and floriculture, the BSG
members were a majority of the Syllabus Committee and later
the Board of Studies of the Goa Board of Secondary and Higher
Secondary Education. The initiative for making the
Yeshwantrao Chavan Maharashtra Open University (YCMOU)
horticulture diploma and degree courses available to students
in Goa also came from BSG. It also organized interactions
among the teachers of these courses. No wonder then that most
of the teachers and students of these courses are also
members of the BSG.
Dr. Heman Yeshwant Karapurkar became the prersident of the
BSG during the three-year term 2002-05. The Konkan Fruit Fest
and the Goa Flower Show were added to the activities of the
BSG during his term while the Plant Utsav and the All Goa
Home Garden Competition, started earlier, were continued and
expanded in their scope and impact. The Plant Utsav was held
from 18 to 20 November, 2005 at the Garcia da Orta Municipal
Garden, near Church Square, Panjim.
Since the Plant Utsav 2002, the BSG has been actively
involved with the Corporation of the City of Panjim (CCP).
Under the dynamic leadership of Sanjit Rodrigues and the full
backing of former Forester, Ashok Mogu Naik who was the
chairman of the CCP, the Plant Utsav and the interaction
between these two agencies scaled greater heights.
The Directorate of Agriculture, Indian Council of
Agricultural Research ICAR-Goa, Western Ghats Kokum
Foundation, Regional Fruit Research Station-Vengurla, MP
Krishi Vidyalaya-Rahuri, UAS-Dharwad, UAS-Bangalore,
IIHR-Bangalore, Corporation of the City of Panjim and other
agencies are now a part of the exhibition, competition and
sale of fruits grown in the Konkan in the annual Konkan Fruit
Fest, facilitated by the Botanical Society of Goa. This is
our event together. Together Everyone Achieves More.
For more information one may email
[EMAIL PROTECTED] or join the list
[EMAIL PROTECTED] . BSG Secretary Christina is
available for information on mobile 9822124032. Together
Everyone Achieves More.
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Miguel Braganza is a horticulturist, plant lover, president
of BSG and editor of the tabloid North Goa Plus.
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Spread the Christmas cheer - even when you're not here!
Send Christmas Greetings to your loved ones in Goa.
2005 Christmas Package - Flowers, Bubbles and Layers of Love.
http://www.goa-world.com/expressions/xmas/
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