Charting her own Destiny

Charting her own destiny

Herald Review October 26, 2014

Vithai Zaraunkar is proud of her roots and has begun documenting the folklore from her community

LISA ANN MONTEIRO

Harsh words can leave one scarred for life. ‘You’re a Kunbi and you’ll remain a Kunbi. You will never improve’. Vithai Zaraunkar’s fifth standard teacher would tell her. She could never forget that caustic remark. Of course at the time Vithai confesses she didn’t know the connotation her teacher attached to the word Kunbi. “ I thought it meant rural and traditional. Later when I went to University did I realise that this wasn’t just a comment but an insult to us.” Vithai hails from Gaval- Khola a village in Cabo de Rama in the southernmost Taluka in Canacona and doesn’t wish she was born anywhere else. She is proud of her roots, her culture, her people. This year she completed her post graduation in Sociology at Goa University becoming the first from her family to pursue higher education.

Others from her community told her there wasn’t any point studying and that she would find it difficult getting a job later. She turned a deaf ear and fortunately had her family backing her up.

Today she is in the process of documenting oral stories from her community which will be lost and unknown to future generations. The project is titled ‘Old Songs New Stories: Tales from Velips of Goa’ and is funded by the Ministry of Culture under the scheme ‘ Safeguarding the Intangible Cultural Heritage and Diverse Cultural traditions of India’. She is recording the stories in the audio format, transcribing them in Konkani in the Devanagiri script and translating them into English. She will then be submitting them to an archive maintained by the Sangeet Natak Academy, New Delhi, India’s national academy for music, dance and drama and an autonomous body of the Ministry of culture.

The stories Vithai is recording are not new to her. She has been listening to them from her childhood. “Since people in our community weren’t formally educated these stories were told to children to educate them. They threw light on moral values and spoke of how relationships between people should be.” At every stage of her life Vithai has had to deal with casteist discrimination, at times subtle and other times downright explicit. As a result, during her college days, she began to distance herself from her culture that others termed backward and too traditional.

“ I wanted to become modern just like my other college mates.” Making her more conscious of her looks, a colleague in University even remarked. ‘Oh I didn’t know you were a tribal. You don’t look like one.’ This struck Vithai rather deeply. Was she supposed to look different? It was only once in University where she studied sociology that she began to appreciate her community. “I realized my culture is beautiful too. I also learnt that backwardness is someone else’s creation and perception imposed on us,” she says.

Her story inspired video journalist and documentary filmmaker Gasper D’Souza who decided her story needed to be told. He has made a feature for Euronews’ Learning World which broadcasts weekly TV programs in thirteen languages. The program features personal stories that have global resonance and highlights education issues from around the globe. The feature will premiere on Euronews TV in Europe and North America on November 21 and will thereafter be accessible on its website euronews.com.

“Instead of being beaten by all the verbal abuse, Vithai turned everything on its head, pursued her higher education and is working on a project on her community today,” Gasper says.

He has also gone ahead and made another short film together with Vithai and Shrinivas Narayanan for the international filmmaking competition Storytelling Parade. Titled ‘ami konn?’ (who are we?), the film has Vithai playing the central character who narrates her own story in her search for her identity. But Vithai points out that the film goes beyond a search for identify. “It’s more about me valuing my own culture.

Whatever we have is rich and beautiful and I’m not ashamed of it,” she says.

In fact she even throws back the question in the film, ‘Are we who we say we are?’ The film will be accessible online on www.storytellingparade.com and vimeo.com/gasperd by October 29. Review Bureau

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A Pathological Anomaly

A Pathological Anomaly   

Herald Review, October 26, 2014

Cross practice has become rampant in the State with hospitals openly exploiting the system, endangering patients’ lives.

Lisa Ann Monteiro

The Maharashtra State cabinet recently gave its nod to a bill that allows homeopaths to practise allopathy after completing a one-year bridge course in pharmacology. The State government also amended the Maharashtra Medical Practitioner’s Act to allow ayurveda practitioners to practise allopathy. The medical fraternity was shocked and the India Medical Association said they would be taking legal recourse.

The State government’s move came in the wake of homeopaths going on hunger strikes, pressurising the government to allow them to prescribe allopathic drugs. It emerged then that of the 62,000 registered homeopaths in the State of Maharashtra a mere 10,000 were practising homeopathy. The rest were involved in mixed practice.

In Goa too a large number of homeopath and ayurvedic doctors are involved in mixed practice. These doctors are the first preference for hospitals and nursing homes who can employ them for a paltry Rs 10,000 a month. After struggling to obtain their medical degree no MBBS doctor is willing to work for one fourth the salary that government hospitals pay them. It is therefore common to find homeopath and ayurvedic doctors employed as RMOs (Resident Medical Officers), casualty medical officers and general duty medical officers in hospitals throughout the State. Some hospitals realizing they can get into trouble for this have begun calling them ‘clinical assistants’ instead of RMOs. Although they are employed to monitor patients, there are those who sign patients’ discharge letters and even prescribe allopathic drugs, using an allopath doctor’s prescription pad or a blank piece of paper.

Allopath doctors insist that these doctors who are qualified in one system of medicine aren’t legally permitted to practice another system. The systems of treatment are vastly different. “All allopath doctors study medical pharmacology from the first year till their last. The essence of medical treatment is pharmacology and all subjects in our course are taught in the context of each other. Pharmacology is not a standardized subject that one can study by doing a one year’s crash course,” one GMC doctor said.

