GoanTimes August, 16 2019

FREE COPY
Celebrating 73 rd Independence Day
India issues
travel advisory for
people travelling to
Hong Kong
India on Tuesday issued an advisory
to its citizens for travelling to Hong
Kong, a day after flight operations
were severely disrupted at the city’s
international airport due to public
demonstrations on August 12.
The Ministry of External Affairs, in a
statement, said, “While operations are
likely to resume on August 13, however,
flights are likely to continue to be
delayed and/or cancelled as it is possible
that more protests may be held.”
“Indian passengers are advised to be
in touch with airlines to find alternative
travel routes to avoid inconvenience,
till normalcy is restored in airport
operations,” the statement read.
The Ministry further advised all
Indian passengers, who are already in
Hong Kong and waiting to depart, to “be
in touch with their respective airlines
for information about likely timelines
for the resumption of their flights”.
“Consulate can be reached at
our helpline at +852 90771083,” the
statement added.
Hong Kong airport authority, within
a short notice on Monday, suspended
all remaining flights for the day after
thousands of pro-democracy protesters
entered the terminal’s arrival halls.
The airport was reopened on Tuesday,
however, hundreds of flights were still
listed as cancelled.
All stranded passengers were seen
lining up to catch their delayed flights,
as airport authorities announced that
it will implement rescheduling while
blaming demonstrators for the chaos.
Booking e-ticket on
IRCTC may cost more
for Rail passengers,
Service Charges likely
to be back
In what could spell some bad news
for the Railway passengers, booking
e-ticket on Indian Railway Catering
and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) may
cost more as the for Railways ticketing
arm is mulling to bring back service
charges levied on e-tickets.
Sources told Zee Media that the
Finance Ministry has written a letter
to the Railways department asking it
to use its discretion on levying service
charge on booking online tickets.
Sources said that IRCTC may again
impose a service charge of Rs 20 on
booking online tickets for sleeper class
and Rs 40 for booking tickets for Air
Conditioned class.
The IRCTC board meeting will soon
be held where the decision on bringing
back service charge may be taken,
sources added.
GOA'S ONLY ENTERTAINMENT NEWSPAPER - EVERY FRIDAY
Friday, August 16, 2019 | www.goantimes.titosgoa.com | 12 Pages
FREE TOURIST
MAP INSIDE
GOA READIES LAW TO STOP
OUTSIDERS FROM CHANGING
NAMES FOR BENEFITS
Facing rising concern among Goan communities that migrants are adopting local names to benefit
from social schemes, the state government is probing all those in the state who have moved to
change their names in the last 15 days — as a first step.
“We are aware that this is a social
issue. But before we frame any new
rules, the government is looking to
probe the manner in which these name
changes are taking place. Our initial
enquiry is about who these people are,
their reasons, and the offices they have
approached for getting this done,” said
Law Minister Nilesh Cabral.
“We have called for all
advertisements seen in newspapers for
name changes in the last 15 days. Some
are so tiny that you cannot even make
out what is being changed. My office
has now started indexing the names,
and their details as they appeared in
English, Konkani and Marathi papers.
We will send the file to the police and
seek their help to probe the reasons
why these men and women changed
their names,” he said.
On Friday, the state Assembly passed
Law Minister Nilesh Cabral
the Goa Change of Name and Surname
(Amendment) Bill, 2019, making such
changes a criminal offence. The Bill is
yet to get the Governor’s consent, and the
rules have not been framed and notified.
In the other 33 cases, the probe
showed, sub-registrar offices confirmed
that they were not involved. Some
of these requests came through
panchayats, which is illegal.
The state earlier had a Goa Change of
Name and Surname Act, 1990, to ensure
the names that had Portuguese spellings
and pronunciation were corrected when
translated to English. “It was also to
ensure that certain castes were given
the legal route to take the second name
of the community they were associated
with, as certain second names came
with a heavy stigma,” said Cabral.
Alex Reginald, a Congress MLA
who claims he has been following the
issue for a year, said there have been
“complaints of people misusing the law
and also changing their names to avail
Portuguese passport and also to benefit
in land deals in Goa”.
“Our aim is to ensure that migrants
do not change their names in our state.
We respect the Constitution and place
India first. But this is now becoming a
social issue, and we are demanding that
stringent measures be put in place to
protect the interests, future and stability
of the Goan way of life,” he said.
In the Assembly, Reginald produced
RTI data which, he says, should be
probed. “In less than three years,
4,197 cases have showed up in small
advertorials and which claim they did
(the name change) via courts. We need
answers on who these are… Are they
Goans? If not, why are they changing
their names to Goan surnames, with
Catholic or Hindu titles?” he said.
The MLA claims that according to a
“private probe” done by him, several
instances have come up where people
have claimed they were born in their
homes and not in hospitals, with
witnesses being brought to courts to
get their names changed.
In the Assembly, other leaders too
weighed in on the issue, with Churchill
Alemao saying that others “cannot
come and become Goan with a mere
name change”.
Cabral, however, said the government
cannot do much if the citizen chooses
The Registration of Births and Deaths
Act, 1969, as central provisions apply.
“The larger focus is to see if all these
are being done fraudulently… Today, I
hear that in a village of 300 shops, 200
are owned by outsiders. Goans today
have left in large numbers to Portugal
and London leaving a huge vacuum.
That is now being filled by outsiders.
This is a bigger issue than just name
change,” he said.

02 World
Friday, August 16, 2019 | www.goantimes.titosgoa.com | 12 Pages
In first for Arab world, openly gay candidate
runs for Tunisia’s presidency
Liberal Party leader Mounir Baatour, an openly gay lawyer, announced on Thursday he would stand
in Tunisia's presidential elections, marking a first for the Arab world.
LGBTQ activist Mounir Baatour holds a rainbow flag after submitting his candidacy for the
upcoming early presidential elections in Tunisia. (Hassene Dridi/AP)
Baatour's candidacy marks "a first
which will without doubt be a
benchmark in history", his party said.
A lawyer at the Court of Cassation,
Tunisia's highest court, the Liberal
Party leader presents himself as a
defender of LGBT rights.
But ahead of his announcement,
a petition signed by 18 groups who
campaign for those rights warned his
candidacy would represent a "danger"
for their communities.
Baatour was jailed for 3 months in
2013 for "sodomy" with a 17-year-old
Gold prices hit
record high,
near R39,500
CHENNAI: Gold prices on Tuesday
touched a new high of R39,490 (for 24 carat
for 10 gms) in the spot market in the city,
buoyed by safe haven demand on the back
of global economic slowdown, prolonged
China-US trade conflicts and weakness of
the rupee against major currencies.
On MCX gold futures prices for October
delivery touched R38,666 per 10 gms, up
about 1% from its previous close.
Analysts add that while globally
gold prices were at $1,517 per ounce,
in India a weakening rupee, which
hit a six-month low at Rs 71.4 against
the dollar on Tuesday, added to the
increase in prices. “Because of the rate
cuts announced by the RBI, the rupee
has weakened despite the softening of
the dollar index after the US Fed also
announced a rate cut,” said Reliance
Securities head (commodities) Pritam
Kumar Patnaik. Motilal Oswal head
(commodities) Kishore Narne predicted
gold prices to go up to Rs 42,000 by 2020.
student, an accusation he has always
denied.
Having a criminal record does not
automatically ban Tunisians from
standing in elections.
