Media Release
Bengaluru, Oct 19: Kanara Entrepreneurs (KE) hosted its Members’ Meet at The Grand Magrath Hotel, Bengaluru, bringing together entrepreneurs, members and distinguished guests for an evening of knowledge-sharing, innovation and networking. Centred on the theme “Sales Growth through Visibility and Trust,” the gathering explored strategies for building credibility, strengthening professional relationships and achieving sustainable business growth.
The programme, compered by Maria Faustina, commenced with an invocation prayer led by KE lead member Stan D’Souza.
A key highlight was the induction of eight new members by Zaveena Lobo, KE director – membership, further strengthening KE’s growing entrepreneurial network. The details follows:
1. Janet Miranda, senior manager at Flipkart, expertise in Marketing & Strategy across Ecommerce, QCommerce, Automotive and Manufacturing.
2. Joel Louzado, founder of ikigage.com, specializing in process design, tech consulting, and digital transformation for scaling organizations.
3. Ketan Angelo Castelino, tax associate at Baker Tilly One India, with expertise in US Tax & Finance and a multifaceted talent in music, and sound engineering.
4. Merril D Almeida, AI solutions architect at Happiest Minds Technologies, with expertise in healthcare AI, startup acceleration and drone engineering.
5. Nikhil Andrew Franco, software engineer at PwC, with expertise in AI Engineering and emerging technologies.
6. Paul Koshy, managing director of Unified Intelligence Pvt Ltd and government advisor on Urban Mobility, with expertise in infrastructure, entrepreneurship, and consultancy.
7. Rajan Pillay, area development licensee at CGI Inc., with expertise in technical skills training, discipleship, and franchise modelling,
8. Rohit Taitas, general manager at Color Glo International, specializing in marketing strategy and entrepreneurship.
In his address, KE Bangalore president Pramod D’Souza emphasised the importance of purposeful growth, collaboration and value creation by sharing a case study. Pramod also mentioned the Archbishop’s appeal to KE members to extend their support to the construction of what is envisioned as the world’s first eco-friendly church at Attibele. He outlined ten key initiatives undertaken by the organisation, including Project NEXTGEN, FKCA Collaboration, Project Automation, Goa Chapter Incubation, Project ACE, Project MAP, the MSME Cluster Development Project, Vision X Youth Programme, GenNow Group and Women’s Group. He also highlighted recent activities, including a hackathon meeting in Mysuru, Sports Mania and the Women’s Group’s visit to Cintacor Island.
Innovation took centre stage with two demonstrations showcasing the practical applications of artificial intelligence. Ethan D’Souza and Carol Pinto, winners of a recent hackathon contest, presented an AI-enabled solution designed to identify garbage dumps, alert the relevant authorities and track clearance, demonstrating technology’s potential to address civic challenges. Lead Member Dr Joseph Rasquinha showcased an AI-powered teaching tool, highlighting new possibilities for enhancing teaching and learning.
The highlight of the evening was a lively, high-energy and humour-filled session by Tony Francis Varghese, author of Autograph Seeker, seasoned media professional and founder of Play LLP. Speaking on the theme, ‘Sales GrowthThrough Visibility and Trust’, Tony captivated the audience with his witty anecdotes, engaging storytelling, interactive questions and relatable examples. He emphasised Knowledge, Personality and Publicity as the three pillars of sustainable business growth and shared six practical strategies to enhance visibility and credibility: creating valuable content, developing unique frameworks, giving before asking, building social proof, establishing authority and maintaining a consistent public presence. His dynamic presentation kept the audience engaged throughout, leaving members with valuable insights and actionable ideas to strengthen their professional presence, build trust and drive business growth. Pramod D’Souza felicitated Tony Francis Varghese with a memento as a token of appreciation.
The meet also featured a presentation by newly inducted member Paul Koshy on the proposed eco-friendly church in Attibele. He explained the process of converting plastic waste into eco-friendly construction materials, highlighting its potential for sustainable building practices and responsible waste management. He also invited KE members to support the initiative and contribute to this meaningful community project.
Updates on KE’s member development and outreach initiatives further enriched the programme. KE Lead member Anoop Sequeira spoke about the ACE Programme, highlighting its benefits and encouraging greater member participation. KE Lead member Jyothi Menezes presented the Vision X Youth Programme and urged members to help expand its reach by sharing information with potential beneficiaries. Eugene Mathias, KE director – marketing, announced the forthcoming Christmas programme at Palace Grounds on December 5, 2026, inviting members to participate and extend sponsorship support.
In his concluding remarks, Sunil Attavar, KE director – mentoring, encouraged members to make use of the KE ASK Wall by sharing their specific business needs, goals and requests. The initiative aims to foster meaningful connections, facilitate mutual support and transform networking into tangible opportunities for collaboration.
The formal proceedings concluded with emcee Maria Faustina thanking everyone for their presence and participation, while President Pramod D’Souza expressed his appreciation to her for seamlessly anchoring the evening. The gathering was followed by dinner and networking, reflecting Kanara Entrepreneurs’ continued commitment to fostering innovation, nurturing entrepreneurial talent and strengthening professional relationships.
The Members’ Meet reaffirmed the central message that sustainable business growth depends not merely on visibility, but also on the credibility established, the value delivered and the trust earned.