Ronaldo, Barcelona fan from India reaches out to poor people in Goa

Goan football coach along with UK and USA nationals rendering yeomen service in Palolem during lockdown

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A football coach, a businessman and a yoga teacher have come together under one roof in Goa. They have a common cause - reach out to the poor and needy people in the coastal beach side resort of Palolem.

Goan Akhil Pagui, UK-born Linda Russell and Andrew Mason, a UK citizen having business interests in Cambodia are on the field delivering essential food items to the needy people of Palolem ever since the lockdown was imposed.

Pagui, is a known Cristiano Ronaldo fan while Barcelona FC is his favouritie club.  He has been in to football coaching for the last one and half decade. His football coaching odessey has taken him to different part of the country. On the way he has been inspired by different football ideologies and come across varied football coaching mythologies.

But when the lockdown came calling in Palolem, he momentary set aside his football shoes. Instead for the last few weeks, distributing food grains and other essential items has become his priority.

In Palolem Beach area, one of the most popular beach in Goa, Akhil along with other local volunteers have identified around 20 families living without any financial support and who don't have money to buy provisions during the lockdown period.

“It's very challenging to those who are daily wage earners and who have absolutely no support. We have decided to provide them with support in the form of food packages and other essential items. This package will contain supplies for 10 to 15 days. Supplies will be distributed through a network of our volunteers in respective families. Cost of each packet is ₹ 1000/,” said Pagui.

 For the records, Pagui football journey started with Mumbai-based OSCAR Foundation, a organization which uses football as a platform to bring about change in the lives of the under prevailed children of the metropolis.

 Thereafter he has had coaching stings with Canacona Sports Academy (Goa), Lyceum Sports Club (Jaipur), Shanti Asiatic School (CBSE) Jaipur, Chinmaya school (Mumbai), Patel boarding school ( Gujarat , Bhachau), and  Concrete Involvement Football Academy ( C.I.F.A), his personal academy in (Vadodara Gujarat).

“CIFA aims to develop talented young footballers across India. We believe in holistic approach to football coaching development the player as well as the young person,” he said about his football academy and vision.

“CIFA understands the role sport can play in developing well rounded and successful young adults. As well as coaching football to high level CIFA also teaches children about health diet and how to build self confidence and concentration through their unique coaching games and drills,’ he added.

Working alongside and the driving force of the mission are two veteran from two different fields.

Bhakti Yogi teacher Russell has been a long time visitor to India dating back to nearly three decades while Mason, owner of franchise Big Easy Phnom Penh and Ko Rong Samloem, Cambodia, which generates money for charities in Cambodia, completes the circle. Mason has been extending his charitable hand to the India project initiated by Pagui and is a major fund raiser.

“So far we have raise rupees one lakh. More money is on the way hopefully thanks to the efforts of Linda Russell and Andrew Mason,” said Pagui.

“It’s a golden opportunity to change life to think creative or do something to stay with the family and people understand the value of food, especially the value of farmer. Everything is going to change. It's a learning of the life. How to leave peacefully. Here I'm helping  underprivileged people giving food and working as a social volunteer,” said Pagui.

Russell, stay put in Goa even as over 7,000 western tourists flew back to their respective countries via the special repartition flights arranged by the respective governments in association with their Indian counterparts.

“I have stayed back to help my Indian friend (Akhil Pagui) to feed the no income families in Palolem so they can survive this lockdown,” Linda said in response to a question.

A Bhakti Yogi for the last 26 years has so far been helping 15 to 20 families in Palolem since the first nationwide 21-day lockdown was announced on March 24 and its second extension happened till May 3, and which was further extended to prevent the spread of the Coronavirus.

Linda describes Pagui as a ‘Spiderman’ ready to help people in need.

“I have met a young guy Akhil Pagui who has the rainbow above his head. Heartfelt kindness of which I have not seen in such a young chap in a long time. We are collectively are on a quiet mission here in India to help the needy. Selflessly he perseveres quietly like Spiderman with as much aid as we can help,” Linda says.

Russell says life has been hard for the local residents of Palolem residents, who have no income on their own in the lockdown period and were dependent on daily wages to keep the house fires burning.

”We shop and distribute basic staples such as fruit, vegetable, rice, flour etc. Some families went to the forest in search of food during the lockdown. We allocated families with adequate food to keep them well and healthy. Toiletries and must haves have been also been included,” she added.