Cross practice or cross pathy has become rampant with hospitals exploiting the system openly and taking things for granted. Many a times ICUs (Intensive Care Units) are left in the hands of these doctors with no MBBS doctors available round the clock. Hospitals however don’t fail to bill their patients the steep ICU charges. The safety of patients are being compromised and it is only time before a patient goes to court and sues for medical negligence. “Why should patients pay Rs 10,000 as ICU charges unless there is an anesthetist, an intensivist and one specialised in internal medicine present? It’s ultimately all about the profits,” one doctor said. He pointed out that reputed educational institutions conduct short intensive care courses open to homeopaths and ayurvedic doctors too.

It is mandatory for allopath doctors to register with the Goa Medical Council before giving their first prescription. MBBS doctors have to obtain credits and every five years these credits are renewed. “When it is so mandatory for MBBS doctors how are these homeopathic doctors able to prescribe medicines. How does their council allow it? The Health services should take action as they are the ones giving licenses as per the Goa Medical Practitioner’s Act,” one doctor said.

Recently the Delhi Medical Council issued an order warning doctors registered under its council against cross practice. It stated that no cross pathy practice is allowed by any medical practitioner unless such person is also registered in that system in which he is practising. The order states that drugs commonly prescribed include LIV52, Amlycure DS, Cystone, Septilin, M2 Tone, Neeri and Amycordial. Cross pathy the order said can be punishable by rigorous imprisonment up to three years and a fine of up to Rs 50,000 under the Delhi Bhartiya Chikitsa Parishad Act of 1998.

President of the Goa Medical Council Dr Shekhar Salkar says the council hasn’t received any complaints in the past three years of cross practice. He explains that the council has jurisdiction over only allopath doctors and cannot pull up or act against homeopath or ayurvedic doctors. Aggrieved patients needn’t come to the council and can complain directly to the police he says. Hospitals employ a large number of homeopath and allopath doctors because there are a shortage of MBBS doctors he says. “There are hardly any MBBS doctors available. They are either absorbed by government hospitals or pursue higher studies. Hospitals have no choice. These doctors can’t write prescriptions but they can monitor patients in wards. Many homeopathy and ayurvedic doctors rate higher than MBBS doctors. Around 60 percent of medicine is common sense and they learn the required skills when practising in hospitals,” he says.

Registrar and secretary of the Council for Indian System of Medicine and homeopathy Dr Dilip Vernekar says homeopaths don’t have well equipped, full fledged hospitals where they can train. They need clinical exposure and experience in general hospitals. Further, when they graduate they have no job opportunities. Many enter the marketing field, do their MBA while others join hospitals. Majority of homeopathy and ayurvedic colleges in the country are run by politicians. They receive grants and many aren’t able to fill up even half their seats.

Pediatrician and vice president Goa Medical Council, Dr Dyanesh Volvoikar says a need based assessment needs to be carried out as there are a large number of homeopaths and ayurvedic doctors unnecessarily being thrown into the system with no jobs available for them. He suggests that the government employ them as health educators and that their services be used for health programs. The solution to the problem of health care not reaching rural India, he says is to have more allopath doctors. He suggests that district hospitals be converted into medical colleges since they are already equipped. Doctors can be employed part time on honorary system as their lecturers. Dr Volvoikar points out, “Can an accountant who is not a CA sign a company statement? Can a notary ship be awarded to a non advocate? Why the different standards then for medical practice? Review Bureau 

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Varley Extradition- 'We got no help from UK' says CBI

VARLEY EXTRADITION  

‘We got no help from UK’, says CBI

Herald Review October 12, 2014 
   
The CBI says it is struggling to fight the case because of an uncooperative British Crown Prosecution Service 


On Friday October 10 a British Court dismissed India’s appeal to extradite 66 year old Raymond Varley, accused of child sexual abuse in the 1980s and early 1990s. The dismissal of the appeal meant that the court upheld the May 8 decision of the Westminster Magistrate’s Court which had dismissed India’s original extradition application.

The judge at the appeal hearing essentially decided the case on one point— whether the district judge in the magistrate’s court was correct to have dismissed the extradition application based on the evidence of Varley’s neuropsychologist with regard to his fitness to be tried.

The judge decided that the district judge had been correct in making his decision based on the evidence before him and particularly stressed the point that India had been given ample opportunity to submit their own expert evidence, had been specifically asked by the judge whether they wished to do so, and categorically declined.

On Thursday a two member CBI team left for the UK to assist the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) in the appeal.

It was the duty of the CPS to advise India on the proper course of action when Varley first submitted evidence on his health. “ Without knowing the inner communications and dialogue between the CPS and India at that time, we cannot comment on where the ball was dropped but there has clearly been a failing in terms of case preparation and the response to the evidence submitted by Varley at the initial extradition hearings.

We are very disappointed with this result.

The victims in this case were very vulnerable children when the alleged offences occurred and it is important that justice is done and seen to be done for the purposes of their recovery and rehabilitation from the trauma they have suffered,” Najrana Imman, Head of Advocacy, Policy and Campaigns at ECPAT, UK said.

CBI spokesperson Kanchan Prasad when contacted said racism is at play here and the CPS wasn’t cooperating with India’s CBI. “ We are waiting for actual orders to arrive to decide the further course of action,” she said.

At the district court, neuropsychologist Linda Atterton’s questionable dementia report had weighed heavily with district Judge Quentin Purdy who was swayed more by his concern for the health of the alleged child abuser than serving interests of justice for Indian children. Atterton who examined Varley said she had no doubt that he has “ moderate to severe dementia already”. The prosecution had challenged her qualification to make such findings pointing out that she wasn’t a psychiatrist with the National Health Service ( NHS) and that there was “ little actual evidence available to support the assertion of unfitness”. The defense argued that India had chosen not to commission its own expert to challenge Atterton’s competence.

