THE LATE ALCANTRA BARRETO & CAJETAN GODINHO.

Within the last 3 days, 2 ex-Kuwait Goans died in Goa, both were living their retired life in Goa, both were well known foot-ballers in Goa as well as in Kuwait, one of them the ace defender representing Salgaocar Sports Club in sixties and early seventies that is Alcantro Barreto and the other Cajetan Godinho who was much younger than the former.

Playing with them since the time of the inception of our competitive soccer tournament in 1979 at Sour grounds in Kuwait,  I enjoyed their friendship and companionship on the  soccer ground in Kuwait and  with Alcantro Barreto as a  player of Sesa Goa I played against his team Salgaocar in Goa as well, both the teams then were mighty teams and having extremely good players in their folds.  Alcantro was extremely good defender who even played for Goa XI a number of times and a year before coming to Kuwait, if I am not mistaken in 1974 he even captained Goa’s team for the National Santosh Trophy.

After landing in Kuwait,  next to the Kuwait City Church there was a foot-ball ground where he was always on every Friday morning playing soccer, this ground was accessible to him because he was staying there only.

Then  in 1979 he joined United Goans popularly known as UG whom he represented as a top defender while Cajetan Godinho represented the then mighty team Goan Sporting having in its rank some of the best Goan players who were new comers to Kuwait then but earlier in Goa and Bombay they represented some of the top teams from Goa and Bombay.  During the first two years, i.e.1979/80  both the teams UG and Goan Sporting reached to the finals and Goan Sporting carrying home the winners trophies under the skippership Cajetan Godinho.

Cajetan Goodinho was like an aristocrat captain on the field having very good distribution power and also powerful long range shots. He was very decent and clean on the field never inflicting injuries on his opponents neither creating confusion on the ground.  Alcantro Barreto also the same and both were the pillars of their respective teams.  Spectators were coming to see them playing even from Ahmadi and Fahaheel early in the mornings on Fridays.  They were partly responsible to popularize our Kuwait City Sour Ground soccer tournaments. They not only played foot-ball but they also enjoyed football and they served the game of soccer.  They brought dignity to the foot-ball game also. In their deaths, foot-ball game lost two great apostles. 

May their souls rest in peace.

A.Veronica Fernandes.

GRAND WEDDING OF THE DAUGHTER OF ANNIE QUADROS (STAGE ARTISTE).

Seen above is the newly wedded couple

On 23^rd of this month, the beautiful daughter of the beautiful and renowned Tiatrist Annie Quadros, Bai Keisha got married to the handsome boy Bab Deron  at the St. Francis Xavier Church, in Velim.

Besides bridal couple, seen above are Annie & her husband

And in the evening at 8.45 at Raia Arlem, White House Venue, the reception was held which was attended by a huge number of attendees dotted with a number of prominent Tiatrists, to name a few: Wilmix & Sharon, Premanand Lotlekar & his wife Priti, Chitra & her lovely daughter Nimoshka, Anicieto & his wife, Rosy Alvares and her attractive daughter, Jerry Cal, Mario Menezes, Anthony San, Coney M, Anil Pednekar & his young daughter, Benny de Aldona and Agostinho Temudo. 

Seen above are A.Veronica, Chitra & her daughter Ninoshka

Mr. Lourencio Miranda raised the toast and said a few words advising the married couple to respect each other and live a good life together. And according to me they should also be a very good example for others too to imitate them in their living a good married life. 

A.Veronica & Jerry Cal

MC Mr. Niraj Aguiar with his mellifluent tongue and with wisdomatic  statements brought an extra colour to this highly reputed reception. 

                                   Seen above are Mr. & Mrs. Premananda Lottlekar 

The guests looked very disciplined and decent too and the entire proceeding went well till the end which came after serving the Buffet.  Earlier, Annie Quadros  rendered a beautiful song in praise of her daughter advising her of her obligations as a married person. She further said in her song very philosophically and wisdomatically how her father worked so hard abroad doing so much of sacrifices for their love.  

I wish the newly wedded couple a very successful married life.

A.Veronica Fernandes.

