PANAJI: Mr Jose Philip D’Souza, Minister for Revenue and Civil Supplies, inaugurated ‘Saiyogam Sanskrutik Garba-Dandiya Kala Sangh’ in the presence of Mr Yusuf Sheikh, noted Konkani poet and former director of Doordarshan, Shillong, Mr Pandharinath Lotlikar, former director of Doordarshan, Panaji and Mr Kritesh Gaonkar, councillor of Mormugao municipality at Sada recently.

Mr D’Souza congratulated the participants who performed dandiya and other cultural activities and made a plea to the artistes’ associations to work unitedly and bring name and fame to the state as well as the country, by performing cultural activities on a large scale.

He said that it is easy to form association but difficult to survive. He also said that whatever differences exist among the members of these associations, should be solved among themselves without breaking the unity of the association. He further made an appeal to the budding artistes and art lovers of Mormugao to take maximum benefit of ‘Ravindra Bhavan’ which is likely to be functioning very soon.

He also assured help to the association to put up performances or any further cultural activities on a larger scale.

Mr Sheikh congratulated the association and pointed out that such programmes of dandiya in a well organised manner were not witnessed in Mormugao taluka.

Mr Lotlikar said that the cultural activities have to be performed throughout the state on a large scale to give a proper platform to the Goan artistes.

Mr Kritesh Gaonkar, councillor of Mormugao municipality also spoke.

Mr Umesh Fatji, president of Saiyogam Sanskrutik Garba Dandiya Kala Sangh said that all the artistes of the association gave full support to organise this event successfully.

On the occasion Mr D’Souza felicitated Ms Bhavana D Lakhani and Mr Nitesh Naik. He also distributed certificates to those who attended the workshop held by
the association.