The UK even sent two experts to Goa to review the prison facilities here in the interests of the ‘human rights’ of Varley.

The experts in their reports say Varley would “likely find living stressful” and paid special attention to his ‘weak knees’ and how he would require to squat in the Indian style toilet at jails here. They stated however that Varley’s human rights wouldn’t be infringed here.

Justice Purdy dismissing the extradition appeal had concluded that it would be “unjust” and “oppressive” to extradite a man who was suffering from dementia, for trial in India. Lisa Ann Monteiro Review Bureau 

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All Roads Lead to Sri Lanka- Canonization of Fr Joseph Vaz

Canonization of Fr Joseph Vaz 

All Roads lead to Sri Lanka 

Herald Review October 12, 2014

Goans will be travelling in large numbers to Sri Lanka for the grand canonization ceremony of Fr Joseph Vaz in January next year 

LISA ANN MONTEIRO 

No sooner the word spread that Pope Francis’ Apostolic trip to Sri Lanka would result in the canonization of Goan priest and missionary Blessed Joseph Vaz, scores of Goans have decided to witness the historic event firsthand. They wasted no time in getting their act together and hundreds have already booked tickets, with travel agents continuing to receive enquiries with each passing day.

Paul Siqueira, proprietor of Zion Travels, a pilgrimage travel company, says over 350 people are travelling with them in nine groups over three days beginning January 10. He expects the number to rise to 500 with inquiries showing no signs of relenting.

Archbishop of Goa Filipe Neri Ferrao, Vicar General and Bishop of Sindhudurg Alwyn Barreto, and 25 priests will be travelling along with the faithful. Two priests of Goan origin from Canada and Australia and a group of 20 people from the UK have also booked their seats and will be arriving in Goa in time to leave with their groups to witness the once in a lifetime event.

The group Crusaders for Jesus with Mary will be taking a batch of 60- odd people and Airsonic, another travel company, has 100- odd people who have booked with them.

The high demand for tickets during the crucial week in January has meant that prices of tickets have begun to soar and along with this, the price for the entire six- day package that travel companies are offering. Those who booked in advance paid around Rs 42,000. People still booking are paying Rs 48,000 with some even shelling out Rs 69,000.

The lack of direct flights from Goa to Sri Lanka has also added to the travel cost and pilgrims will be travelling via Chennai or Bangalore to get to the island.

Most travel companies are not happy with the lack of seats available on flights.

They would like to see more flights and perhaps even a direct flight from Goa.

Bruno Gomindes, proprietor of Travco Holidays says the government is only concentrating on inbound traffic for the Exposition of the Relics of St Francis Xavier. “ They should also understand the importance of outbound traffic to Sri Lanka for Fr Joseph Vaz’ canonization.

This is a big event which is very close to the hearts of Goans. There is a scarcity of seats and this is very unfortunate.” 

Government role 
Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar had told reporters last month that there was no guarantee but the State government would be making a request to the central government regarding direct flights. When contacted an official from the CM’s office said, “ The CM has made an informal request to the Centre.

Post October 15, a formal request will be made.” If and when the government gets its act together, there will still be no respite for the hundreds of pilgrims who have already booked and planned their trips.

Paul Siqueira says the least the government could have done was borne the cost of the visas ( a paltry 10 dollars) of the pilgrims.

Pope Francis is due to spend three days in Sri Lanka ( January 12 till 15) before proceeding to the Philippines. At 8: 30 am on January 14, the faithful will gather in large numbers at Galle Face Green, a sprawling park spread across five hectares on the banks of the Indian Ocean in Colombo, for the public mass and canonization ceremony.

For many from Goa it will be their first visit to the neighbouring country.

The excitement among those travelling is palpable. Niyan Marchon who will be travelling with the Crusaders says Fr Joseph Vaz is his personal saint. “ I’ve got many answers to my problems through his intercession and he has saved me from several difficult situations.

My daughter was born on January 16 and we’ve given her a middle name Josel. We are going to reinforce our faith and to thank God for making Fr Joseph Vaz a saint. We also get to see the Pope, making it a wholesome spiritual experience.” Dr Nirmala Dessai from Margao says she has been planning a pilgrimage to Sri Lanka for the past two years but things had never worked out.

This time, she will be travelling with 15 other likeminded people, some of whom will be joining her from Chennai. “ Fr Joseph Vaz is a role model for me. When he was asked to become Bishop of Ceylon he refused and chose to carry on his work quietly. I admire his simple life and his dedication.” Siqueira, who will be travelling with one of his groups, says the devotion and enthusiasm is tremendous. He is pushing for suitable seating arrangements for the Goan pilgrims at the special mass. “ It will be a very proud moment for us Goans. After all, Fr Joseph Vaz is one of us.” 

Extinct Order 
Bl Joseph Vaz was ordained a priest of the diocese of Goa in 1676. Since the European religious in those days weren’t accepting Goan boys in their congregations, a group of priests formed an association called the Milagristas. Joseph Vaz joined this group on December 25, 1685 and was chosen as the Superior General. He was instrumental in writing the statute of the order of the Oratorians of Goa and sending it for approval to Rome. The order received Papal recognition in 1706 and was the first indigenous congregation outside Europe to receive papal recognition.

The order continued until 1835 when all religious orders were banned by the Portuguese. Fr Eremito Rebelo, rector of the Sancoale Sanctuary says the order continued in Sri Lanka and died with the death of the last Oratorian.