TIATRO "DOGUI BODMAS" BY SAMUEL CARVALHO.

On 19^th of this month at Kala Academy in Panjim, I saw the Tiatro “DOGUI BODMAS” written and directed by Samuel Carvalho (Ex-Kuwait), starting exactly at scheduled time 7.30 PM. I congratulate the director for adhering to the time very rigidly otherwise some others are so rubbish that they have no responsibility towards the attendees who cannot afford to waste their time by just sitting in the hall for the curtain to open.  I hope that those  other directors who commit this type of goof by ignoring their responsibility will maintain their time schedule very strictly.

This Tiatro was watched approximately by about 75% of the capacity of the Hall and according to my observation I found them satisfied.  As for me, I liked the story which created suspense for every step and thus kept the audience on their toes. Since this Tiatro is still going strong, I feel I should desist from giving the contents of the play.  Bai Roma plays her role well  so also Mario Menezes who seems to be vastly improved in his delivery which is having very good clarity. Roseferns also plays his role well but he belied the expectations of the audience by not singing any solo as usually he does.  In fact I was waiting to listen to his solo. Anil Pednekar’s performance was superb as he did his role very well of a son-in-law and equally matching was the role played by the seasoned and perfectionist Rosy Alvares,  of the mother-in-law.

The comedy part was good but some instances of vulgarity was still performed.  Secondly the dress code of Antonette de Maina was not appropriate and such short dresses are not used in our Tiatros.  If the great directors like Alexinho de Candolim, J.P Souzalin, Saib Rocha, Manuel de Lima, Prem Kumar and some others had to see any “pozddem” artiste wearing vulgar dresses they would either tell that artiste to throw out that indecent dress or  they will throw out the said artiste from their Tiatro. 

Tiatro is not the monopoly of the directors and artistes, public also has got a role to play, they have all the rights to criticize, correct and if necessary to reprimand the vulgar Tiatrist who indicates vulgarity not only in terminology, in dress code but also in action.  When Lucazinho Ribeiro staged the first Tiatro his motive was very clear that is to show decency because according to our history, culture, tradition and custom we Goans are very decent.  

In the Side Show songs, all the singers sang good songs but especial mention must be made  of the songs rendered by Olga, Reagan, Saby de Divar and Anil – Olga. 

A.Veronica Fernandes.

THE LATE HISTORIAN DE. TIOTONIO D:SOUZA.

Seen above is the late Dr. Tiotonio D'Souza

It is with deep regret and chagrin I write these lines to express my grief and that of all the like minded Goans, over the sad and unexpected death of our friend and Goa lover Dr. Tiotonio D’Souza in Portugal, on 18th of this month.  He was in Goa a few months back along with his wife Elvira and during his stay at Hotel Goan Heritage, Calangute, for a few days where he was treated so well by the staff of the Hotel as per his own statement. He was extremely happy to know that Hotel Goan Heritage is the very good venture of the combined  efforts of the few patriotic Kuwait Goans under the skippership of the late Vincente D’Souza for whom and for all the Goans who came forward to start this venture, Dr. D’Souza lauded  vociferously.  In this context, he asked, “why cannot the Goans from other parts of the Gulf and elsewhere initiate such ventures when they organize big cultural events and football tournaments collecting hundreds of Goans per event?” 

Let me be frank, to start a business venture you have to require courage because in business you must be ready to take risk.  Besides, you must possess some finance to start with your venture, the remaining you can borrow as loans from the financial institutions, just as the management of Hotel Goan Heritage did.  Any Ladru – Pedru type of a person who is surviving on bare minimum income and whose condition is like that of “haddli podd ani khalli podd”, cannot go ahead with starting of this type of ventures. 

Veronica seen wearing the Hat of Dr. Tiotonio

Secondly, the best of qualitative and dynamic Goans burning with love for Goa and Goan causes, among the Gulf Goans, were located in Kuwait, Mr. Vincente D’Souza was one of them.  Thirdly, organizing of foot-ball tournaments and Goan socials is not an extra ordinary deed, any Ladru-Pedru can venture into the activities they do.  Besides, from what activities they do, you can know they are nothing and precisely they are nothing they are become unknown entities in Goa after they are come back to Goa for good.  

