Latest news with #Konkani
Time of India
3 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Konkani proficiency to be must for job of postal worker, says Sawant
Porvorim: Chief minister Pramod Sawant on Tuesday said that Konkani would be made mandatory for appointing new postal workers in Goa. Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardesai said that a new postman had paid Rs 3.5 lakh to secure the job. Sawant said that Goa Post is part of the Maharashtra circle, and postal workers are appointed considering their SSC marks. 'We have empowered the Goa Konkani Akademi to issue certificates to people who want to apply for the job, certifying that they know how to read and write Konkani,' Sawant said. 'The postal service administration will change the recruitment rules, and new postal workers will be appointed based on their knowledge of Konkani.' Sardesai, in his zero-hour mention, said, 'There is fear and anxiety in the minds of Goans with regards to the non-delivery of postal letters in the state of Goa.' He urged the CM to raise the issue with the PM and protect Goan postal workers who have lost their jobs. The Fatorda MLA said that during his taluka-wise outreach programme, he discovered that 40 Goan postal workers, who had served for 15-20 years on daily wages, were removed and replaced by 50 outsiders from Maharashtra who couldn't even pronounce the names of Goan villages. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like I'm closing my shop! Last chance to enjoy 80% OFF my jewellery! Wendy Clarke Shop Now Undo 'What is happening to our Goa? Sting videos show letters taken home, addresses unknown. One recruit admits paying Rs 3.5 lakh for the job,' Sardesai said. 'Corruption has reached the central engine. They approached the CM three times. No action was taken.' Sardesai said that the CM should fulfil his assurance to mitigate the crisis of these 40 Goemkars. 'This is not just about jobs; it's about Goan identity and dignity,' he said. Sawant said that he would consider the matter of the 40 postal workers.
NDTV
4 days ago
- Business
- NDTV
Coastal Charm To Tech Ambition: Goa Rolls Out AI Mission 2027
Panaji: The Pramod Sawant government has rolled out Goa AI Mission 2027, a visionary roadmap to build an inclusive and future-ready Artificial Intelligence ecosystem, officials said. The mission, a bold leap from Goa's laid-back coastal charm to cutting-edge tech ambition, aims to empower people, enhance governance and spark innovation across sectors, placing the state firmly on the digital transformation map, they said. In a recently held meeting, Chief Minister Sawant and state Information Technology Minister Rohan Khaunte appealed to stakeholders to work towards drafting the AI Mission 2027, aligning with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision. Nearly 350 Information Technology companies and startups are operating in Goa, as per data from the IT department. Goa Information and Technology Director Kabir Shirgaonkar told PTI Videos that the state government's AI mission is derived from the Centre's ambitious India AI Mission. "We intend to meet various objectives through this mission, and one of them is create an inclusive and future-friendly AI ecosystem to empower citizens, enhance governance and support innovation across sectors," he said. The government's predominant focus under the Goa AI Mission 2027 would be on setting up Graphic Processing Units (GPUs) to increase compute capacity, Shirgaonkar said. "There's also the concept of an AI Coach. When talking about AI, datasets are very important. The Government of Goa will play an active role in preparing datasets, as you all know, the government possesses a vast amount of data, and these datasets will be critical when working with AI," he said. Shirgaonkar said the ethical use of AI will also be a major focus area as the Goa government moves forward. "Some of the major highlights of the Goa AI Mission include the formulation of a Goa AI Policy," he said, adding the AI Advisory Council has already been formulated. "The AI Advisory Council, a multi-stakeholder body, aims to provide strategic direction and ensure consistent implementation across domains. So, the first step is the formation of the council, followed by drafting of the Goa AI Policy," he explained. Shirgaonkar further said the focus will also include AI education, the setting up of Goa AI Labs, and the development of a Konkani Large Language Model (LLM). "As you know, language models are essential, and developing a Konkani LLM will be one of our key priorities. We aim to use AI to preserve and promote Goa's cultural and linguistic heritage through this locally built LLM in Konkani," he said. Specifically, the Goa AI Mission will rest on four core pillars -- skilling, startups and companies, capital, and government and infrastructure, the official said. "Under the 'skilling' pillar, we will target colleges and schools to ensure that AI education is integrated at all levels so that our future generation is AI-ready," he said. Amarsh Chaturvedi, co-founder of Neural Private Ltd in Panaji, said his is an AI first startup, working with enterprises to help scale their AI initiators with ease and comfort. "We are also glad to be a part of the AI state mission in Goa, which is one of the pioneering initiatives in the country," he added. Goa is one of the "very, very few states in the country" which is looking at AI and making the state ready for the future in technology, Chaturvedi said. He said the Goa AI Mission 2027 also aims at bringing together academia, industry, startups and the government