Goan Insider’s 30 Most Influential People of 2022

Lloyd Fernandes

Lloyd Fernandes is an exemplary figure and a source of immense pride for Goa after he secured a silver at the National Para-Table Tennis championship in Indore.

Lloyd hails from Taleigao in Goa, and competes in the Class 3 wheelchair category of the championship. He is part of the 8-member Para-Table Tennis team sent by the Goa Table Tennis Association.

Amul Anil Satoskar

Amul Anil Satoskar is an accomplished professional rally driver, who has made not just Goa, but the entire country proud. He emerged victorious in the ‘Rally of Himalayas’ in the car category by a huge margin of 11 minutes

A proud resident of Vasco, Mr. Satoskar is an ace professional rally driver with a career that spans an impressive 22 years. His undying spirit and remarkable courage have seen him overcome major obstacles in order to reach the first place in almost every major rally he has participated in. He also holds the record of winning the Raid de Himalaya in the SUV category for three consecutive years.

Emilina Rebello

Emilina Rebello, known by her Youtube channel name ‘onlyemilina’, has taken the Goa Youtube scene by storm. With over 36,000 subscribers and counting, Emilina’s relatable and fun videos have captured the hearts of many viewers. Emilina started her Youtube channel in April 2020, during the lockdown period. And within just 7 months, she had achieved an impressive milestone of reaching 30,000 subscribers. Emilina recently represented Goa in the “Creating for India” campaign by Youtube India, where she showcased the diversity and richness of Goan culture. Emilina’s success hasn’t gone unnoticed by the local media as well. She has been appreciated by Prudent Media, Navhind Times, Dainik Gomantak, The Goan Everyday, and more. 

Moses Mascarenhas

Moses Mascarenhas is a name to reckon with in the field of athletics in Goa. This young sprinter has been making waves in the sports arena with his fast running and impressive achievements. Moses started his athletic journey as a seventh-grader when he joined training in school. By the time he was in ninth grade, he was already representing Goa for various national championships. He won his first CBSE Zonal Championship medal in 2017-18 and was declared “Best Sportsboy of the Year 2018”. In 2022, Moses cemented his position as “Goa’s Fastest Man” by winning Gold at the Goa State Mini Athletics Championships, and qualified for 100m in the National Open Athletics Championship, Bangalore. 

Carlos Luis

Carlos Luis is a man of many talents. Born and raised in Varca, Goa, he has made a name for himself as a freelance journalist, content writer, book reviewer, and columnist for various newspapers based in Goa. He is also the author of four poetry and short story collections, and has edited several anthologies. His writing has earned him critical acclaim and several awards, including the 21st Century Emily Dickinson Award for poetry and the Book Reviewer Award from esoteric writers. Luis is also a priest belonging to the Society of Catholic Apostolate, or the Pallottines. He is widely loved for his work in vocation promotion and youth animation, as well as his passionate preaching on the Word of God. In addition to his writing and religious work, Luis is also a curator of acclaimed art exhibitions. His shows, titled ‘Passion for Christ’ (2019) and ‘See the Sea’ (2020), showcased the work of talented artists from across Goa and beyond. 

Veronica Fernandes 

Veronica Fernandes is a shining example of what happens when great courage meets hard work. Before embarking upon her acting journey, Veronica had a great love for dance, and went through training at Terrence Lewis Dance Academy in Mumbai. She also trained in the Anupam Kher’s Actor Prepares school in Mumbai.

Her performances in the film Pedru Poder and other popular Konkani films famously won the hearts of the people of Goa. Her success in Konkani films gained her attention and soon she was featured in top theater companies across Mumbai.

During the Covid pandemic when work was hard to find, Veronica put her skills to use by launching her own YouTube channel. She developed the concept, wrote the script and shot her funny Konkani videos. She is also the recipient of Bhushan awards 2022 and is an inspiration to changing times, evolving to put her talent and creativity to use.

Gunjan Narvekar

Gunjan Narvekar is a mountaineer from Goa who achieved the feat of completing the peak winter Mount Everest Base Camp Trek in 8 days, thereby becoming one of the youngest girls to have achieved the same. Gunjan’s unwavering determination and passion for mountaineering has made her a role model for aspiring mountaineers.