 

During Dr. Tiotonio D’Souza’s last visit to Goa somewhere in September we both of us exchanged views on Goa, Konkani and other aspects of now corroding Goan life.  He was highly appreciative of my writings in Digital Blogs even requesting me to compile all my important writings on Tiatros in the book form.  He was happy to read my book, ”from coconut threes to oil wells” where he said he got lot of information on Goans’ life in Kuwait.  He was well conversant with Kuwait since his father was working in Kuwait from early fifties.

                                                Veronica seen with Dr. Tiotonio

He was eagerly waiting to return to Goa in a few months’ time as an adviser to  the script of the new Konkani movie to be produced by one Goan business house. He loved Tiatros and when Tausif de Navelim staged his Tiatro some years back “Akantwadi Amkam Naka” in Panjim, he and me too saw this Tiatro at Kala Academy Hall.  Recently, during his last visit to Goa, we saw together along with our wives the Tiatro “Pedro Portuguez” staged at Kala Academy, Panjim.  

When he came to Goa last time and before leaving for Portugal he said to keep his memory alive in me, he removed his Hat from his head and put it on my head which I wear very often now, as it is shown in the second photo here.

In him Goa lost a great literary figure whose expertise concentrated on Historical research.

My his soul rest in peace.

A.Veronica Fernandes.

I CONDEMN THE TERRORISTS' ATTACK ON INDIAN SOLDIERS IN KASHMIR.

I strongly condemn the cold blooded attack carried out at Pulwama in Kasmir by, as alleged, Pakistan thru remote control, a few days back.  This will not be an end and I am sure it will be carried forward more vigorously if it is the genuine work of Pakistan. Even though Pakistan denies its hand directly in such attacks yet everyone knows how it works.  Normally, without  Islamabad’s direction nothing works there.  Pakistan has already  realized its inability to weaken India by fighting a war militarily and hence Pakistan is using these tactics of terrorism to weaken India where they look gaining.

Ealier in Mumbai attack about 10 years back how the Pakistani terrorists made mockery of the mighty military power, India. Those terrorists finally made fools of all the protectors of India’s sea routes. God knows if these protectors of our ocean were heavily bribed by the Pakistani agents to close their eyes during the journey of the terrorists to Mumbai. Indians are known to be very good bribeable commodity and this can be easily ascertained thru many of those working for Customs who shamelessly demand bribe for them to release the goods the passengers bring along with them when they, our foreign based Indians return back on vacation.

Killing our Jawans so many in number at a time means an indication that our enemies are stronger in this segment of fighting with India. Otherwise, was it the work of indigenous Indian terrorists who are also trying to destabilize India because of their internal political differences? This can easily happen by the suppor of our high ranking politicians who are ready to do anything for the sake of money.  These politicians are like the curse on India and the way they are looting India with the help of their power, they are capable of doing anything in India even if India suffers.

During my long period in Kuwait very few Goans must have moved and mixed up with different segments of Pakistani community as I did and I came to know that even an ordinary Pakistani is anti-India, as a whole Pakistanis hate India, they want to take their revenge of  the defeat Pakistan suffered against India in the then East Pakistan resulting in the birth of Bangladesh. In Pakistan according to my information, there is one Military College whose graduates at the time of receiving  their degrees/diplomas they have to swear upon God that they will take their revenge against  India for the defeat India inflicted on Pakistan.  This was the most horrible, most humiliating and most disgraceful defeat that Pakistan suffered. When the 90 thousand Pakistani POW’s returned back home to Pakistan, they were, at least some of them, were openly humiliated by the Pakistanis by showering insults on them and even spitting on them.

Even on Pakistan’s embarking on Atomic device is not only to frighten India but if possible to use it against India however in the bargain they will be the bigger losers that does not bother them. What  bothers them is how to weaken  and destroy India.  This is their Goal. And in this direction, they will do anything to harm India.  They want to humiliate India as much as they can and in anyway they can.  In Kuwait I saw so many Pakistanis from the lowest category to the highest, they kept for them Indian ladies even oldies,  many of them Goans as their concubines and as told to me by some of these Pakistanis, they kept them as their concubines because they feel psychologically superior to Indians and they like to keep these ladies as their subjects and treat them as slaves thus getting false feelings that they make Indians as their slaves.