'The fact that I'm gay doesn't
change anything'
"The fact that I'm gay doesn't change
anything. It's a candidacy like all the
others," Baatour told AFP.
"I have an economic, social, cultural
and educational programme for
everything that affects Tunisians in
their daily lives," he added.
Baatour is co-founder of the Shams
association, through which he has for
years campaigned against Tunisia's
criminalisation of gay sex, which
carries a sentence of up to three years.
Convictions for same-sex relations
rose by 60% last year to 127 from 79
in 2017, according to Shams, which
documents arrests and cases. It
recorded more than 25 convictions in
the first quarter of 2019.
Last month's petition against his
potential candidacy was signed by
numerous organisations for lesbian,
gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex
and queer rights.
'Danger to our community'
"We think that Mr Baatour
represents not only a threat but also a
huge danger for our community," the
petition read.
But in an interview with REUTERS
last month, the Liberal Party candidate
said it was important to open a debate
on LGBT rights in the country.
“I saw there is no progress on
this matter in Tunisia: there is no
politician who is endorsing these cases
and in my opinion I am the best person
who can change the Tunisian society,”
he said.
Presidential hopefuls have until
Friday to submit their candidacy,
ahead of September 15 polls.
Not easy to get UNSC support
on Kashmir, don’t live in ‘fool’s
paradise’: Qureshi to Pakistan
Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Shah
Mahmood Qureshi has said it will
be a tough task to get the support
of United Nations Security Council
(UNSC) and the Muslim world against
India’s decision to revoke Jammu and
Kashmir’s special status.
While asking his countrymen not
to live in a “fool’s paradise”, Qureshi
said Pakistanis need to “wage a new
struggle” to get the support of the
UNSC members.
“You (people) should not in live fool’s
paradise. Nobody will be standing
there (in the UNSC) with garlands in
hands…Nobody will be there waiting
for you,” the Pakistan foreign minister
said while addressing the media in
Muzaffarabad in Pakistan-occupied
Kashmir on Monday.
After revoking Article 370 of the
Constitution, which gave special status
to J&K, India has categorically told
the international community that
the move is an internal matter and
has advised Pakistan to “accept the
reality”.
Qureshi, without naming any Muslim
country, also said the “guardians of
Ummah (Islamic community)” might
also not back Pakistan on the Kashmir
issue due to their economic interest.
He said since these countries, along
with many others, have invested in
India, it will be not easy for them to
oppose India’s stand to safeguard their
economic interests.
The Pakistan foreign minister’s
statement comes two days after Russia
becomes the first UNSC member to
back India’s move on Jammu and
Kashmir, saying that the changes in
the status are within the framework of
the Indian Constitution.
As far as US stand is concerned, it
has also maintained a neutral position
on the issue, saying that there is no
change in its policy on Kashmir as
it called on India and Pakistan to
maintain restraint and hold direct
dialogue to resolve their differences.
However, China, the all-weather
ally of Pakistan, has objected to
the formation of Ladakh as Union
Territory by India. At the same
time, Beijing has told Qureshi that
it regarded both India and Pakistan
as “friendly neighbours” and wants
them to resolve the Kashmir issue
through UN resolutions and the Simla
agreement.
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03 Technology
Friday, August 16, 2019 | www.goantimes.titosgoa.com | 12 Pages
Death will be ‘optional’ and ageing
‘curable’, says genetic engineers
Two genetic engineers said that dying
would become ‘optional’ within just
27 years and that the ageing process
would become ‘reversible by 2045,
according to a report.
José Cordeiro, born in Venezuela to
a Spanish parent and mathematician
David Wood from UK made the revelation
on Monday at their book presentation
entitled, ‘The Death of Death’. The
event was held in Barcelona, Spain.
According to the report, Cordeiro
who is based at the Massachusetts
Institute of Technology (MIT) in the
U.S. said he had ‘chosen not to die’
and that in 30 years’ time, he would be
‘younger than he is today’.
The report published in Think-Spain
news revealed that the duo, who founded
the operating system ‘Symbian’,
said that immortality was a real and
scientific possibility that could come
Chandrayaan-2
leaves Earth's orbit,
heads towards Moon
India's ambitious lunar mission
Chandrayaan-2 left the earth's orbit
on Wednesday and is headed towards
moon after a crucial manoeuvre by the
Indian Space Research Organisation.
The satellite is another step closer
to the moon after the "Trans Lunar
Insertion (TLI) manoeuvre was carried
out successfully at 2.21 am as planned",
the space agency said.
"The final orbit raising manoeuvre
of Chandrayaan-2 spacecraft was
successfully carried out today at 02:21
am IST. During this manoeuvre, the
spacecraft's liquid engine was fired
for about 1203 seconds. With this,
Chandrayaan-2 entered the Lunar
Transfer Trajectory," ISRO said in a
statement. An orbit raising manoeuvre
is the process of raising a satellite into
an orbit towards to Moon, while it still
revolves around the Earth.
Chandrayaan-2, billed as ISRO's most
complex and prestigious mission, will
make India the fourth country to soft
land a rover on the lunar surface after
Russia, US and China.
much earlier than originally thought.
It said that the process would involve
turning ‘bad’ genes into healthy ones and
eliminating dead cells from the body.
“It will also involve repairing damaged
cells, carrying out treatments with stem
cells and ‘printing’ vital organs in 3D.
“Humans will only die in accidents,
never of natural causes or illness by
around the year 2045.
“It is crucial that old age starts to be
classified as an illness so that publiclyfunded
research into its cure can
extend,” the report said.
It said that Nanotechnology was key,
among other new genetic manipulation
techniques.
In the report, the engineers said that
ageing was the result of DNA ‘tails’,
known as ‘telomeres’, in chromosomes –
of which every cell except red blood and
sex cells has 23 pairs. The report said that
becoming shorter and reversing ageing
involves lengthening the telomeres.
“Telomeres become damaged and
shortened with the passage of time, a
process that speeds up in the event of
toxins entering the body – smoking,
alcohol and air pollution are among
elements that reduce the length of
telomeres, thus accelerating ageing,”it
said.
The report further said that major
international corporations such as
Google would be ‘entering the field of
medicine’ because they are ‘beginning to
realise that curing ageing was possible’.
“The engineers believe that within 10
years, illnesses such as cancer will be
curable,”the report said.
It said that immortality would not
necessarily mean the planet becomes
over crowded because there was plenty
of room for more people on earth.
“These days, people do not have
anywhere near as many children as
they did in past decades and centuries.
Also, it will be possible to live in space
by then,”it said.
On the cost, the report said that
initially, it would be expensive, but
with a competitive market, the price
would gradually fall because it would
benefit everyone.
The report said the cost of anti-ageing
treatment would be compared to that of
the latest Smartphones. (NAN)
Reliance Jio's set top box
might offer largest selection of
channels: Here's why
Reliance CMD Mukesh Ambani
announced a TV set top box alongside
the launch of its high-speed internet
service, Jio Fiber, at the company's
42nd Annual General Meeting (AGM).
Jio Fiber will come a landline phone
connection, IoT and the aforementioned
TV set top box that aims to provide
ultra-high definition entertainment.
Jio Fiber plans are priced between R700
and R10,000 a month. Ambani said these
rates are a tenth of the global rates.
Over the past months Reliance
has worked with Multiple System
Operators (MSOs) to upgrade its
infrastructure, Ambani said.
