Financial whiz who’s equally at ease juggling words

DNA, Navi Mumbai; 23-Mar-10

Crossword made by investment banker Mangesh Ghogre has appeared in the Los Angeles Times.

Panvel-based Mangesh Sakharam Ghogre has stunned not only his countrymen, but also the Americans by becoming the first Indian to construct a crossword for Los Angeles Times. The first crossword constructed by the alumnus of Fr Agnel Multipurpose Junior College,Vashi and Mahatma School of Academics and Sports has appeared in Los Angeles Times on March 9. An investment banker with an international bank, Mangesh took up to crossword solving when he was pursuing engineering to improve vocabulary and has been consistently doing it for past 13 years.

“After cracking crosswords all these years I wished to move to the next level which was constructing crossword of my own. Therefore I started getting in touch with different crossword constructors, accessing software which helps to do so and finally formed my own crossword,” said the 29- year old.

Mangesh, a Mechnical Engineer and MBA in Finance from Narsee Monjee Institute of Management and Higher Studies, has a liking for English language and spirituality which he expresses through his writings in different newspapers.

He is columnist on spirituality, business education, youth issues and also lecturer at the Fr Agnel’s Junior College for personality development, career counseling and stress management since past four years. When asked how he manages time, he replied, “I have lot of time.” He further informed, “From Monday to Friday I am completely occupied with my work, on Saturday’s I visit Fr Agnel Junior College to interact with my students on all topics but not studies. This works as big stress buster for me. I also solve crosswords with them and lecture them on values of life. Fr Almeida has been kind by giving me the opportunity to interact with his students.”

Like Agnel’s, Mangesh wants to reach out to other schools in the city to promote crossword solving and its benefit. “Crossword solving develops lateral thinking which is need of the hour in all professional sectors. Especially for those who want to become leaders and promote offbeat ideas. Therefore, I want to promote this at school level itself so that our students know how to go about, which will eventually globalize there point of view,” said Mangesh.

MR. WORDSWORTH

Initially, to solve crossword refer dictionary, thesaurus, Google any means of information. If nothing else refer next day paper to check answers. Mangesh did it for first three months without even trying to write single word on paper. Gradually one starts picking words and therefore successfully solving crossword, he says

Using dictionary is not copying its like riding learning curve. The idea behind this is to become a dictionary eventually so that you don’t have to refer one.

The first crossword constructed by the alumnus of Fr Agnel Multipurpose Junior College, Vashi and Mahatma School of Academics and Sports has appeared in Los Angeles Times on March 9

An investment banker with an international bank, Mangesh took up to crossword solving when he was pursuing engineering to improve vocabulary and has been consistently doing it for past 13 years