Veez Global Illustrated Weekly e-Magazine. Published from Chicago, USA.

Illustrated Weekly

Vol: 1 No: 3

January 20, 2022

'Purple Lotus' Award Winning Book Debut Indian American Author Veena Rao Photo Credit: Sumi’s Photography

Editorial:

Covid/Omicron Farce in Karnataka!

For any kind of Virus to spread to

around, go to schools, go to work,

human beings, there is no timetable

go to temples, churches, mosques,

set. It is just a virus comes any time

etc., and this virus does nothing to

and goes away on its own.

them.

But in Karnataka State virus acts

politicians and police control during

very differently!

weekdays.

It has its own

Everything

is

under

Also, this crazy virus

timetable set. There is no problem

knows

when

whatsoever during the weekdays

Christians celebrate their festivities.

and weekends until 10:00 p.m. Then

According

is comes out of the dark and poor

politicians, it does nothing to Hindu

people get this poisonous virus. I

festivities and BJP party activities!

think that is the main reason why in

Even during curfew, these two

Karnataka there is a curfew during

groups and gathering withou any

weekends from 10:00 p.m. to 5:00

fear, without masks and without

a.m.

following social distancing!

Similarly, when there are Muslim or

Last week a huge group gathered to

Christian festivities, this virus gets

celebrate Jatra in Sullia during night

uncontrollable. This was researched

curfew; virus was silent, didn’t

by Karnataka politicians in their

bother them at all. Police force and

recent covid research activity. These

politicians knew this!

are the two reasons why Karnataka

only reason they were too silent.

to

Muslims authorities

weekends from 10:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m. in Karnataka.

Politicians in Karnataka are very smart, super smart. All day people -Dr. Austin Prabhu, Chicago

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and

That is the

Government imposed curfew during

in Karnataka roam around, shop

and

'Purple Lotus' Award Winning Book Debut Indian American Author Veena Rao Chicago fame and his brainchild 'VEEZ

Celebrated Author and multifaceted achiever, Ms. Veena Rao, Indian origin

English Illustrated Weekly'

American, a loyal personality to her

comes into

roots like Indians who have made it

known worldwide for highlighting the

big in the international arena like,

Mangaluru ethos in all its splendid

Satya Nadella, Sundar Pichai, Indra

facets,

Nooyi and many more; is to be

achievements of Mangaloreans - here

recognised here at home too. In a

let us look at a wondrous literary

recent

Rao

achievement that is enviable and calls

reiterated her US dream, adding she

for emulation by our younger folk.

was equally proud and acknowledging

May it inspire reading and writing in all

of her Indian origins. Indeed, it is a

languages to always stand tall and

thrill for Mangaloreans, to see this

auger well everywhere.

interview

Ms

Veena

introduction to a mass of readers world

over;

Dr.Austin

Prabhu

of

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its own.

welcoming

now

VEEZ is well

the

unending

US based celebrated author and

around the US. Having also a YouTube

personality features here to personally

Channel and vibrant social media

share her story, readers are very

platforms.

Veenaji

has

been

recognized by The Limca Book of Records (the Indian version of the Guinness Book of Records) as the first

Indian woman to edit and publish a newspaper outside India. When she is not

writing

or

meeting

press

deadlines, you will find her meditating

or photographing the flora and fauna on her wooded walk route.

The Mangalore ethos : fortunate to enjoy the privilege.

Ms.Veena Rao - an award-winning journalist and author of "Purple Lotus", her recently released debut novel, is a 2021 Georgia Author of the Year finalist, a 2021 American Fiction Award

winner, and an award-winning finalist in the multicultural and women’s fiction

categories

of

the

2021

International Book Awards. She is the

founder, publisher, and editor-in-chief of NRI Pulse, an Atlanta-based news publication, serving Indian American

and other South Asian communities of the US, since 2006 primarily covering

Hailing from Mangalore proper, Ms

news from the South Asian lens from

Rao's family speaks chaste Kannada.

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Her maternal grandfather B Somanath and grandmother B. Padmavati were

The book 'Purple Lotus' opens with the

from Jeppu, Mangalore. Her father

scene where protagonist Tara’s family is moving back to Mangalore from somewhere in the Northeastern part of the country. That scene is a page

out of her own life, who at six with her family moved to Mangalore from Cuttack,

Orissa.

They

lived

in

Mangalore for ten years. Young Veena

went to St. Gerosa (opp Jeppu Seminary) and then to St. Mary’s High School (Falnir). She was the middle

child, with an older brother and a younger sister. Her dad and brother were voracious readers and back then there were wonderful libraries. So,

Book 'Purple Lotus' presented to Indian Ambassador to the US Sri.Taranjit Sandhu.

they read a lot and fell in love with the make-believe world of books very early in life. She is sure that for her,

Ramesh Rao worked at Mangalore

escaping into books was a way to cope

Chemicals and Fertilizers (MCF) for a

with the big transition from Cuttack to

while. Mother Suguna Rao raised the

Mangalore.

three children, Veena's elder brother

Rajesh and younger sister Reena, mother now in mangalore.

Veena

Rao's son Aditya Rao is getting a PhD

in international relations from Cornell University in New York US; yes she still visits Mangalore often.

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postgraduate degree in Economics from the Fergusson College in Pune and subsequently, a post graduate degree

in

Journalism

Communication University

from

following

and

Mass

Symbiosis which

she

launched out into the deep as a journalist.

At age 12, she declared that she Nubile Veenaji was 17, when her family

would become a famous writer one

moved from Mangalore to Pune. But of course, Mangalore is always 'home' to her with roots deep and durable.

Like many reading this, she used to visit

grandparents during summer

breaks. So, when writing her debut book ‘Purple Lotus’, it was only natural

that she set it partly in Mangalore, very understandable.

Most

of

the

Mangalore parts of the book however With members of an Atlanta Book Club day and she truly is now, world famous

too. Veena Rao, detective

novels

started writing with

American

detectives for Indian classmates to read during lunch break. It was the love of writing that landed her into journalism.

Graduating

with

are crafted purely from memory.

Depicting the local foods and the culture—the bhuta kola, the Navaratri festival and the huli vesha… the

beaches, temples and churches which provides a refreshing and captivating read for Mangaloreans wherever they are on this planet.

a

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Thumbnail of 'Purple Lotus' : 'Tara' the leading Character of the book, has a strong Mangalore base, even her name makes you feel at home. Tara moves to the American South three

Protagonist

years after her arranged marriage to

techie executive Sanjay. Ignored and lonely, Tara finds herself regressing back to childhood memories that have scarred her for life. When she was eight, her parents had left her behind with her aging grandparents and a schizophrenic uncle in Mangalore,

while taking her baby brother with them to make a new life for the family in Dubai.

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Tara’s

memories of

Author Signing the Author's wall at Atlanta abandonment and isolation mirrored her life of loneliness and escalating abuse at the hands of her husband.

She accepts the help of kind-hearted

American strangers to fight Sanjay, only to be pressured by her patriarchal family to make peace with her circumstances. Then, in a moment of

truth, she discovers the importance of self-worth—a revelation that gives her the courage to break free, gently

rebuild her life, and even risk being shunned by her community when she marries her childhood love, Cyrus Saldanha. Life with Cyrus is beautiful,

until

old

fears

come

knocking.

Ultimately, Tara must face these fears to save her relationship with Cyrus— and to confront the victim-shaming society she was raised within. Intimate and deeply moving, Purple Lotus is the

story of one woman’s ascension from the dark depths of desolation toward the light of freedom. Author Veena Rao says, “The underlying message of the book is self-awakening and hope.

