Goan diaspora makes a mark worldwide

India Diaspora
Goan diaspora makes a mark worldwide
By Frederick Noronha, IANS, Jan 14, 2007 - 8:54:45 AM

Panaji, Jan 14 - From coaching top football clubs in Moscow to fighting racial discrimination, from becoming Telugu film stars to heading $100 million tech firms, the Goan diaspora is notching up a range of achievements worldwide.

This point gets underlined in a listing put out here recently, even as the Goa government undertook its annual initiative to woo expats from the region.

Compiled based on information through up by cybernetworks such as Britain-based website goanvoice.org.uk and Goanet.org, the list of 101 'cybergoans' aims to 'acknowledge the contributions by people of Goan origin, regardless of where they are located, and in what field they work'.

Most are individuals or organisations that have been attracting attention in cyberspace in the past year.

Some surprise inclusions in the list are Miss Great Britain -, zedo.com CEO Roy De Souza, Symantec senior vice president Francis deSouza, Cognizant COO Francisco D'Souza, Dell Inc manager Andrew Fernandes, Kent bus-driver Ken D'Souza, meditation teacher Lygia Monteiro, campaigners against racism and more.

Till recently, Goa's Mariano Barreto was football coach of the noted Dinamo football club in Moscow. Ileana D'Cruz, of Goan origin, is currently making waves in the Telugu film industry.

Eight organisations listed included Toronto-founded BMX alumni network, the North America-based GoaSudharop.org that has been supporting social entrepreneurship back home: the GoaComputersInSchools Project/Knowledge Initiatives Trust, and Tanzanite Goans in Africa among others.

Others whose work is being recognised back home include those in the field of technology and entrepreneurship, making it big in the outside world.

These include Romulus Pereira, former CEO Riverstone Networks Inc; Francis deSouza, senior VP, Symantec, enterp messaging mgt group; Francisco D'Souza, COO, Cognizant Technology Solutions; and Andrew Fernandes, Dell Inc, US, manager, global business continuity.