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PANAJI: Seventy five years ago, in the Latin quarter of Panaji, Manguesh Surlacar decided to give his son Jagdish a special gift on his birthday. He gifted him People’s High School-a humble abode with two rooms, two teachers and 11 students.

Today, the school is a force to be reckoned with in this modern, hi-tech age and stands firm at the platinum threshold of its lasting determination, with over 2,000 students and an accomplished alumni to match.

The grandeur of the school today, palpable in the enthusiasm and reflections of current students and alumni alike, is a testimony to the endurance and resilient foundations of its founder, Surlacar. After finishing his studies at Bombay’s St Xavier’s College, Surlacar snubbed offerings of a lucrative career elsewhere and returned to his native Goa to establish the school in Mala, Panaji.

The time back then, was not altogether conducive to the launch of such a school, with conventional policies being a deterrent. Establishing an English-medium school during the times of colonial Goa, weighed-in at many different levels-not the least of which was a lack of trained staff. However, riding the crest of an education revival wave, endorsed by the likes of Narsinha P Sukerkar, Vitthal Sukathankar and Balkrishna Savardekar, Surlacar too emerged as the leading education reformer of a repressed era. The launch of his school on December 9, 1936, was also the launch of the first English-medium school in Panaji.

Over the years, People’s High School evolved with a fair share of accolades and challenges. The School for Appropriate Learning (SFAL), a first-of-its-kind for students with special needs, came into being in 1986. Further, the higher secondary section was also started in 1988, providing, amongst other streams, programs on vocational studies to help students gain basic skills in order to be a part of the general workforce.

Seventy five years on, the dedication and enthusiasm of the current and former students reveal themselves to be as sweeping as that of its founder’s. To celebrate the platinum jubilee of the school the alumni has come together to mark a memorable moment in the history of its alma mater.

The curtain-raiser event scheduled for December 7 at Kala Academy will feature a keynote address by India’s leading economist Naseer Munjee, an alumnus of the prestigious London School of Economics, titled Education and Beyond. The keynote will be followed by an entertainment programme presented by the present and past students of the school.

Another striking feature of the event is a three-day ‘Back to school’ programme where alumni from the world over will wear the school uniform, stand in the assembly, sing the school prayer and go to class and be taught a lesson or two from their former teachers.

The core committee organizing the event, under the leadership of Victor Albuquerque of Alcon Victor Group, has further resolved to consolidate the ongoing infrastructural upgradation by providing the students with a much-needed school auditorium and a sports room. These refurbishments are being carried out under the watchful guidance of architect Rahul Deshpande, who is the grandson of Surlacar.

In an era where the leading educationists have made the medium of instruction a dominating focal point of the education debate in the state, People’s High School carries on as an institution that has dedicated itself to the seminal philosophy it has been teaching its younger ones since the past 75 years-“The school and we are one. What we are, the race shall be.”

Panaji: “The 4.5 lakh mobile towers in India are turning the country into an open microwave,” warns Girish Kumar, researcher and faculty at IIT Bombay.

Elaborating, Kumar who has conducted studies on mobile radiation said, “With 1w power (same output as cell phones) temperatures increase by 1’C in 500 seconds (9 minutes).”

Kumar was speaking at the national seminar on ‘mobile phone and tower radiations-risks and remedies’ at Ghall, Panaji, by Government Polytechnic Bicholim, Goa Chamber of Commerce and Industry ( GCCI) and the department of science, technology and environment ( DTSE).

He noted that mobile companies were choosing to install higher intensity towers to cut costs but were compromising on public safety. Citing a case study where six residents of a high-rise Mumbai building facing a mobile tower were affected by cancer, he went on to explain the link of rise in cancer cases among residents living near cell towers.

“Those living in a 50-300m radius face a high risk-much worse than smoking as you cannot see or smell radiation,” he said, while adding that “you cannot have coincidences everywhere”.

“Biological effects include drying of fluids around the eyes, brain joints, heart and abdomen leading to sleep disruption, headaches, lack of concentration and memory loss, due to changes in the electrical activity of the brain. Prolonged exposure to mobile radiation increases chances of cancer by 200-400% over 8-10 years,” Kumar stressed. It can also lead to miscarriages as it affects the amniotic fluids, he added.

Citing examples of farmhouses, Kumar also observed that mobile tower radiation was affecting the environment and fruit-bearing trees as well as birds.

Explaining further, Kumar said the Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) in India has been fixed at a much higher level than it should be to benefit telecom operators who contribute 30% of India’s GDP. He felt part of the solution lay in reducing the transmitted power from towers which would necessitate setting up of additional towers at a much higher cost.

Industry representative Pradeep Phadke, CEO of Phadnis Telecom, attempted to dispel fears by stating that the cellular industry would like to believe that claims made by scientists were unfounded or pose insignificant risk.

Phadke felt a trade-off was required between the benefits and ill effects of mobiles. Namrata Redkar, an aura (human energy) researcher, said, “Waves or radiations destroy vital enzymes that catalyze the electrical system which activates our nervous system.”

