“Regardless of the huge crowd on a Sunday, the queue moved with effectivity and decorum,” says Jessica Annie Singh, a 25-year-old customer who made her means by means of the group on the Se Cathedral in Outdated Goa. Amidst the ocean of devotees, what caught her consideration was the coordination that made navigating the group really feel well-ordered.
Her emotions mirror these of many who attended the St. Francis Xavier Exposition 2024-2025.
The seamless execution of the grand occasion was led by Sandip Jacques (53), a seasoned IAS officer and Goa’s Commissioner and Secretary of Income and Legislation. Because the Commissioner for the Exposition, he ensured clean operations and coordination throughout departments.
Born right into a household with a robust medical background, Sandip initially pursued a grasp’s diploma in medical microbiology. Nevertheless, after a shift in pursuits, he started finding out legislation till his father-in-law, a police officer, inspired him to think about the civil companies. His suggestion to try the civil service exams in the end modified the course of Sandip’s life.
From medical to civil companies
“I used to be extra inclined in direction of legislation on the time, however my father-in-law inspired me to attempt the civil companies throughout my last yr,” he tells The Higher India. By 1997, at simply 24, Sandip had handed the exams and joined the Goa Civil Providers. His journey from there finally led him to the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), with postings in Andaman, Delhi, and now Goa.
Earlier than coming into public administration, he was an completed sportsman, competing in soccer, hockey, and desk tennis on the state and nationwide ranges. “Sports activities and schooling ought to go hand in hand,” he displays. “They educate you self-discipline, teamwork, and resilience qualities which have been important in my profession.”
When the IAS officer was tasked with managing the St Francis Xavier Exposition, he knew he needed to devise revolutionary methods and approaches. Held as soon as each ten years, the occasion attracts thousands and thousands of devotees and vacationers to Goa to witness the veneration of the saint’s relics on the Se Cathedral. The 2024-2025 exposition, which ran from November 21 to January 5, drew a record-breaking eight million guests.
Making ready for thousands and thousands: The group behind the exposition
Jessica drew an image of the meticulous planning that went into the occasion. “The safety preparations had been top-notch,” she says. “Baggage scanners, frisking, designated entry and exit factors, clear signage, and a big police presence ensured that each particular person was completely screened earlier than coming into the Se Cathedral.”
To deal with an occasion of this scale, Sandip broke the work down into 9 key areas, guaranteeing every was managed by an knowledgeable. “The success of any large-scale occasion lies within the collective effort of a group,” he explains.
Safety and crowd administration
With 1000’s of holiday makers anticipated, sustaining order was vital. The Inspector Common of Police oversaw site visitors and safety, guaranteeing the crowds moved safely and effectively. In the meantime, the Collector of North Goa dealt with administration and protocol, performing because the bridge between authorities authorities and church officers.
Infrastructure and cleanliness
The venue needed to be well-prepared. The Chief Engineer of the PWD ensured all amenities had been in place, whereas the Commissioner of Labour and Employment managed waste administration and sanitation to maintain the grounds clear and organised.
Communication and budgeting
Protecting the general public knowledgeable was essential, and the Director of Info and Publicity took cost of media and communication. Funds had been simply as necessary, and the Extra Secretary of the Finance Division ensured the occasion stayed inside finances. “We had to ensure assets had been allotted effectively, and we succeeded in doing that,” Sandip says.
Well being, IT and emergency preparedness
From IT and accreditation to medical amenities, each element was lined. The Managing Director of ITG dealt with tech wants, whereas the Director of Well being Providers ensured medical groups had been prepared for any emergencies. A senior PWD officer managed transport and catastrophe preparedness, guaranteeing all the things was in place for a secure occasion.
“By having the precise folks in place and trusting their experience, we ensured that no facet of the Exposition was ignored,” Sandip provides.
Managing crowd surges by means of fast choices
Crowd administration posed its justifiable share of challenges, significantly when the customer numbers surged. On weekends and holidays, the crowds grew to become overwhelming, and fast motion was the necessity of the hour to keep away from mishaps.