A.Veronica Fernandes.

THE LATE VISHNU VHAG & HIS HATRED TOWARDS CHURCH SCHOOLS.

I have nothing against him neither I have anything common with him but as mentioned in Julius Caesar by Sakesphere, “the good that man doth often interred with the bones, the evil always remaineth after him”.  May God forgive him of all his sins and may his soul rest in peace. During  his  last speech in the Assembly  session of  his last term, Vishnu Vhag  was very angry on Diocesan Society when he said like a “Rhagist Ranatlo Vagh”, somewhat like this ‘’what Diocesan Society think, just because they built their schools they feel they can do anything?  We can also build our own schools and show to them what we can do and we will build”. Poor thing. He never survived to challenge the Diocesan Society. But the anger against Diocesan Society he released from the advantageous platform of Goa Legislative Assembly hurt the feelings and sentiments of the overwhelming majority of Catholics in Goa.

In Goa, the Catholic Church and Diocesan Society is  not a hindrance to any particular person or any organization or any particular community.  Catholic community as a whole  is peace loving community  not bent on creating problems for others and according to its doctrine it cannot do any problem to anyone.  Because of it’s peace loving doctrine there is peace and peaceful atmosphere prevailing in Goa since the advent of Christianity in Goa. Because of its non-belligerent attitude, Catholics do not fight with others as we see elsewhere in India where you see Hindu-Muslims riots.  There is no Hindu-Catholics riots in Goa and will never happen as long as the ancestral and traditional bond built centuries ago by Catholics and Hindus/Muslimsremains intact.  However, the only fear now is that of influx of migrants overwhelming majority of whom are non-Christians, who may sow the seed of discord between original Catholics and original non-Cathoilics because these migrants are carrying in their veins communalism.

In the Diocesan Schools not only Catholics study and work but others too without any discrimination and these schools are built by the donations mostly  of Catholics. I don’t see any non-Catholic giving donations to the construction of Church Schools in our localities.  In my village in Candolim when Fr. Alvito Vaz fell short of money in the beginning itself when he as the principal of under construction St. Theresa’s High School, approached with the begging bowl one local Hindu millionaire, in early sixties, that millionaire never gave a single paisa even though Fr. Alvito Vaz told him that in this school even your Hindu community students study.  But he never cared however, we the locals especially the financially small people never neglected our responsibility and somehow or the other collected the required amount including from my Mocambique based sister and her husband, they gave 75 thousand rupees to overcome the  financial calamity. In this way we the local  Catholics shouldered our responsibility to erect that monument of learning where besides Catholics, others like Hindus, Muslims and now a great number of migrants as well study. Leave aside non-Catholics study there but so many non-Catholics males and females work in these schools not only as teachers but also in the administrative jobs and thus they earn their sustenance.        

After the invasion of Goa on December 19th, in 1961, Church in Goa took the very good lead in spreading the education in Goa for all Goan children and because of this appropriate  initiative the standard of education and manpower in Goa has gone high. Unfortunately, many of the critics of Diocesan Schools are those who do not belong to the Catholic community nor give any donation, even if you beg with them but they will come sprinting to register the enrolment  of their children in the Diocesan Schools. Yet Diocesan Society  does not harbor any revenge

.

During the Portuguese era in Goa, Portuguese Governador Vassalo e Silva initiated the compulsory free Portuguese schooling for all Goan children attaining the age of 6, somewhere in 1958.  The implementation of this compulsory schooling was put forward so vigorously that failure to follow this rule would make the erring students/their parents pay the fine of around Rupees 250/-.  From here it is to be noted that Portuguese Governador was the pioneer in spreading education in Goa who was the pure Catholic just like Fr. Lyon who established first English High School of Goa at Arpora where not only the Catholoic studied but also a huge number of Hindus studied too.