to fulfil multiple objectives. "The first one being making the population of Goa AI ready, and this also entails skilling and reskilling people to work with AI, not just as users, but also creators," he said. The mission also includes building the core infrastructure to carry out foundational research, not just physical infrastructure, but digital infrastructure that could entail collaboration of academia in Goa with universities elsewhere in the world, Chaturvedi said. "So, from a holistic perspective, the intent is right and the steps that are being planned to undertake and fulfil the objectives of this mission are also in the right place," he added. Milind Prabhu, CEO of Genora Infotech Pvt Ltd, Goa, said he was very happy to hear about the state government's initiative. It is a great initiative as Goa is a preferred place for innovative work to be done and AI is the next tech innovation that is happening, he said. "So, it's a great thing that we are focusing on it," Prabhu added.
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
4 days ago
- Business
- Business Standard
Goa govt rolls out AI Mission 2027 to boost governance and innovation
The Pramod Sawant government has rolled out Goa AI Mission 2027, a visionary roadmap to build an inclusive and future-ready Artificial Intelligence ecosystem, officials said. The mission, a bold leap from Goa's laid-back coastal charm to cutting-edge tech ambition, aims to empower people, enhance governance and spark innovation across sectors, placing the state firmly on the digital transformation map, they said. In a recently held meeting, Chief Minister Sawant and state Information Technology Minister Rohan Khaunte appealed to stakeholders to work towards drafting the AI Mission 2027, aligning with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision. Nearly 350 Information Technology companies and startups are operating in Goa, as per data from the IT department. Goa Information and Technology Director Kabir Shirgaonkar told PTI Videos that the state government's AI mission is derived from the Centre's ambitious India AI Mission. "We intend to meet various objectives through this mission, and one of them is create an inclusive and future-friendly AI ecosystem to empower citizens, enhance governance and support innovation across sectors," he said. The government's predominant focus under the Goa AI Mission 2027 would be on setting up Graphic Processing Units (GPUs) to increase compute capacity, Shirgaonkar said. "There's also the concept of an AI Coach. When talking about AI, datasets are very important. The Government of Goa will play an active role in preparing datasets, as you all know, the government possesses a vast amount of data, and these datasets will be critical when working with AI," he said. Shirgaonkar said the ethical use of AI will also be a major focus area as the Goa government moves forward. "Some of the major highlights of the Goa AI Mission include the formulation of a Goa AI Policy," he said, adding the AI Advisory Council has already been formulated. "The AI Advisory Council, a multi-stakeholder body, aims to provide strategic direction and ensure consistent implementation across domains. So, the first step is the formation of the council, followed by drafting of the Goa AI Policy," he explained. Shirgaonkar further said the focus will also include AI education, the setting up of Goa AI Labs, and the development of a Konkani Large Language Model (LLM). "As you know, language models are essential, and developing a Konkani LLM will be one of our key priorities. We aim to use AI to preserve and promote Goa's cultural and linguistic heritage through this locally built LLM in Konkani," he said. Specifically, the Goa AI Mission will rest on four core pillars -- skilling, startups and companies, capital, and government and infrastructure, the official said. "Under the 'skilling' pillar, we will target colleges and schools to ensure that AI education is integrated at all levels so that our future generation is AI-ready," he said. Amarsh Chaturvedi, co-founder of Neural Private Ltd in Panaji, said his is an AI first startup, working with enterprises to help scale their AI initiators with ease and comfort. "We are also glad to be a part of the AI state mission in Goa, which is one of the pioneering initiatives in the country," he added. Goa is one of the "very, very few states in the country" which is looking at AI and making the state ready for the future in technology, Chaturvedi said. He said the Goa AI Mission 2027 also aims at bringing together academia, industry, startups and the government to fulfil multiple objectives. "The first one being making the population of Goa AI ready, and this also entails skilling and reskilling people to work with AI, not just as users, but also creators," he said. The mission also includes building the core infrastructure to carry out foundational research, not just physical infrastructure, but digital infrastructure that could entail collaboration of academia in Goa with universities elsewhere in the world, Chaturvedi said. "So, from a holistic perspective, the intent is right and the steps that are being planned to undertake and fulfil the objectives of this mission are also in the right place," he added. Milind Prabhu, CEO of Genora Infotech Pvt Ltd, Goa, said he was very happy to hear about the state government's initiative. It is a great initiative as Goa is a preferred place for innovative work to be done and AI is the next tech innovation that is happening, he said. "So, it's a great thing that we are focussing on it," Prabhu added.