Ethan Vaz

Eleven-year-old Ethan Vaz from Goa is making waves in the world of chess. He recently clinched the Gold Medal for India at the Commonwealth Chess Championships 2022, which was held in Sri Lanka.

Ethan had successfully represented India in the U-12 and U-20 (Junior) Categories by qualifying in the Top 50 of respective National Chess Championships. His skill and dedication to the game was evident when he competed at the Commonwealth Chess Championships and secured a gold medal.

Atreya Barad

Atreya Barad is a 24 year old businessman from Goa, who is the founder of Zera.Co and the author of “Beginners guide to make money with blogs”. Atreya completed his schooling from Panaji’s Mushtifund High School and completed his Civil Engineering diploma from Agnel Polytechnic Verna.

Atreya Barad had done his internship with two top construction companies and gathered the experience of a businessperson. This enabled him to join his father’s business , Bee Kay Enterprises, upon completion of his diploma. By developing a subsidiary brand, Zera. Co and adding new services, Atreya Barad made his company one of the best companies in Goa in their domain.

Atreya Barad is looking to build more distribution channels across Goa, to provide services throughout and create more businesses in the future. He is a firm believer that one must never stop at one place and always aspire for more.

Bhakti Kulkarni

Bhakti Kulkarni is Goa’s first woman recipient of the prestigious Arjuna Award. The 30-year-old grandmaster has established herself as an international chess player in various international events. She won the highest position holder at the International Women’s Chess Tournament in the Czech Republic and the Asian Chess Women’s Championship in 2016. In addition, she also bagged a bronze medal in 2022 at the 44th Chess Olympiad held in Chennai.

Sheldon Fernandes

Sheldon Fernandes is an inspirational figure in the state of Goa. He has made a profound impact in the fisheries industry by being the first recipient in the state to receive a licence for open sea cage culture at Candolim in North Goa district. This has attracted much-needed attention in the area as it is a key part of the state’s mariculture policy. His licence has opened up greater opportunities and chances for local fishermen to cultivate fish from the sea within the safety of this cage environment.

Brahmanand Sankhwalkar

Brahmanand Shankhwalkar is an exemplary figure in the Indian Football fraternity who has served the nation with distinction. He was the first footballer from Goa to captain India and has become an icon for the younger generation. He was conferred with the Padma Shri in 2022, making him the eighth exponent of the beautiful game to have won the award.

Shankhwalkar began his football career in 1970 with Panvel Sports Club, and followed that up with stints at Salgaocar SC (17 years) and Churchill Bros before retiring in 1995. He captained the national team from 1983 to 1986 and made more than 70 international appearances for India. He also led Goa to two consecutive Santosh Trophy triumphs in 1983 (Bengal) and 1984 (Tamil Nadu) without conceding a single goal across 720 minutes of play

Vaishali Dukle Talaulikar 

Vaishali Dukle Talaulikar is an inspiring Goan doctor who made her mark in the field of radio diagnosis. She was awarded the highly coveted Dr Arcot Gajaraj Gold Medal, the apex recognition in the field of Radio Diagnosis.

Talaulikar hails from a family passionate about medicine, with her grandfather, Dr Gurudas Sardessai, being one of the first radiologists in Goa. After completing her MBBS and DMRD (Diploma in Medical Radiodiagnosis) from Goa Medical College, Bambolim, she decided to pursue her specialisation in Radio Diagnosis from Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology in Bengaluru, which is a reputed tertiary care centre for cancer care.

Katya Ida Coelho 

Katya Ida Coelho is a renowned international windsurfer hailing from Goa, India. She started surfing at the age of 11 and has since made a name for herself in the field of sailing. Katya is a 10-time gold medallist in National Championships and a 2-time bronze medallist in the Asian Open Championship in Techno 2015. She also represented India in the Youth Olympics 2014 and the 2018 Asian Games.

Katya recently made history by being the first Indian to win a medal for IQFoil at the International Windsurfing Cup in Pattaya, Thailand. She has also been featured in international publications such as Asia-Pacific Sailing Magazine and Coastal Living Magazine, and has been highlighted as a role model for aspiring Indian sportswomen.