A.Veronica Fernandes.

THE LATE FRANCIS D"SOUZA AND HIS BJP.

Never to talk ill of the dead,  goes the Roman saying. My friend at St. Xavier’s College Mapsa, ex-Minister Francis D’Souza  and current MLA from Mapsa constituency was totally exploited by the BJP led by Parrikar and after foot-balling him the way they wanted, BJP dumped him into waste paper basket.  It is sad to know how Francis failed to realize the chicanery of Parrikar in particular and that of BJP is a big question mark.  Francis may say anything but BJP and Parrikar used him as a mirror of Christian community in general and Catholic community in particular. BJP used Francis only to woo and get the goodwill of the Catholic community in Goa whom Francis treated as nothing.  

He was my fan and admirer at soccer ground especially at St. Xavier’s College and Mapsa Duler when I was playing for Sesa Goa also on athletics field where I excelled in running.  Though he was junior to me in College yet he admired me.  During my meeting him any time he used to wish me very respectfully with his normal humility which he derived from his father Mr. Pedro a popular and helpful figure at Camara Municipal Bardez.  It was because of his father Pedro, Francis gained name and fame and good respect in Mapsa and other villages in his constituency.

During my last 5 years in Goa after returning from Kuwait, he invited me at his place along with my wife for Dinner thrice during special occasions and he discussed with me many of the subjects touching our younger days. He had very good memory which I came to know when he cited some incidents created by me while playing soccer.  It is surprising he still remembered the minute incidents that occurred on the soccer ground 50 years back, one of them was at Duler ground during our encounter between Sesa Goa and Vasco. We were leading by one goal to nil, when the atmosphere inside and outside the ground was heavily charged, I shoulder dashed the most robust forward of  Goa, Bernado of Vasco who felled down on the ground and rolled in agony for about 10 metres.  Referee did not point out any fault but spectators who were mainly the supporters of Vasco entered the ground in thousands demanding infringement.  Nobody touched me though at moment it looked they wanted to kill me.  When spectators refused to leave the ground, referee from Agacaim nicknamed as “Cheuris” blew the long whistle and abandoned the game.   

He did what he felt the best by by getting embedded to BJP thinking they would stand by him when need arises but true to their anti-Christian principle and pro-Hindu doctrine they dropped Francis like a potato in the Kitchen. To please the Goa command and Delhi high command of BJP he even went to so far as to call himself as Christian Hindu. By totally surrendering himself to the doctrine of BJP he even forgot to raise his voice against BJP’s anti-Christian decisions thus proving to Christians that there is no one in BJP to support Christians. Mathanay Saldanha also did the same. Similar tactic was used by the recently died George Fernandes when he was a cabinet minister at the Centre. When our own elected representatives refuse to side with us then who will support us?  Then God play Ḥis role by implanting in our bodies incurable illneses like Cancer or Kidney failure etc. that take control of our bodies.

 

It is a pity that within 48 hours 2 stalwarts of Goa disappeared like an Ether and how many more are there in line?  It is not good to hurt the sentiments of the weak.   Where are all the then great stalwarts of MGP gone now?  Fear God my brothers and sisters.  There may not be any one on this planet to check your moves but there is somebody above to  put a full stop to all your moves. Respect God – Fear God because as it is said  in Konkani “DEVACHEA MARANK AVAZ NA”.

A.Veronica Fernandes.   

THE INTELLECTUAL TIATRIST JOE ROSE

JOE ROSE – THE WELL KNOWN 

TIATRIST.

One of the best intellectual Tiatrists that I came across on Konkani Stage is none other than Joe Rose as he goes by his Stage name otherwise his real name is Jose Maria Mathias Ignatius Thomas D’Souza born on 31^st July, in 1946 in Bombay and brought up also in Bombay only.  I am sure many of the readers of this column will know the beautiful and glamorous lady, a Konkani Stage artiste in late sixties and in seventies, Carmen ROSE  who dazzled the Konkani Stage in Bombay and in Goa  and mesmerized the audience by her sheer beautiful looks, superb acting and melodious voice, is his sister.  This relationship with his sister Joe Rose disclosed when he staged his Tiatro "Guneaum Konnacho"  directed by Carmen Rose which was her maiden name and after her marriage "Lobo" was added to her maiden name. Earlier the stage name of Joe Rose was Master Joe because of his young age. According to elders, Master Vaz was the youngest Tiatrist to step in on Konkani Stage and precisely because of this he was called MASTER Vaz and after him came Bab Lipo in Airestedes Dias' DOIA Tiatro.  

