goanet-digest Thursday, May 9 2002 Volume 01 : Number 3948
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
In this issue:
Re: [Goanet] Dinesh D'Souza
[Goanet] LINK: News from Xavier's Bombay
[Goanet] goa seminar in delhi may 4, 2002
See end of digest for information on subscribing/unsusbcribing.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Thu, 9 May 2002 15:48:10 -0500 (CDT)
From: Tariq Siddiqui <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: Re: [Goanet] Dinesh D'Souza
On Thu, 9 May 2002, santoshhelekar wrote:
> Now how does he know that his life would have been much worse had the
> British never ruled India? Has he peered into the annals of
> alternative history?
As a matter of personal opinion, I second the thoughts of Santosh. I think
colonialism was of far greater benefit to the colonizer than the
colonized, and that any benefit the latter received as a result of
colonization was secondary to the loss it suffered.
But as an exercise for purely academic interests, the free countries of
Asia, Africa and South America point to their colonial history as a reason
for their present sufferings. The common howl heard in India is that had
the British not occupied India, we would have been better off.
The question is, would we have really been better off? How do we reach
that conclusion?
Santosh's question therefore, is a double-edged sword, where the opposite
in both cases is a matter of speculation.
- --
Tariq Siddiqui
[ This Space for Rent ]
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 10 May 2002 03:04:04 +0530 (IST)
From: Frederick Noronha <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: [Goanet] LINK: News from Xavier's Bombay
*************************************************************************
>From 'Xaverian', the newsletter of St Xavier's College, Mumbai. June 2002
issue. Editor Dominic A Fernandes. Email [EMAIL PROTECTED] www.xaviers.edu
*************************************************************************
ALUMNI NEWS
* Victor Rangel Ribeiro's book 'Loving Ayesha and other stories' will
be published this summer by Harper Collins. His book 'Tivolem' was
termed one of the 20 best first novels of the year by Book List.
* Rajdeep Sardesai, political editor of NDTV, was given the Maharashtra
Shaan Award.
* Abby Awards (advertising) went to Gerson daCunha and Gautam
Rajadhaksha, for having left a distinctive mark in the
advertising industry.
* Polly Umrigar, first Indian to score a double Test century, gets
the Castrol Lifetime Achievement Award.
JESUIT NEWS
* Goa-born Fr Francis de Melo sj is the new Provincial of the
Mumbai Province. He lived most of his life in Mumbai. He follows
the footsteps of other alumni who became provincials -- Fr John
Correa-Afonso, Fr Bertie Philips, Fr J Macia, Fr Paul Vaz.
* Fr Anthony D'Costa's new book 'The Call of the Orient: A response by
the Jesuits of the 16th Century' is just out from the Heras
Institute @ Rs 200. He was author of 'Christianisation of Goa
Islands 1510-1567. He was former editor of 'Indica'.
* Fr P Divarkar SJ (1922-2000), born at Benaulim, who was one
of the four General Assistants to the General of the Jesuits, died
at the age of 78.
NEWS FROM GOA:
* Gautam Rajadhyaksha was Goa Today's man of the year 2000.
* World Wide Goan Convention 2001 saw two books being
released -- Churches of Goa by SXC alumni Dr Jose Pereira and
India and Portugal, coauthored by DrP and Dr Pratapaditya Pal.
* Mario Miranda offers to set up museum on Goa liberation movement.
* Dattaraj Salgaocar, mineowner, met ex-US president Bill
Clinton over breakfast and luckily escaped an attack by
Chechen rebels on his Istambul hotel in April 2001.
* Dr Juvina Henrique DeSouza remains one of the longest serving
medical practitioners in Vasco.
* Lambert Mascarenhas (Class of '39) won a Goa State Cultural
Award.
* Simonne St Anne published the text of coffee-table book
'Goa Ma Belle' (photos by Emmanuel Chastang of France)
* How to be an Instant Goa, by journo Valentino Fernandes....