“ The order would have continued if not for the ban. It is extinct today.” But the canonization of Fr Joseph Vaz is a fitting recompense. Review Bureau

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The Human Factor

The Human Factor

Herald Review Octber 12, 2014 

Sister Jane and the Prison Ministry have brought care and a humane touch to hardened inmates in the jails of Goa

LISA ANN MONTEIRO 


The Church run Prison Ministry with Sister Jane at the forefront has brought a touch of humanity to jails in Goa ever since its volunteers began visiting inmates 16 years ago.

Over the years the Prison Ministry has expanded its repertoire of work with the prisoners. It has facilitated inmates in completing their education under the National Open School and has encouraged others to pursue higher studies under the Yeshwantrao Chavan Open University, filling their forms and paying their fees. Qualified volunteers including retired principals and teachers render their services through the ministry. This year the Aguada Central Jail has also received an impetus with the Indira Gandhi National Open University ( IGNOU) offering several short term diploma and degree courses in tourism, computers, food and nutrition.

Counseling sessions by trained experts have also helped prisoners better deal with their problems. Since language can be a major barrier, the ministry has even engaged Fr Antonio Fernandes who is fluent in Nepalese to counsel Nepali inmates.

Another significant role the ministry plays in the lives of inmates is paying the deposit for needy prisoners to go on parole. Caritas, through the Prison Ministry, over the last three years has been paying the required Rs 1 lakh deposit and standing as surety for the prisoner’s parole period of 28 days. Caritas also provides accommodation at their St Xavier’s Academy for the differently abled in Old Goa.

Here the inmate helps with whatever activity he is skilled in-- tailoring, gardening, carpentry, crafts etc. He is also allowed to take a walk in the evenings giving him the opportunity to familiarize himself with the environment that he has lost contact with.

Letting prisoners out on parole helps in their adapting to society after serving their sentence. “ Many have no family members who can pay the Rs 1 lakh deposit and as a result there were convicts who hadn’t been out on parole for even 13 years. They were depressed, dejected and had lost all contact with the world outside.

Going out on parole gives them exposure to freedom and an experience of social life outside, something that will help them when they are released,” says Sr Jane.

Caritas through the Prison Ministry also helps needy families of inmates, coming to their aid when a family member is sick. They also visit family members of convicts and victims, helping them grieve and come to terms with their situation.

The ministry pays special attention to children of convicts who are caught in difficult circumstances. Children spend the first three years with their mother in prison as they are still being fed. Later, with their parents’ permission they are enrolled in various boarding schools around the State.

The ministry finds sponsors to help needy children complete their education.

Many have gone on to complete their higher education and have done well for themselves.

The ministry has brought about change in the lives of convicts. Many express their feelings through poetry and painting. Volunteers train inmates in painting and in music too. Some play the tabla, guitar, flute or the harmonium.

Several have discovered talents they never knew they possessed.

When groups visit the prison, they prepare skits for the inmates with mes sages they can relate to. The inmates in turn prepare a special programme for their visitors.

Sister Jane dismisses the term hardened criminals. “ They are all mild, friendly, open and cooperative. They have learnt to grow socially and have become more humane and understanding and gift a painting, candle or any works they have created to visitors at the jail. They never let guests go back empty handed.” She recalls one prisoner telling a group of youth who visited them, “ We have made mistakes. Be careful not to make the same mistakes we made and land up here. Look at us.

We smile but inside our heart is weeping all the time.” Sister Jane is also touched by their concern. Back in 2000 when she met with a serious accident, doctors gave her only three hours to live. Suffering a head injury, she eventually pulled through miraculously after 21 days in hospital. The inmates then were restless and began feigning illnesses from toothaches to backachces just so that they could land up at GMC to visit her. Those who were in the hospital for genuine treatment would plead with the sisters to let them at least see her. Such was and is their concern.

When she came through, she still needed three months of rest but the IG prisons sent a car for her just so she could visit the inmates and put them at ease.

This is the reason why despite her osteoarthritis today, Sister Jane still makes it a point to visit the jails at Aguada, Sada and the judicial look up at Mapusa. She does all this using public transport and says she doesn’t feel her aches and pains when she’s doing something for others. Every saint, she says, has a sinful past and every sinner a hopeful future.Review Bureau 

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The Risks of Antibiotic Abuse

TREATMENT WORSE THAN CURE? 

Herald Review October 12, 2014

Indiscriminate use of antibiotics has resulted in growing resistance to these lifesaving drugs. Lisa Ann Monteiro makes a diagnosis of this 'major global threat'. 


It’s a long road ahead for the fight against antimicrobial resistance. A few months ago the WHO declared that worldwide resistance to antibiotics had reached ‘ alarming levels’ and poses a ‘ major global threat’ to public health. Antibiotic resistance, the organisation said, is no longer a prediction for the future but is happening right now across the world, jeopardizing the ability to treat common infections.

More broadly, antimicrobial resistance (AMR) which is resistance to drugs to treat infections caused by other microbes including parasites, viruses and fungi, has become ubiquitous all over the world.

To combat this, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) has also begun campaigning against the over- prescription of antibiotics, asking doctors to pledge themselves to fighting against AMR and to follow the principles of rational use of antibiotics.

IMA Goa State branch president Dr Jagdish Cacodkar explained that antibiotics used in chemotherapy of bacterial infections are broadly classified as those that act on Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria and on anaerobic infections.
Among these, the Gram negative bacteria are the more dangerous types. There are limited antibiotics that act on these bacteria that are associated with urinary tract infections, some serious hospital acquired infections and with life threatening infections like sepsis in infants and adults.

