Sharda Mandir School wins Best Delegation at MVMUN 2025
Sharda Mandir School bagged the Best Delegation trophy at the first edition of the Manovikas Model United Nations (MVMUN-2025), held at Manovikas English Medium High School, Margao. The three-day conference concluded recently with over 100 delegates from 11 schools participating. The event simulated UN proceedings, with students debating important national and global issues. A surprise []
The haunting legacy of MV Kairali
KOCHI: For many of the families of the 51 souls aboard the MV Kairali, time froze on June 30, 1979. While 46 years to the day have painfully passed since the ship set sail from Goa, for them, the vessel is forever afloat, its phantom silhouette perpetually poised to dock. The cruellest trick of the unresolved tragedy is the imagined stasis of their loved ones: Forever young, forever sailing, and never ageing. Closure, a comforting harbour, remains elusive, a horizon that stubbornly refuses to draw near. The missing cargo vessel of the state-owned Kerala Shipping Corporation was carrying 20,000 tonnes of iron ore to the East German port of Rostock from Margao, via Djibouti. The last radio contact was on July 3, and the ship was expected to refuel on July 8 at Djibouti. The world first came to know about the radio silence of the vessel on July 11, and the first official news was published on July 15. Godwin Josey was just six when he heard the news on the radio that MV Kairali had gone missing. His father, Padapurakkal Augustine Josey, a 43-year-old engine room kasab, was among those who vanished. He recalls visiting the office of the now-defunct company the next day with his mother and relatives. Battle for answers For years, families and relatives of the missing sailors waged a relentless battle for answers about the ships fate. Godwin vividly recalls his mothers unwavering determination: For nearly a decade, she attended every meeting of the action committee, met with ministers and well-wishers in Thiruvananthapuram, and I would accompany her as a child, witnessing her anguish. Padapurakkal Augustine Josey For Kottayam resident Jose Paikkada, memories of his 22-year-old brother Gilbert Paikkada, the fifth engineer, remain a painful reminder of the unresolved tragedy. My brother was a simple, soft-spoken soul who had just passed his BTech from Kothamangalam Engineering College and secured admission for MTech in Thiruvananthapuram when he decided to join the ship, Jose said, his voice still filled with longing. He was only in his ninth month of sailing when he vanished. Jose, a key member of the action committee, recalls the numerous speculations surrounding the ships disappearance. One theory suggests that the vessel was overloaded with iron ore, exceeding its 19,000-tonne capacity, in a blatant disregard for safety norms, he says. Several theories floated The failure to balance the cargo properly may have caused it to shift in rough waves, ultimately leading to the ships demise. Another theory points to the ships radar being under repair, with Capt Mariyadas Joseph initially refusing to sail on July 3. However, he was allegedly forced to set sail that evening without completing repairs, Jose adds. This vulnerability, combined with the adverse weather, may have contributed to the ship breaking apart and sinking. He also mentions speculation about a potential hijacking by pirates. Jose also questions the transparency of the shipping companys actions, citing their slow response to the crisis. Whats striking is that the shipping company received a telex message from Pan Arabia, a Singapore-based company, offering to help locate the ship and crew, he recalls. The message was cryptic, with a no cure, no pay condition, and demanded $300,000 for the mission. The representative of Pan Arabia, a Keralite, even met with government officials in the state. However, the search operation never materialised due to various factors, including a change in government, he said. Jose adds that there was a mysterious incident involving the Indian Navy, which claimed to have spotted the vessel near an island in the Indian Ocean, only to later retract the statement. Speaking to TNIE on the second anniversary of his mothers passing, Godwin, who followed in his fathers footsteps by taking to sailing, recalled the emotional toll of the tragedy on his family. Holding on to hope My mother never performed any funeral rites for my father, holding on to hope for years, he said. The compensation of around Rs 80,000, received a decade later, barely covered the expenses incurred in searching for the ship and crew. She spent years praying, crying, and fighting for answers, he said. Jose poignantly notes that his family hasnt performed any funeral rites for his missing brother. Most family members of the crew still grapple with uncertainty, and many have passed away without ever knowing the fate of their loved ones, he says.