I saw Joe Rose first time on Konkani Stage somewhere in late sixties in the Tiatro at Narvenkar “Mattou”, Mapusa, he was then accompanying one of the Bombay troupes encompassing in its fold some of the topmost professionals when he as a handsome young man with his powerful voice rendered one of the beautiful songs on the great Goan Parliamentarian Dr. Francis Luis Gomes who represented South Goa in the Portuguese Parliament where he created a name and a fame for him.  In fact when Dr. Gomes went to Europe he demanded from the Europeans not only the liberation for Goa but also for the whole of India and that too much before the Ghandis and Nehrus were born. For this song the Editor of UZVADD, the Konkani daily in Goa,  Evagrio Jorge presented  Joe Rose with one book "Eminent Goans" written by Mr. Evagrio Jorge only.

Then I started thinking how this young man became an apostle of Dr. Gomes? In fact I said to myself that he must be a real intellectual man in the midst of intellectually bankrupt class of Tiatrists many of whom lowered the Konkani Stage by washing their dirty linen publicly using cheap topics for their songs when the audience is least bothered on these topics and using vulgarity mainly by the third grade comedians. Then when I went deep into this matter, I came to know that this young man, this young dazzling Tiatrist, a songster, a composer  and a playwright was the Student of St. Xavier’s High School, Dhobitalao in Bombay and also of St Xaviers College, Bombay from where he completed his graduation in English Literature – a great achievement  indeed and then went on acquiring  one more feather in his glittering Cap of educational background, that is B.ed and immersed himself in the dignified profession of a Teacher at Our Lady of Dolours, Marine Lines. While talking to him, I could recognize the power of his language and knowledge where he indicated that he was very well read in Shakesphere’s Dramas, French literature mainly Victor Hugo and many other world renown authors.  At. St. Xaviers College he revived the dormant Konkani Mandal and was its elected Secretary for 2 years. Such an intellectual man should have been the president of TAG but I don’t know why he was not elevated to the presidency last time when he was already its vice-President. Only an educated and intellectual giant with his clean image and decent character can give dignified picture of TAG. This position is not meant for any Ladru – Pedru type of Tiatrist, especially a morally corrupt and intellectually bankrupt even though some of our corrupt politicians, it seems,  are pushing unworthy candidates to the post of its presidency. According to my information, political pressure is working very hard to install unworthy candidates to occupy the chair of TAG presidency.  The Tiatro fraternity must in unison raise its voice to put an end to this "chamchagiri" done by the cheap Tiatrists to occupy the top position in TAG.  According to me some of the Tiatrists enjoying  a little respect only because they are Tiatrists otherwise they are fit for nothing. It is time now for the Tiatrists to elect somebody from among them, the one who is really capable of doing this job well and not to escape from attending important meetings with the excuse "I am having my Tiatro today and hence I will not come for today's meeting".  If you have your Tiatro and other functions then you be there only and not get involved in TAG.  Those who got no time to devote for TAG then they have no right to be in TAG. 

Thru his educational and intellectual achievements Joe Rose gave a booster to Konkani Stage then because in the absence of such intellectual giants the grandeur of Konkani Stage suffered thereby giving a low image of our Tiatros.  Precisely, because of this, Tiatrists during those days were considered as low grade people lacking not only in good family background but also lacking in educational, social, moral and intellectual background and thus lacking in good character and good discipline. See how some of the current comedians exposing all their dirty characteristics  because of the vulgar terminology they use on the Stage. By doing this they indicate first and foremost their hoi-polloi family background where they lacked good home discipline because of the defective parents. I have seen Joe Rose so many times on the Stage playing different roles including that of the comedian but never he used foul and vulgar language as  few of our third class comedians use now to entertain the third class audience.