This, he explains, is in contrast to the greater number of antibiotics available to combat Gram positive bacteria that cause common infections like those of the skin, the respiratory tract and gastro- intestinal and post- operative infections.
“ Irrational use of these antibiotics leads to the emergence of antibiotic resistance among bacteria. Higher level antibiotics should only be used when serious infections are confirmed by culture tests or when there is strong clinical suspicion in seriously ill patients. They shouldn’t be used indiscriminately and should be reserved for cases where their use is scientifically warranted,” Dr Cacodkar says.

Instead, antibiotics are being misused with doctors prescribing the highest end antibiotics to treat even common colds and fever. Such drugs don’t act against viral infections, only bacterial ones and a majority of the most acute respiratory infections are viral. Rationally, patients should be prescribed antibiotics only during bacterial infection. The IMA as a first step is beginning to educate doctors and patients not to resort to antibiotics for ordinary coughs, colds and diarrhea.

Defensive practice 
Dr Wiseman Pinto, Professor and Head of Pathology, GMC terms the medicine practiced today as ‘ defensive medicine’ where doctors don’t want to take any risks. They prescribe stronger antibiotics, leaving nothing to chance. “ Fourth generation antibiotics are not required to be prescribed when first and second generation antibiotics are adequate. Doctors prescribe these to safeguard their own interests.” Many doctors are apprehensive over losing their patients to other doctors.

Microorganisms, says Dr Pinto, can outsmart doctors. They change their genetic constitution, becoming resistant to the same antibiotics. When higherend antibiotics are given indiscriminately, bacteria develop resistance, and when serious cases need to be treated, the drugs don’t work anymore.

Another factor responsible for antibiotics resistance, cardiologist Dr Francisco Colaço stresses on, is patients not completing the entire course of antibiotics prescribed. Many patients discontinue antibiotic treatment midway simply because they ‘ feel better’. Patients too are to blame for seeking instant respite from their ailments and compelling doctors to prescribe higherend drugs or certain drugs not strictly necessary. Gone are the days when patients bore their ailments with patience.

Instant remedies are now sought. Parents ask for antibiotics for their children who have the flu and are not ready to listen to the doctor telling them that their child needs to rest and stay away from school or college for a few days. They also seem unconcerned over the virus spreading to other children.
Other patients seek a rapid cure as they want to return to work immediately.
“ If they don’t get what they want, patients don’t hesitate to change their doctors,” Dr Cacodkar says. He advises his patients trust their doctor and take the required rest that viral fever requires. He also suggests simple hand hygiene and cough etiquette to be followed to prevent the spread of infections.

Growing resistance 
Dr Cacodkar cites examples of resistance already prevalent against certain bacteria and other parasites. Falciparum Malaria until a few years ago would respond to chloroquine. Today it is treatable only with artesunate combination therapy ( ACT) which was earlier a second line of anti- malarial treatment.

The drugs used to treat typhoid too don’t work anymore because of the widespread use of quinolones like ciprofloxacin that is used indiscriminately to treat simple respiratory and skin infections.

Gonorrhea would respond to penicillin three decades ago but due to indiscriminate use of the drug a new strain called PPNG has rendered penicillin ineffective in the treatment of these sexually transmitted diseases.
Up to 4 per cent of tuberculosis cases in the country are now MDR TB ( Multi Drug Resistant Tuberculosis) which is resistant to first line antibiotics and requires more toxic and costlier second line anti- TB drugs.
Between 1 to 2 per cent of TB cases are today XDR- TB ( Extensively Drug Resistant Tuberculosis) which is resistant to first- line as well as second- line antibiotics. XDR- TB has a high death date.
There are also ominous case reports in Mumbai of Total Drug Resistant TB for which no anti- TB drugs work at all. 
Practitioners are therefore urged to follow the standard TB treatment protocols.
In 2010 the news of NDM- 1 ( New Delhi Metallo- ß- lactamase 1) took the world by storm. First discovered in a Swedish patient of Indian origin who had recently travelled to New Delhi, the NDM- 1 produces bacteria that are highly resistant to many antibiotics including carbapenems. This class of drugs is reserved for emergency cases and to treat infections caused by other multiresistant bugs like MSRA and C- Difficile. NDM- 1 positive bacteria was also found in Chennai, Haryana, Bangladesh, Pakistan and in the UK. 

Lax laws in India 
Pharma companies too are responsible for growing AMR. They provide incentives to doctors to prescribe costlier higherend drugs. This is business to companies but at the cost of patients. Many hospitals make more money on their pharmacies than on room rent, doctors say.

Surveillance and audits in India are poor. Doctors are rarely penalized and the patient is the sufferer. There is lack of accountability and anyone today can easily purchase antibiotics over the counter in pharmacies without a prescription.

Something that isn’t possible in the US. Last month President Barack Obama made it a federal priority to combat the growing health threat from bacteria that is resistant to antibiotic treatment.

Dr Celina Pereira, an adolescent medicine and college health physician, USA, says the difference in the prescribing habits of Indian and American physicians is that American doctors don’t usually prescribe the stronger ( second and third generation) antibiotics but first- line antibiotics such as penicillin, ampicillin, amoxicillin, erythromycin, azithromycin and sulfa antibiotics. “ But even these,’’ she says, “ are inappropriate for viral infections. Inappropriate use of antibiotics can lead to complications that may end in a law suit, a great deterrent for American physicians.” 