Lyrically unbound,poetically united
Creative and thoughtful minds will unite on June 14 for the first meet-up of Poets of Goa at Dogears Bookshop, Margao KALYANI JHA | NT BUZZ Following successful poet congregations in different cities, Poets of Goa, a newly formed group for the creative, lyrical minds is spreading its wings with an intent to bring together []
Tawadkar backs tribal welfare dept officials for consistent support
Margao: Speaker and Canacona MLA Ramesh Tawadkar on Friday said he has received consistent support from Tribal Welfare Department officials in implementing initiatives for the welfare of the community. His remarks come in the wake of Sports Minister Govind Gaudes recent outburst hinting at corruption in the department, while also pointing to its inefficient functioning. []
As We Run Through Time, a collaborative photography design-a-thon on the perception of Goa facilitated by Idhar Udhar will be held on June 7 and 8, culminating in an exhibition atMuseum of Goa KALYANIJHA | NT BUZZ With the aim of making visual art more fun and productive, Chaitali Paranjape who hails from Margao and []
World Laughter Day was jointly organised by Samrat Club Margao in association with Rotary Club of Margao Midtown and the Peace and Bliss Association recently at Ghumteshwar Brahmadev Hall, Junta Quarters, Pajifond, Margao. Special guest Shyam Kumar Jamuni shared his thoughts and applauded the efforts of the organisers in spreading positivity. Laughter therapist Sachika Almeida []
In South district, mock drill to ready authorities for localised crisis response
Staff Reporter Margao In an effort to bolster disaster preparedness, the South Goa district administration will conduct a large-scale cyclone mock exercise this week across the talukas of Ponda, Mormugao, and Quepem, with seven designated sites set to simulate the impact of a severe cyclonic storm. The mock drill, guided by the National Disaster Management []
They lift Chandrakant Karapurkar Trophy beating Margao CC in final Margao: Dempo Cricket Club lifted the 3rd Chandrakant Karapurkar Trophy with a commanding seven-wicket win over Margao Cricket Club in the final held at MCC ground, Margao, on Sunday. Opting to bowl first, Dempo restricted Margao to 95/9 in 20 overs. Heramb Parab (21), Sazu []
Staff Reporter Margao VMCL Blasters held their nerve to edge out VMCL Kings by 7 runs in a thrilling Season 3 clash of the Ferdinand Coelho Memorial VMCL under the floodlights at MCC Ground on Wednesday. Batting first, the Blasters posted a competitive 144/9 in 20 overs. Opener Balkrishna Hodarkar set the tone with 36 []
Big feat: 60 Goans honoured for their contributions to UK
Diana Fernandes Margao History was created on Tuesday as 60 Goans settled in the UK were honoured at The Palace of Westminster, commonly called the Houses of Parliament, for their contributions to that country. Celebrating the contributions of Goans in the UK in various sectors, the event was held by the Labour party MPs Will []
FDA norms violation: Rs 3-lakh worth broilers seized in Margao
Staff Reporter Margao Acting on a complaint, the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) on Wednesday seized anddisposed of approximately 600 improperly sealed packets of chicken inMargao, valued at around Rs 3 lakh. FDA officials from South Goa responded to a complaint stating that a vehicle from Hubballi had transported chicken packets to Margao under improper []
Staff Reporter Margao Its not the kind of experience most tourists expect on a relaxing holiday but for a group of Brazilian visitors on a dolphin-watching trip off the Benaulim coast, the outing turned into an unexpected wildlife rescue when they discovered two turtles entangled in ghost nets adrift in the sea. With help []
Freeing up space: Disposal fairs planned to auction old vehicles
Staff Reporter Panaji In a bid to free up resources and improve efficiency, the state government will dispose of off-road and underutilised government vehicles through auction for which disposal fairs to be organised in Porvorim, Mapusa, and Margao. Vehicles older than 15 years will be scrapped, while those below 15 years will be auctioned. Briefing []
Collector orders crackdown on rising child begging in South Goa
Staff Reporter Margao In response to a rise in cases of child begging across South Goa, District Collector Egna Cleetus on Tuesday issued directives to the authorities and relevant agencies to take immediate action, strengthen enforcement, and ensure the rehabilitation of affected children. The action comes after the High Court observed the need to prohibit []
Draw against Dempo dents Real Kashmirs I-League title hopes
Margao, Mar 29: Real Kashmir FCs I-League title hopes took a severe blow as they dropped points, drawing 1-1 against Dempo SC here on Saturday. Dempo led 1-0 at the end of the first half. Kpehi Jean-Charles Didier Brossou (43rd minute) gave Dempo SC the lead, but Real Kashmirs Kamal Issah (52nd) equalised soon after the restart, as the two side shared points. Real Kashmirs title hopes are not yet over, mathematically at least. However, their aspirations took a severe [] The post Draw against Dempo dents Real Kashmirs I-League title hopes appeared first on Daily Excelsior .
