User:Vinot1975/AMIGOENKAR

Amigoenkar is a group started by a section of the Goans in Oman. Goenkar is the demonym used to describe the people of the Indian state of Goa. Goans comprise a predominantly Hindu and Roman Catholic population. According to media reports, there are 300,000 Goans staying outside India. The Goans are basically employed in the hospitality industry, including cruise liners owned by the European companies. In Muscat, Amigoenkar group is involved in the welfare of the 22,000 Goans residing in Oman's capital. On the top of their agenda is to start a direct flight from Muscat to Panaji. Right now the Goans have to depend on transit flights from Doha (Qatar Airways) or Sharjah (Air Arabia). Traditionally, Goans take direct flights from Muscat to Mumbai, and then depend on Indian domestic flights from Mumbai. The less privileged people even depend on buses and trains for their onward journey to Muscat. The members of the Amigoenkar group recently met top officials of the Jet Airways and Oman Air with their request for direct flights to Goa from Muscat.

Amigoenkar team is led by Samba Sawant, who is a senior journalist with Oman Observer newspaper. Samba also served a newspaper in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. He is still remembered in Riyadh for taking up issues related to the welfare of Goans at the highest level.