Earlier this year, RIL acquired
controlling stakes in three leading
Cable MSOs – Hathway, DEN and
GTPL — who have direct relationships
with over 30,000 LCOs.
He believes after these upgrades,
Reliance's LCO partners would be
able to offer the largest bouquet of
High-Definition channels to customers
with better features, reliability and
customer experience than DTH.
Ambani also said the Jio set top box
can accept the broadcast cable TV
signals Reliance's LCO partners.
Akash Ambani and Isha Ambani
demonstrated the capabilities of Jio
Fiber and Jio's set top box at the event.
Jio TV seems to have integrated the
entire Jio ecosystem that includes
JioCinema, JioGames, JioCast and
JioSaavn. They also showed the low
latency, high-speed cloud gaming
experience, mixed reality applications
through Tesseract, a Reliance-owned
startup and video and voice conference
capabilities of Jio Fiber.
Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella also
made a surprise appearance at 42nd
Reliance's Annual General Meeting
(AGM) to announce a long-term
alliance with Jio.
"Jio and Microsoft will launch new
cloud data centres in India, ensuring
more of Jio's customers can access the
tools and platforms they need to build
their own digital capability," said Nadela.
Google Assistant
soon will be able to
read WhatsApp text
Google's virtual assistant is reportedly
getting the ability to read messages
from non-Google apps like WhatsApp,
Slack and Telegram. Google Assistant
has long had the option to read outs
SMS messages aloud, but that has not
done much good if for conversations
lived in third-party apps. If the
feature is rolled-out widely, it would
let users dictate their replies to
messages for these non-Google apps as
well, Engadget reported on Monday.
Currently, there appears to be limited
support for languages beyond English.
According to a report by Android
Police, messages containing pictures,
videos and audio notes are not
accessible by the read-aloud feature. In
such instances, Assistant would say,
"the message just contains an audio
attachment", and would not play it
back. However, as of now, Google has
not yet officially announced the roll-out
and availability details The read-aloud
feature is particularly useful when
users are driving, cooking or otherwise
have their hands full.
Xiaomi confirms
Mi A3 launch on
August 21
Xiaomi is set to launch its next Android
One device in India—the Mi A3. Xiaomi
India MD Manu Kumar Jain today
posted a tweet that confirmed the launch
date of the upcoming smartphone
"Crack this simple equation and tell
me in comments. We are launching
#48MPAndroidOne on 21st August at 12
noon," he said in the tweet.
The Mi A3 is the successor to the Mi
A2 smartphone that was launched last
year and will be third Android device
from the Chinese smartphone maker.
It has its roots in the Mi CC9e that
was in July in China as a stripped down
variant of the Mi CC9.
The smartphone comes with a 6-inch
HD+ display with a resolution of
1560x720. It has a U-shaped notch to
accommodate the front facing camera. It
is powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon
665 chipset paired with up to 4GB of
RAM and 128GB of inbuilt storage.
At the back, it has a triple camera setup
in a 48MP+8MP+2MP configuration. At
the front it has a 32MP selfie camera.
It is backed by a 4,030mAh battery and
ships with an 18W fast charger.

04 Touristic
Friday, August 16, 2019 | www.goantimes.titosgoa.com | 12 Pages
Ladakh:
Here’s how govt is
planning to boost
travel industry in
India’s newest UT
The people of Ladakh seemed to welcome the move of becoming Union
Territory (UT) and celebrated it in a traditional way.
Ladakh has been declared as a
Union Territory by the Modi govt
and this offers an opportunity for
the development of tourism in the
region. The people of Ladakh have
welcomed the move of becoming a
Union Territory (UT) and celebrated
it in their traditional way. Prahlad
Singh Patel, Minister of State (MoS)
(independent-charge) of tourism and
culture, said that the ministry is
planning to invest extensively in the
tourism sector of Ladakh.
The Minister, while talking about
Ladakh tourism, reportedly said that
“Government is working on a number
of tourism development of projects.
The focus is to attract a large number
of tourists. Earlier, the tourists had
to camp, as the lodging facilities were
limited. Our focus is on improving the
lodging and other important facilities for
the tourist visiting Ladakh. Also, there
are plans to open a number of zoos.”
The government is planning to
develop facilities for a homestay in
Pakistan clarifies its
airspace remains open
for Indian flights ,
suspends final rail link
Lahore, August 8: Pakistan on
Thursday clarified that it has neither
closed its airspace for India nor rerouted
any route for the Indian flights.
“There has been no change to the
notice to airmen (NOTAM) and all
flights are being operated as per
schedule issued earlier,” Civil Aviation
Authority Pakistan spokesperson
Mujtaba Baig told PTI.
“Pakistan has neither closed its
airspace for India nor re-routed or
closed down any route for the Indian
flights,” he said.
Responding to a question about rerouting
of a few routes as reported by
the media, he said: “Not a single route
the monasteries which are present
in almost all important parts of
the region. Along with this, ecotourism
could be a focus area for the
government too. The government
is planning to promote ecological
activities like bird watching.
Preservation of structures with
importance from the heritage point
of view is also a concern. The idea of
promoting Ladakh amongst the writers
and researchers as an ideal location for
their work is also being worked upon.
Prahlad Singh Patel, MoS, Ministry
of Tourism and Culture told HT that “It
is my personal thought that Leh and
Ladakh never got the desired attention.
The region lagged in infrastructural
development as earlier everything was
focused on the development of Jammu
and Kashmir. Also, people of Leh
and Ladakh have to work really hard
to get employment or to find a road
to development for their people and
the region. We have started working
extensively on a plan to increase the
tourist-influx in Leh; it is a clean and
peaceful place.”
According to reports, the
has been re-routed after the latest
tension between the two countries.”
Foreign Office Spokesperson Dr
Mohammad Faisal also said that
Pakistan had not banned its airspace
for India. “We have not banned our
airspace for India. It is open for Indian
flights,” he told reporters in Islamabad.
Thar Express: Pakistan said on Friday
it will halt the last train service running
to India, after New Delhi revoked special
status for its portion of the Kashmir
region claimed by both countries.
“We have decided to shut down the
Thar Express as well,” Pakistan’s
railways minister Sheikh Rasheed told
reporters, in reference to the weekly
service running between the towns of
Khokrapar in Pakistan and Monabao in
India.
“As long as I am railways minister,
no train will operate between Pakistan
and India.”
Archaeological Survey of India (ASI)
is working on restoring the heritage
structures in the region. The ASI has
already begun to preserve a 500-yearold
structure in Henaksu village which
is made entirely of mud and is know as
Lhonpo House. Also, the government
is working on the development of new
tourist attractions.
The tourism Minister, Prahlad Singh
Patel, adding to his statement said that
“The government is trying to develop
methods to inform tourists about the
different species of animals unique
to the region. Facilities encouraging
ecological activities like bird-watching
will be developed.”
Notably, in the past two to three years,
there has been a significant increase
in the number of tourists visiting Leh
and Ladakh. The data available with
the ministry of tourism suggests that
as much as 50,000 more tourists visited
the region in 2018 in comparison to the
tourists in 2017. The data reveals that
3,27,366 tourists visited Ladakh in 2018
which included 49,477 foreigners.
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District Hospital: 0832-2225540
Women Police Helpline : 1091
Senior Citizen Helpline: 1090
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Electricity Helpline: 1912
Railway Helpline : 139
Airport : 0832-2540796
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05 Fashion & Lifestyle
Friday, August 16, 2019 | www.goantimes.titosgoa.com | 12 Pages
How Rabindranath Tagore used Raksha
Bandhan to uphold harmony between
Hindus, Muslims
The festival of Rakshabandhan transcended from being a religious
ceremony to that of a socialist movement, to mark a symbolic protest.