Congress cannot be trusted: Atishi says AAP wont enter alliance for 2027 Goa polls, party replies
PANAJI : Senior Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Atishi on Monday said that the party would contest the 2027 elections in Goa and Gujarat alone without opting for an alliance with Congress. The former Delhi chief minister was on a day-long visit to the coastal state to inaugurate the party's office in Margao. Talking to reporters, Atishi said, We are getting ready to contest the elections (Goa and Gujarat) on our own. Till now, there are no talks of an alliance. On reasons for ruling out an alliance with the Congress, Atishi said it was very clear that Congress cannot be trusted. She said that the people of Goa voted the BJP to power in 2022, but at the same time, the Congress won 11 seats, and 8 of its MLAs later joined the saffron party. The Congress is the main opposition party with only three MLAs, and AAP has two legislators, she said. Atishi said, When the two AAP candidates won the 2022 elections, there were rumours that they would not survive in the party even for two months. But they are still with the party because they have not come to make money from politics. Asked if the AAP is not interested in an alliance with like-minded parties, she said. When eight out of 11 MLAs join the BJP, what is like-minded? The AAP has shown that our two MLAs got elected and are still standing with the party. The BJP also tried to lure our MLAs. We are not interested in politics where winning elections and making money is the sole aim. Our interest in politics is to deliver for the people, she said. Speaking about the party's loss in the Delhi assembly polls, Atishi said that the question is not what will happen to the AAP but what will happen to the people of Delhi. BJP has already announced that they will close 250 Mohalla clinics. They have already announced that they will stop free medicine, she said. She said party leader Arvind Kejriwal had warned that if AAP loses, power cuts will start, the quality of education will again become bad in government schools, and this is already happening. Systematically, the works of the AAP government were stopped. If you look at the Delhi elections, from manipulation to misuse of machinery and intimidation of voters, they tried everything. Delhi has never seen this kind of election. But despite all this, there was only a 2 per cent difference between BJP and AAP, she said. Atishi alleged that the BJP has not fulfilled its elections promise of providing Rs 2,500 to the women of Delhi. The prime minister had assured that on March 8, on Women's Day, all women will get the first instalment in their bank account. Forget about getting the instalment, the registration for the scheme has even not started, she claimed. It goes to show that BJP has no intention of delivering on the promises they made, she said. Meanwhile, Goa Pradesh Congress Committee president Amit Patkar said it is pre-mature to discuss about the alliance at this point of time. It is premature to discuss about the alliance, two years ahead of the elections. The prime focus of all the parties is to strength their base in each constituency. The Congress has started working in all 40 constituencies. We will expand our base, Patkar said, taking to PTI. AAP and Congress as well as other like-minded parties are already fighting as a united opposition in the assembly and raising issues of the people, he pointed out.
Usgao child murder: Police rule out black magic, cite enmity
Staff Reporter Margao Police have ruled out black magic as a motive in the murder of a four-year-old girl at Usgao, stating that the crime was driven by personal enmity between the accused and the victims mother. The accused couple, Pooja Alhat and Babasaheb Alhat, has been arrested and remanded to seven-daypolice custody. All forensic []
