Friday, June 18, 2010

Goa Blog

Goa Blog

Anjali Mendes passes away

Posted: 18 Jun 2010 07:01 AM PDT

The modelling world in Mumbai woke up to depressing news yesterday even as the skies turned dark grey and weepy. Anjali Phyllis Mendes, the first dark-skinned model to grace the Parisian ramp and become Pierre Cardin's muse, had passed away. She was 64, and India's first supermodel on the international stage, a tall and dark Goan girl with long legs who opened fashion shows and walked the ramp with models including Shobha Rajadhyaksha — now Shobhaa De, and Zeenat Aman.

On a whim, in June 1971, taking the money she had made on an assignment with Shobhaa, Anjali flew to Paris on a one-way ticket. "She had an extreme sense of adventure," said Shobhaa yesterday, "and she went at a time when black models didn't exist and she was considered black. There was no question of her coming back. Dressed in a saree, she staged a dharna at Pierre Cardon's salon and demanded to see him, sitting eight hours without food and water until the great designer condescended to giving her an audience… and instantly a role as his house model! She had made it. Cardin cut his couture collection on Anjali for 20 years. She was the toast of not just Paris, but all of Europe, but she had her own desiness… she remained a Goan girl who served Goan meals with French champagne at home."

Anjali, who returned to her roots periodically, was in India (especially Mumbai, where she had friends, and Goa, where she had family), only last month. She had come to recuperate after moving home from Paris to Provence… where she had what she described as a chateau. It was at this chateau that Anjali passed away after falling suddenly ill and being rushed to hospital with a low white blood cell count on Thursday. In an interview to The Times of India in 2004, she had said, "I am an ugly duckling who transformed into a swan on her own. I have proved all that I had to prove to myself and there are no regrets. Focussing on yesterday and tomorrow serves no purpose. I always live for the present."

Courtesy:TOI

AVC-Kuwait Crowned Indian Football Federation Kuwait League Champions

Posted: 17 Jun 2010 10:26 AM PDT

AVC – Kuwait won the first Indian Football Federation- Kuwait League Championship for season 2009-2010. For the first time in the history of Indian expatriate soccer the league was conducted by the federation similar to the leagues conducted in Europe and the West but minus the home and away rule due to paucity of time and comprised ten teams of Indian Origin.

Each team had to play 9 matches and the winner was declared based on the maximum number of points achieved at the end of the league. The league fixtures came to an end in March 2010 after 5 months of intense football activity. AVC - Kuwait have won all their 9 matches played scoring a staggering 42 goals and conceding only four. Star Striker Anthony Fernandes scored 17goals to become the highest scorer in the league and prominent among the other scorers for AVC are Kevin Vaz, Braulio Rodrigues, Agnelo Miranda, Melvy Fernandes and Molvito Mascarenhas.

The team was captained by ex western railway player Luciano D'Souza. AVC-Kuwait comprises of former professional and national players who have donned colors for major professional Goan football clubs like Dempo SC, Churchill Bros, Sesa Goa SC and Vasco Sports Club and prominent among them is Agnelo Miranda (Dempo, Sesa Goa & Vasco SC) Alvaro Dias (Churchill Bros & Vasco SC) Francis Fernandes Sr. (Churchill Bros). AVC – Kuwait was formed in the year 2001. Coached by former Churchill Bros goalkeeper Alvaro Dias with inputs from former Dempo mid-fielder Agnelo Miranda AVC-Kuwait traveled to Bahrain for an Invitational outstation tournament and created history among the Indian expatriate football associations in Kuwait by winning the football tournament in Bahrain in the year 2005, a record yet to be equaled.

Buoyed by this overseas victory AVC started their local campaign with a bang by winning the erstwhile KIFF League Championship and the Season Championship in the year 2006 by trashing Navelim Youth Center in the finals which prompted critics and fans to term AVC-Kuwait as Real Madrid of Kuwait. >From then onwards AVC has marched forward to win almost all the major trophies in tournaments organized by Indian expatriate associations in Kuwait. Their silverware consists of more than 40 Trophies in a span of just 9 years is another feat which is yet to be still equaled by the existing football clubs in Kuwait such is the dominance of AVC-Kuwait in the 2000-2010 era of Indian Football in Kuwait.

The team this season comprises Luciano D'Souza, Alvaro Dias, Nicholas Fernandes, Francis Rodrigues, Vincy Periera, Benny Fernandes, Peter Crasto, Custodio Castanha, Agnelo Miranda, Francis Fernandes, Braulio Rodrigues, Majed, Kevin Vaz, Molvito Mascarenhas, Melvy Fernandes, Anthony Fernandes, Jimon John, Miguel Fernandes, Arcanjio Fernandes, Franson Rodrigues, Max Gomes, and Franco Gomes. Further more it is to be noted that AVC-Kuwait management is out to create another humble history among the Indian community in Kuwait as 2 of their budding young players are being slated to don colors for one of the topmost Indian clubs in India. Negotiations are being worked out between AVC Officials and concerned Indian Football Clubs. If this deal transpires and goes through than it will be the first time in the history annals of Kuwait Indian Football that AVC-Kuwait will be remembered as a Football Development Academy for future Indian stars.

he Managing Committee is headed by John Furtado (President) Demino D'Cruz, Russell D'Silva, Arthur Moraes, Trevor Mendes, Jawed Sheikh, Francis Fernandes, Francis Rodrigues, Alvaro Dias, Kevin Vaz, Molvito Mascarenhas, Thomas D'souza, Dominic D'Souza and Xavier Furtado. AVC – Kuwait would like to thank the council and the executive committee of IFFK for all the support and cooperation for achieving this feat. AVC expresses their gratitude to the management and editorial team of Arab Times, Mr. Glen D'Souza, Mr. Gaspar Almeida of goa-world.com team for the excellent coverage in cyber forums and news portals and to ace lensman Mr. Rewon Gomes.  Many thanks to Indian expatriate professional refereeing body Indian Football Referees Association (IFRA) for guidance towards maintaining the discipline on and off the field of play.

Courtesy: DW
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