Observed on the last day of the Hindu
lunar calendar month of Shravan,
Rakshabandhan is steeped in Hindu
mythology, folklore and folk practices.
Rakshabandhan or Rakhi sees sisters
tie a talisman, or amulet, called the
rakhi, around the wrists of their
brothers, symbolically protecting them
and receiving a gift in return. The
rite also symbolically represents that
the brothers too share responsibility
of their potential care. In 2019,
Rakshabandhan falls on August 15.
While it started off as being a
religious observance, dating back to
mythical eras of gods and goddesses,
one can take a look at the history of
Bengal during the year 1905, when, in
the wake of the first partition of the
state, Rakshabandhan transcended
from being a religious ceremony to
that of a socialist movement, to mark a
symbolic protest. And one person who
was intricately involved with it was
Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore.
The Rakshabandhan was perhaps
the only festival, in India's struggle for
freedom that was used to send a signal
to the British Raj.
The incident happened at a time when
Third-generation
Snapchat Spectacles
capture photos and
video in 3D
Snap Inc. announced new Spectacles
sunglasses on Tuesday that let you
capture your world in a 3D view.
The Spectacles 3 glasses have two
cameras on both sides of the frames to
capture depth and dimension, similar
to how our eyes see the world, so your
followers can see things from your
perspective.
Snap also said that there are new
“augmented reality creative tools” to
add to your snaps.
Aside from two cameras, the new
Spectacles also come with four builtin
microphones and are made out of
stainless steel rather than plastic. The
Verge reports that photo resolution is
1642 x 1642 pixels and video resolution
is 1216 x 1216 pixels. The Spectacles can
hold 100 videos or 1,200 photos in storage.
The Spectacles case also doubles as a
charging case and can charge Spectacles
on the go. Color choices are “carbon”
(black) and “mineral” (beige). For those
that want to get their hands on the
Spectacles 3, pre-orders start at $380.
Snap said that they would ship this fall.
the country was grappling under the
control of the British Raj, who came
up with a plan to divide the growing
solidarity between the Hindus and
Muslims — slowly but surely adopting
a national identity in Bengal — against
the Britishers. With an aim towards
breaking the harmonious co-existence
between the two, the then Viceroy of
India, Lord Curzon ordered the partition
of Bengal, based on religious grounds.
According to Curzon, the Muslim
dominated region of Assam and Syhlet
(now Bangladesh) were to be separated
from the Hindu majority region of
West Bengal, Bihar and Odisha.
The British government opined that
the rationale behind move was purely
administrative but the people believed
that the real motive was their policy of
divide and rule.
The order of partition was passed
in August 1905 and came into effect
on October 16 of the same year.
Incidentally, the date of separation
collided with the Purnima (full-moon)
of Hindu calendar month of Shravan,
the day celebrated as Rakshabandhan.
In order to mark a symbolic protest,
Rabindranath Tagore, decided to observe
Lakme Fashion
Week celebrates
20th anniversary
MUMBAI: Lakme Fashion Week (LFW)
rang in its 20th year anniversary with
Gen Next designers, industry veterans,
make-up legends, models and celebrities,
the people who have been a part of the
fashion gala in its journey over the years.
From 33 designers in the year 2000 to
a prestigious platform now showcasing
over 200 labels, the LFW has grown from
strength to strength with each season.
The fashion revelry on Saturday was
Creative Artist Agency
the festival in a manner that would send
a strong message to the British Raj.
Tagore urged Hindus and Muslims to
tie amulets or rakhi one each other's
wrist to express solidarity with each
other. Tagore's call of solidarity was
adhered to by many members of both
communities and Hindus and Muslims
in Kolkata, Dhaka, Sylhet came out on
the streets and tied the knot of unity
with one another.
While in 1911, the partition was
nullified, Tagore's vision of a unified
Bengal was short-lived with the state
being permanently divided in 1947 into
the present state of West Bengal and
the country of Bangladesh.
attended by Gen Next designers like
Nachiket Barve and Nikhil Thampi,
along with established names such as
Manish Malhotra, Narendra Kumar,
Monisha Jaising and Shantanu & Nikhil.
Nikhil Mehra of Shantanu and Nikhil
label said the LFW platform is "one of the
most important thing to have happened
to the Indian fashion industry".
What I love about Lakme Fashion Week
is that the platform is committed to the
cause of growing with the designers and
it's been amazing," Mehra told PTI.
Faces of Lakme, celebrities such
as Ananya Pandey, Isabelle Kaif and
Shraddha Nigam were also in attendance.
The event took place at the city-based
Soho House.
Entertainment from A to Z.
Russian and Belly Dancers, Jugglers,
Fire and LED Performances. Aerial
Gymnasts, Hostesses, Welcome Acts,
Coyote, Musicians & Much More.
BOOK OUR ARTISTS!
We do Special Creative Acts!
Fb: charizma.india | YouTube: Charizmaindia | Instagram: @charizma_india
Email: charizmaindia@gmail.com | Call: +91 988 117 2149
Flipkart ties up
with Lifestyle to
tap $100-billion
fashion market
Flipkart has formed a strategic partnership
with retailer Lifestyle that would
help the Walmart-owned e-commerce
company in its battle with rival Amazon
to tap the booming fashion retail
business in the country. The partnership
is also expected to provide support to
both companies in their competition
from the yet to be launched e-commerce
business of Reliance Industries.
“Fashion is a $100 billion market
in the country with only 6 per cent
having been penetrated by the online
retail players. There is a very large
opportunity to enable more consumers
to come online,” said Rishi Vasudev,
senior vice president and group head,
fashion at Flipkart, Myntra, Jabong.
(From left) Vasanth Kumar, managing
director of Lifestyle, with Rishi Vasudev,
senior vice-president and group head of
fashion at Flipkart, Myntra, and Jabong
“Lifestyle’s wide range of brands
across fashion categories which
highly complement our platforms
will enable growth for both players.
This partnership further strengthens
our position as the leading fashion
destination in India and is a testament
to our vision in bringing the best
of fashion to millions of Indian
consumers,” said Vasudev. Flipkart
Group has a 70 per cent market share
in the online fashion retail market,
according to an industry source.
Through this partnership, both
Lifestyle and Flipkart Group bring
unique capabilities, including relevant
customer insights, Flipkart’s vast reach
and Myntra’s deep understanding of
the fashion business. Through this
partnership, Lifestyle will take its wide
selection of product ranges including
its fashion private label brands across
womenswear, menswear, kids wear,
footwear, handbags, fashion and
accessories, to newer geographies. It would
also be able to serve the over 160 million
consumer base of the Flipkart Group.
Having completed 20 years in the
industry, Lifestyle currently has a
network of 78 stores in India and is
growing rapidly by adding one store
every 45 days. The company is aiming
to have 100 stores within the next
two years. Lifestyle's Kumar said the
company is present in 44 cities and the
Flipkart partnership would now enable
it to reach small cities and towns too.

06 Music
Friday, August 16, 2019 | www.goantimes.titosgoa.com | 12 Pages
Alia Bhatt Collaborates with
'Lamberghini' Composers Doorbeen
for her First Non-film Song 'Prada'
Alia Bhatt will playback for the song as well as feature in the music video which
has been directed by choreographer-turned-filmmaker Bosco Martis.