NEWSMAKERS: mediaman Alque Padamsee * musician Taufiq Qureshi
* actor Farooque Shaikh (plays the PM in Ji Pradhan Mantri,
Hindi version of Yes Prime Minister) * radio personality
Ameen Sayani * IAS officer Ajit Nimbalkar * strategist and
adviser to US ambassador Robert D Blackwell * ad guru
John Paul Jossy * chief justice of India S P Barucha *
* actress Shabana Azmi * bass baritone Urban de Lima (class
of 45) * Dr Satyavati M Sirsat * trade commissioner for
Flanders Raj Khalid * former Maharashtra advocate gen
Tehmtan R Andhyarujina * conductor Zubin Mehta * Bishop
Agnelo Gracias (Mumbai) * millionaire Rajan K Lall *
industrialist Mukesh Ambani * pianist Fali Pavri * Dr Joe
Martin D'Souza * BEST ex-dy gen manager Deryck Jeffries *
BOOKS, PLAYS AND FILMS BY XAVERITES
Lord Bhikhu Parekh (class of 1953) - Rethinking Multiculturism
Rahul da Cunha - I am not Bajirao. Crossed 130 shows; 6 years.
Dr (Ms) Eunice DeSouza - novel 'Danger Lok'
Farzana Contractor - 'The Millennium Man' on late hubby Behram
Ajay Noronha - India's first documentary on paedophilia 'Bhailo'
Laxmi Dhaul - The Sufi Saint of Ajmer
Prof Marselin R Almeida - Flora of Maharashtra (2001)
Ms Arundhati Subramaniam - On Cleaning Bookshelves (poems)
Ayesha Dharker - to play in 'The Mysticd Masseur'
Walter Vieira (1958) - A Second Career -- What After Retirement
Prof Mrs Nisha da Cunha - 'No Black, No White' (short stories)
XAVERITES IN the UK wanting to make a donation to the college and
get a tax rebate contact: Dr O J Martins, 12 Chasewood Avenue
Enfield, Middlesex EN2 8PT UK. Tel 0181-363 0086.
OBITUARIES: Prof Ronald 'Ronnie' Lobo, English
Dr Ajay N Oza, ex-head, Economics Dept, age 64.
Prof R V Kamath, former Vice Principal, head Physics
TEACHING NEWS
* Prof Ms H Salazar has taken over as Vice-Principal, Arts Senior College.
* Dr Ms Sheela Donde (Dept of Life Sc) has been awarded a post-doc
fellowship at Carnegie Mellon Univ, Pittsburg.
* Dr Dionysia Coutinho took over as Vice-Principal Science from
Fr Simon D'Souza sj
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 9 May 2002 15:16:31 -0600 (MDT)
From: "brian mark mendonca" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: [Goanet] goa seminar in delhi may 4, 2002
Report of Goa seminar in Delhi on 4th May 2002, organised by GoemkarachoEk=
vott.
POLITICAL STABILITY THE NEED OF THE HOUR
'Goenkarancho Ekvot', a Delhi based, socio-cultural organization, held a
seminar -- the first of its kind -- on Saturday, 4th May 2002, at the
Indian Institute of Planners, Delhi. The topic of the seminar was 'GOA,
Today and Tomorrow'. Eminent personalities, Mr. Pai Panandikar, President
RPG Foundation; Mr. Dean D=92Cruz, consulting architect; Mr. Ulhas Kamat,
Regional Director of Tourism, Govt. of India and Dr. Brian Mendonca,
Project Editor, Oxford University Press, spoke on the occasion.=20
Discussions pertaining to the economy, environment (natural and built),
tourism and socio-cultural issues, were moderated by the convenor,
Mr. Edgar Ribeiro, Director, Association of Metropolitan Development
Authority.=20
The function was presided over by Mr. Eduardo Faleiro, Member of
Parliament and was well attended. The seminar incorporated a display of
books on Goa from the personal collections of some of the members.=20
Mrs Sushma Sonak of National Book Trust also rustled together and
displayed beautiful posters depicting the plant and animal biodiversity
in Goa and how Goa's fragile ecosystem was being choked with urban waste
and soil erosion among other factors. The seminar began with an
invocation, 'Ghod Mhojea Goem' sung in Konkani accompanied by the guitar.
Mrs. Suman Kurade, President of 'Goenkarancho Ekvot', in her welcome
address pointed out that all problems in Goa, stemmed from the political
instability in the state. "The need of the hour is not just, a stable
government but a functioning government, devoid of malpractice and
corruption," she said. She urged those present to use Konkani as it was
the binding force among Goans.
