PECHAKUCHA GOA VOL.46 BREAK FREE NORTH GOA EDITION
SPEAKERS BIO:
- MANU MAHALWAR – Mixology Head at OreGin
Manu Mahalwar, who is finding his zen in his kitchen or at a bar in experimenting and exploring dishes & cocktails, has 8 years of experience in PR and Social Media Consultancy, but choose to shift paradigm and enter the world of mixology.
Today he stands proud as a Mixology Head at the newly launched Gin – OreGin !
PREMISE:
After years of understanding myself, accepting whom I am, battling my peers, bullies.
Someone walked into my life, and gave me that courage to come out to my family.
Now at the age of 35, with no pressure from society, or family or peers, living my life care free , just like a bird flown out of the cage !
- MITA ARORA – Psychologist and Marketing Professional
Mita Arora is a psychologist with a background in media and marketing. She is a relationship counselor working at Antarman, Panjim, and uses client-centric therapeutic techniques to help her clients understand and overcome the obstacles in their relationships. She also provides parental, couple, and family, counseling to adolescents, young adults, adults, and the elderly. Her aim is to help the clients with their emotion regulation and behaviour management by assisting them to adapt better-coping mechanism strategies.
PREMISE:
You are stuck only till you move. Break free by unlearning. Letting go of the habits, routine, and lifestyle that no longer contribute to the acceleration of growth or contentment.
- MONALISA – Entrepreneur
Monalisa Dhawan, a native of Delhi, just a few months after she moved to Goa in 2017. Monalisa has been living in Goa with her husband and her two young daughters for the past 6 years. A Humanities graduate from Delhi University, Monalisa holds more than 18 years of work experience in diverse fields including hospitality, event management and teaching in pre-schools. She also worked as a private secretary for Dr. Y.
S. Rajan, during the time when he was serving as the Scientific Secretary to the Government of India. Her years of experience in diverse fields greatly helped her to understand that the success of any business or service lies in one’s commitment to the job, excellent communication skills, paying attention to detail and the ability to provide the best experience for one’s customers.
Monalisa calls herself a people’s person. “I love working with people and for people”, she says. “I therefore strongly believe in giving back to society. Throughout my life, I have been associated with various NGOs and am honoured to be an active member of a Goa-based NGO called STARS (Spending Time and Reaping Smiles) which works towards supporting and looking after orphaned children, the aged and destitute women”
PREMISE:
Monalisa Singh, a survivor who grasped the depths of depression during childhood, emerges as a symbol of resilience, determined to break free.
- PALLAVI ARONDEKAR – Seeker
Director – Goa Chamber of Commerce & Industry – Goa’s apex industry association facilitating dialogue between trade and industry and the government & Editor, GCCI Bulletin
Pallavii is in charge of the Tourism, Education & IR & HR Committees of the Chamber.
Pallavii is a science graduate from Parle College, Vile Parle, Mumbai,
Diplôme de langue from Alliance Française de Bombay
an alumnus of the Xavier Institute of Communications-XIC, Mumbai.
Pallavii is also a
• certified Image Consultant, from Image Innovators, Australia
• Certified Handwritng Analyst & Graphotherapist from the Handwriting University International, USA
She has conducted workshops on communication & image for college students as well as corporates. Learning is an immersive experience for Pallavii and she hopes it will be a life-long journey.
PREMISE:
- PALLAVI NATH – Entrepreneur
Pallavi, a seasoned professional with a 21-year career in corporate HR and global leadership, now empowers entrepreneurship and startups through expertise in strategy, team building, and productivity.
Over 14 years, she’s guided a thousand individuals worldwide with her unique intuitive ability, releasing energy blockages for a qualitative life. With 27 years of experience in modalities like Reiki, EFT, past life regression, pranic healing, breathwork, and quantum healing, she unveils the wonders of unseen forces.
As a co-host of the Fat. So? Podcast and co-author of the book with the same title, Pallavi explores the journey of being a fat woman in India.
Embracing a holistic approach, she unravels the “whys?” for clarity and inspired action in individuals and organizations.