Solutions 
With no new class of antibiotics discovered since the 1980s, AMR threatens a return to the pre- antibiotic era where the most basic operations and even a cut to one’s finger could be most hazardous.

Dr Colaço suggests antibiotics be classified for non- restricted, restricted and very restricted use and shouldn’t be sold in pharmacies without a special prescription. There should be stringent penalties to be imposed if this is violated.

“ The MBBS syllabus too should lay more emphasis on the use and misuse of antibiotics. Drugs and therapeutic committees as well as hospital infection control committees should be set up in all hospitals. Policies for RAP (rational use of antibiotics) should be introduced in the agriculture and food industry (including poultry, pig, fish farming and in honeybee hives) where these drugs are used as growth promoters.” He also points out to the paradox between urban and rural India where one faces the challenge of inappropriate use of antibiotics while the other struggles with poor access to treatment. 

Dr Cacodcar suggests a dire need for standardized treatment protocols to be developed. This he says should be backed up by a good laboratory network with reliable bacterial and virological reports which will help doctors in treating patients suffering from infectious diseases. The IMA Goa State has begun conducting refresher training for doctors on combating anti- microbial resistance with WHO support and has recently organised pharmaco- vigilance training on the adverse effects of drugs. Review Bureau 

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Unfolding a story through sculpture and painting

Unfolding A Story Through Sculpture And Painting 

Herald Review September 21, 2014  

Art historian Vidya Dehejia provides valuable insights into the ancient Indian genre of visual storytelling 

LISA ANN MONTEIRO 

A fter her course on ‘ Buddhist Narrative Reliefs and Murals’ last month, Vidya Dehejia, noted art historian and Barbara Stoler Miller Professor of Indian and South Asian Art at Columbia University, is back to conduct her second course ‘ Visual Narratives of India: Text and Image’ at Goa University under its Visiting Research Professors Programme.

With the focus on the rich tradition of storytelling in India through mediums of relief sculpture, water colours on plastered walls and paper manuscripts, Dehejia is guiding her students through the distinct modes of visual narration that artists in India have used over the ages.

Storytelling is a universal practice crisscrossing national and cultural boundaries.

Dehejia’s first course looked at story- telling in sculpture with the focus on vibrant narrative reliefs where the literary sources used are a matter of conjecture.

“ Just as we can take a literary narrative and convey it as a poem or a drama, a novel or a short story, as a saga or in flashback, so too with visual narratives.

Different artists used different modes that ranged from monoscenic in which a single scene represents the whole story, to synoptic in which the artist places different episodes from a story in the same space, giving the viewer few clues as to where a story starts or ends. This creates a challenge for the viewer who must engage with the story fully to sort out the artist’s intentions,” Dehejia explains.

Her upcoming course will highlight the vibrant tradition of narrative in painted manuscripts where the actual text is on the reverse of each page and sometimes also carried on the painted page itself. The same artist would often use different modes of narrative to portray different episodes from the Ramayana, the Bhagvata Purana or other manuscripts, creating a challenging puzzle for the viewer to sort out. “ Since the story is well known, the viewer is invited to engage with the artist’s portrayal. If you think of any Ramayana episode you know well, wouldn’t it be more interesting to find it laid out on a page so that you have to engage with the characters to sort out the story? If laid out neatly, you might just turn the page as you already know the story.” Not enough is being done to preserve manuscripts in India and Dehejia says this is an immense problem that requires a determined infusion of funds which, of course, are in short supply. “ Luckily digitization of manuscripts has started and hopefully will continue in full swing.

That may not be quite the same as preserving the manuscripts themselves.

Our climate is not very friendly for paper preservation and extra measures like airconditioned premises for storage are needed if we are to preserve our manuscripts for future generations.” History takes a low priority in schools today and art history is simply not taught.

Apart from being a professor of Indian art, Dehejia is also General Editor of MARG publications, a Mumbai based not for profit publisher and is hoping to have an entire series of units online in a few years that will relate to the school syllabi. She wants to ensure that there will be free access so that the school going student will be introduced to the riches of India’s heritage.

“ I hope politics will stay away from the accurate presentation of history,” she says.

Dhejia has a background in classical Sanskrit and Tamil and her work has ranged from ancient Buddhist art to the temples of North India, and from the sacred bronzes of South India to art under the British Raj. She has authored more than 24 books and in 2012 was awarded the Padmabhushan for her contribution to art and education.

The course will be held from September 23 to 26 from 3 pm to 5 pm, free of cost and open to students and the general public.

Last month Doordarshan ( DD) began re- telecasting Purva Uttara: Past Forward, a series of eight films that introduces the viewer to eight spectacular sites representative of the riches of Indian artistic and cultural history. The series focuses on the events and forces that shaped Sanchi, Konarak, Mamallapuram, Vijaynagara, Delhi, the Taj Mahal, Mewar and Goa. Today these are icons of India’s architectural and cultural heritage.

The series was conceptualized by Vidya Dehejia and directed by Shyam Benegal and Zafar Hai back in 1997 to celebrate 50 years of India’s independence and was aired on Discovery and Star TV. The film Rome of the Tropics: Goa depicts Goa and its Roman influence.

The Portuguese came to India first as traders and then as the ruling power of Goa on the west coast. A large number of churches began to be built. This film will focus on Goa’s architecture which represents a fusion of Indian and European elements with influences from the Renaissance, Gothic and Baroque styles.