AICWA bans Mika
Singh after his
performance in
Pakistan
Two days after the video of Mika
Singh performing live at the wedding
festivities of Pervez Musharraf's relative
in Karachi went viral, the singer has
been banned and boycotted by All India
Cine Workers Association (AICWA).
AICWA, in a statement released on
Tuesday, said that they have taken
the decision of boycotting the singer's
association with the film production
houses, music companies and online
music content providers.
AICWA President Suresh Gupta
added that he will make sure that no
one works with Mika Singh in India
and if anyone does "he will face legal
consequences in the court of law."
The statement further said that at a
time when the tension between India
and Pakistan is at its peak (because of
the removal of Article 370), "Mika has
put money above the nation."
Mika reportedly charged USD 150,000
for his performance at the wedding.
Despite a blanket ban in Pakistan
on broadcasting Indian media content
including films and songs, Mika Singh
and his crew were issued visa for 30
days for three cities of Karachi, Lahore,
and Islamabad, according to Pakistan
news website.
After lending her voice to multiple
songs in films like Highway, Humpty
Sharma Ki Dulhania and Udta Punjab,
Alia Bhatt is all set to release her
first non-filmi single. The actress
is collaborating with musical duo
The Doorbeen who delivered last
year's smash hit Lamberghini. Their
collaboration will be called Prada,
and Alia will playback for it as well as
feature in the video.
"This is the first time that she is
crooning a non-filmi song. Bosco
(choreographer-turned-filmmaker
Bosco Martis) has directed Alia," a
source was quoted by Mumbai Mirror
as saying. The source added that the
video was shot before Alia left for
Ooty to shoot Sadak 2 with her father
Mahesh Bhatt.
"The catchy song features Alia
dancing with international back-up
dancers with car spare parts, bike
tyres, an STD booth, photo-frames,
radio set-pieces and a guitar, among
other things, forming the backdrop,"
the source described.
Ali made her singing debut with the
melody Sooha Saaha composed by
AR Rahman for Imtiaz Ali's Highway.
After that first brush with singing, the
actress has sung unplugged versions
of Samjhawaan for Humpty Sharma Ki
Dulhania and Diljit Dosanjh's Ikk Kudi
for Abhishek Chaubey's Udta Punjab.
On the acting front, after finishing
Sadak 2, Alia will begin work on
Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Inshallah,
which features her as a 20-something
aspiring actress to Salman Khan's
40-something Orlando-based
businessman. The 26-year-old actress
also has Ayan Mukerji's Brahmastra
in her kitty, with her beau Ranbir
Kapoor. She will also be starring in
SS Rajamouli's multi-lingual project
RRR and Karan Johar's epic, Takht costarring
Ranveer Singh.
How music therapy
can heal your brain
Can you survive a day without music? For some, it is an essential part of their
everyday commute. For others, it gives them the energy to survive through the day
or keep them calm on busy days. There are different varieties to suit specific needs.
There's upbeat music for when you are feeling cheery, soulful songs for the times you
are feeling low. After all, music is linked to your mood. It has the tendency to make
us feel happy, energetic, relaxed or even sad. This is one of the reasons why music
has also been studied and hailed as a therapeutic medium to help people.
Therapy is a great medium to
understand and identify many of the
triggers causing mental disorders. Music
therapy, in particular, can be used as a
form of guided meditation wherein the
patient is able to enter a parallel state of
consciousness, identify hidden problems
and solve them from the root by engaging
the stimuli in the brain.
Why music soothes you
Music is a preferred de-stressing
medium for a lot of people because it
has been found to have anxiety-reducing
and calming notes with help get rid of
underlying stress, tension or worry.
Music only comes second to our sense of
smell, so, we are able to connect or adapt
to rhythmic beats better.
Benefits of music therapy
Our brains are developed at an early
age to respond or process to melodies
better. That is why, it acts as a powerful
medium to distract our mind, body
and the brain, alter our mood and also
influence behavior. If used in the correct
way, music can make your life better!
By removing the negative energy,
music also helps people concentrate
better. It is often used by doctors during
medical procedures as well. Healing
centers also surround people with
calming sounds or noises to make them
feel at ease. In such ways, music therapy
can solve cognitive knots or deficiencies
in the brain.
Music also helps us heal and redevelop.
When we listen to music, the
muscles in the body react quickly to the
beat in an automated manner, without
having to think. Listening to or singing
musical notes uses the same neural
connections which are used while
speaking. Hence, music can effectively
help children in their developing age
communicate better or stroke patients
to talk again. Music therapy has also
been used to treat depression, autism,
Asperger's syndrome, and even postcognitive
stress disorders.
Therapists who employ music as a
form of treatment involves a variety
of tools such as playing instruments,
guided imagery, humming noises or even
writing songs to solve conflicts. Thus,
music therapy effectively helps people of
all ages (even tone-deaf people) deal with
health problems.
Javadekar releases
music video 'Watan'
ahead of I-Day
Union Information and Broadcasting
Minister Prakash Javadekar on
Tuesday released a music video titled
"Watan" and said that the video will
add 'colour' to the Independence Day
celebrations on August 15.
The video produced by Doordarshan
has snapshots of picturesque locations
across India as well as achievements
of the government knitted together
through a patriotic song sung by Javed
Ali. It shows Kerala in all its glory,
deserts of Rajasthan, Northeast states
as well as fighter aircraft zooming
across the skies and soldiers in battle
gear. It shows Prime Minister Narendra
Modi flagging off India's fastest train
- the Vande Bharat Express as well as
Yoga Day celebrations.
A press release issued by the
Information and Broadcasting Ministry
said that the song pays tribute to "New
India."
"It highlights several path-breaking
initiatives of the government including
the determination and vision behind
the recent successful launch of
"Chandrayaan 2". The song also pays
tribute to the bravery and valour of our
armed forces and the martyrs of the
country," the statement said.

07 Clubbing
Friday, August 16, 2019 | www.goantimes.titosgoa.com | 12 Pages
Happy hours at Cafe Mambo
| Mon | Tue | Thu - 6 PM to 11 PM
(Buy 1 Get 1 Free on selected brands)
Café Mambo’s Tagline “where the world
comes together” is apt, as this is the
place where locals, weekender visitors and
international tourists all come together
to enjoy a fun night out. It’s a chilled out
zone to meet up with friends & catch up
for a drink over some great house music.
Café Mambo is within walking distance
from Calangute. The café started as
another run of the mill joint, gained
immense popularity immediately.
Club Tito’s offers an unforgettable
Nightlife Experience in Goa. It is
difficult to imagine a more idyllic
setting for a nightclub than Club
Tito’s which is situated on Tito’s Lane,
a hop skip and jump away from Baga
Beach.
While the sun is still out you can’t
take your eyes away from the lovely
beach, the calm village life and the
breezy ocean air. When it’s dark the
lane comes to life and takes on a
different form with loud music, people
dancing and clubs and restaurants
bustling with visitors both of Indian
and foreign origin.

08 Cinema
Friday, August 16, 2019 | www.goantimes.titosgoa.com | 12 Pages
Taapsee Pannu says male stars’
salaries can be as much as the entire
budget of a female-centric film
Actor Taapsee Pannu has said that
sometimes, a male actor’s salary can
be equal to the entire budget of a
female-driven film. Taapsee is gearing
up for the release of her upcoming
film, Mission Mangal, which stars five
female actors in lead roles, in addition
to Akshay Kumar.