You are your own hope -even if you feel vulnerable, fearful, afraid. It’s

never too late to take control over your life. I hope the international audience that reads this book will 8 Veez Illustrated Weekly

understand

that

some

immigrant

12 years ago, she got a copy of the

women have a harder time breaking

'Kite Runner' by an Afghan American

free from an abusive relationship

writer called Khaled Hosseini. Then

because of social factors, or legal

Hosseini’s second book was called 'A

dependence, or because of financial dependence on the abuser. And I also

hope victims will feel encouraged to seek help. And even if they are not in a position to seek help, I hope my book will encourage them to believe in

their own worth”.

Dreams realized :

The dormant

Thousand Splendid Suns' and she fell so much in love with the two female

Group at Book discussions in

characters that inspired her. So, she

Mangalore, hosted by city-based

sat in front of a blank page, and the

Sabrina Hougaard/Soulo

first words she typed were ‘Purple

Conversations.

Lotus’! The Purple Lotus is the symbol

dream to be a writer was ever active

of self-awakening. The lotus blooms in

within Veena Rao but materialized say

murky, stagnant waters but grows

40 years later; she was busy as a

unblemished and beautiful. And that’s

journalist, had a son to raise, a

Tara’s story. My book is about a

business to run. Forget writing, no

woman from Mangalore who moves

time even to read fiction. Finally, about

to the US after an arranged marriage

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but is trapped between an abusive

Book Awards in two categories, it felt

marriage on the one hand and a

like the years of hard work, persistence

patriarchal family that wants her to

and patience had finally paid off and

make peace with her destiny and try

fame was on hand. A couple of quotes

harder to keep her husband happy. It’s the story of how a lonely, isolated,

vulnerable woman finds the courage to take control of her life and live a full happy life.

The awards : In 2019 Veenaji entered

from prime sources : "Rao’s resonant novel is an ode to the value of

personal dignity and the importance of being true to oneself that carries on a

manuscript

contest

organized

long

after

the

final

chapter."

-

annually by publishers. To her shock

Newsweek magazine. "A moving and

and joy, ‘Purple Lotus’ won the contest

polished novel that highlights Rao’s

and a book and publicity deal. It was

literary promise..." - Kirkus Reviews. "A

one of the most important and joyful

vivid and resplendent novel for our

moments of her life. Since its release,

time." - Elaine Neil Orr.....'Purple Lotus'

Purple Lotus has resonated with

is available on Amazon India.

readers across the world. When the book won the American Fiction Award, the Georgia Author of the Year award, and was a finalist in the International 10 Veez Illustrated Weekly

about an immigrant woman from India who finds herself in a small rural town in Georgia (USA) and at the receiving end of casual racism, surely another award-winning best seller in a lucky year for all 2022 !

Author

Veena

Rao

is

currently

advancing ahead on her second novel,

- Compiled : Ivan Saldanha-Shet.

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Pope’s Three Tools for Building Lasting Peace

Every year on the New Year’s Day, 1 January, the Church celebrates the World Day pf Peace. Each year the Holy Father sends a message for the celebration of the World Day of Peace. This year, 1 January 2022, on the 55th World Day of Peace, Pope Francis had this message for us: “Dialogue Between Generations, Education and Work: Tools for Building Lasting Peace.”

In his introductory remarks Pope Francis expresses his sadness over the fact that the path of peace which St. Pope Paul VI called by a new name of integral development,

“remains sadly distant from the real lives of many men and women and thus from our human family, which is now entirely interconnected.”

Despite numerous efforts, wars and armed conflicts, diseases of pandemic, effects of climate change and environmental degradation, hunger and economic slowdown all add up to disruption of peace in the world.

The Pope reminds us that peace is both a gift from on high and the fruit of a shared commitment. All of us, therefore, must contribute our mite towards peace beginning with our own individual hearts and families, then within the society and all working up to relationships between peoples and nations.

Pope Francis proposes three paths for building lasting peace. First, Dialogue between Generations,

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second, Education and third Work. A word on each: 1. Dialogue Between Generations to Build Peace: In a world beset with untold problems two common reactions of people are, either to flee from reality or to react with destructive violence. But Pope Francis says that there is another possible option: “Yet between selfish indifference and violent protest there is always another possible option: that of dialogue.

Dialogue between generations”. He goes on to explain: “Dialogue entails listening to one another, sharing different views, coming to agreement, and walking together.”

This sounds very much like the way we are to be involved in the current synodal process on Synodality.

We must note here that Pope Francis does not merely preach but works to promote peace. We recall with great admiration how a couple of years ago he brought leaders of two warring factions of South Sudan together and even knelt and kissed their feet in order to broker

peace.

Stressing the urgent need for an intergenerational partnership, Pope Francis affirms: “Young people need the wisdom and experience of the elderly, while those who are older need the support, affection, creativity and dynamism of the young.” Pope Francis is of the firm opinion that “the global crisis we are experiencing makes it clear that encounter and dialogue between generations should be the driving force behind a healthy politics, that is not content to manage the present with piecemeal solutions or quick fixes but views itself as an outstanding form of love for others, in the search for shared and sustainable projects for the future”.

For such lasting endeavours, dialogue between the elderly (“keepers of memory”) and the young (“those who move history forward”) is necessary. Each must be willing to make room for others and not to insist on monopolizing the entire scene for pursuing their own immediate interests.

Such intergenerational dialogue is

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also necessary when we think of care for our common home. The environment, the Pope reminds us, “is on loan to each generation, which must then hand it on to the next.”

2. Teaching and Education as Drivers of Peace: To build paths of peace together we cannot ignore education which is a privileged setting and context for integral development. “Education provides the grammar for dialogue between generations”, observes the Holy Father.

However, the Supreme Pontiff laments that “In recent years, there has been a significant reduction worldwide in funding for education and training; these have been seen more as expenditures than investments. Yet they are the primary means of promoting integral human development; they make individuals freer and more responsible, and they are essential for the defence and promotion of peace. In a word, teaching and education are the foundations of a cohesive civil society capable of

generating hope, prosperity and progress”.

While there is a significant reduction in the funds for education, on the other hand, military expenditures have increased and they seem certain to grow exorbitantly, says the Holy Father. He goes on to call governments to “develop economic policies aimed at inverting the proportion of public funds spent on education and on weaponry”.

Pope Francis hopes that “investment in education will also be accompanied by greater efforts to promote the culture of care…………….. A country flourishes when constructive dialogue occurs between its many rich cultural components: popular culture, university culture, youth culture, artistic culture, technological culture, economic culture, family culture and media culture”.

Pope Francis says that it is essential then “to forge a new cultural paradigm” through “a global pact on education for and with future generations, one that commits families, communities, schools,

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universities, institutions, religions, governments and the entire human family to the training of mature men and women”.

It is by investing in the education and training of younger generations, we can help them, through a focused programme of formation, to take their rightful place in the labour market, affirms the Pope.

3. Creating and Ensuring Labour Builds Peace: “Labour is an indispensable factor in building and keeping peace”. Humans are social animals. We always work with or for someone. Hence the workplace enables us to learn to make our contribution towards a more habitable and beautiful world.

Pope understands the Covid-19 pandemic has negatively affected the labour market. Millions of economic and productive activities have failed. Migrant workers have suffered particularly with no system of welfare or social security for them. Violence and organized crimes are on the increase in many countries. The only answer to this is

“an expansion of dignified employment opportunities” according to the Holy Father.

