Maria Aurora Couto remembers Dadu Mandrekar

By MARIA AURORA COUTO

Deeply grieved by Dadu Mandrekar’s sudden death. I valued his friendship, his sincerity and directness in conversation. I first met him in 2002 when researching for my book, A Daughter’s Story (2004). On enquiry I was told where his office was, a government department alongside Azad Maidan, and made an appointment through a friend. My husband Alban urged me not to go into the office but send word that I was outside in the maidan. (more…)

Remembering Dadu Mandrekar

By ALBERTINA ALMEIDA

I met Dadu Mandrekar sometime in the late 80s. It was shortly before Dadu along with a group of Dalits converted to Buddhism. I also remember that, although invited for the conversion ceremony by Dalits to Buddhism, I did not go for it. It stemmed from my limited knowledge then. I thought this is yet one more religion, and, if they are abandoning one religion only to join another, I am not going to be endorsing such an endeavor. I was of course pulled up by Dadu in his characteristic way, and that began a decades-long association that had a lasting impact on me. (more…)

Remembering Dadu

By ATUL ANAND

On November 26, I got an early morning message from Vasudha that Dadu had passed away around 1:45 am. After the initial shock, I messaged another mutual friend Amita. This has been heartbreaking news. I am still coming to terms with his death. (more…)

The Influence of Alito Siqueira

By ALBERTINA ALMEIDA

From the late 1980’s onwards, I have been involved in the struggle condemning tourism as it was foisted on the Goan people. Alito was involved at the time with a few others in the University in carrying out a study on tourism and its implications for the people of Goa.  While interviewing me, he asked: “Why should those working on the farms oppose tourism, given the measly wages they are paid by the landlords and the better income they get from tourism?” The question has stayed with me ever since. (more…)

विष्णू वाघांच्या जाण्याचे काही संदर्भ

‘विष्णू मामा गेला’ हे फोनवर टाईप करताना क्षणातच अनंत युगांचं पोरकेपण नशिबी आल्याची जाणीव झाली. ह्या वाक्यात महत्वाचं आहे ते ‘गेला’ हे क्रियापद. त्याच्यामाझ्या सहवासातले ठळक टप्पे आठवण्याचा प्रयत्न केल्यास तो सतत कुठेतरी ‘गेलेलाच’ असल्याची जाणीव झाली. १९९४ मध्ये तो मगो सोडून काँग्रेसमध्ये गेला. तेव्हा मी तीन वर्षांचा होतो. ते त्याचं चुकलेलं पहिलं पाऊल असं मी लहानाचा मोठा होईपर्यंत ऐकत आलो आहे. तो ज्या दिवशी काँग्रेसमध्ये गेला त्या संध्याकाळी आमच्या घरी एक वादळी बैठक झाली. त्यात विष्णू मामाबरोबर वावरणारे, अगदी आदल्या रात्री व त्या दुपारपर्यंत त्याच्याबरोबर असणारे त्याचे सहकारी उपस्थित होते. तो काँग्रेसमध्ये गेलाच कसा ह्या प्रश्नावर माझे आजोबा विश्वनाथ नाईक ह्यांनी सगळ्यांनाच फैलावर घेतले. त्यातल्या बऱ्याच जणांना तो काँग्रेसमध्ये जाणार असल्याचा काहीच सुगावा नव्हता. (more…)

The Race Was Well Run: A Tribute to Floriano Almeida

By ALBERTINA ALMEIDA

 

The day was 11th March, 2018. Floriano Almeida, who was Goa’s athletics champion for around a decade and a half from the mid-1960’s, breezed out of this world. Floriano had won every medal and cup for 1500 metre, 5000 metre, 10000 metre races and mini marathons in Goa that he participated in from 1965 onwards. He had even represented Goa at All India athletic meets at Madras, Uttar Pradesh, Bangalore, Punjab and Rajasthan and the Mormugao Port Trust at All India Ports athletic meets at Madras and Calcutta and by 1977, at Madras, he secured first place and the gold medal in the 5000 metre race category, and was awarded a bronze medal in the 10000 metres the following day.

 

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Remembering Thälmann

By ALBERTINA ALMEIDA

 

Goa has lost a leading light in the death of Thälmann Pereira, advocate and trade unionist, and State Secretary of the Goa Unit of the Communist Party of India (Marxist). Thälmann was born in 1962 into a communist household. His parents led the party in Goa and were intimately involved with it. This probably is why he was named after the founder of the Communist Party in Germany, Ernst Thälmann. Yet despite this proximate connection, he did not, unlike many Communist leaders, wear this legacy on his sleeve. So much so that even his wife, Rita Dey Pereira, said that she did not, during their courtship, have an idea of the amount of space the red (meaning Communist) flag occupied in his life. It began unfurling during the course of their married life, to use her own words.

 

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