Russell said her decision to stay back and help was with a view to pay back to India the country from where she has learnt many things over the years.

“Thank you India for my education of 26 years to give me an opportunity to give something good back. Love all, serve all,” she adds.

She informed that they are looking for more financial aid to help the families in the long run as they are running out of the money.

“We are raising money from the West and appealing for financial help,” she adds.

Meanwhile, American national Alexander Mark Kinaj has also joined the team and they have set up a crowdfunding appeal, details which will be shared shortly they said.

 

 

Masterclasses on Sport Communications at NU-Q

Masterclasses on Sport Communications at NU-Q

Doha, Qatar – – Northwestern University in Qatar (NU-Q) has announced three one-day masterclasses as part of its executive education program in sport communication. The program – The Changing Business of Sport and Sport Communications – will serve as a link for professionals who want to begin or enhance a career in sport communication and will focus on media, marketing, and law.

All of the masterclasses will be held at NU-Q’s new building in Education City. The first, scheduled for February 10^th is “Media Old and New, and the Transformation of World Sport”; the second, “Sport Law and Governance – The Rules that Regulate Sport Organizations” will be held on February 17^th; and the third, “Using Sport Marketing to Influence the Growth of Business and Sport,” on February 24^th.

“Over the past several years, NU-Q has broadened its programming to include more courses on sport and the media, which has proven to be very successful. Due to Qatar’s continued growth in this sector, which will require increased numbers of journalists prepared to cover international sporting events, we plan to continue to offer programming that will enhance that growth,” said Everette E. Dennis, dean and CEO.

The first seminar, taught by NU-Q Professor Craig LaMay, an expert in sports journalism, will examine what industry scholars refer to as “mediasport,” its current and future prospects, with special attention to the sports media landscape of Qatar and the Middle East. This will also include innovations in virtual and augmented reality, over-the-top sports content, e-sports, athlete-created media, fantasy sports, and big data. “With media mega-events like the World Cup and the Olympics moving their competitions from North America and Europe to Asia, including Qatar, these changes have also changed the job of sport journalists, and given rise to new and critical forms of sports journalism that don’t keep score, but rather cover the role sports play in social and economic development, and in shaping international human and civil rights norms,” LaMay said. LaMay, who is currently on leave from his position as associate professor at Northwestern’s Medill School, is in residence at NU-Q until 2019. In Evanston and Doha, he teaches a class on sport communication – “Sport, Media and Society: Less Than War But More Than a Game." 

The second seminar on sports governance and media law will be taught by Fordham University Professor Mark Conrad, author of The Business of Sports, and will discuss, compare, and analyze many of the key legal concepts that govern international sports, an industry that until recently has largely governed itself, with minimal involvement of national authorities anywhere. Conrad is the president of the Alliance for Sport Business, 2016-18; and past president, Sport and Recreation Law Association, 2014-2015.

“Part of Qatar’s sport strategy is to situate itself as a big player in global sports governance,” said LaMay. “The country realizes that with such decisions – like making beIN Sports one of the largest sports media operators or hosting large-scale events like the FIFA World Cup – the local media sector will have to transform as well. NU-Q plans to be at the forefront of good sports media by educating journalists on media law and ethics in the region.”

The last seminar, taught by Northwestern University Professor Candy Lee, will provide a comprehensive overview of the challenges and opportunities in sports marketing, which runs the spectrum from crisis communication on player behavior to ticket-pricing strategies for teams having a bad season. Lee was Teacher of the Year in 2012 for Integrated Marketing Communications at the Medill School at Northwestern and previously served as vice president of marketing at The Washington Post. The course will also consider traditional areas of marketing through the lens of sports and entertainment, and will include video interviews, examples, case studies, and discussion activities.

February’s masterclasses will be offered to individuals with undergraduate degrees and a minimum of one to two years of professional experience. A certificate in Sport Communication will be awarded for completion of all three masterclasses.

Each of the workshops will also include a luncheon speaker. For more information and to register, please visit http://www.qatar.northwestern.edu/education/executive/index.html

or email to exec.ed@qatar.northwestern.edu

-ENDS-

About Northwestern University in Qatar

Northwestern University in Qatar draws from its parent organization, Northwestern University (Evanston, Illinois), a distinguished history, famous programs and an exceptional faculty. Founded in partnership with Qatar Foundation, NU-Q provides a framework through which students explore the world and, ultimately, shape its future through its distinguished schools of communication, journalism and strategic communication, and liberal arts.