“Labour, in fact, is the foundation on which to build justice and solidarity in every community. Peace is not possible without justice and solidarity. “Efforts must be made to encourage a renewed sense of social responsibility, so that profit will not be the sole guiding criteria.”

The fundamental human rights of the workers must be respected.

When justice is ensured and human rights are respected, the workers will themselves contribute to building peace.

Holy Father concludes his World Day of Peace Message with the following appeal to government leaders, those with political and social responsibilities, priests and pastoral workers, and to all men and women of good will: “let us walk together with courage and creativity on the path of intergenerational dialogue, education, and work. May more and more men and women strive daily, with quiet humility and

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courage, to be artisans of peace.

And may they be ever inspired and accompanied by the blessings of the God of peace”. Let us pay heed to the Holy Father’s appeal and to his peace message. Let us use the three tools proposed by him and contribute our share in building world peace. Peace be with you!

+ Gerald John Mathias Bishop of Lucknow

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------PRESS RELEASE Sensus Fidei (sense of the faithful) – what people actually feel and think about the Church and the way ONLINE SURVEY FOR SYNOD forward.

With the resurgence of Covid it has become impossible to organize or conduct any physical meetings or consultations for the Synod on Synodality 2021-23. It sought to hear the uninhibited voices of the ecclesial community, especially of those on the margins. The Indian Catholic Forum had to indefinitely postpone the gathering that it had scheduled for February in Bangalore for this same reason.

The only option now open to us is to conduct an online Survey using Google Forms, that is totally confidential. Pope Francis talks of the

Catholics resident in India who are above 18 years of age, even if they have "stopped going to church", are earnestly requested to CLICK on the LINK given below to access the Survey Form and respond accordingly. THey are also requested to share the link with others among their contacts.

In the service of the Church through a successful and meaningful synodal process, I remain.

Fraternally. chhotebhai

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CONVENOR INDIAN CATHOLIC FORUM LINK: (Mob 9415130822 email: https://forms.gle/bdfgXYC7aXRMD noronha.kp@gmail.com) tbG6 -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Scholar Priest is PRO Mangalore Diocese

Rev. Dr. John Baptist (JB) Saldanha was recently appointed as the Public Relations Officer of the Diocese of Mangalore by Bishop Rev. Dr Peter Paul Saldanha. Fr J B Saldanha is a multi-faceted scholarly and spiritual personality who has served the Diocese of

Mangalore in diverse spheres, a familiar face and well respected. He has been serving as Parish Priest of St Francis Xavier’s Church, Bejai and Manager of the famed Lourdes

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Central School, Bijai. He is also the Diocesan Spiritual Director of Catholic Sabha.

A deep lover of Konkani, he is very popular with all types of people, very friendly and courteous. Very down to earth and yet a scholar par excellence very rare to find indeed.

He serves on several advisory bodies of the Diocese and many institutions. He was for long a member of the faculty at St.Joseph's Seminary, Mangalore.

Born October 29, 1963, he was ordained May 10, 1990, at Mangalore. His silver jubilee of priesthood was marked in a special way on May 10,

2015.

Rev. J B Saldanha has earlier served as the Professor and Head of Chair in Christianity, Mangalore University. He holds a Ph.D. from the Catholic University of Leuven, Belgium, and MA in Sociology from Osmania University. Fr J B Saldanha is also a Masters degree holder in Applied Ethics and Religious Studies from Leuven University, Belgium. He also holds a Diploma in Depth Counseling and Diploma in Developmental Journalism. He has authored several books and religious articles.

Rev Fr J B Saldanha being the PRO

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of the diocese in addition to his many roles is seen to augur well and is welcomed by media and a cross section of people of the city of Mangalore. Secular Citizen Weekly, Mumbai and all its sister concerns

are glad to welcome him for a fruitful and long service to the church and people of the region.

- Compiled - Ivan Saldanha Shet.

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Daijiworld.com steps into 22nd year: Thank you for ever-growing reach Mangaluru, Jan 14: One more year has passed quietly without much fanfare, where we unitedly faced the challenges wrought by Covid, with uncertainty threatening us every day. Many sectors have faced problems, but with the help of our readers, supporters, and our advertisers, Daijiworld was able to register another year of growth. This is the time to say thank you for your unconditional support. We promise to continue the momentum and put even more efforts to keep you updated on news and current affairs, and keep you entertained with innovative television programmes.

We are happy to announce that our viewership is rising sharply and consistently with 1.5 million unique users every month. This is phenomenal growth during such difficult days and challenges, and it is to our readers, advertisers, wellwishers and to our dedicated team that we owe our success.

We are also proud to share that our Facebook followers on both daijiworld.com and Daijiworld247 television pages combined have now crossed the 600,000 mark and

our YouTube subscriptions have reached a record 400,000 mark, which is much higher than any other TV channel across the coastal region. We are happy that this digital success helped us reach readers and viewers worldwide much faster with accurate information and innovative entertainment.

Localwood: Perfect OTT platform for local entertainment To mark our 20th anniversary, we had launched our Localwood OTT platform in collaboration with ATC Online. Localwood has now successfully passed the experimental period. With around 20,000 subscribers already, we are now ready to launch quality local entertainment for a nominal price.

We hope supporters of Daijiworld across the world will help us grow this OTT platform by subscribing annually. In return, we promise you top-class entertainment in the form of movies, shows and innovative programmes in TULU, Kannada, and Konkani languages.

Direct donor-to-beneficiary charity cause crosses Rs 25 crore Continuing our motto of enabling

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direct help from donors to beneficiaries, we are happy to share with you that assistance to the tune of Rs 25 crore has been generated through the appeals published on daijiworld.com during the past 21 years. More than 1,200 individuals and families are beneficiaries of direct help from our readers who contribute to noble causes like medical, educational, housing, and other needs. Our charity mission will continue, and we will do our best to help the deserving.

At the same time, through our TV channel, we have been able to help people during the second Covid wave as well. Many donors and Good Samaritans came forward to help the needy during the Delta wave and the subsequent lockdown.

Portal upgraded by ATC Online ATC ONLINE, a leading IT solution company headed by Ivan Fernandes Dubai of DUCONT fame, has taken up the task of upgrading Daijiworld portal from Dot Net to PHP Laravel framework. They have been successful in creating a portal that is highly user-friendly and provides real-time daily classifieds, articles, columns, and regional and local news, and more, to audiences across not only coastal Karnataka but also the overseas diaspora. ATC has also developed our Android and

Apple compatible apps and other software requirements. A special mention has to be made of Richard Fernandes, general manager, ATC ONLINE who has successfully supervised the transition.

A message on Daijiworld.com's 22nd birthday will be incomplete without thanking each and every staff member, without mentioning any names. The sincere team efforts, dedication, and commitment of our team members has brought us this success today.

As always, our directors are our inspiration and strength. We have been able to achieve this success due to their support and sacrifices.

We look forward to continued support from our readers, wellwishers, agencies, advertisers, sponsors, and team members. With your support, we hope to continue our efforts in bringing you accurate news as and when it happens and keep you entertained through our television channel for many more years, besides expanding our wings with new ventures.

We promise you that we will bring more innovative and exclusive features very soon.

May the year 2022 bring us lots of

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happiness, peace and prosperity, and importantly, let us pray for a Covid-free world.

