With deep regret
and chagrin I write this piece to
express my sorrow over the untimely death of our friend and colleague Evaristo Fernandes on 19th of this
month in Goa.
The late Evaristo became
my friend when I first met him at St. Xaviers College Mapsa strating our
college education. He finished hs SSC
thru Monte de Guirim and me tru St. Jseph’s High Schol Arpora .
At his residence
Then in 1975 when we
both migrated to Kuwait, we fortified our friendship further. A few months
earlier than me he came to Kuwait and started his social and spiritual work and
after I landed in Kuwait he inducted me in one of the church organized groups
“Legion o Mary”.
His son-wife-daughter
Then when I started my
first movement in kuwait for the cause of Konkani, starting first the Novem
Goem fund collection, he was my close colleague in this movement himself being
one of the members of the executive committee. He has later on helped me to establish Kuwait Konknni Kendr being its founder member.
First row family members in the Church at Pomburba
Then every activity of
mine he was with me both in supporting financially and lending his intellectual
advices as he was highly intellectual and literate man. Men of his intellectual caliber are very rare
in Kuwait and I was fortunate to be blessed by God with the companionship of
our late Evaristo Fernandes.
People seen in the Church
We stayed together in
Kuwait city for about 15 years in the same Flat of 2 independent rooms
from where I organized so many activities.
Because of this house I managed to keep at my place so many visitors
coming to Kuwait, most of them the visiting Tiatrists, males and females as
well.
Choir singers in the Church
During the period of invasion of Kuwait by
Saddam Hussein of Iraq, especially during the first 4 days when the invading
troops were in Kuwait, we both suffered a lot of harassment, both mental and physical. My suffering was beyond imagination because
of my journalism since Saddam Hussein’s regime do not tolerate intellectual
class of people. They tortured me more especially mentally to get some
information of Kuwait and India too.
Bro. Cajetan Fernandes doing the reading
Then we came to Goa
thru repatriation and as decision was taken by me in Kuwait on the very first
day of the invasion of Kuwait to organize a movement in Goa in support of
Kuwait and against Iraq, with his strong support for my decision, Goa-Kuwait Solidarity
Center was formed. Evaristo was an integral part of this organization both
as an adviser and also as a participant.
His son Aristotle on funeral oration
Tough he was not much vocal
yet many times in the public meetings he raised the issues of Goan interest. When
in early 1975 Dr. Vaidya came to Kuwait from Goa to collect funds for the
establishment of Goa Cancer Hospital Society, Evaristo asked Dr.Vaidha the
following question:
Parish Priest Fr. Diogo D'souza
When Bandodcar was
alive, he gave full patronage to Asilo Hospital situated at Mapusa Bardez because
Bardez was the strong citadel of MGP while
Hospicio Hospital in MARGAO Salcette, being in the UGP citadel refused
to give even the the bare minimum. In view of this what role this
Hospital will play when this Hospital put
into operation?
Band in attendance
Among the Goans in
Kuwait he was highly read Goan and he could quote best of quotes of many of the
world’s renowned authors either from Renaicence period, ancient period or
mediavel period or from any period.
Philosphy was his very favourite subject and when he was in Kuwait he
was thinking to go to France to join
Sorbonne.
Cemetry
As a human being he is
a very good man with very good character and very helpful for any person in
trouble. As a Goan, he was the genuine Goan patriot having great love for
Goa, Konkani, Goan Culture, tradition and folklore. Personally he was a great
help to me in furthering my activities for the goan causes. In his death I lost a great friend and a colleague. May his soul rest in peace and may the Heavenly
father give courage to his wife and three children (2 daughters and a son) to bear this colossal loss.
A.Veronica Fernandes.