Vijay Thomas

Vijay Thomas is an inspirational figure who has redefined the boundaries for Goan entrepreneurs. He is an acclaimed IT and management leader with headquarters in Toronto, Canada, who has opened offices in various parts of the world in two decades. His pioneering initiative Ghar Wapasi provides greater opportunities and quality of life to those skilled personnel who have returned to their hometown or want to return

In the present milieu when working from home has become a norm, Ghar Wapasi provides an ideal working environment that supports the hybrid mix of office and home-based working for the employees. The only small catch is that this method will incorporate working from both places. By setting up offices within a proximity of 2-3 hours from each other, it has enabled employees to meet up, interact, and brainstorm to give their best results

D.S Prashant

D.S Prashant is a successful innovator and entrepreneur in Goa. He is best known for his efforts in promoting science and technology entrepreneurship and helping thousands of people to start their own micro-enterprises. He completed his higher studies abroad and returned to Goa in 2000, where he had the opportunity to work on a project to develop 200 micro-enterprises. He also worked closely with the government to set up the Chief Ministers Rozgaar Yojana which provided funding to new entrepreneurs.

Ninad Pawaskar

Ninad Pawaskar is an Indian cricket coach hailing from Goa. He was selected by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) as part of the support staff of the South Zone team for the Duleep Trophy 2022-23. This is a prestigious tournament held from September 8 to 25, 2022 and Pawaskar is the first Goan coach to be offered such a role.

Deep Madkaikar

Dr Deep Madkaikar is an inspiration for all the young medical aspirants in the state of Goa. He has achieved a tremendous feat that few have successfully managed in the past. He was awarded the President’s NBEMS Gold Medal for his exceptional performance in the DNB final exam in the subject of Transfusion Medicine. This tremendous achievement is an inspiration for all of us and has enabled him to achieve his dreams

Dr Deep Madkaikar’s pursuit of excellence began at a young age when he had found his calling in the medical field. His journey towards his dreams has been made possible due to the support of his family and mentors who shaped him into the person he is today. His accomplishments have been the result of sheer hard work and dedication

Linda Alice Diniz Braganza

Linda Alice Diniz Braganza is a talented and well-known figure in the Goan music industry. After beginning her musical journey at the age of eleven, she has successfully completed Piano grade VIII through the Trinity College of Music, London in 1983, and has since trained students registered with the same college. Braganza has performed for well-known bands like ‘The Bees’ and ‘Ecstasy’ and was part of ‘Timotio’s Goan Folk Troupe’ for over 20 She was awarded with the prestigious Goa State Cultural Award 2022-23′ for her contribution in the field of music. 

In 2004, she was invited to perform at the All India Konkani Sangeet Sammelan, where she played alongside some of the top Goan musicians. She has also performed at various star hotels in Goa, Dubai, Sharjah and Abu Dhabi, as well as All India Radio and Goa Doordarshan. Braganza was even honoured with the opportunity of performing for Mother Teresa and His Holiness Pope John Paul II during their visit to Goa.

Archita Siddhant Shirodkar

Archita Siddhant Shirodkar from Vasco, Goa is an exceptional achiever who has made her state proud. She won a bronze medal in the National Weightlifting Championship held at Bhubaneshwar, Odisha by lifting 148 kgs.

Maria Murena Miranda

Maria Murena Miranda is an exceptional and inspiring individual who received the National Award to Teachers 2022 on September 5th. Hailing from Assolna, Miranda has been teaching and imparting knowledge to students for the past 34 years. Starting at Guardian Angel High School as an Assistant Teacher for Maths and Science, she has subsequently taught at several schools. Nevertheless, she spent most of her teaching career at Government High School (GHS) Morpirla and has been the Headmistress for the past 9 years.

Ashwini Zambaulikar

Ashwini Zambaulikar is an exceptional figure in the goan music industry. She is the only woman foot harmonium (paim petti) player in the state of Goa. In addition to being a skilled player, she is also a singer, musical composer, director and TV and radio artist. For her immense contribution to the world of Indian Music, Ashwini has received 119 felicitations and is also a recipient of the ‘Goa State Cultural Award 2022-23’ in the field of Indian Music.

Damodar Mauzo

Damodar Mauzo (born 1 August 1944) is a celebrated Goan short story writer, novelist, critic, script writer and founder of the Konkani language. He was awarded the 57th Jnanpith Award, India’s highest literary honour, in 2021, and the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1983 for his novel Karmelin. His collection of Short stories Teresa’s Man and Other Stories from Goa was nominated for the Frank O’Connor International award in 2015.

