from Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Panaji (GA)

Panaji, Dec 8: A group of 12 young people of Goan origin drawn from different countries had an excellent experience when they toured Goa but a glance at state's principal river, Mandovi, across the state capital of Panaji, cramped with floating casinos left them thinking. 

"I saw three casinos in Mandovi river.. May be when I come back next time there will be many more there," Aaditi Pramod Dubale, a US student, on familiarization tour to Goa, said.

Aaditi is amongst the twelve students drawn from Australia, Canada, Mozambique and America, who are currently touring the state as a part of programme undertaken by state's NRI office.

All the students, between age group of 18 to 28, have their roots in the state and their forefathers have migrated long back to these countries.

Aaditi, a new American democracy fellow and an Illinois community outreach coordinator, had a disagreement over the floating casinos cramping the Mandovi river.  "There are five casinos right now. How many more will you have after five more years… 30?" she questioned.

Albeit certain concern for the state of origin, the students had a lifetime experience during their trip which began on November 30 and will culminate on December 14 in New Delhi.

For Danilo Claudio de Souza, a Mozambican student, it was a revelation when he found the  'Xacuti' and 'Prawns Curry,' which is an integral part of his diet back in Mozambique.

"I would like to come back and work here for short time," Lyndsey Marie Vas, a 23-year-old, who works as a marketing assistant, customer service representative and data analysit for CFC speciality home products in Canada, said.

Lyndsey traces her roots to Goa'a coastal Salcette taluka. "Now I can go back and inform the people about Goa," she added.

The programme executed by Goa's NRI office has the youths visiting state's remotest parts and getting themselves acquainted with the culture and tradition here. 

"The programme was intended to acquaint youth of Goan origin who are not Indian nationals with Goa in particular and India in general. Most of them have never visited, despite the fact that their forefathers were born in Goan," Goa NRI commissioner Eduardo Faleiro said.