Raticanta Mandrencar

Many people get confused with the phrase time management and they ask, what is Time Management. Time management is about effectively scheduling of your time, goal setting, prioritizing and choosing what to do and what not to do. Deciding  what is important, what  is urgent, delegating tasks, analyzing and reviewing your spent time and motivating yourself to work towards a goal. In simple words, it is setting your goals or deciding what to do and when to do. Time is constant and it always goes forward. It cannot go backwards.  When you say Time Management, what you mean is, you are trying to make the best use of your time and hence one should not waste the time. Managing your time is basically managing your day to day life and the best way to start your day is to plan your day. You should plan your day the day before. I started applying this technique during the year 1999 when  I enrolled myself for masters program. Every one on this earth, is bestowed u...

Monsoon in Goa.  I have spent 33 years of my life in the Middle East. My children grew up there  and had their secondary education  in Abu Dhabi, U.A.E. The annual school vacation used to be during July and August as the summer heat used to be at its peak in the Gulf region. My kids used to long to visit Goa to be with their grand parents, uncles, aunties and cousins.  We used to land in Goa by  1st of July  every year. And in Goa, it is a rainy season and it is at its peak.  When the flight descends and you take a route to your destination, you would see the lush green paddy fields, the rivers Zuari and Mandovi bulging with water flowing under the bridges,  the  long winding black tar roads, wet and clean, the beautiful birds and the old monuments washed with rain water. Everything around looks fresh and clean with the earthen smell in the air brought by the rain. During monsoon, on any rainy day, walk along the Corniche of Campal ...

Goa is at the cross roads of the real estate investment. In spite of slow down in realty development due to raising cost of land as well as the building materials, selective well  established developers are introducing new projects in the market. The majority of the buyers being NRI's, Mumbai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Bangalore based investors or home seekers.  Hardly any Goans. Most of the investment in residential properties is more for capital appreciation than rental income. Annual yield via rental income from a residential property is generally 3-4% a year and capital appreciation is some where between 10-15%. Little background about Service Apartments.  A serviced apartment is a furnished accommodation with a small kitchen and rooms generally more spacious than in a hotel. It also has modern communication facilities such as Wifi internet, telephone, HD, LED television, modern Cooking utensils, microwave, Refrigerator, washing machine etc. Some also offer c...

Year 2012, The  BJP Government came to power in Goa, inheriting a whooping  6000 crores debt.   The state economy  was in shambles. Then came the Infamous mining ban. Almost 30percent of the Goan population, depending on mining activities are in financial distress. Then came the ban on sand extraction, sale of brick and laterite crushers etc. The real estate prices moved to southwards. The real estate activities came to standstill.  The regional plan is still in the cupboards waiting for the daylight and the realty investors as well as the developers  are anxious to hear in the next move by the CM.  Goa is an international brand. And In this tiny state of Goa, real estate market is viewed as a place of endless opportunities. This is the reason why a lot of people still want to buy the properties in Goa. Investors from Delhi, Mumbai Gujarat, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Kashmir as well as NRIs and foreign nationals are still seeking a place of l...

Goa, although highly literary state on the western coast of India, it is lagging behind in  information technology and IT enabled services segment. Unlike Andhra Pradesh or Karnataka, Goa state Governments never took any proactive steps to develop this highly lucrative IT sector. It relies upon its old bastion of mining ore exports and tourism. The young and talented IT graduates have to migrate to Pune or Bangalore or Mumbai seeking job opportunities. Some try their luck in the Middle East.  There is a huge potential as well as demand from corporate sector for IT enabled services in Goa. The Government needs to provide right infrastructure for the convenience of the investors and entrepreneurs. Then only the corporates will take initiative to set up their shops here in Goa.  As far as ITtalents are concerned, there is no dearth of finding any. If  the right opportunities and remuneration is provided, the Job seekers, those who have left Goa, will retur...

Indian military took over Goa in 1961 and Overnight, our schooling has to be switched over from Portuguese medium to English medium. My father took us an admission at a well well known People's High School, at Fontainhas. One of the oldest parts of Panjim Goa. It was an English medium School. Classes used to be held in three different buildings and all of them  stands still.  I spend almost eight years in this quaint quarter that is the same as it used to be in the sixties and appears  mediterranean  or European as of today.   This beautiful area of Panjim called as Fontainhas is  often referred as the 'Latin Quarter' of Panjim.   It is bordered on the east by the Rue de Ourem, Ourem Creek and on the West by the Altinho hill. It has a completely different atmosphere from the hustle and bustle of the main Panjim city, with its Mediterranean appearance, narrow streets and overhanging balconies of the ancient  houses. Some houses ...

Chicken Cafreal is one of my favourite dish.  It is like tandoori chicken of Goa  except Chicken cafreal  is in green color and is fried and not roasted in an oven. I love to cook this dish myself and my family and friends love this Goan speciality.  My daughter in Chicago, raves about this dish and prepares it herself, whenever she feels home sick.  I have tried to eat this dish in several restaurants and hotels in Goa, but none of them tastes as it used to be during my childhood days or as good or as authentic as is prepared at home. A very few  food outlets run by Goan restauranteurs or Goan Cooks, still prepare chicken cafreal in their own style and they are yummy and tasty. There is one in Saligao in north Goa called Florentine.  The other one is Martins Corner at Colva in South Goa. And Quarter Deck at Mandovi, Panjim also serves good Chicken cafreal. Each one of these outlets have their own stamp and tastes different. They are unique! Litt...