For your feedback, suggestions and other info you may contact us on our helpline WhatsApp number: +91 6362321633.

---------------------------------------

Walter Nandalike Founder, Group of Daijiworld Media ---------------------------------------

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couple of months.

Shenoy was involved with the Konkani Bhasha Mandal since 1980.

He was made the organising secretary of the Konkani Jatha movement for organising people to demand establishment of Konkani Academy. In 1993, he became the president of Konkani Bhasha Mandal Karnataka. Because of his efforts in 1994-95, the Karnataka Konkani Sahitya Academy came into existence.

Basti Vaman Shenoy, founder of World Konkani Centre in Shaktinagar, passed away on Sunday January 2. He was 87.

Family sources informed that Shenoy’s health was deteriorating due to age related illness for the last

Shenoy organized First World Konkani Convention in Mangaluru in 1995. The 7-day convention had seminars, cultural presentations, and exhibition and was a grand success. He was honoured with the title of ‘Vishwa Konkani Sardar’ (World Leader of Konkani). The convention gave a mandate to establish World Konkani Centre in Mangaluru, for the preservation and promotion of Konkani language, art and culture.

In 1996, First North American

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Konkani Convention was held at New Jersey, USA. In 1997 Shenoy became the president of Karnataka Konkani Sahitya Academy and served for two terms till 2001. He initiated efforts to introduce Konkani in the Schools of Karnataka as the optional third Language.

Languages participated in the seminar ‘Integration Through Languages’.

In 2009, World Konkani Centre at Shaktinagar, Mangaluru was inaugurated. It consists of a library, a museum and convention facilities such as board room, seminar hall and auditorium. In 2010, Vishwa Konkani Bhasha Samsthan (World Institute of Konkani Language) and World Konkani Hall of Fame were inaugurated at World Konkani Centre.

In 2002, he organised the 20th Adhiveshan of All India Konkani Parishad in Mangaluru. In 2004, he became the president of All India Konkani Parishad. In 2008, under the banner of KLCF, Shenoy initiated Vishwa Konkani Abhiyan aimed at creating opportunity of interaction Shenoy's mortal remains kept at between Konkani Writers and World Konkani Centre, Shaktinagar Scholars with their counterparts in for public to pay homage between 9 other languages of the country. am to 10 am on January 3. He was Scholars from Panjabi, Hindi, cremated at his birthplace Bantwal Persian, Urdu, Kannada and Konkani at 12 pm. =================================================

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Goa: Pre-Portuguese Was Admiral Afonso Albuquerque suckered conquering Goa?

Through the 14th and 15th century, Portugal has been step-by-step exploring the sea route to the East.

It accomplished this in 1498 with Vasco da Gama's successful voyage to India.

In 1510, the FIRST European colony in Asia was established on the west coast of India at Goa; and Tiswadi was the keyhole through which Europe would directly enter and trade with the Asian continent. Yet! Was Goa a land of Peace and Prosperity flowing with Milk and Honey?

de into

Was the admiral’s ignorance of (prePortuguese) Goa’s history taken advantage off?

The port of Goa benefited economically from its many valuable assets. Its sheltered inland port at Ela on the Mandovi River was ideally suited to the needs of the caravels plying the oceans during the colonial period. Goa was located halfway along the west coast of India and at the junction of the south and central Indian land mass and its empires. Suggestion to the reader: Having a map of southern

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India available for reference will facilitate understanding how the locations of certain cities played a pivotal role in many historical events.

Goa: Pre-1510 -–- Pre-Iberian Arrival

Several writers have subscribed to the fact that Pre-Portuguese Goa was a peaceful, prosperous place, which flowed with milk and honey.

In addition, these authors claimed that prior to Lusitania’s arrival, Goa and its surrounding region had several demographic groups, and EACH of these comprised hundreds of thousands of members. These groups included Muslims, GSB Brahmins, non-GSB Brahmins, other Aryans and non-Aryans, Buddhists and Jains, Jews, Nestorians and other Syrian Christian groups, Arabs

and Moplahs (descendants of Arab traders), etc. It is difficult to determine the primary occupation of each of these groups; as farming the land and fishing, were the main sources of livelihood in the Konkan region during the 14th and 15th centuries. Goa did not produce commodities for export except for the betel nut. However, the port of Ela on Tiswadi Island was ideally located for the importing of Mideast horses destined for cavalries in the Deccan. Understanding the PrePortuguese geo-political conditions will shed important light on the population demography in Goa and the reasons why Iberia landed in Tiswadi in 1510.

More recently, a science publication that relied on genomics to evaluate the migration of Goans described a "bottle neck migration" in the 15th century. The authors attributed this exodus to Portuguese colonization and the Inquisition. The theory, unfortunately, is flawed. The colonization and the Inquisition began only in the sixteenth century

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(1510 and 1560 respectively). The discrepancy aroused our curiosity regarding Goa’s people in the 15th and 16th century. It is important to note between the 15th to 19th centuries, population density worldwide was low, and life expectancy was about 40 years due to natural causes and the prevalence of widespread tropical and parasitic disorders, and STDs. At this period, preventive measures such as prenatal and childcare, vaccines, and antibiotics were unavailable.

A review of Goa’s history PRIOR TO the Iberian arrival reveals significant reasons for shifting population. At the turn of the 15th century, Goa was part of the Vijayanagar (Hindu) kingdom, which had its capital at Hampi. In 1429, the Bahmani (Muslim) kingdom conquered Goa, but lost it five years later. The seesaw Hindu-Muslim rule of Goa continued throughout the century - in 1436, 1453, 1649, 1472, 1485, and 1493. Yusuf Adil Shah took control of Goa in 1502, when the Bahmani Empire disbanded, and

Goa not only became part of the Bijapur kingdom, it was also established as its second capital.

The above information was obtained from a timeline of important historical events affecting Goa. The dates do not include the many futile skirmishes that did not lead to a change in rulers over Goa.

As was customary during the time, the victor handed out patronage (land and government jobs) to his soldiers and destroyed the homes and places of worship of the defeated natives. The intention was clearly to encourage the locals to leave the area. Both successful and failed military encounters adversely impacted the lives and livestock of the populace; in both cases, natives were conscripted as unpaid workers to repair roads, buildings, and forts.

Wars, famines, and epidemics are the most common causes for population shifts. Merely writing about those years makes me empathize with the war-weariness the Goans of that era surely felt. I do not know if I could have survived

39 Veez Illustrated Weekly

those frequent battles that very likely involved loss of life, livestock, and property damage. In addition to the deliberate vandalism, buildings in Goa also deteriorated during the monsoons, a time when either no caretaker was available, or the custodian could not afford to undertake the necessary repairs.

There certainly were good reasons for Goans to flee en-mass and in multiple waves during the 15th century. The exodus cannot be blamed on the Iberians and was certainly not due to the Inquisition.

Clearly, the Hindu-Islamic turmoil took its toll on various sections of the population in Goa -- Hindus, Muslims, and other demographic groups reducing them in number and ratio. The historical course of events in the 15th century explains why Timoja, with the Raya of Vijayanagar’s blessings, invited Portuguese Admiral Afonso Albuquerque to acquire Goa at the start of the 16th century. As a result, Iberians would expend their own lives, money, and materiel in

holding on to Goa at the behest of the Hampi ruler.

Whoever controlled Goa had access to Mideast horses, which were essential for their cavalry. Further, the rulers could deny their adversaries the right to use the port for that vital purpose.