“Generally, it’s good to make choices on the fly,” Sandip admits. “When the group swells, it’s essential to regulate to make sure security and ease of motion. We needed to lengthen veneration timings on some days or halt sure companies quickly to present the group time to disperse.”
His means to adapt on the spot was key to managing these challenges. As an illustration, to scale back the pressure of lengthy walks on aged guests and to assist folks with disabilities, he launched buggies and e-rickshaws to move folks from the parking areas to the veneration web site.
Nevertheless, when the crowds grew to become too giant, generally these companies had been paused for a sure interval. “That you must be versatile and make on-the-spot choices to keep away from casualties throughout these conditions,” he says.
With thousands and thousands of holiday makers, the potential for stampedes was a priority. “Self-discipline and clear protocols are vital,” the IAS officer stresses. The veneration queues had been fastidiously monitored by civil authorities and the police to forestall overcrowding. His group ensured that the queues had been well-regulated, spreading out veneration instances throughout the day to keep away from bottlenecks.
Jessica remembers, “Regardless of the overwhelming crowds, all the things felt managed, and we didn’t really feel claustrophobic. The volunteers guided us, and there was a transparent system in place that everybody adopted.”
‘We arrange management rooms that monitored the group motion’
To additional guarantee security, Sandip’s group made use of expertise. “We arrange management rooms that monitored the group motion utilizing AI-based expertise to depend folks in real-time,” he explains. This technological help allowed the group to regulate their plans as wanted, preserving the occasion below management always.
One of many key elements behind the success of the Exposition was the collaboration between the Goa authorities and the church. “It wasn’t only a government-managed occasion, it was a joint effort with the church,” he displays. This partnership ensured that each one points of the Exposition, from the non secular ceremonies to crowd administration, had been dealt with with care and respect for the cultural and non secular significance of the occasion.
Sandip credit the success of the Exposition to the energy of the group behind it. “It’s not a one-person job,” he says. “You want a group of devoted professionals who can take cost of their respective areas and work collectively in direction of a typical aim.”
Expertise with large-scale occasions
This was not the primary time the IAS officer was tasked with managing a large-scale occasion. In 2013-14, because the Government Director of the Sports activities Authority of Goa, he was given the accountability of overseeing the Lusofonia Video games, a multi-sport occasion for Portuguese-speaking nations. “Organising an occasion of such magnitude is all the time a problem. However with the precise group and assets, it turns into a rewarding expertise,” he says.
The Lusofonia Video games, which introduced collectively nations like Brazil, Portugal, and Zimbabwe, could possibly be likened to a mini-Olympics held within the State of Goa. The occasion was particularly vital resulting from Goa’s historic ties with the Portuguese regime, because it was as soon as a part of the Portuguese empire, and many individuals within the area communicate Portuguese.
Because the Vice Chairman of the Lusofonia Video games Organising Committee (LUGOC), he had the duty of coordinating between numerous sports activities federations and the native authorities to make sure the occasion’s success. “We needed to handle the logistics fastidiously, guaranteeing that each one amenities had been prepared in time for the Video games,” he provides
“We had been tasked with overseeing the development of fully new stadiums, in addition to refurbishing the present ones. Given the restricted time we had, it was a difficult endeavour, however we managed to finish all the things throughout the deadlines. Our group of IAS officers labored relentlessly, guaranteeing all amenities had been as much as customary, and we had been in the end capable of ship the Lusofonia Video games efficiently in 2013-14,” he explains.
This expertise in managing high-pressure occasions gave him the abilities and perception essential to deal with the complexities of the St Francis Xavier Exposition in 2024. Managing large-scale public occasions is not any small feat. The officer’s method to the St Francis Xavier Exposition demonstrates that thorough planning, fast decision-making, and teamwork are the spine for finishing up any occasion.
Edited by Megha Chowdhury; All photos courtesy Sandip Jacques and Jessica Annie Singh