French traveller Francois Pyrard de Laval wrote of Goa around 1608 saying the edifices of churches and palaces, both public and private are very rich and magnificent and were built by local people. Dehejia says it was difficult to choose the eight sites since there’s such a wealth of material. “ Goa was chosen partly because it so often gets neglected and it is an important part of India’s cultural heritage,” she says.

Rome of the Tropics: Goa will be telecast on DD on September 24 at 4 pm with repeat telecasts the next day at 12 midnight and 8 am. Review Bureau 

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Will justice be served

Extraditing Varley

Will Justice Be Served? 

Herald Review September 21, 2014 

As India continues its efforts to extradite paedophile Raymond Varley, an online campaign has been started to push the British government to act. Herald Review also talks to activist lawyer Sheela Barse, who took up the Goa case 25 years ago and made sure the system worked to bring the network of paedophiles to jus- tice 


LISA ANN MONTEIRO 


A questionable ‘ dementia’ certificate produced by Raymond Varley, the paedophile at the centre of an extradition wrangle between a UK court and Indian authorities, weighed heavily with British judge Quentin Purdy. The Westminister Magistrates’ Court on May 8, 2014 dismissed the application filed by the Government of India to extradite him.

While India appeals and continues to push for extradition, activists and concerned citizens in India and the UK are not buying into Varley’s dementia claim.

UK citizen Vivien Baptiste has used Change. org the online platform for social change to petition the UK government to extradite Varley.

“ This man is using every trick to avoid extradition. His guilt is obvious. Justice for children all over the world,” she wrote on the website.

Her petition titled ‘ Allow extradition to India of paedophile Raymond Varley’ has received over 200 signatures from people in UK, India, New Zealand and the Gulf.

“ As a parent, grandparent and great grandparent, I feel all children should be protected, and as a frequent visitor to India, Goa, I know how innocent the children are and trust everyone,” Gladys Cattle, a signatory from the UK wrote.

“ It is the right of every child to grow up without abuse. Offenders must be held accountable,” Pooja Swaika wrote.

A signatory from Goa, Binoy Hoskote wrote, “ Does UK and its government encourage paedophiles? Why the hanky panky in extradition. Save face and act immediately.” Vivien Baptiste told this newspaper that she and her friends who love Goa and frequent the state, were disgusted to hear about this case and decided to do something about it.

“ I have seen paedophiles in Goa first hand many years ago and made the Goans aware of them but it was difficult to get them to realize how serious the issue is. The man in question now deserves justice Goan style.” She is confident the petition will get more support and says she will take the signatures to her local member of parliament.

Early evidence 
Back in the early 1990s after the police raided the notorious Freddy Peats orphanage, the material they uncovered was so deplorable that nobody was willing to believe that Peats with his snowy white beard and hair, who they considered a benevolent man, was capable of such atrocities.

It wasn’t only the locals but police and politicians also who defended him.

It was only when activist lawyer Sheela Barse, based in Mumbai, camped in Goa and worked tirelessly round the clock gathering evidence, that Peats was booked and later sentenced for life.

At the time the Peats case was unraveling in Goa, in 1991 Barse was in Delhi, ironically addressing a conference on child labour, as its keynote speaker. When she was told ministers in Goa were trying to suppress the case, she got in touch with a police official who told her the horrors they had uncovered in this case.

Paedophilia as a crime being relatively unknown at the time, the police were at a loss on how to handle it.

Barse decided she needed to be there herself. She got her Delhi- Mumbai ticket immediately changed to Delhi- Goa and was on the next plane to Goa with a small suitcase and little cash in hand.

The Goa Collector helped her find an inexpensive place to stay in Margao and she began her groundwork.

It was the most wretched time of her life, she recalls, and a very traumatizing experience having to sort out the photographs, speak to the victims and collect evidence.

At one press conference in Goa called by the IG police, she was accused of jet setting for the sake of publicity. “ One reporter got up and said ‘ we know her credibility’ and everyone walked out and the press conference fizzled out. They tried to stall me in every way,” she said.

There was a guest house lobby who wanted to hush up the case. An MLA she met wasn’t interested in the case as it wasn’t a ‘ politically important crime’. When investigating the trail of money, banks refused to disclose transactions of their clients. “ I told them at least give me the confidence that I’m on the right track. If you can’t give me copies of documents at least show them to me.” One mother wasn’t pleased that she was pursuing the case. “ He gave my son a bike,” she told Barse.

Peats would lure the boys promising he would take send them abroad.

When Barse encountered Peats outside court after one session, his astonishing comment to her was: “ I like the way you fight for children.” Barse submitted formatted sheets with the evidence and all the sections of law applicable to Peats.

“ I investigated the case and drafted charges and got the Law Commission to examine them. I showed the chairperson of the Law Commission all the papers and he was very impressed,” said Barse.

The Goa police who were completely at a loss on how to proceed in this case, asked her to teach them how to write a chargesheet in the matter.

She doesn’t believe Raymond Varley’s dementia claim is credible and dismisses it as rubbish.

“ I always believe you can never go by the word of one professional when declaring someone mentally ill because there can be all kinds of vested interests involved. I don’t care if the professional is the best in the whole of Europe, there should be a panel of professional experts taking a decision,” she says firmly.

Further, she contests how Varley is taking decisions of his own. “ A dementia patient is accompanied by someone and isn’t able to take decisions. Here he selected his own neuropsychologist. The court should also look into his unending sources of money.” Putting Peats behind bars was what pushed Sheela Barse to relentlessly pursue the case in Goa.