It was important for the cavalry to be guaranteed a steady supply of the renowned equines especially because the animals could be counted on for only a few years of age-related peak physical performance.

Until the 19th century, the cavalry was the main instrument of warfare, and Goa’s port was ideally suited to the import of Mideast horses for India’s inland empires. Later, the widespread use of artillery and canons made the cavalry redundant.

The Fateful Year of 1510 Very likely Timoja gave the Portuguese admiral similar guidance that the Chinese gave the Mongols - “You can conquer from a saddle (of a horse) but you cannot

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rule from a saddle.” Since 1498, (when Vasco da Gama landed in India) the Iberians found that phrase be true, contrary to their original plans.

In 1510, it took three separate clashes in the months of February, May, and November for Iberia to conquer the small island of Tiswadi. Afonso was a brilliant naval strategist, perhaps the best in maritime history. But his knowledge of the geopolitical history of Goa was nil. In fact, neither he nor Lisbon had heard of the hidden inland port at Ela, till the admiral stumbled on it while chasing the Calicut fleet taking refuge in Goa’s Bay. Prior to 1510, the closest Iberia came to Goa was Anjediva an island in the Arabian Sea off the coast of Goa. The inland Tiswadi Island with its port attracted the admiral like a pitcher plant draws a dragon fly; and Hampi and Timoja hoped and anticipated it. Today’s geopolitical strategists would likely call the raya’s and Timoja’s invitation to Afonso as ‘playing threedimensional chess’. For now, for the first time in world history, Europe

established a maritime colony in Asia. Yet was Afonso’s triumph at Goa a pyrrhic victory, which resulted in a hot-potato landing in the Iberian lap? Was the see-saw conquest (win-lose-win) of 1510 a foretaste of what was to repeatedly come throughout the 16th century and beyond? Our book outlines Vasco da Gama’s and Afonso Albuquerque’s exploits.

Goa: Post-1510 Estado da India Even with the Iberian take-over, there was no peace in Goa. Over time, a friendly alliance developed between Iberia and Vijayanagar against a coalition of five Deccan Sultanates and Calicut. Goans were forced to pay a heavy price for the Mideast equine trade, which was conducted at their coveted port -smack at the border of the Vijayanagar and Bahmani/Bijapur Empires.

The Bijapur-Hampi conflicts of prior century were replaced by Bijapur-Iberian battles, which occurred every few years beginning in 1510. Details of these

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skirmishes have been presented. In 1565, the joint sultanates defeated the Vijayanagar Empire and conquered the south, where Hampi was the last bastion of Brahmanical Hinduism. The Sultanates tried unsuccessfully to repeat the feat against the Portuguese in 1570; and the Bijapur threat to Goa ended when Mughal emperor Aurangzeb eliminated the Bijapur Empire in 1686. However, long before that date, the Marathas were knocking down Goa’s fortifications, and former friends and foes kept coming through a revolving door.

Iberia’s maritime supremacy at coastal enclaves was powerful because of its proximity to the sea.

However, that asset became a liability with the arrival of other sea powers – namely, the Dutch, who were followed by the English. In a short time, alliances were forged between the land and maritime powers. Antagonism began when Bijapur and the Dutch formed a pact against a coalition of Iberian and Mughal militia. The frequent

Iberian-Adil Shah conflicts of the 16th century went on to dovetail with clashes against the Dutch in the 16th and 17th centuries. The Dutch blockaded Goa intermittently from 1536 to1641. From 1629 to 1635, Lusitania lost 4,000 men and 155 ships to the Dutch, who attacked Goa as part of their quarrel with Spain. (Lisbon had been ruled by Spain from 1580 to 1640). Even after Spain was evicted from Lisbon, the Dutch continued to take advantage of Lusitania's weak state and consequently maintained the blockade of Goa from 1641- 44. In addition, the Dutch displaced Iberia from Ceylon and its feitorias in India, south of Goa. Presence of the English navy north of Goa (Surat and Bombay) like deterred Dutch naval vessels in those waters. It seemed as if Goa finally achieved its longed-for peace in 1668, but that peace was short-lived. Goa soon had to confront the Marathas, who intermittently attacked Goa and occupied parts of the colony.

It has been reported that more

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Lusitanians in the east died from tropical diseases and STDs (preantibiotic days) -- infections which were brought from the new world - than in defending the flag. Twenty to thirty percent of Iberians died from scurvy, other illnesses, and physical mishaps during the roundtrip voyage around the Cape. Again, because these deaths occurred during the 250 years the Inquisition was imposed does not mean the Inquisition caused the deaths.

Contrary to the above referenced gene-study paper, “no Roman Catholics faced severe torture and even extermination by the auto da fe and hence possibility of population bottleneck.”

In no uncertain terms, the populace was not diminished by the Inquisition.

Indian and European writers who claim Goa’s Inquisition caused “extermination” … “holocaust” … “genocide,” are seeking publicity and need to answer the question, “Who was defending Goa in the frequent attacks by the sultanates, Dutch, and Marathas?” Another equally important scenario

demands an explanation. How does one reconcile the fact that during the period of the Inquisition there were continued Carreira da India convoys to Goa which annually shipped 4,000 soldiers, settlers, and European visitors, including dukes, counts, connoisseurs and other well-heeled tourists who came to the “paradise of the orient” in search of solace, satisfaction, sex, and spice? These individuals were ready to take in the intoxicating sights of Goa’s Bay, bathed in golden sunlight.

Bangarachem Goem continues to be the bon-vivant tourist haven with an Indo-Iberian vibe. IMO, the Inquisition in Goa is the lazy historian’s crutch on which to attach every unsavory event that went on in colonial Goa. Fortunately, Goa achieved near-complete elimination of endemic malaria and the mosquitoes that caused the disease.

We hope you enjoyed reading this aspect of Goa's history. There is a lot of ‘food for thought.’ Please forward these articles to your

43 Veez Illustrated Weekly

relatives, friends, peers, Indian and Iberian chat sites. Sharing history is sharing our cultural heritage. Thank you for allowing us to forward this to you, and to the many that have responded positively.

Your feedback is welcome.

authors click Insights into Colonial

Goa.

Philomena and Gilbert Lawrence Authors: Insights into Colonial Goa Published via Amazon in paperback and e-book.

For details about the book and

(Philomena (nee Pereira) is a granddaughter of Sangolda and Aldona. She graduated from St. Anne’s High School in Bombay/ Mumbai. After receiving her Bachelor of Arts, and Bachelor of Education degrees from the University of Bombay, she taught at St. Xavier’s Boys’ Academy and Greenlawns High School, both in Bombay. She is a freelance journalist and her articles about inspiring, creative, and community-minded people have been published in numerous newspapers and magazines across the USA.

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Gilbert is a grandson of Aldona and Guirdolim. He attended St. Thomas School in Aldona and Loyola High School in Margao, Goa. He passed the SSC exams in 1961, completed pre-medical courses at St. Xavier’s College, Bombay, and received his Medical Doctor’s degree from G.S. Medical College in Bombay. In 1972, he received his Master of Surgery degree from K.E.M. Hospital and Tata Memorial Hospital. Gilbert proceeded to England in 1973 to study radiation oncology. At the F.R.C.R. (Fellowship of Royal College of Radiology) examination held in London, he was considered an outstanding student and was awarded the prestigious Rohan Williams medal — the first nonBritish student to receive this prize.

The e-book is also available in India.)

