OPHELIA CABRAL GOOFED? OR KALA ACADEMY?
On Tuesday, 17th April 2007, at 6.00 p.m., Kala Academy Goa, organized TIATR DAY CELEBRATION at Dinananth Mangeshkar Kala Mandir, Campal, Panji, Goa. Since 1996 Kala Academy celebrates Tiatr Day annually with pomp and during this celebration Kala Academy felicitates few selected Tiatrists for their lifetime contribution in the field of Tiatr. This year on 17th April, The Kala Academy felicitated 7 senior Tiatrists for their outstanding contribution to the development of Tiatro.
The seven Tiatrists are Pascoal A. Fernandes from Morjim, John Gomes (Kokoy) from Cuncolim, Julio Rod (Jr. Rod) from Cortalim, Ophelia Cabral D’Souza from Porvorim, Cyriaco Dias from Ambora, Brazinho Soares from Kalapura and Rico Rod from Chinchinnim.
My point of writing these few lines is to straighten something on Ophelia which is either intentionally bent by Kala Academy or by Ophelia herself though I have my conviction that Ophelia will not commit such a goof. During the felicitation celebration one small booklet was published by Kala Academy where brief descriptions of all the seven artistes were given. While describing Ophelia’s contribution, it is written there that she toured Bahrain, Beirut and Dubai and received felicitations and awards from different organisations. Unfortunately the name of Kuwait where she was felicitated by Kuwait Goans was found totally missing while describing her accolades. Was it done intentionally by Kala Academy? Or was it done on the advice of Ophelia Cabral because she wanted to keep clouded the felicitation of Kuwaitkars? I cannot believe that Ophelia was responsible for omitting Kuwait’s name but then she should have raised her voice loudly and forcefully against the decision of omitting the name of Kuwait and Kuwaitkars and if necessary as a mark of protest she should have rejected the felicitation given to her by Kala Academy as a mark of protest. By accepting the felicitation minus mentioning the name of Kuwait and Kuwaitkars’ felicitation in her brief in the leaflet issued by Kala Academy she proved that she was also a party to the wrong decision taken by Kala Academy on omitting the name of Kuwait and Kuwaitkars from where and from whom she received Honours and felicitation and above all, in her own words, enermous love and affection as never received anywhere before in her entire lifetime.
Ophelia was brought to Kuwait by Kuwaitkars last year and was felicitated in a specially organized function by Goan and Konkani Association – “Konkani Heritage Kuwait”. It was a grand felicitation organized in one of the City Hotels attended by prominent Goan and other Konkani people residing in Kuwait. Her actress daughter Babli was also present there at that time, so too one of the renowned senior Tiatrists H. Briton. During her thanking speech after receiving the Commemorative Plaque – A Memento – she said with loud voice and with pride that “this is the greatest moment for me in my lifetime because what Goa Government and others could not do my Kuwaitkars “bhav” have done for me and I feel proud of them”. The video recording of this special function done in her honour was spread all over the world and the news briefing of this event was highlighted not only in the Kuwaiti newspapers but also in Goa. Besides, thru internet the news of this felicitation was spread all around the Goan world.
When this is the case, why it was missed to highlight in Kala Academy’s Booklet? It must also be noted that much before Ophelia could tour Bahrain and Dubai, she was brought to Kuwait along with her late husband Bab Peter and the then their tiny daughter Babli about 20 years back too to participate in the same director’s - Rosary Ferns’ – Tiatro.
As a mark of protest I am sending copies of this write up to Kala Academy and to Ophelia Cabral too by using their email addresses.
Also, as a mark of protest against Kala Academy for omitting the name of Kuwait and Kuwaitkars’ felicitation in its booklet, if Ophelia Cabral is innocent on this issue, Ophelia Cabral must reject this felicitation and return to Kala Academy what has been awarded to her on that day, as a mark of protest. To do this is not something big thing because what she got from Kala Academy is not a Nobel Prize nor a Knighthood. Even Knighthood was rejected and returned back by Rabindranath Tagore on the advice of Mahatmah Gandhi when British goofed against Indians.
A. Veronica Fernandes,
Kuwait.