“A hero’s salary is equal to an entire
budget of a female-driven film,” she
said, according to The Times of India.
“Usme bhi mujhe bola jata hai, aap
thoda kam charge kar lona (Even then I
am told to take a pay cut). Cost-cutting
karenge kyunki yeh female-centric film
hai, mainstream nahin (This happens
because female actors aren’t bankable).
These things hurt a bit. If you are cast
in a film where a woman has an equal
part as the man, if not more, you don’t
get a male A-lister who will be okay to
share screen space with you. If women
are cast as the protagonists in a film,
the male actors who play their partners
are never A-listers. On the contrary,
girls are ready to play smaller parts
opposite top male actors. These things
bother me.”
Sacred Games 2:
Netflix pumps highest-ever
investment of R 100 crore
Pak woman yells
at Priyanka
Chopra for her
Jai Hind tweet
and calls her
‘hypocrite’, the
actor’s response is
grace itself
Actor Priyanka Chopra proved she
is the perfect picture of grace as a
Pakistani girl yelled at her and claimed
she was a hypocrite for her tweet where
she hailed the Indian Army, back in
March. In her response, Priyanka said,
“War is not something I’m really fond
of but I am patriotic.”
Priyanka was speaking at the
Beautycon Los Angeles Saturday
afternoon when the Pakistani woman
attacked her.
The Pakistani woman questioned
Priyanka on her role as a United
Nations Goodwill ambassador and
her controversial tweet where she
wrote, “Jai Hind (Long live India)
#IndianArmedForces.”
“You are United Nations Goodwill
ambassador for peace and you are
encouraging nuclear war in Pakistan.
There is no way you are in this ...As a
Pakistani, millions of people, like ,me,
have supported you in your business,”
the woman is heard saying and her
voice then weans off even as Priyanka
says from the stage, “I hear you!”
Responding to the woman, a calm
and composed Priyanka said, “I have
many, many friends from Pakistan and
I am from India,” Priyanka began her
response, which was captured on video
by Twitter user, @itsnotkadi. “War is
not something I’m really fond of but
I am patriotic, so I’m sorry if I hurt
sentiments to people who do love me
and have loved me.”
She continued, “But I think that all
of us have a, sort of, middle ground
that we all have to walk. Just like you
probably do as well. The way that you
came at me right now... girl, don’t yell.
We’re all here for love.”
Saif Ali Khan-starrer Sacred Games
2 is all set to launch on Netflix on
Independence Day (August 15) and the
OTT platform reportedly has spent an
unprecedented amount on the series.
As per reports, Netflix has invested
nearly R100 crore on Sacred Games
2, which is said to be the highest any
streaming service has put in any original
content in India. Usually, the investment
on any web show is in the range of R3-4
crore (per episode) for 12 episode.
Netflix has pointed out that the
success of first part of Sacred Games
compelled the OTT platform to make
such a huge investment, as mentioned
in a report in Livemint.
Sacred Games 2 is directed by Anurag
Kashyap and Massan famed Neeraj
Ghaywan. Vikramaditya Motwane is
the showrunner for Sacred Games 2.
The critically acclaimed web show
has a mammoth cast of over 3,500
people, including extras, and was shot
for more than 110 days in 112 location
in Delhi, Mumbai, Nairobi, Cape Town
and Johannesburg. The second season
of Sacred Games is 400 minutes long,
which is equivalent to three-and-half
Hindi films. Netflix has claimed that
it has taken more post-production
responsibilities to enhance the quality
of the final products.
The much-awaited thriller series will
be released on August 15.
Post Sacred Games, Netflix will
produce a bunch of other originals on
its platform for the Indian audience,
including Salman Rushdie's Midnight's
Children, with Omkara famed Vishal
Bhardwaj as showrunner, a spin-off
on the Baahubali franchise, named
Baahubali: Before the Beginning, and
Bard of Blood starring Emraan Hashmi.
66th National
Film awards:
Andhadhun wins
Best Hindi Film
It's that time of the year when the
best in Indian cinema are recognised
and honoured. The 66th National
Film Awards jury has announced the
winners, and Sriram Raghavan's crime
thriller Andhadhun has been named
the Best Hindi Film.
Andhadhun starring Ayushmann
Khurrana, Tabu and Radhika Apte
turned out to be the sleeper hit of
2018. The film revolves around a
blind pianist (played by Ayushmann
Khurrana) who must report a murder
that he witnessed.
The film received a thumbs up from
critics as well as fans. The film not
only crossed the Rs 100-crore mark in
India in no time, but also did fabulous
business in China.
Talking about the film's success,
Ayushmann Khurrana told Huffington
Post, "AndhaDhun is the most
impromptu and spontaneous film
I've ever done. Sriram's (director
Sriram Raghavan) way of filming is so
different. He's the quintessential rulebreaker,
he follows no rule. There's one
script and one screenplay given to you
in English. You understand that it's a
thriller. While giving the narration,
he just keeps asking you questions
and would write down whatever I'd
say. And the result? It would come out
as something crazy. His motto was to
break everyone's notion while being
unpredictable."

09 Goa!
Friday, August 16, 2019 | www.goantimes.titosgoa.com | 12 Pages
Goa’s very own Brindavan
Gardens at Selaulim soon
PANAJI: The Goa Tourism Development
Corporation (GTDC) is all set to develop
the Selaulim dam property as a top
hinterland tourism attraction on lines of
Mysuru’s famed Brindavan Gardens.
The project was given the green
signal at a recent GTDC board meeting.
The Punebased project consultant,
Fourth Dimension Architects Private
Ltd, is in the final stages of designing
and planning the components to be
set up within the project. It will be
developed in coordination with the
GTDC, Goa Forest Development
Corporation (GFDC) and the water
resources department, and has the
support of local MLA Prasad Gaonkar.
Tourism minister Manohar
Ajgaonkar said, “Goa Tourism is
focusing on hinterland tourism as it
is opening new opportunities for the
locals. Selaulim dam is very beautiful
during the monsoon and developing the
property downstream on the same lines
as the Brindavan Gardens will add
value and boost footfall in Goa.”
The project is estimated to cost Rs 50
crore and GTDC is proposing to tap funds
under the Swadesh Darshan Scheme of
the Union ministry for tourism.
Initial project details unveiled by
the GTDC indicate that a total area of
42 acres will be developed. About 10
Goa’s worst floods
after Maharashtra
opened nearly-full
Tillari dam
KERI/PANAJI: The recent floods in
North Goa, one of the worst in over
two decades, was due to release of
surplus water from the Tillari dam
by Maharashtra as it had reached its
maximum capacity.
The continuous rain, beginning
early August, in the upper and lower
catchment areas of the Tillari dam saw
the reservoir level reach 112m. With a
storage capacity of 113.2m, the water
resources department of Maharashtra
had but no choice to release the surplus
water, sources said.
“Until last year, the quantity of water
released was far lesser to cause any
submergence of villages in Goa. The
situation occurred this time because
of the heavy rainfall received during a
concentrated period of time,” a WRD
official from Goa told TOI.
“The catchment area of the
Tillari and its tributaries received
heavy rainfall,” said Shrikant Patil,
superintendent engineer, Goa Tillari
Development Corporation.