Click available to buy on Amazon (This book is worth reading and learn about Portuguese Goa.– Ed.) The 435-page book provides details about the “story behind the story” of certain major events relating to colonial Goa. The bibliography comprises the titles of 74 books and published papers examined, studied, and referenced, which makes the book a useful tool for those interested in Goa's colonial history.

Gilbert and his wife, Philomena, immigrated to the U.S. in 1977.

Since then, he has been in clinical and academic practice and has had more than 70 medical/research papers published in various national and international cancer and radiation therapy journals.

45 Veez Illustrated Weekly

Brent Cooper

Trial and appellate counsel for Cooper & Scully (1993-present) It was of no use in the investigation and the family and government did not want it to be an object of curiosity.

“It was approximately 1:00 PM when a man called Vernon B. O’Neal of O’Neal’s Funeral Home and asked for the best casket that O’Neal had available. The man on the phone, simultaneously calm and tense, needed the coffin quickly and O’Neal had a slight problem. Of the 18 people who worked at O’Neal’s Funeral Home, 17 of them were out to lunch. After all, it was a beautiful Friday day for November in Texas.”

“O’Neal picked out a solid-bronze coffin with white satin lining tagged at a sales price of $3,995 from his 46 Veez Illustrated Weekly

storeroom and waited for three more of his employees to return from lunch. The bulky Handley Brittania casket from the Elgin Casket Company weighed over 400 pounds when it was empty and O’Neal certainly couldn’t lift it into his Cadillac hearse by himself. Once he had it loaded, he rushed to Parkland Memorial Hospital on the most important delivery of his career.”

“Vernon O’Neal was horrified when he saw the condition of the President’s body. Blood was everywhere and a gaping wound exposed brain matter which was seeping out of John F. Kennedy’s head. Not wanting to damage the beautiful and expensive casket that he had picked out for the President, O’Neal and several emergency room nurses went to work. The bottom of the inside of the coffin was lined with a plastic mattress covering and the President’s body was wrapped in a bed sheet. The nurses went even further and spent 20 minutes carefully wrapping

President Kennedy’s head in numerous white bed sheets so that blood didn’t seep through and stain the lining of the casket.”

“When President Kennedy’s casket was opened at Bethesda, it became readily apparent that the hard work of Vernon O’Neal and the nurses at Parkland Hospital in Dallas to protect the inside of the expensive coffin was unsuccessful. The makeshift bandage which had been carefully wrapped around Kennedy’s head did not prevent seepage after all. Blood soaked through the sheets which made up the “bandage” and the inner lining of Kennedy’s ornate casket was obviously damaged. “ “he pathologists who performed John F. Kennedy’s autopsy finished their work shortly after midnight on November 23, 1963. Photographs and drawings were taken of Kennedy’s body during the autopsy, and when the autopsy was finished, morticians from one of the capital’s finest funeral parlors arrived on the

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scene. A team from Gawler’s Funeral Home entered the autopsy room at Bethesda Naval Hospital to embalm the President and attempt to make him presentable. The casket that brought JFK back to Washington from Dallas would not work. While the casket from O’Neal’s was a beauty from the exterior, the interior was a mess. All of the safeguards attempted by O’Neal and the Parkland nurses in Dallas were not quite enough to protect the inside of the Handley Brittania from the gruesome wound that had killed the President.”

“The history of Vernon O’Neal’s casket did not end that night at Bethesda when President Kennedy was transferred to a different coffin.

Gawler’s Funeral Home took possession of JFK’s original casket after they placed him in the undamaged casket that their mortuary team had brought to Bethesda Naval Hospital following Kennedy’s autopsy. Whether it was as a morbid souvenir or simply due to confusion about what to do with

it, Gawler’s stored JFK’s original coffin in a warehouse in Washington, D.C. In January 1964, less than two months after JFK’s burial, Vernon O’Neal submitted a bill to the federal government for $3,995 for the casket that Secret Service Agent Clint Hill ordered in Dallas and JFK was transported to Washington in.”

“The government felt that O’Neal’s bill was “excessive”, particularly since he had merely delivered the casket to Parkland Hospital in Dallas and had not performed any other funeral services such as embalming, chapel services or transportation of mourners. O’Neal lowered the price by $500, but the government still had an issue with the $3,495 price tag. What Vernon O’Neal actually wanted was the casket itself. O’Neal had received offers of $100,000 by parties interested in collecting and displaying the casket as a unique relic of the slain President. For the Kennedy Family — still reeling from the assassination and its aftermath — the last thing they wanted was a

48 Veez Illustrated Weekly

spectacle surrounding a bloodstained coffin that JFK had spent just a few hours in. At the family’s urging, the federal government paid O’Neal (he 1965.”

“In September 1965, the House of Representatives passed a bill which required the government to preserve any objects related to the Kennedy Assassination which might contain evidentiary value. Several days later, Representative Earle Cabell from Texas sent a letter to Attorney General Nicholas Katzenbach (who had replaced Bobby Kennedy at the Justice Department a year earlier). In his letter, Congressman Cabell suggested that the casket had no value for anyone other than “the morbidly curious”. Since the Kennedy Family “did not see fit to use this particular casket in the ultimate interment of the body”, Cabell felt that it was “surplus” material owned and controlled by the federal government. To shut down those who might be

received $3,160 for his services on November 22, 1963) and the General Services Administration took possession of the object in “morbidly curious”, Cabell recommended that the casket “be declared the proper property of the USA and, as such and in keeping with the best interest of the country, be destroyed.”

“The Kennedy Family agreed with Congressman Cabell’s sentiments and Attorney General Katzenbach ensured everyone that the casket had no evidentiary value, no good reason for display or storage, and that it was the property that the government had the right to dispose of in whichever way it sought fit. On February 18, 1966, several members of the Air Force picked the casket up from a secure building at the National Archives just a few blocks from the White House. The casket was placed in an Air Force truck and transported to Andrews Air Force Base — the very place that the casket had originally landed in Washington with

49 Veez Illustrated Weekly

President Kennedy inside of it less than three years earlier. At Andrews, the Air Force team from the 93rdAir Terminal Squadron loaded the coffin on to a C130 transport plane.”

“To dispose of the casket, the Air Force had decided to take it to a place that JFK had once considered being buried: the Atlantic Ocean.

Kennedy loved the sea and was said to have considered being buried at sea when he died. Of course, we know that Kennedy was buried at Arlington National Cemetery instead, but for many reasons, the Atlantic Ocean was the perfect place for the disposal of the casket that had brought him back to Washington following his assassination.”

“The Air Force wanted to ensure the integrity of the casket and not allow it to become a souvenir by someone who happened to come across it is floating in the ocean or washing up on the shore. The C130 flew about 100 miles east of Washington, D.C. and descended to about 500 feet

above the water. Before taking off, the Air Force had drilled over 40 holes into the casket and filled it with three 80-pound sandbags. It was also secured inside of a wooden crate and sealed shut in a manner so that it wouldn’t break apart upon hitting the water.”

“At approximately 10:00 AM, the C130’s tail hatch was opened, and the casket was pushed out of the aircraft. Parachutes softened its fall, and the coffin began to sink instantly. The airplane circled the drop zone for about 20 minutes to make sure that the coffin didn’t resurface, but they had no reason to worry. The Air Force had chosen an area of the Atlantic that saw very little air or sea traffic, and the casket settled in about 9,000 feet of water.

The Kennedy Family was relieved that they no longer had to worry about a bloody casket going on display somewhere for the “morbidly curious”.