Mr. Pai Panandikar, eminent economist, pointed out that Goa had missed a
number of opportunities like a free port, and offshore banking that would
have led to economic development in the state. He stated that while Goa
had what he termed, the "strengths" of an economy, viz. literacy and
healthcare, it were the "weaknesses", viz. an unstable Government, migrant
labour and lack of infrastructure that would have to be resolved, before
expecting positive development. Mr. Panandikar, emphasized the need to
get into Goa, industries like IT, biotechnology and service industries
that are clean and non-polluting.=20
Goa based architect, Dean D'Cruz, listed the numerous environmental
issues that need immediate attention -- lack of a garbage disposal system,
use of plastic bags, water shortage, advertisement hoardings that block
vistas, saline water ingression that is killing trees and plants,
development in coastal areas that is destroying the natural habitat of
coastal flora and fauna, etc.=20
The most alarming, was the rise in the level of seawater that could lead
to a loss of 4% of Goa's coastline, if global warming was not
controlled. Mr. D'Cruz also stressed the need to review the current CRZ
laws as well as other rules and regulations pertaining to heritage
buildings, khazan areas and construction on hill slopes.
Mr. Ulhas Kamat, speaking on the impact of tourism in the state today and
the direction the tourism industry should take, spelled out the various
efforts of the Government in promoting tourism. Besides the Master Plan
for tourism policy ( up to the year 2011) that is already in place, the
Government has reduced luxury tax and service tax, to boost the
hospitality industry. =20
What still needs to be done is the augmentation of existing
infrastructure, like water, power, airport facilities and railway
connectivity. Goa caters mainly to the 'Five Star' bracket of
tourists, for whom every comfort and luxury is provided. There is
however, very little infrastructure, like local transport, for the budget
traveler.=20
Delhi based editor, Dr. Brian Mendonca emphasized the passing away of a
way of life in Goa, in his paper, 'Goa, Here today, Gone=20
Tomorrow: Reflections of a Goan in Exile.' Dr. Mendonca observed that many
Goans -- fugitives in other states -- have now been rendered, "homeless"
in their own land. =20
This was due to the selling of ancestral property and the spurt of
commercialism and consumerism in Goa. The heavy toll on human life
arising as a result of 'development'in Goa was reflected in Goan
literature, which he termed "a literature of loss".=20
This was seen most graphically in Pundalik Naik's novel "Acchev"
(Upheaval) about the ravages of mining in Ponda. He hauled up the media
for their "tits and arse" image of Goa and Goan women. He stressed that a
Konkani channel should be started on the national TV network to promote
the language and culture of the people which presently received pariah
status at the national level. He cited the example of the National
Festival of Drama organized by NSD, and the World Book fair.=20
Summing up the seminar, Mr Ribeiro expressed that Goa needed not just
development, but sustainable development. He elaborated that, in order to
achieve any kind of progress, it is essential that all socio-economic
investments be linked with a spatial framework.=20
He felt that a Government that functions minus the current maladies of
indecisiveness and inability to withstand the sway of different lobbies
like the builders lobby would go a long way in bringing positive
development. He stressed the need for people to address the
environmental concerns affecting their quality of life and suggested that
NGO's and social organizations play a active and vigilant role, even
taking the government to task, if need be.=20
=20
Further Mr. Ribeiro said, "what Goa needs is a transparent system, where
people are aware of the workings of the government and its every action
is open for review."
Presently politicians are guilty of being anything, but transparent. He
suggested that all plans be published and public debate be held on
important issues concerning the state. He finished off on a very positive
note that, "the advantage Goa has, of being a small state should be
exploited to its fullest. Currently Goa's has too many laws. The ideal
scenario is to have laws that are simple and easy to understand".=20
The seminar was followed by informal interactions between those present
and the speakers over a lavish tea.=20
------------------------------
End of goanet-digest V1 #3948
*****************************
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=--W-E-B--S-I-T-E--=-=-=
To Subscribe/Unsubscribe from GoaNet Digest | http://goacom.com/goanet
======================================================================
* Send e=mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] (NOT [EMAIL PROTECTED])
* Leave SUBJECT blank <--- Commom Mistake !!
* On first line of the BODY of your message, type:
subscribe goanet-digest YOUR.EMAIL
OR unsubscribe goanet-digest YOUR.EMAIL
DO NOT include the entire digest when replying to goanet !!!!!!
Questions/Problems? Contact: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
