Goa Cultural and Social Centre has been encouraging young talent to come forward and are presenting them with a grand stage at the All Goa State level Mando festival. This year, the Mando festival saw new talent shine on the stage with nearly 50 percent of children and teenagers. SAVIOUR OF THE WORLD HIGH SCHOOL, LOUTOLIM, STRIKES GOLD Saviour of the World High School, Loutolim, won the first place at the All Goa Mando Singing Competition. The group comprised 11 student singers, supported by four musicians. While all the singers were students, the musicians included two of the school’s music teachers, Selwin Fernandes and Pearl Alvares along with Seby Fernandes, the PTA chairperson and Kiarra Fernandes. The youngest performer in the group was just six years old, a first-standard student, Valenska Goes. Quincy Fernandes from Majorda, a teaches at the school who led the group shares, “Practice began only on November 18. With rehearsals during school hours impossible, the team practiced in the evenings.” Quincy credited Seby Fernandes for providing the Mando composition, rhythm, and vocal guidance, praising his musical expertise. “It was a real collaborative work. Though I was given charge and I took the leadership, it was the cooperation and support of the school team including the head of the institute, teachers, support staff, students and parents, that made us reach to this level,” says Quincy. ROSARY HIGHER SECONDARY SCHOOL, NAVELIM REIGNS SUPREME IN TEENAGE CATEGORY A proud moment for Rosary Higher Secondary School, Navelim as a group of students formed Ruzaieche Fullte Kolle that brought home the first prize in the teenage category at the All Goa Mando Festival 2025. They mesmerized the audience with their stellar performance of ‘Colva Famak’ and dulpods. The team comprised of students of Rosary except the double bass maestro.
A 15-member student contingent wowed the audience marking their third consecutive win with wins in 2022, 2024 and now 2025. Trained by dedicated teachers Ruchita Gomes and Rolita Judy Pires, both teachers at Rosary Higher Secondary, the team’s exceptional performance reaffirms the school’s commitment to nurturing cultural and artistic excellence. Children Category Original & Traditional ‘UGDDAS KORUN TUZO’ WINS HEART AND THE MANDO PRIZE Pervis Gomes expressed happiness after his group Mando Mogi, Margao’s ‘Ugddas Korun Tuzo’ won f irst place in the Original Category at the Mando Competition for the second consecutive year. The group comprised 10 singers and five musicians, bringing the total to 15 performers. While a few members had participated in previous years, this edition saw new talent, with seven new singers and three new musicians joining the ensemble. The winning Mando marked a departure from Pervis’ usual style. Known for composing romantic Mandos, he chose to present a tragic love song for the first time. The composition was written as a tribute to his late cousin, Abhishek Gomes, a police sub-inspector who lost his life in a tragic accident in Ponda while on duty. “I composed both the lyrics and melody, weaving the emotional narrative of young love and loss into the song. The piece was deeply personal and meaningful and a tribute to Abhishek,” says Pervis about his cousin who tragically passed away in 2013. In the traditional category, the group performed ‘Kalliz Mhoje’ which was also an original composition a few years back. SANT ANTONICHO SVADIK NAAD, MAJORDA SHOWCASES GENERATIONAL HARMONY Sant Antonicho Svadik Naad, Majorda, a cultural group that has been active for nearly 20 years and recently participated in both the dance category and the senior citizen category at the Mando Competition. The group is a mix of old and new members. This year, four original members entered the senior citizen category, prompting the formation of a dedicated senior group to showcase the original style of Mando. They were joined by six new members, making a total of 10 performers. The musicians, all below 20 years of age, performed exclusively for the group, reinforcing the idea that learning and participation have no age limit. Michael Gracias, who led the group, highlighted the role of Hale Rodrigues, an 11th-standard student who learned to play the ghumot and led the group rhythmically. For him, the biggest achievement was inspiring youngsters to take interest in Mando, a traditional art form that needs nurturing across generations. This year, the Mando dance category could not be held as planned due to a lack of participation. Only two groups, including his own, came forward, which was not enough to sustain the category. “The Mando dance is forgotten. What is remaining is only the singing and if we do not give our youngsters this love for Mando in its entirety, the next generation will not see a Mando. It is important that these youngsters take it forward,” concludes Michael.
