As a vigilant citizen, Sujata Prashant Joshi, speaks about the city she has been living for 30 years, its people, its culture and traditions
Photo Credits: Shanawaz Mayyadi
Sociology and Politics were her major subjects for BA andshe applied them into her day-to-day life to understand the people around her.“Sociology has helped me a lot throughout my life. I like to keep myselfabreast of the happenings around me and do my bit to serve the society I livein,” shares Sujata Prashant Joshi from Vasco who has a fiery will to seepositive change happen. This is evident from her most recent plans forproviding free counselling for elderly people in old age homes free of cost.“Most senior citizens live a lonely life with no one to talk to. I will give mytime to people in old age homes and contribute my bit to the community,” shesays.
A firm believer in God and good things, Sujata takes life asit comes and wins over challenges. Admitting that the city she lives in has toimprove a lot, chalks out suggestions for its development. “We must do what wecan do to maintain the greenery in and around the city. Garbage issue could betaken care of if every citizen gets involved and says no to plastics,” shefeels while stressing on the need for a recycling plant in Goa. She continuesto elaborate that footpaths, children’s parks, open spaces, playgrounds, goodroads, clean beaches and social awareness are the need of the hour. Chopping ofthe trees before monsoons and making children aware of the importance of natureand rain water harvesting are things to be pondered on, she feels.
“We try to shrug off our responsibility and wait for someoneelse to come and clean our backyard,” says Sujata whose passion for educationshows in her plans to educate children. Teach them when they are young, is hermotto. Her passion drives her to teach her maids so they can bank on thisknowledge when they leave.
Sujata is also passionate about interior decoration, she isa voracious reader and helps others to help themselves. A brilliant home maker,she also helps her husband Prashant to handle office work from home. Her briefstint in Bell Ceramics as an agent for the entire Goa with eight dealers and 81sub-dealers under her company, won her a gold medal for being the best depot inIndia. “I had to shift my priorities and quit the company when my family neededme the most,” she says.
The Joshi family is well known in Vasco, more so forbuilding the temple for the city deity Damodar at their home. Sujata fondlyrecalls anecdote that the family narrates, that took place 115 years ago. “Weare blessed as God willingly walked into our home,” she concludes with a smile.