Sainath Uskaikar

Sainath Uskaikar is an emerging and talented filmmaker from Goa. He has recently achieved a remarkable feat by having his short film, Wagro, accepted into the prestigious Cannes Film Festival

Uskaikar is an engineer by qualification, hailing from Goa. He is currently studying at the Film and Television Institute of India in Pune, and it is here that he has been able to hone his craft of film making. Wagro is a love story of two people trying to find where they belong, and it is through his script, story, direction and dedication to the project that he has been able to make it into Cannes

Aaron Dias

Meet Aaron Dias, a young and talented Goan entrepreneur who is determined to make a difference in his community. Aaron is the founder of AnyTime Mechanic, a startup that provides bike and car mechanics as well as towing services to people who are stranded on the road due to vehicle breakdowns. The startup, which began its operations in North Goa on 1st November 2022, has already become a game-changer in the industry and is now planning to expand to South Goa.

Devidas Kadam

Devidas Kadam is an important figure in the Goan literary scene. A retired English and history teacher, Devidas has written more than 14 books in Konkani, English and Marathi. His first book, ‘Dika’ was awarded the Sahitya Akademi Award. He has also had his work translated in Hindi, Marathi and Kannada. Devidas has a deep appreciation for literature, sparked by his love of reading from a young age. He draws from his observations and experiences to create works that capture the issues faced by the people in his life and his community. He writes across various genres, ranging from novels, short stories, drama and poetry. Devidas has been widely recognized and has won many awards, including the Best Script award for ‘Sangeet Damanyanti’ from the Kala Academy.

Anita Kundaikar

Anita Kundaikar is a leading figure in the world of Goan folk dance and drama. For the past 43 years, she has been influenced by her husband, Ajit Kundaikar, a dramatist himself. She has received the Yashadamini award, which recognizes talented and accomplished people in the field of folk arts.

Anita is an instructor at Bal Bhavan centres and Nav Durga Kala Darshan in Kundai, where she has trained many children in the art of folk dance. She has also served as a resource person to many Mahila mandals and institutes, teaching them to dance the Dhalo and Dekhni dances. In 2003, Anita’s folk dance troupe was awarded the best folk dance award in the Republic Day Parade.

Mauricio Fernandes

Mauricio Fernandes has made a name for himself in the world of arts in Goa and is a recipient of the ‘Goa State Cultural Award 2022-23’. Originally motivated by his talented father, Lawrence, and his mastery of carpentry, Mauricio has taken up thermocol as his artistic medium for floats for the Carnival.

A former government employee in the PWD, Mauricio has been a part of the team of Francisco Martins since 1961 and has helped create several of the most impressive floats for the Republic Day Parade.

Maya Kharangate 

Maya Kharangate is a prominent figure in Goan literature and culture. Recently, she was awarded the Sahitya Akademi Award in Konkani for her novel ‘Amrutvel’ in the novel category. ‘Amrutvel’ sheds light on the struggles of a widow in the pre-Liberation era in Goa and how she raises her children after her husband’s death

Kharangate is a retired teacher who has written over 35 books, including story books, translations and children’s literature. She has also served as a teacher at the Vidya Bhuvan Konkani School in Margao. In addition to the Sahitya Akademi Award for ‘Amrutvel’, Kharangate has received many other accolades such as the Sharada Kavya Seva Award for her poetry book ‘Kapyanji’ in 1990

Jose Antonio Augustinho Fernandes

Jose Antonio Augustinho Fernandes, more popularly known as Anthony San, is a respected figure in the Goan music scene and is the recipient of the ‘Goa State Cultural Award 2022-23’. He is a renowned director, writer, actor, singer, and lyricist and has been singing in Konkani-language stage shows and plays for more than 55 years.

Anthony’s father, late Sebestiao, was a violin and trombone player who, accompanying him for tiatr performances, helped foster his love of performing arts. Over the years, Anthony has performed in numerous English operettas including ‘Princess Aida’, ‘Gypsy Love’ and ‘La Belle Helen’. Anthony has won numerous awards in recognition of his contributions to tiatrs, such as the Lifetime Achievement award from the Kala Academy and Tiatr Academy of Goa.