25 Sep 2022  |   05:03am IST

Daughters are more than prized jewels

International Daughters Day is observed today, September 25, the fourth Sunday in September as a celebration of the girl child. Illustrious Goan daughters and parents share the joy they feel as they achieve success in different walks of life

Dolcy D’Cruz

 

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daughter is a miracle that never ceases to be miraculous… full of beauty and forever beautiful, loving and caring and truly amazing’- Deanna Beisser

Today is the day to make daughters feel special as it is the International Daughter’s Day. Interestingly, this observance originated in India, where daughters are achieving glory yet seen as a burden. Daughters come with a variety of personalities, and it is the parents as any child who have to guide and groom them in the right direction. In Goa, young girls are achieving accolades in different fields and many are even breaking barriers in society. This daughter’s day, celebrate the day by encouraging daughters to grow out of their comfort box and reach greater heights.

Katya Coelho:

22-year-old Katya Coelho, is the first Goan and Indian woman, to make it to the Windsurfing Youth Olympics in 2018. She is also India’s first female iQFoiler, who will be representing India for the second time in Asian Games in the coming weeks.

“I feel like everything I do is for my parents and I am grateful for the opportunities they have given me. My biggest source of support is my parents. Many people would come and tell my mother that sports are for men and that this sport is not for women. However, my parents have always pushed me above my comfort zone in order to fulfil my dreams. My parents have taught me a lot especially about designs and windsurfing, as my mother is a designer and my father is a windsurfer. We own and operate Ambika Soni Design in Calangute, where I work as a part-time graphic designer and an artist. Continuing what my parents started feels special. We are three siblings, who are all carrying on our parents’ legacy with great pride. I own a tiny internet company called ‘the_boho.store’ in addition to working part-time at my mother’s boutique.”

Keona Rajani:

Keona Rajani is an 18-year-old, pursuing Bachelors in Arts at Xavier’s College, Mapusa. She has always been around the ocean since her father is a kite surfer and a windsurfer. She started her journey as a windsurfer in 2016 and in the past one and half years she has shifted to kitesurfing. She won a gold medal in Indian National Kitesurfing Championship and a silver medal in National Kitesurfing Championship in Tuticorin, Tamil Nadu.

“I consider myself fortunate to have loving parents who encouraged me to follow my dream and provided the right direction I needed to succeed in the career I wanted. My parents have always been encouraging of athletics along with academics, and there have been times when my dad and I compete in the same event. It’s a wonderful feeling.”

Niral Wadekar:

Niral Wadekar is a 7-year-old girl from Mapusa who has achieved great heights at a very young age. She is a gold medallist in Khelo India’s artistic solo. She ranked second in aerobic gymnastics at the national level and she also participated in a national reality show ‘Hunarbaz’.

“As parents, we feel so proud and overwhelmed that no words can adequately express. It is our duty as parents to be with her and make her physically and mentally strong. We feel very proud of our daughter’s achievements. We have seen her working hard towards achieving her goals and today she has achieved what she had always dreamt of,” says Kiran Wadekar, mother of Niral Wadekar.

Shriya Karekar:

22 years-old, Shriya Karekar, is a Drishti lifesaver and a national level swimming champion. She has pursued her undergraduate studies in Bachelors in Fashion Designing. This enterprising young woman also stitches clothes and takes orders after her shift with Drishti.

“Through my parents’ unwavering support, they instilled in me the confidence I needed to join the lifesaving force. I was naturally inclined towards athletics in school and participated in national games of handball and swimming. I started teaching swimming from a very young age and thus was able to financially support my family. Despite coming from a very orthodox household, my parents supported me in all my endeavours and I will be eternally grateful for that.”

Harshda Gholve:

Harshda Gholve, is a 24-year-old Post Graduate Diploma in Management student at Goa Institute of Management. She is the winner of the national level ‘Make The Case’ Sustainability Hackathon, which is recognised by the United Nations as ‘good practice’.

“From a young age, my parents have always encouraged me to be inquisitive and innovative. I remember how my friends used to get Barbie dolls as gifts and my parents used to give me novels and other educational books which inculcated a love for reading and learning. My parents always went the extra mile to ensure that I had a holistic, all round development. This support always encouraged me to participate in cultural events and competitions not only to win but also enjoy the experience and learn new skills. My win at the ‘Make the Case’ competition, which is a UN recognized initiative, is largely attributed to my mother. Since ‘Make the Case’ required us to all pitch ideas for sustainable innovations, I was able to apply what was ingrained in me by my mother. She taught me that being sustainable does not only have to be on a grand level and can be practised in small ways. My parents have always prioritised my growth as an individual. I’m glad I can make them proud one achievement at a time.”

Taniya Sandeep Pawar:

Taniya Sandeep Pawar is a 16-year-old girl, who is a part of Goa’s women’s cricket team and has represented Goa nationally under categories U-16, U-19, and U-23. She was also selected for the U-19 National Cricket Academy camp.

“With all of the accomplishments, I have so far achieved, it feels amazing to make my parents proud of me. Despite the fact that my father is a doctor, he has never pressured me to work in medicine and has instead always supported the pursuit of my goals. It is because of my family’s constant support, I had the courage to practice and choose this line of profession. They understood my passion for this sport and realised that cricket is what gives me a feeling of accomplishment.”