“Coincidentally, in 1999, President Kennedy’s son, John F. Kennedy, Jr.

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was killed when the plane he flying crashed. After his body recovered and identified, JFK remains were taken out into

was was Jr.’s the

Atlantic Ocean — just a few hundred miles from the drop zone of his father’s original casket — and buried at sea.”

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Major Neil Lobo Receives Sena Medal Award

January 15, 2022: During today’s Army Day Parade in Ne Delhi, Mangalurean Major Neil Silas Lobo received a distinguished Sena Medal Awad. Veez congratulates Major Neil Lobo and wishes all the best in his future endeavors.

Neil was born on July 7, 1990, to his loving parents Leo Lobo and 51 Veez Illustrated Weekly

Matilda Fernandes. Neil married to Shriya Sikhi and has a 11-month-old boy named Nathan Caleb Lobo.

Neil has only one sister, Chrisma

Aquiline who got married to Astley Lobo, now in the US.

Neil’s primary education was at St. Anthony School (Pre school to 4th) Good Shepherd Convent, Secondary school (5th to ICSE) St. Joseph’s Boys’ High School and he did his PUC at St. Joseph’s P U College (PCME) and completed his BBM at St. Joseph’s Commerce College.

Neil graduated from IMA Dehradun on 13th December 2014 and was commissioned as a Lieutenant in the 8th Light Cavalry, Armoured Corps.

He was promoted to Captain in December 2016. In 2019 he was posted to Rashtriya Rifles in Pulwama, Jammu & Kashmir.

On 15th August 2021 he was awarded the Sena Medal.

Throughout Neil’s student life, he was the active member both in college AICUF and Church Youth Club and was in choir too (St. Jude’s R T Nagar, till he joined Army in 2013.)

He was extremely good in sports – Hockey, Football, Cricket and Track Events. Even now he plays for his Army Unit. His is a very cool personality. Ever cheerful kid to

52 Veez Illustrated Weekly

othdrs especially for aged, very humble in nature. Neil believes in service more than just uttering prayers. His father Leo Lobo is a native of Bajal, Mangaluru, former professor of St. Joseph’s College, Bangaluru (Head of Department, Electronics).

Currently is an NLP trainer and practitioner. His mother Matilda Fernandes, native of Neermarga, Mangaluru, currently working as a teacher (Maths & Science) Gulabi Girls’ High School, Bangaluru.

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A new Biopic Film to be announced at Cannes Film Festival in 2022 journey of this crusader Harold D’Souza from Bajpe to Bollywood.

This common man doing uncommon things across the world, has proved; desire changes nothing, decision changes something, but determination changes everything.

Palace’

is

a

true-life

‘Pit to inspiring

Harold D’Souza is the voice and hope for those who are trafficked.

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Slavery to Silver Screen is the strength of this ‘Survivor’ who has sailed storms of struggle, shame, and stigma to success with a smile.

Founded on September 20th, 1946.

The 75th edition of Festival de Cannes will take place from May 17 to 28th, 2022 at Cannes, France.

Harold D’Souza spoke to the press;

“I was amazed with the script writing.

Tears of emotions were running high during my recent visit to Mumbai, when I listened to the script. I learnt a lot about the film making process for Bollywood Films.

It is awe inspiring the amount of work that goes into the making of a film. I respect the passion of the film producers, directors, script writers

54 Veez Illustrated Weekly

and entire team. It’s a mega project.

I am speechless with the script”.

To achieve this level of longevity, the Festival de Cannes has remained faithful to its founding purpose: to draw attention to and raise the profile of films, with the aim of contributing towards the development of cinema, boosting the film industry worldwide and celebrating cinema at an international level. And to this day, this profession of faith constitutes the first article of the festival regulations.

This film is dedicated to Harold’s loving father; “Henry D’Souza” a native of Bajpe, Mangaluru.

seaside resort into the densest concentration of film industry activity on the planet. Over 200,000 people - filmmakers, film fans, studio executives, and stargazers alike - decend on the Croisette to take part in the Festival de Cannes, more commonly known to Englishspeakers as the Cannes Film Festival.

This Bollywood Biopic Blockbuster Silver Screen Film on Harold D’Souza will create ripples at Festival de Cannes, Venice Film Festival, the Berlin International Film Festival in Germany, the Toronto International Film Festival in Canada, and the Sundance Film Festival in the United States.

For 12 days each May, the city of Cannes is transformed from a quiet

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MEN & WOMEN IN A NUTSHELL

MEN ARE JUST HAPPY PEOPLE This needs no explanation - and is a fun read, no matter your gender.

Men Are Just Happier People! What do you expect from such simple creatures? Your last name stays put.

The garage is all yours. Wedding plans take care of themselves.

Chocolate is just another snack. You can never be pregnant. You can wear a white T-shirt to a water park.

You can wear NO shirt to a water park.

Car mechanics tell you the truth. The world is your urinal. You never have to drive to another gas station restroom because this one is just too icky. You don't have to stop and think of which way to turn a nut on a bolt. Wrinkles add character.

Wedding dress - $5,000. Tux rental $100.

People never stare at your chest when you're talking to them.

New shoes don't cut, blister, or mangle your feet. One mood all the

time. Phone conversations are over in 30 seconds flat. You know stuff about tanks. A five-day vacation requires only one suitcase. You can open all your own jars.

You get extra credit for the slightest act of thoughtfulness. If someone forgets to invite you, he or she can still be your friend. Your underwear is $8.95 for a three-pack. Two pairs of shoes are more than enough. You almost never have strap problems in public. You are unable to see wrinkles in your clothes.

Everything on your face stays its original color. The same hairstyle lasts for years, maybe decades. You only have to shave your face and neck. You can play with toys all your life. One wallet and one pair of shoes - one color for all seasons.

You can wear shorts no matter how your legs look.

You can 'do' your nails with a pocket knife. You have freedom of choice concerning growing a mustache...

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You can do Christmas shopping for 25 relatives on December 24 in 25 minutes No wonder men are happier!

NICKNAME. If Laura, Kate, and Sarah go out for lunch, they will call each other Laura, Kate and Sarah. If Mike, Dave and John go out, they will affectionately refer to each other as Fat Boy, Bubba, and Wild man.

EATING OUT. When the bill arrives, Mike, Dave and John will each throw in $20, even though it's only for $32.50. None of them will have anything smaller and none will actually admit they want change back. When the girls get their bill, out come the pocket calculators.

MONEY. A man will pay $2 for a $1 item he needs. A woman will pay $1 for a $2 item that she doesn't need but it's on sale.

BATHROOMS. A man has six items in his bathroom: toothbrush and toothpaste, shaving cream, razor, a

bar of soap, and a towel. The average number of items in the typical woman's bathroom is 337. A man would not be able to identify more than 20 of these items.

ARGUMENTS. A woman has the last word in any argument. Anything a man says after that is the beginning of a new argument.

FUTURE. A woman worries about the future until she gets a husband.

A man never worries about the future until he gets a wife.

MARRIAGE. A woman marries a man expecting he will change, but he doesn't. A man marries a woman expecting that she won't change, but she does.

DRESSING UP. A woman will dress up to go shopping, water the plants, empty the trash, answer the phone, read a book, and get the mail. A man will dress up for weddings and funerals.

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NATURAL. Men wake up as goodlooking as they went to bed.

Women somehow deteriorate during the night.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY. A married man should forget his mistakes. There's no use in two people remembering the same thing!