PREMISE:
Being fat is considered taboo in society. From not being able to feel comfortable at work in love relationships to being considered a health hazard, a fat person faces shame and ostracisation in every aspect of life. Having dealt with this for 35 years to the point where it severely impacted her mental health, Pallavi finally found fat liberation. This was like stepping into an alternate Universe where she broke free of the conditioning from her past and started to live her life full and afresh.
- PRIYANKA NAIR – Certified Yoga Teacher & Pranic Healer
Priyanka Nair, a Mumbai native, soared through almost a decade as a dedicated flight attendant before embarking on a transformative journey as a certified yoga instructor. Nestled in the vibrant town of Margao, she shares her life with a feline companion and a passion for exploring new horizons through travel and cuisine. From mischievous school days spent standing outside the classroom to a talent for both dance and mimicry, Priyanka’s vibrant spirit shines through. Whether guiding yoga flows or belting tunes in the bathroom, her zest for life continues to inspire those around her.
PREMISE:
A journey of breaking free from traditional and societal norms, navigating unconventional paths and career challenges, facing personal demons and mental battles and leading to self-discovery, resilience, and still fighting against all odds.
- RICHELLE BRITO CARVALHO – Mental Health Practitioner
Richelle Brito Carvalho, is a dedicated Mental Health Practitioner with seven years of experience in the field. Her expertise lies in assisting young adults as they navigate through a spectrum of challenges, including coping with break-ups, managing grief, navigating complex relationships with parents and family members, battling depression and anxiety, as well as addressing self-doubt and self-criticism. At present she runs a Private Practice under the name: Wholistic Connect Counseling….
Richelle’s personal journey and experiences with her family and friends inspired her to delve into the realm of mental health. This deep introspection fueled her passion to help others better understand themselves and their relationships.
Beyond her work, Richelle’s curiosity extends to exploring the profound connection between nature and well-being. This interest reflects her holistic approach to mental health, acknowledging the impact of our environment on our emotional and mental states.
When she isn’t wearing her counselor hat, Richelle can often be found in the company of her dogs, and finding solace and joy reading. You might also catch her strolling around, engaging with nature, and sharing some genuine laughter!
PREMISE:
Breaking Free from the clasps of ‘People Pleasing’
What does it mean to undergo an upbringing as a Brown, South- Asian, Middle class woman? Meeting unrealistic expectations set by family, society and the world of social media to be ‘Good or Nice.’ Stripping me of my very freedom and identities and making me choose a mask that became heavy to wear.
- SUCHETA JADHAV – First Mate (sailor)
Sucheta Jadhav is a sailing enthusiast who took the plunge by crossing the Atlantic at the age of 50. After a corporate career in marketing spanning bookstores to financial companies, she decided to follow her passion. She has been sailing for the last 8 years and has almost 10,000nm under her belt. A large chunk of that were her two trans-Atlantic voyages.
Since 2019, she and her partner, Dilip Donde, have been sailing regularly and often on their sailboat, Antara. In fact, they did their first international sail on Antara with a trip to the Maldives in February 2022.
The open spaces and the cool blues of the ocean also inspired Sucheta to paint. She held her first exhibition last year, in Goa.
When she isn’t sailing a boat, she’s very likely to be painting one.
PREMISE:
Age is all in the mind. I want to show you that life begins at 50 by sharing the story of my introduction to sailing and the journey so far.
- SUNILA SARDESAI MUZAWAR – CA & Health Coach
Sunila, is a CA (India) & CPA (USA), who lived in Dubai for 23 years and Bangalore/Chennai for 8 years. She returned to Goa recently after her last job as a Director for Accenture, and is now busy doing seva activities via her Sardesai Parrikar Trust. Her Spouse Hanif, is a retired businessman; and child Anoush, is an aspiring surgeon. She gives talks on the “Power of Mind” after studying it for 19 yrs. She’s also an amateur Homeopath, Naturopath, Fengshui & Vaastu expert giving consultations on a pro bono basis globally.
PREMISE:
Stessed? Yes I was. Not anymore! Just like a butterfly that breaks free from a cocoon to transform, I broke free from stress leading to immense life transformation.