Hans India
6 days ago
- General
- Hans India
Youth workshop begins in Mangaluru
Mangaluru: A three-day residential youth workshop, titled 'Pragati and Sphoorti – 2025', has commenced at the World Konkani Centre in Mangaluru, focusing on skill development, personality enhancement, and community values for students of the Kudala Deshastha Brahmin community. Organised jointly by Shri Poornananda Seva Pratishtan and the Dakshina Kannada District Kudala Deshastha Adya Gaud Brahmin Sangha, the programme is designed for college and pre-university students from the community. Inaugurating the workshop, World Konkani Centre President CA Nandagopal Shenoy stressed the need for holistic education that includes both academic knowledge and personal development. He also highlighted the role of the Konkani language in reinforcing cultural identity and self-confidence. The programme includes modules on communication, leadership, cultural preservation, and technological awareness. Vice-President of the World Konkani Centre, D. Ramesh Nayak Maira, said the initiative would help students develop practical skills and cultural rootedness. Among the dignitaries present were Executive Officer Dr. B. Devadas Pai, community leaders, and office bearers of the organising institutions. Kudpi Vidya Shenoy led the workshop orientation and introduced the objectives of the training.
Time of India
13-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Novels narrate history and enable analysis: Yekkar
Mangaluru: A novel is not history, but it performs the function of narrating history, said Dr Gananath Yekkar, president of the Dr Shivaram Karanth Trust. "History demands records, while a novel allows for both history and analysis," he added. He was speaking at the event 'Aanjel-75', marking the 75th anniversary of the publication of the first Konkani novel in Kannada script, 'Aanjel' by Joachim Santan Alvares, in 1950. It was organised by the Karnataka Konkani Sahitya Academy on Sunday. Yekkar mentioned that a deep understanding of literature of any language leads to love for it. "Novel Aanjel is a historical milestone. Such works and events inspire today's youth in literary creation and pave the way for the expansion of literature to future generations," he said. On the 75th anniversary of the publication of the novel, he emphasised the need for training in literary creation for students and youth, which would foster the growth of Konkani literature. "The academy should also encourage this by providing training, which would inspire the youth and nurture a love for literature," he said. On the occasion, the ebook of the novel Aanjel was released by Fr Rocky D'Cunha, president of the Konkani Natak Sabha. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 5 Books Warren Buffett Wants You to Read In 2025 Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo He remarked that author JS Alvares was a talented individual whose contribution to enriching Konkani literature is well-known and serves as an inspiration to the youth. The event was presided over by academy chairman Joaquim Stany Alvares. Monica Alvares, the wife of late JS Alvares, was the guest of honour. Richard Alvares spoke about JS Alvares, and Dr Dimple Fernandes Puttur discussed the first Konkani novel. Keron Allen Madtha, who converted the novel into an ebook, spoke about the necessity of ebooks.