“Dhamane, where the dam is situated,
components will be set up, in addition
to maintaining some of the existing
infrastructure.
Key attractions will include an
amphitheatre with a capacity for
300 people, musical fountains, bird
sanctuary, meditation and yoga zone,
fruit orchards, children’s play area,
glass house, herbal garden, artisans’
village, nature interpretation centre
and elibrary. An information counter,
rest rooms, bio-retention pond on the
existing water body, entrance plaza
and GFDC office will be set up therein.
A special buggee track will also
be set up to facilitate mobility for
children and tourists with special
needs. Pathways within the area will be
designed with a view to resourcefully
manage rainwater and recharge ground
water and aquifers. A sewage treatment
plant is proposed whose water will be
used for irrigation. Solid water will be
used for biogas production. The plans
also include solar power generation.
The seven wonders of Goa, which will
include the state’s churches, temples,
forts, heritage monuments and so on,
will be showcased. Special picnic spots
within the property that can be used by
tourists, school children and locals will
be set up. A special zone for selfies will
also be created.
also received heavy rainfall. In order
to avoid danger, it became necessary
to release water.” This release of water
affected villages in both Maharashtra
and Goa.
Meanwhile, the water level in the
Selaulim reservoir, the state's largest,
was 13% excess over and above its
maximum capacity. The smaller
reservoir at Panchwadi had 2% surplus
water, while Chapoli in Canacona was
filled to its brim.
Goa’s second biggest reservoir in
Anjunem is 94% full of capacity. It
is the state’s only dam that requires
manual release of water. Though the
dam wasn’t full to capacity, officials
had earlier released water owing low
tide conditions in the rivers that can
avert flooding. Waiting until the dam
is full would force officials to release
water irrespective of the tide, thus
causing a flood-like situation.
Amthane reservoir is 94% full of its
capacity.
Goa’s Industrial
Estates to be made
liquor free zones
The Goa government is contemplating
to make all its Industrial Estates ‘no
liquor zones’ by banning any new
alcoholic beverages and retail bar
licences while also planning to cancel
the permissions granted to existing
ones.
State Industries Minister Vishwajit
Rane told reporters on Tuesday that
his department is going to write to the
chief minister Pramod Sawant, who
is holding Excise portfolio, to ban any
more licences for the industrial units
producing alcohol and also liquor bars
in the Industrial Estates.
There are total twenty-two industries
estates in the state all of whom are
controlled by state-run Goa Industrial
Development Corporation (GIDC).
“We want to promote industrial
canteens with nutritious food to the
workers in the industrial estates rather
than the liquor bars. I will write to the
chief minister once he is back from his
Russia tour informing him about our
decision,” Rane said.
The minister said that his
department would also write to State
Excise department to cancel all the
existing licences granted to bars in
the Industrial Estates. “We will seek
record from the Excise department as
to how many bars have been permitted
in the Industrial Estates,” he said.
Rane said that he is following up
the decision by former chief minister
Manohar Parrikar who had inprinciple
resolved not to allow bars
and alcohol manufacturing units in the
Industrial Estates.

10 Leisure
Friday, August 16, 2019 | www.goantimes.titosgoa.com | 12 Pages
6 BEST SURF SPOTS IN INDIA
FOR YOUR NEXT SURF TRIP
Surf culture arrived pretty late in India. Although India has over 7,000 kilometers
of coastline, most of it remains to be discovered regarding surfing. The biggest
advantage of India is that only a few surfers go there, so there are not many people
on the line-up. Indian waves have always existed, but tourism has not developed in
this way. With the arrival of a couple of companies offering surfing lessons, as well
as the emergence of the first competitions, surfing now became an activity that
could be practiced during your free time in India.
It's not the North Shore of Hawaii, so do not expect huge waves. India also doesn’t
have a lot of reefs, which may be really appealing to beginners. The best time to
surf in India is just before and just after the monsoon season: April, May, October
and November. If you’re already an experienced surfer, you can surf the waves
Gokarna Beach
Kovalam Beach
Kovalam Beach is probably the best
known surf spot in India. It’s located
completely in the south of India, near
the Arabian Sea which is part of the
Indian Ocean. We found a beach break
at the Light House beach that offers
right and left waves, both quite fast and
powerful. This is an interesting place
for intermediates and beginners. The
best time to surf this wave is at midtide
and high tide. If you are looking
for surf lessons, we recommend the
Kovalam Surf Club. This school is not
only perfect for learning the basics of
surfing but they also use their funds to
help the young community of Kovalam.
The club is part of an NGO and was
founded in 2005. Every year, the Surf
& Music Festival takes place there in
summer and free surfing lessons are
offered as part of it.
Gokarna Beach
For beginner surfers, Gokarna Beach
is a very suitable surf spot. The place is
beautifully situated with a foreground
of coconut trees and a backdrop of
the Sahyadri Mountains. The waves
are indeed not very strong and the
currents are quite easy to predict. In
addition, there are surf schools to learn
about this sport and learn the right
of the monsoon. The downside is the lack of lifeguards on some coasts, so we
recommend you to always surf with someone by your side.
techniques to catch the waves. As for
the best time to go there, it is between
the months of October to May. Only
a one minute walk from the beach,
Cocopelli Surf School offers courses
from beginners to advanced surfers.
Varkala Beach
Varkala is surrounded by picturesque
rocky cliffs and amazing landscapes.
It doesn’t have strong swells, which
makes it perfect for beginners to
learn the sport. The location is lively
with tourism and people coming to
India to stimulate and invigorate
their mind and mody. There are also
several ashrams (monasteries) in the
area if you are into meditation and
there is a very ancient temple of Sri
Janardhana to visit just off the beach.
Not far from Kovalam Beach, the
beaches of Varkala are excellent and
much less crowded than other areas.
The surfcamp Soul & Surf in Varkala
has an attractive offer for combining
Surf and Yoga. They offer surf lessons
with all material for 3 or 6 days, with
the possibility of adding daily Yoga
classes. Varkala waves are perfect for
beginners throughout the year, but
especially from December to March.
Goa Beaches
Go to Goa at the end of May or the
beginning of June and find waves that
are between 5 feet and 10 feet plus in
height! Known as the land of adventure
and magic, most of the beaches offer
very good conditions to learn to surf
or improve your skills, because they
break gently right and left. Thanks to
its stunning beaches and hippie vibes,
it is one of the best surf spots in India.
Its beaches are quiet and large, with a
few bars on the sand. This area attracts
many tourists, especially in the winter
months. Join the Banana Surf School
in Goa to learn to catch some awesome
waves on Marbela Beach, Morjim
Beach, or Ashwem Beach! To relax
and enjoy the bohemian atmosphere of
Goa, nothing better than dropping by
Shanti Beach Club to listen to a concert
in the company of musicians, yoga
gurus and celebrities of Bollywood.
Chennai
Located in the state of Tamil Nadu, on
the East coast, there is another amazing
surf spot on a beach called Kovalam
(same name but different beach than
the one mentioned above)! And the best
place to stay for a surf trip is definitely
the Bay of Life Surf School & Surf Shop.
It’s actually the first school in Chennai
to be accredited by the International
Surfing Association and the Federation
Air India Delhi-San Francisco flight could be
India’s first to fly over North Pole
The Air India flight between New Delhi
and San Francisco could be the first
flight by an Indian airline to overfly
the North Pole.
The country’s aviation regulator, the
Directorate General of Civil Aviation
(DGCA), has issued a circular seeking
the interest of airlines interested in
flying over the pole and Air India has
expressed its interest .
