Pearl Colvalcar, Sonia Shirsat, Vijay Thomas and Sairaj Dhond were amongst the 16 inspirational awardees at the first edition of the Vibrant Goa Inspiration Awards (VGIA).
Rising star from the sport of Sailing, Pearl was declared the Inspiring Goan Sportsperson. Iconic fadista Sonia Shirsat was named Inspiring Goan Artist. In the Inspiring Non-Resident Goan Business category, the award went to Vijay Thomas, Founder of Tangentia. Wakao founder Sairaj Dhond was awarded the Inspiring Young Goan Entrepreneur honour.
The star-studded awards night was organised by Vibrant Goa, at the Darbar Hall, Raj Bhavan. The event honoured individuals, professionals, and business houses across various different categories in the presence of the Chief Minister Dr. Pramod Sawant, Union Minister Shripad Naik, Tourism Minister Rohan Khaunte, Curtorim MLA Aleixo Reginaldo among others.
The VGIA 2023 is the newest addition to the Vibrant Goa legacy, which was introduced and implemented in Goa in 2019. The awards ceremony had an overwhelming response for nominations.
For the first time ever in Goa, there was a nomination procedure for prizes, and numerous entries came in that were absolutely outstanding. Their distinguished panel of juries found it difficult to choose the winners. The VGIA aim to unearth unsung heroes, recognise and honour individuals, organisations, and initiatives that have made significant contributions to the growth and vibrancy of our state. VGIA believes in acknowledging and celebrating those who have dared to dream, who have pushed the boundaries of what is possible, and who have inspired countless others to follow in their footsteps.
VGIA felicitated the Dr. Pramod Sawant, for his contributions towards the state, on behalf of the entire Goa business community, as represented by the heads of various organisations like CII, GCCI, GSIA, ASSOCHAM, BNI, LUB, GTA, TTAG, FSAI. Among the future plans for Vibrant Goa, is a Drone and Robotics Expo Summit planned for December 2023 and the Second Edition of the Vibrant Goa Global Expo on International Trade scheduled for the first quarter of 2024.
Following is the list of all achievers across 16 categories:
Inspiring Biggest Exporter – Large Sector – Deccan Fine Chemicals (I) Pvt. Ltd.
Inspiring Goan Exporter – MSME – Astra Concrete Products.
Inspiring Women Entrepreneur – Philu Martins.
Inspiring Male Entrepreneur – Sahil Adwalpalkar.
Inspiring Service Exporter – Open Destination Infotech Pvt. Ltd.
Inspiring Goa Tourism Brand – Tata Group’s Indian Hotels CO. Ltd.
Inspiring Goan Sportsperson – Pearl Colvalcar.
Inspiring Goan Artist – Sonia Shirsat.
Inspiring Non-Resident Goan Business – Vijay Thomas – Tangentia.
Inspiring Young Goan Entrepreneur – Sairaj Dhond (Wakao)
Inspiring Goan Vintage Retailer – J.K. Kavlekar & Sons.
Inspiring Educational Institution – Don Bosco College of Engineering.
Inspiring Goan Real Estate Company – Rajdeep Builders
Inspiring Goan Pharma Company – Indoco Remedies Ltd.
Inspiring Business House – Fomento Resources
Inspiring Life-Time Achievement – Nanda (Anil) S N Counto
