Manoj Chacko, CEO and Managing Director of FLY91speaks on celebrating Goan talent, spirit, and sky-high aspirations
Let me start by congratulating every single winner here today. It is a proud moment for me–especially as someone born and raised in a small village called Ribandar, and educated entirely in Goa.
When I graduated, there were probably just few companies offering jobs in Goa, and not much else. That’s why I left Goa, worked across the country and the world, and exactly 30 years later, I returned to my roots.
Fate brought me back to Ribandar, where Fly91 is now headquartered. Sometimes, it feels like something greater brings you home. And today, I am genuinely happy and excited to see the entrepreneurial spirit flourishing in Goa.
Very few places in the country can be as proud. Today, as a small airline based in Goa, we have 42 pilots who have relocated from around the world and now call Goa home. Our first female pilot, Keziah Fernandes, also happens to be a Goan. Out of around 300 employees across the seven destinations we serve, nearly 170 to 180 are from Goa. I want to share a few stories. One of our cabin crew members is the daughter of a village vegetable seller.
A young man from a small village near Ponda, who used to milk cows, is now an aircraft technician with Fly91. He started as a driver. The other day he told me, “Sir, I used to change your Wagon R’s wheels. Today, I changed my first aircraft wheel.”
For us, Fly91 has always been about giving back. When the opportunity presented itself for us to associate with Business Goa Awards, I was pleased to offer my support for this initiative. This is not a matter of sponsorship or branding; it is a matter of pride. Goa has achieved something remarkable, and it deserves to be celebrated .
I became an entrepreneur at 53, in one of the toughest industries out there. Our journey has always been about connecting communities, guided by a few core principles – chief among them: simplicity. Our boarding passes are just 19 kilobytes. I told ministry officials in Delhi that if all airlines used our format, we could save 59,000 trees a year. That is coming from a small company in Ribandar.
Everyone warned me that Goa lacked talent. I disagreed–and I was right. Some of our best team members are local college grads. Two young professionals from a college in Mapusa now run our flight operations backend. These are the stories that matter.
Having worked around the world, I am incredibly proud of what Goa has achieved. I have no regrets about starting my airline here. Some thought it was a mistake. But after seeing the amazing talent here tonight, I know we made the right choice. So thank you again. Stay strong, and let us wish Goa the very best. As the keynote speaker said earlier, if there is one place in India that could become the next Singapore, it is Goa. The opportunity is ours to lose. Let us come together and make it happen.
Wishing all the winners the very best and best wishes to Business Goa.