So, send this to the women who have a sense of humour, and to the

OFFSPRING. Ah, children. A woman knows all about her children. She knows about dentist appointments and romances, best friends, favorite foods, secret fears, and hopes and men who will enjoy reading it. dreams. A man is vaguely aware of some short people living in the -Source: WhatsApp University house.

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Mangaluru: Six personalities conferred

with Eminent Aloysian Alumni Awards Media Release

Mangaluru, Jan 13: Six achievers from different fields were conferred the 'Eminent Aloysian Alumni Awards' at L F Rasquinha Hall, St

Aloysius College (Autonomous) on Wednesday January 12 by the management of St Aloysius Institutions and St Aloysius College

58 Veez Illustrated Weekly

recently appointed him as the chairperson of the National Bank for Financing Infrastructure and Development (NaBFID).

The award programme was initiated

by Fr Denzil Lobo, the then principal and later rector of the college in the year 2008- and since then SACAA has been honouring the greatest achievers of this Institution. An organising committee comprised of the rector, heads of St Aloysius Institutions, and SACAA office bearers oversee and direct the award programme.

Alumni Association (SACAA).

A total of 39 eminent Aloysians have been honoured since the inception of the award, including Dr N Vinaya Hegde, Justice Santosh Hegde, Padma Bhushan K K Venu Gopal – the Solicitor General of India, and Padma Bhushan K V Kamath who was the chairman of BRICS Bank.

The government of India has

This year the organizing committee with the help of the Jury had chosen six more eminent Aloysians. M V Nair, Dr L C Soans, Dr Cletus D’Souza, Prof Edmund Frank, Lt Gen. Ravi Eipe (virtually present) and Jeeth Milan Roche. The awards ceremony began with the lighting of the lamp by dignitaries on the dais namely Fr Melwin J Pinto SJ, rector of St Aloysius Institutions; Dr Praveen Martis SJ, principal of SAC; Archibald Menezes, convener; J S

59 Veez Illustrated Weekly

Stephen Pinto, president of SACAA and the five awardees. Following the inauguration, the college choir sang a beautiful prayer song, which was followed by Team Naadam's spellbinding welcoming dance.

Archibald Menezes, the convener of the programme welcomed the gathering and gave a brief description of the awards and its origin. "The programme was planned to be held in the year 2020, but owing to Covid constraints, it was repeatedly postponed, and today, after a long wait, we are all here to celebrate the accomplishments of these illustrious Aloysians," he remarked.

The honouring ceremony began after the welcoming remarks. A shawl, peta, fruit basket, memento, and citation plaque were handed to the six achievers (one of whom participated the programme online). Lt Gen Ravi Eipe, who joined the programme digitally, was honoured by Fr Melwin J Pinto SJ, rector and patron of SACAA. He

thanked Lt Gen Ravi and presented him with the award digitally.

"Generations of students who have passed through the portals of this great institution have immensely contributed to all spheres of life, thus facilitation a social, economic, and spiritual transformation at the national as well as global level," said Fr Dr Praveen Martis SJ in his felicitation address.

C G Pinto, Jayaram Bhat, Marjorie Texera, and CA Chandramohan K Y were on the award selection committee. Archibald Menezes congratulated and praised the jury members for their work. Out of the four, C G Pinto was present at the programme, he was presented with a memento and a bouquet.

M V Nair, non–executive chairman, Trans Union CIBIL who gave the conclave address, talked about the importance of networking. He added that NCC has played a significant part in his life, assisting him in expanding his network and increasing his self-confidence. He

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also brought up the Aloysius from his dream. "We should constantly aim to make a good difference in people's lives," he remarked. It's critical that you remember to make a good difference in people's lives."

He also reminisced about his fond recollections of his time at the college.

"It's crucial to remember that half the war may be fought in the head if you're facing a challenge." Even if you are ill, you must maintain a pleasant attitude. Nair said, "A mental attitude may bring a lot of change in your life." J S Stephen Pinto, president of SACAA, gave the vote of thanks. He thanked all the guests on the dais for attending, as well as the NCC students, student council, SACAA executive committee members, college staff, and the organising committee for their support. Reena Monteiro, head of the English department, St Aloysius PU College compered the programme. The ceremony ended with the national anthem, followed by a sumptuous meal.

Following were the recipients of the ‘Eminent Aloysian Alumni Awards’:

• Mavila Vishwanathan Nair is the non-executive chairman of the Trans Union CIBIL, India's largest credit bureau and the nonexecutive chairman of KFINTECH Pvt Ltd, a leading registrar and transfer agent.

• Dr L C Soans is a renowned practitioner of organic farming in Moodbidri. He is also a recipient of

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Karnataka Rajyotsava Award -2016.

the event in person).

• Prof Edmund J B Frank has donned various managerial positions of some of the top-notch business organizations. He lives the true vision and mission of the

• Jeeth Milan Roche is an accomplished entrepreneur and renowned environmentalist. He is the founder of Mangalore Green Brigade and has been on a mission to make Mangaluru a green city.

• Lt General (Rtd) Ravi Eipe fought in the 1962 China war at battle of Namkachu as a 22-year-old captain.

He took part in ‘Operation Pawan’ in Sri Lanka for which he was awarded ‘Ati Vishist Seva Medal’ in 1989 and was awarded ‘Param Vishist Seva Medal’ in 1997. (Could not attend

college, being a person for and with others involving in several philanthropic and charity ventures.

• Dr Cletus J M D'Souza is a renowned professor of Biochemistry

known for his erudition and superior research credentials. He has established himself as one of the

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most sought-after mentor and Biochemistry. research guide in the field of ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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M JESSY DSOUZA BANGDA | MACKEREL PULIMUNCHI (Sour & Spicy) OR SARDINE | THARLE PULIMUNCHI (Sour & Spicy)

INGREDIENTS: 6 - 8 Mackerels | Bangda OR 10 - 12 Sardines | Tharle FOR MASALA: 5 Byadgi Chilli 8 Kashmiri chilli

1 tsp Bafat powder {optional} 1 tbsp Coriander seeds 1/2 tsp cumin Turmeric pinch 5 Garlic cloves 1.5" Ginger Tamarind medium size ball 1 Onion 1/4 tsp or less Fenugreek seeds {Remember more methi makes the curry bitter} 6 Pepper corns 3 - 4 Green chilli or as required Cloves 2 - 3 (optional) 64 Veez Illustrated Weekly

SEASONING:

boiled rice, dosa, appam, Kailollyo or choice of your dosas/roti.

2 tbs coconut oil or as required 1 sprig curry leaves Salt as per taste

NOTE: ▪︎This pulimunchi can be prepared without adding Coriander & cumin.

METHOD ▪︎Cut, clean Bangda, marinate with salt, lime juice and turmeric powder keep aside.

▪︎Adjust all ingredients as per your choice. Increase or decrease 🌶🌶

▪︎Roast dry ingredients under masala and once cool make fine paste of roasted and other ingredients under masala.

▪︎Transfer this paste to kadai. Add little water and salt.

Keep thick consistency. Stirr & Simmer very well.

Add Bangda pcs and cook on low flame. Just turn around/rotate kadai in between until bangda cooked and curry thickens to medium consistency, once done remove from gas.

▪︎Take small kadai with oil, heat, add curry leaves, then pour this seasoning top of the pulimunchi. Done👍 ▪︎Spicy, tangy, thick Bangda Pulimunchi is ready. Have it with 65 Veez Illustrated Weekly

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