Though many international airlines
fly over the North Pole, no international
airlines operating services from
India currently use the route. And no
Indian airlines has ever used it. Some
international airlines flying from India
to the US has previously used it, but
they have since changed their route.
Flying the polar route saves time and
fuel. An airline official said : “Flying
over the polar route requires specially
trained pilots as variation levels are
very high (technical difficulties with
respect to radiation and navigation).
The route has fewer airports (for
emergencies); moreover, it requires
many permissions to fly this route. If an
airline is saving a few minutes by flying
over this route, then it is not practical.”
The San Francisco service is the
longest route from India to the US. An
Air India official said that the route will
be applicable to only San Francisco as
flight time to other direct destinations
from polar region would increase the
flying time instead of reducing it.
The Air India spokesperson was not
available for comment, but an airline
official familiar with the development
said: “Pilots have certain flying hour
restrictions while flying over the polar
route. This route is not used by any of
the Indian carriers because of certain
challenges faced due to the weather
conditions in the polar region.”
Currently the daily flight from New
Delhi to San Francisco goes over
Bangladesh, Myanmar, China and
Japan before flying over the Pacific
Ocean to enter the US. The new route
will be over Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan,
Russia, the Arctic Ocean, Canada and
the US. The new route will save travel
time for the non-stop flight by around
90 mins -- from 17 hrs to around 15.5 hrs.
Varkala Beach
of Surf India. The staff is offering
courses from beginners to advanced
surfers and the surfcamp is conducting
adaptive lessons and activities for
people with cerebral palsy.
Udupi
In the picturesque fishing village of
Kodi Bengre, belonging to the city
of Udupi, there is an outstanding
and interesting surf location. The
weather is quite stable in this area,
with temperatures around 30 degrees.
It is an ideal place for beginners and
intermediates most of the time and
is perfect for experienced surfers in
the pre and post monsoon season. The
Shaka Surf Club offer surf lessons
for beginners of all ages and if you’re
already an experienced surfer, you can
rent surfboard to surf on your own.
Ishita Malaviya, one of the first woman
surfer of India created this surfcamp
and is still giving classes there. It
makes the location even more unique.
The Shaka Surf Club in association
with Australian Life Saving Society
and Rashtriya Life Saving Society has
also partnered with local government
schools for something called “The
Nippers Programme” which trains
children to become junior lifeguards.
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11 Trending
Friday, August 16, 2019 | www.goantimes.titosgoa.com | 12 Pages
"Taking first vacation in 18 years":
PM Modi on Bear Grylls' Man vs Wild
In Discovery Channel's, "Man Vs Wild with Bear Grylls and Prime Minister Modi", he braved the rain and the cold in the
jungles of Jim Corbett National Park
NEW DELHI: Walking through the
wild and taking a ride on a cold river
in a makeshift boat were some of the
things that Prime Minister Narendra
Modi put up with as he teamed up with
survivalist Bear Grylls to promote
causes close to his heart -- conservation
and cleanliness.
In Discovery Channel's, "Man Vs Wild
with Bear Grylls and Prime Minister
Modi", he braved the rain and the cold
in the jungles of Jim Corbett National
Park, Uttarakhand, and as the host put
it, the PM was a "great sport".
During the conversation, PM Modi
said fulfilling people's dreams gave
him happiness and his focus is on
development. "My position never goes to
my head," he said, in reply to a question.
Bear Grylls, who has had celebrity
guests before on his show, including
former American President Barack
Obama, asked PM Modi about his
childhood, dreams as the prime minister,
whether he feared anything in life and if
he felt nervous before a political rally.
PM Modi said he never had a good
answer about "nervousness" because it
was not a part of his experience.
"My problem is that I have never
experienced such fears. I'm unable to
explain it to people what nervousness
is and how to deal with it because my inbuilt
temperament is very positive. I see
positivity in everything. And because
of that reason, I am never disappointed."
"If I have to tell anything to the young
generation then I will say we should
not think of our life in pieces. If we
think of our life as a whole then there
will be ups and downs. If you are going
down don''t think about it because the
way up starts from there," he said.
PM Modi talked about living with
love for nature and not exploiting it for
one's own ends but leaving it for the
future generations.
He said India's message to the world
is "Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam", or the
A TikTok Film Festival is
happening in Pune apparently!
TikTok became a sensation overnight
and frankly speaking people of India
are still under the fever of the videosharing
app. With millions of users
making content for the app and
uploading some of the most hilarious
videos that we have ever seen, TikTok
has made many people stars giving
them an immense fan following.
However, regarding the latest TikTok
news, Pune is hosting its first TikTok
Film Festival. Yes, you read that right.
TikTok Film Festival.
We spoke to Prakash Yadav, who is
an event organiser by profession and
also one of the main organisers of the
TikTok Film festival.
When asked about what was the
idea behind the film festival, Yadav
said, "TikTok is trending everywhere.
Everybody makes TikTok videos. I have
seen many students standing outside
their colleges and making TikTok videos.
We wanted to do something for them."
The event starts from July 24, 2019,
and will go on until August 20, 2019,
when the final results will be declared.
The winners at the film festival will get
prize money along with a trophy.
The first position gets you a cash
prize of Rs 33,333 and the second place
has prize money for Rs 22,222 and so on.
The event is divided into 12
categories, including best comedy, best
emotion and best couple among others.
Talking sbout the categories and the
thought process behind it, Yadav said,
"Among the 12 categories we also have
one category for social awareness and
one category for environmental videos.
We wanted to award participants who
make videos regarding environmental
and social issues."
Yadav also told us that people who
will participate will get certificates of
participation and trophies, if they do
not win.
Finally, Prakash Yadav told us that
his main motive behind this neverheard-before
event was to change the
perception that people have about
video makers.
He said, "This is being done to change
how people think about the ones who
make videos on TikTok. People generally
think that the video makers don't do
anything and they just kill time."
In the end, he added, "We have entries
from people of all age group and all
categories."
Have you sent your TikTok
videos yet?
whole world is one family.
When Bear Grylls asked whether he ever
dreamt of becoming a prime minister, PM
Modi said his focus has always been
the development of the nation.
"I was the chief minister of a state
first. I worked as a chief minister for
13 years, which was a new journey for
me. Then my country decided I needed
to do this job. So I have been doing this
for the last five years," he said.
"But the focus has been always been on
one thing and that is development. And
I am satisfied with that job. Today, if I
consider this time as a vacation, then I
must say I am taking a vacation for the
first time in 18 years," PM Modi said.
On being the country's prime
minister, Bear Grylls asked whether he
ever pinched himself.
"It never occurs to me who I am. I
am above all this. When I was a chief
minister and even now as the prime
minister, I only think of my work, my
responsibilities. My position never
goes to my head," he added.
Recalling his childhood years, PM
Modi said though there was poverty,
his family was always connected with
nature.
So much so that his father, despite
there being no money, would buy 20-30
postcards and send it to relatives to
inform them about the first rains in
their village, he said.
At one point, Grylls, who made a
makeshift spear, warned the prime
minister about tigers in the area that
they were walking through. Modi said,
"God takes care of everything".
He said his beliefs did not allow him
to kill anyone but he would hold the
spear for the host.
"You should never be afraid of nature
because when we think that we are
in conflict with nature is when the
problem starts," he said.

Estd. 1971
12 Tourist Map
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