SANTOSH GAONKAR
CANACONA: Meet Surendra Bhiku Naik, a 58-year-old Sreesthal local who decided to take the leap into entrepreneurship pretty late in life, and starting from scratch, to boot. Naik was at his wits end when the private company he worked at for 25 years shut down unexpectedly. With the responsibility of his parents, sister, and brother on his shoulders, Naik took the bold step of starting his own business – and now, he has become the talk of the town thanks to his humble roadside eatery.
Ten years ago, Naik put up a small gaddo (kiosk) on the roadside of the national highway at Vadamol, Canacona, serving simple but traditional Goan fare like bhaji-pao, tea, and pej (watery rice gruel).
“Initially, the response was lukewarm, but today the crowd has grown so much that I barely get to breathe during business hours,” he says with a smile.
Naik has also found that serving polle, a sort of rice pancake, alongside bhaji is a hit among his customers, many of whom are switching from bread to rice. “People also come to eat pej, especially in the summer, as I serve prawn kismoor with it. The preparations begin at 5 in the morning.
My wife Sulabha helps me with it all, and without her, I wouldn’t have been able to do any of this.”
Naik’s success story is inspiring, especially at a time when people are still chasing government jobs. He believes that owning one’s own business takes courage and hard work, and without it, nothing is possible.
Looking towards the future, Naik hopes to expand his little venture and add full-fledged meals alongside his locally famous breakfasts. For now, he continues to serve his loyal customers with a smile and a friendly chat. As Naik puts it, “There is nothing like owning your own business and being your own boss.”