There is much to delve about this metropolitan city of India called Mumbai. If you turn the pages of history related to Mumbai, erstwhile Bombay, you will be stupefied at the series of events that took place. Bombay was part of the Portuguese dominion and when Princess Catherine de Braganza of Portugal tied the knot with King Charles II of England in 1661, Bombay was given as dowry. Later in 1668, it was handed over to the East India Company. Today, Mumbai is the most happening commercial hub. There is abundance of business hotels in Mumbai. The emergence of business hotels in Mumbai across the length and breadth of the city owe their origin to the rising increase of business travelers – from within the country and overseas. The city also happens to be home to the largest and the busiest port handling India’s foreign trade and a major international airport. So, you can well imagine the occupancy rate of the business hotels in Mumbai. Trading of stocks is carried out in billions of rupees everyday in the stock exchanges. Then there is Bollywood, synonymous to the name ‘Mumbai’. Those guests who are on a hectic schedule and need to attend more meets in other cities prefer to stay in the vicinity of the airport. There are numerous business hotels in Mumbai in the vicinity of the airport. Advance bookings give you confirmed accommodation space besides discounts.

Another city worth mentioning is Goa. It is the richest state in the country with a GDP per capita two and a half times that India as a whole. Given the countless visit by tourists, there is no dearth of luxury hotels here. Even the budget travelers will find budget hotels in Goa in abundance. Do you know the Eleventh Finance Commission has ranked Goa the best placed state for its infrastructure? It also tops the list for the best quality of life in India. This rank is conferred by the National Commission on Population based on the 12 indicators. Like Mumbai, you can still find cultural influence of the Portuguese, in fact more than that of Mumbai. It is in the vicinity of the beaches that most of the luxury hotels in Goa are located. The Portuguese overseas territory in Goa existed for about 450 years until it was annexed in 1961 by India. Portuguese cuisines are also served in the luxury hotels in Goa.

PANAJI: An opportunity for creating international joint ventures, partnerships and enhancing trade beckons Goan businesses.

For the first time, Goan businesses will be able to participate in ‘Indiallia’, an international business development forum organized by the All India Association of Industries (AIAI) and the World Trade Centre, Mumbai, in association with French-based company Futurallia.

With the Goa Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Gentering into an MOU with the AIAI, the GCCI has managed to get a slot for Goan businesses at the two-day business forum which commences on April 23.

“We are only facilitators,” GCCI president Manguirish Pai Raikar told TOI.

He said that the GCCI will accommodate a maximum of 20 companies on a first-come-first-serve basis.

Those interested in attending the forum will have to prepare a profile of their company. The profile will then be matched with those of international suitors and a series of 12 one-to-one 30-minute meetings for closing deals and business alliances will be scheduled.

Legal advice on international laws that may come into play for closing trade deals will also be provided.

Delegates from 600 companies spanning 30 countries are expected to attend ‘Indiallia’.

Pai Raikar said, “There are western companies that have developed sophisticated technology. Due to high production costs abroad, these firms are looking for joint ventures with companies in developing countries.”

MARGAO: The feast of the Epiphany, also known as the Three Kings’ feast, is celebrated by Catholics on January 6 across the world. It often symbolizes the end of Christmas celebrations and the packing up of decorations for next year.

In Goa, the visit of the Magi, as the Three Kings are also called, is grandly observed in three villages-Cansaulim and Chandor in the South and Reis Magos in the North.

According to the Gospel, the Wise Men from the East-yet another name for the Three Kings-were guided by a star to Bethlehem, over 2000 years ago, where they worshipped the child Jesus.

Commemorating this visit in Cansaulim, three young boys from the villages of Cansaulim, Arossim and Cuelim are chosen as the Three Kings. Travelling on horses, they converge some distance from the Chapel of Our Lady of Remedies (Nossa Senhora dos Remedios) before proceeding towards it for the feast mass at 10am.

The chapel stands pretty on the picturesque hill at Cuelim and locals say the feast has been celebrated every year since their ancestors helped renovate the chapel in 1795.

In Chandor, the three young boys who play the Wise Men come from three hamlets-Chandor (Kott), Cavorim and Gurdolim.

The youngsters meet at the nearby hill of Our Lady of Mercy and descend on horseback towards the main church-the Church of Our Lady of Bethlehem-where the feast mass is celebrated.

Here too, the feast has been celebrated every year since the church was built in 1645, say residents.

Reis Magos sees three of its youngsters play out the part of the Magi and attend the feast mass at The Church of the Holy Magi.

Dressed grandly in regal robes, including ‘crowns’, the Three Kings in all three villages are accompanied by family and friends and the route they take is decorated with streamers, palm leaves and balloons. Those standing along the routes often shout out greetings to the chosen ‘Magi’.

The entire Eucharistic celebration, on an average, takes about three hours.

Over the years the feast has built a reputation as a tourist attraction and visitors visit to feast on its colour and pageantry.

The ‘Three Kings’ also carry along versions of the gifts that were offered by the original kings-gold, incence and myrrh.

Ashley Fernandes, a resident of Cansaulim, explains that the ancients regarded gold as the king of metals and Christians thus interpret it as standing for the kingship of Christ.

Incense was used for worship and the aroma along with the smoke rising heavenwards spoke to them of God and divinity. “Christians interpret this gift as standing for the divinity of Christ,” says Fernandes.

Myrrh was used to prepare the dead for burial. “Christians interpret this gift as standing for the humanity of Christ,” Fernandes concludes.