Pics: Ramesh Pandith
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (JS)

Mangaluru, Feb 21: The alumni association of Vishwa Konkani Student Scholarship Fund (VKSSF) on Saturday February 21 organised 'Prerna', a Vision TVM initiative that witnessed a confluence of ideas and motivation for budding entrepreneurs at TV Raman Pai hall here.

Lenita Menezes, president of VKSSF welcomed the gathering. Sandeep Bambolkar, corporate leader and joint MD of Indoco Remedies inaugurated the event by lighting the lamp with other dignitaries.

Calling for more employment opportunities for youngsters, Sandeep Shenoy, chief mentor, Prerna initiative, said that like a water resource that sprouts growth, youngsters too are a resource for achieving development. "When I was a child I used to visit my uncle's place in Ullal. It is a sandy place and he had built a house and dug a well. The water from the well flowed into the adjacent vegetable fields. So I suggested to my aunt that we could make a garden and we brought red sand and the garden came up very nicely because of the water from the well. In the same way, I request Mohandas Pai to invest in Mangaluru and use our asset, our youngsters, by providing them ample opportunities."

T V Mohandas Pai, chairman of Manipal Global Education said, "This is a happy day for all of us. This organization here is doing good work with the motto 'we want to build entrepreneur'. Entrepreneurship is nothing but leadership. People who have achieved great things in entrepreneurship are the people who have come here and they are role models to all. We will form Mangaluru Angels and Sandeep Shenoy will look after all the operations of this organization. By this, Mangaluru may have a first billion dollar enterprise. Energy is within you, talent is within you. Work 24/7, it is not 8 hours work anymore."

Sandeep Bambolkar, corporate leader and joint MD of Indoco Remedies said, "Founder of Indoco Remedies Govinda Kare opened a office in Mumbai and imported medicines from France before Independence. Once India got Independence, the then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru banned import of medicines and the only option left was to manufacture medicines here. Thus he started a factory in Thane, and since he lived in Goa the company witnessed a slump. He gave me Rs 1 lac and then there was no looking back. In 1979 our revenue was Rs 1 crore and today we have a plant which exports opthalmic solution to theUSA. There are 5,500 employees and a market capitalization of Rs 3000 crore. You have to build temperament, we should upgrade ourself. When I win, I never ask god 'why me', in the same way when I fail I cannot ask god 'why me'. Passion should come from within."

Nithin Kamath, CEO, zerodha.com, Mudar Patherya, media and branding proffesional, Sonia Shenoy, TV anchor CNBC India and Basti Vaman Shenoy, president, World Konkani Centre were the other dignitaries present at the event.