When a father comes home from a hard day’s work,
his eyes seek out his most beloved family member, his
daughter. Fathers connect with their daughters right
from the time they are in the cradle and this bond stays
just as strong through the tests of time. Daughters too
have a special place in their lives for their fathers. After
all, for a daughter, there are no arms stronger and more
secure than her father’s. This special bond translates into a
myriad of things.
Maendra Alvares and his daughter Karishma from
Loutolim work together for the various projects initiated by
Ancestral Goa, Loutolim. Speaking about their relationship,
they say, “We like to share ideas and we do argue, we lock
creative horns more often than not and end up on the
opposing sides of a situation.” Having said this, Maendra
feels that if there is one person of a similar ilk who he would
want standing by him, in thought and creative process, it
would be his daughter. They enjoy fact-finding and work
related research and have a shared love for Candy Crush
and trips to the beach.
Highly competitive and both believing theirs is the ‘best’
way, Karishma says, “My mother inspired the voracious
reader in me, but I developed a love for stories and history
from my father. He told me tales entirely of his own making
– from his head shot out kings and maidens and origin
stories of random things like cottage cheese. Also, he lets
me have my way most of the time.”
Another competitive father-daughter duo is the
Coelhos, Donald and 16-year-old Katya. Both windsurfing
champions, it’s the process of training Katya that brought
the two together and the bond grows stronger with
each passing day. “In the family, there’s no one else who
understands me more than my father. Sports (windsurfing)
has definitely got us closer,” says Katya who goes to the
gym, enjoys travelling and watching movies with Donald.
Though both agree to share the trait of short temperedness,
they are fascinated by bikes and have the same taste
in music and movies too. Katya also credits her dad for
instilling in her the drive to inspire others. “No matter what
the circumstances are, my dad has made sure I have a smile
on my face. He is indeed my real hero.”
Another sporty father-daughter duo that has made
sports their goal is the Prabhu clan from Panjim. Renowned
swimmer Talasha Prabhu never let go of her father Satish’s
hand during her training and competitions. Satish believes
that he has now been upgraded to ‘good driver’ and a
source of inspiration whenever Talasha is in minor trouble.
They share a close relationship and spend quality time
watching sports like cricket, wrestling and tennis, long
drives and searching for delicious Goan food.
Satish also admits that he is a possessive father. “The
very thought of parting from my daughter pains. When it’s
time for her to get married, I don’t know what my reaction
will be; I still remember sobbing uncontrollably when my
sister got married.”
“My dad has been incredibly supportive. He is a very
strong man and I feel safe when he is around,” says Talasha,
who was the first Goan to win a Gold Medal in swimming
at the International Level at the tender age of 12. Talasha
currently has four National Level Records and 18 Individual
Championships at National and State Meets.
