Luvena Rangel The Curvy Yogi - Diversity & Inclusion Specialist

Bengaluru, Aug 27: Kanara Entrepreneurs (KE) met for their Members’ Meet at The Grand Magrath, Bengaluru, on Friday, August 22. With a focus on the holistic well-being, the theme of the evening focused on the health needs of entrepreneurs.

After Sangeeth Rego led the members in prayer, the evening took on the formal process of inducting nine new members into the KE family, solemnly led by Leena Lobo, KE director (Memberships).

The KE members who had made the most referrals for KE memberships were also acknowledged: Peter Anil Rego, Leena Lobo, Sunil D’Sa, James Coelho and Sylvian Noronha.

KE president Pramod D’Souza delivered his welcome note to impress the impact of good health on solopreneur leadership. He drove home the point with tragic but significant stories of founders succumbing to cardiac disease and segued into the main segment of the evening – the panel discussion with three eminent physicians discussing the importance of prevention in the life of a businessperson.

The panel discussion, moderated by KE member, Dr Aldon Fernandes comprised of Dr Sunil Furtado (neurosurgeon), Dr Saikat Kanjilal (interventional cardiologist) and Dr John Tharakan (general physician). The conversations moved seamlessly between the three doctors, each sharing their expertise through easy tips and simplified information. Aside from standard annual health checks, all the panellists agreed on easy to incorporate wellness tips along with a healthy diet and adequate rest. Dr Saikat urged everyone to pay attention to early warning signs of cardiac disease and encouraged making movement a part of activities throughout the day. He walked the talk by literally stepping out of his chair to highlight the ease of including movement while working. His other tips included, standing at work, parking further from designation, joining laughter clubs and yoga and getting adequate sleep. While his suggestion to reduce alcohol consumption was met with some tickled humour and clarifying questions, his words, “The heart whispers before it screams out.” made a lasting impression on many members.

Dr Sunil explained the role of stress on the body and impressed the need of a balanced lifestyle with social interactions and family time being crucial in reducing cognitive decline. He suggested puzzles, sudoku and other mentally stimulating activities to keep the brain active and mindfulness and calming practices to soothe the nervous system.

Dr John added mental health as an important element to the mix but also championed the need for businesspersons to make health a priority. He suggested building a routine with blocks of time for all prioritized areas that needed to be addressed and minimizing stress. Dr Aldon meaningfully summarised every segment of conversation between the panellists and closed with the note: “Health is not a cost, it is an investment.”

The enlightening panel discussion was very well received by the members for its matter-of-fact information sprinkled with a welcome dose of humour and community-culture relevance. On theme, two KE members in the field of health and wellness presented business pitches giving members and guests alike a glimpse into their world.

Lester Cutinha (nutrifymydiet) showcased the journey and ask of their business focused on nutrition with a niche in sports diet. Vincent Anthony D’Souza (MadVR) presented his enterprise of AI supported software products designed to help medical students learn and teach anatomy, surgery and more through sustainable means.

With the main segments of the meet completed, Eugene Mathias, KE director (Marketing) made some pertinent member announcements on events to expect. He also unveiled the KE Pulse, a news bulletin aiming to share member news, achievements and opportunities to connect and collaborate with KE members across the Bengaluru, Dubai and Goa chapters. The bulletin, mentored by KE Global chairman, Ivan Fernandes, is a collaborative outcome driven by Desma D’Souza (KE Dubai), Venzil Fernandes (KE Dubai), Vinisha Menezes (KE Dubai), Ninio J Correia (KE Goa) and Luvena Rangel (KE Bangalore).

The Members’ Meet had an impressive attendance and ended with fellowship and social networking. The flow of events was ably anchored by Aishwarya Toppo, the emcee for the evening and supported by members from KE Women Entrepreneurs and KE GenNow.