Since media has the power to reach numerous sections of a society, it becomes an ideal tool for putting images into the minds of people. Owing to the advantage that television and other forms of media have, people can leverage it to improve lives. While people come to Goa to have a good time, do they ponder upon the individuals who are responsible for giving tourists memories to cherish?
Goa has an abundance of talent that has the potential to take Goa to heights. Pravin Ramesh Ajgaonkar from the village of Molca in Merces is an excellent example of this. Dyslexia and Dysgraphia didn’t prevent him from starting a family restaurant called ‘Foody Goan’s’
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| A glimpse of the restaurant 'Foody Goan's' |
The supportive environment that Pravin had when he grew up, played a crucial role in building his confidence. He was always given equal opportunities in society, and the freedom to make his choices. He encountered difficulties in reading and writing, since the words of the notes he took didn’t make sense to him.
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| Pravin Ramesh Ajgaonkar |
Throughout his childhood numerous people supported him. For example, his classmates shared their notes with him, his teachers arranged a reader and a writer for him. He studied from 1st to 10th Std at Our Lady of Merces High School. Although he had an intention of launching a business, he was in the process of making up his mind regarding the specific establishment.
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| Pravin's well wishers |
Hence, he chose the stream of commerce in the 11th Std at K.B Hedgewar High School in Cujira, Bambolim. He proceeded to do a Diploma in Food and Beverage Service from Institute of Hotel Management, Catering Technology and Applied Nutrition (IHM) Porvorim, as he discovered his love for cooking.
The results of Pravin's passion
His dream become a reality on 2nd January 2018 with ‘The Goan Novice’. Since he is a person with learning disabilities, the plans he had for his future included setting up a restaurant where the staff were differently abled. During the initial year when the restaurant was founded, several strategies to promote the business were explored like finding suitable candidates.
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| Well-wishers of Pravin at 'The Goan Novice' |
The pandemic affected Pravin’s profession in numerous ways. At times Pravin had to cook and serve the customers due to the shortage of staff. Paying the rent became a difficult task when there were no customers. Due to such difficulties, they had to close the business for 8 months. Although Pravin felt de-motivated during such periods, he never thought about shutting down his business permanently.
Despite these circumstances Pravin never lost in his prayers, he began catering to online audiences. Eventually a new venture was launched called ‘The Foody Goan’s’. It continues to serve customers without compromising on its quality. The restaurant consists of 4 staff including a person with intellectual disability.
This restaurant serves Goan, Indian and Chinese Cuisine. The Goan section is overseen by his mother who also helps Pravin out in different routines. ‘The Foody Goan’s can be contacted through email at thefoodygoans@gmail.com. They also exist on Facebook as ‘The Foody Goans’ and Instagram as ‘@the_foody_goan’.
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| The route to 'The Foody Goan's' |
The experiences the people have are responsible for shaping them. While problems have always existed in societies, the penetration rate of diverse forms of media can amplify the despair that people feel. While the rest of the globe was busy with Christmas festivities, the statue of infant Jesus was damaged at St Mary’s Church in Piriyapatna town of Karnataka’s Mysuru district.
Alas, this is not the only headlines that showcase the trend of a few extremists weaponizing God. One such example is Pragya Thakur, a BJP MP advising people to keep weapons at home, and advising people against sending their children to institutions run by missionaries. The situations that cause people to feel heartbroken and frustrated, can also build them up. Instead of being destroyed by anger, let us use it as a fuel to promote positivity.