Coming from an affluent family background Joe Rose’s father was wielding lot of influence during those days in Bombay since he was owning in partnership with his friend a big Restaurant and a Bakery and many of the renowned Tiatrists were frequenting there as his  customers. Hence, the Tiatro circle was not strange to Joe Rose because he was also mixing up with them. Besides this his father was the sole owner of Hotel Olympia situated close to Race Course Matheran. His father loved him too much and on one occasion for his birthday presented him as a birthday gift a lovely Pony. 


“Tiatristpon” is the natural gift of God to Joe Rose and making good use  of it  he entered first time on the Konkani Stage when he was barely 7 years - that was a very tender age,  in the Drama “Fatima Saibinn” and then followed  by “Bernadette of Lourdes” staged both by Dr. Simon C. Fernandes, the Editor of Konkani Weekly "The Goa Times".  By the time he reached to 15,  he acquired name and fame and offers started pouring in for him to play different roles in different Tiatros from different directorts. While still a student in School and College, he came in contact with his colleagues namely Jalal Agha, Anup Kumar Gangoly (Asokh  Kumar’s son) and Vijay Sippy - the son of the director & producer of the Film "Sholay", later on Vijay Sippy became renowned Bollywood artiste. Joe Rose also during his scholastic career participated in extra curricular activities such as elocution, debates and dramatic competitions and won prizes.

After serving as a teacher for 8 years in Bombay, he migrated to Dubai where he worked as a Night Auditor at Oasis Hotel and as a part timer he taught at St. Mary’s School, in Dubai.  He could do any type of role with perfection namely of a hero, villain, landlord and comedian and compose any type of songs.  This is the rare quality a Tiatirst can possess.

Joe Rose is also a very good Playwright, director and lyricist in which capacity he wrote and staged his so many Tiatros, about a dozen,  in many parts of the Konkani world, the most popular of them were  “Imtteache Bhognar”, “Sukh ani Dukh”, “Dussreak Lagon” , "Arbi desh Amcho desh" and “Ekuch Rogot”. 

As a songster, he composed innumerable songs in different categories such as solos, duos, duets, trios, quarters and rendered the same in Tiatros, Audio/Video Cassettes and All India Radio.  Incidentally, after Alfred Rose, Joe Rose happened to be the second Tiatrist to record a Konkani Cassette, these Cassettes were marketed by India Book House and were put up for sale for standard price @ Rs. 35/- a piece.  As a matter of interest, his Cassettes were even kept for sale  in Soviet Russia.  Besides, Joe Rose also produced his own Konkani Albums and rendered his voice for the Albums produced by other producers as well. 

Joe Rose had unique distinction of acting with some of the great Tiatrists of yesteryears not only in Goa and Bombay but even in other parts of the world such as Gulf &  London.

Being an excellent performer, he received accolades and honours from different organizations and institutions, eg: Cine Times Award for best character actor in 1990 and Kala Mogui Candolim, in 1993 for the services he rendered to Tiatros and GRAF for being the best lyricist.

Joe Rose is also a social worker having done yeomen services for the cause of Goans in Bombay in particular and for the society in general.  In this direction, in Bombay at Dhobitalao he was instrumental in doing the campaign successfully  to name one garden after the topmost Goan sportsman Walter D'Souza who as  a member of the Indian Field Hockey Team took the Gold Medal at the 1948 Olympic competition. Incidentally, both Joe Rose and Walter D'Souza are the proud sons of Aldona that produced so many great stalwarts of Goa in different fields. 


In spiritual aspects, Joe Rose did not lag behind when in fact he helped in the promotion of our religious activities, for example he served for two terms as the Confraternity Secretary at Our Lady of Seven Dolours, Marine Lines and also as Secretary of the Parish Council. 


His greatest ambition is to immerse himself in Goan politics by first entering into local politics in his constituency, Aldona so that he can serve his own constituents better.  However, he may plunge into any type of activity but his dramatic activities will continue.   

A.Veronica Fernandes.