“ The prevailing notion was that India is a safe place to go to because they don’t go a good job of prosecuting you and I wanted to change this. I made sure the system worked,” Barse says. Review Bureau 

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A Day At The Passport Office

A Day At The Passport Office

September 21, 2014 

Things at the passport office in Panjim have changed for the better. Gone are the long queues and chaos one encountered before 


LISA ANN MONTEIRO 

“You are making allegations against me. You’re saying that I’m carrying a fake educational certificate,” a lady, her voice raised, accuses passport officer, Agnelo Fernandes, as she walks into his office. “ This verification will take time and I’m not going to waste my time,” she adds arrogantly.

Fernandes shuts her up telling her verification is necessary as there is a doubt about the authenticity of her educational certificate. If she has a problem, she can complain to the authorities in Delhi, he tells her.

The woman demands he give her the Delhi number. Fernandes brushes her off, telling her to find it on their website.

She leaves quietly, failing in her attempt to stall the verification process.

Once educational certificates are suspect, they are reported to the issuing authority which then contacts the school/ college for confirmation.

Fernandes has also come across cases where people have brought fake court orders forging judges’ signatures in criminal cases.

As my visit to the Panjim passport office shows, being a passport officer is no cakewalk.

And it’s not only about verifying documents and streamlining the process.

The authorities here often find themselves in the midst of bitter child custody disputes. There have been cases of separated mothers applying for passports for her children trying to take them abroad. When the father finds out, he creates a ruckus at the passport office. The mother insists she has been given custody of the child but has no court order to prove this. This results in the child’s passport being kept on hold.

There have also been other cases where the court has granted custody to one parent, the mother, for example, and visiting rights to the father. In this case the mother has the custody order but needs an NOC from her husband to be able to take the child with her.

Among the annexures/ affidavits single parents can resort to are Annexure C to be filled for a passport for a minor child by either parent, when there has been a separation but no formal divorce, or by a single parent of the child born out of wedlock.

Depending on the situation, a single parent can also resort to Annexure G – Declaration of parent/ guardian if the passport is for a minor when one parent has not given consent.

In one particular case, a woman married to a Goan man had a child and subsequently married an English man. She insisted that the English man’s name figure as the father on her child’s passport.

When she was told that this couldn’t be done as only the biological father’s name was allowed, she created a commotion in the passport office.

Fernandes has come across a large number of domestic abuse cases in his work. The women when applying for a passport reissue, ask that their husband’s name be removed from the new passport.

“ This can’t be done unless there is a separation order from the court. Unless there is a court order we can’t do it. Legally they are still married,” Fernandes explains the law.

Then there are those who handed in a fake date of birth for their first passport when they wanted to go abroad. Now that they want to make a Portuguese passport, they need to correct the date on their Indian passport. Details on the Indian passport have to be accurate to proceed for Portuguese nationality. These applicants want corrections of their Indian passports just so that they can surrender it and leave the country.

Pet names bestowed by loved ones stick on and also find their way into passports creating a problem when the children want to seek Portuguese nationality.

Other cases which Fernandes says are peculiar to Goa include the Portuguese and English spelling of names like Xakuntala/ Shakuntala and Xam/ Shyam. The applicant earlier made a passport entering her/ his name in Portuguese. But their election card, Adhaar card and other documents are all in the English version. The problem arises when they want a reissue.

Procedures are more streamlined and rules more stringent now and less likely to be abused, the passport officer says.

He recalls cases of people visiting Catholic cemeteries, searching for people with ages close to theirs.

Once they obtained the death certificate from the clerk at the Church they managed to lay their hands on all family details. They would first apply for an Indian passport and then a Portuguese one.

Two months ago, a middle aged lady came to the office with her elderly mother who was well into her 80s. The daughter didn’t bring the required documents and began grumbling when she was asked to come the next day, saying the nuns wouldn’t grant her mother, who was in an old age home, permission.

Things at the passport office have changed for the better and long queues and chaos one encountered have disappeared. Fernandes says he has got rid of a number of agents too who used to hang around outside the office and even inside the building. A few still exist and fill up the application online for a hefty fee of Rs 2,000.

Although all appointments are booked online, there is relief for the challenged, senior citizens and emergency cases. These are allowed as walkins from Monday to Friday.

Review Bureau 

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Return of the Jesuits

RETURN OF THE JESUITS

September 14, 2014 

One of the most prominent Catholic orders in India granted their significant contribution to education in this county, the expulsion of the Jesuits by a Portuguese Decree 255 years ago had a profound historical impact on Goa. Francis Xavier was the first Jesuit to set foot here. In Goa where they left behind an indelible footprint through the Basilica de Bom Jesus, the Rachol Seminary, the first printing press in the college of St Paul (that crumbled to ruins), the scores of parish churches and even the old Patto bridge (built between 1632-1634)- to list just a few, the suppression of the Jesuits proved costly to Goa. The State lost out on top-notch Jesuit educational institutions that came to be set up in other parts of the country. The Jesuits would return to Goa formally only in 1993. As the society celebrates 200 years of its restoration this year, Herald Review looks back at a turning point in history. 


LISA ANN MONTEIRO


On the evening of September 27 the Jesuits from the Goa province will celebrate a mass at the Basilica de Bom Jesus to mark 200 years of their restoration. Celebrations are very low key and have been going on in the form of seminars and talks through the year.

“ This is not an occasion to glorify ourselves but it calls us to revisit our past and reflect on why we were suppressed and how loyal we have been to our vocation and what’s our role now,” says Fr Gregory Naik SJ. At the time of their expulsion, the Jesuits ran a large number of parish churches and educational, charitable, social and religious institutions that they had set up in Goa. Overnight they found their lands confiscated to the state and others entrusted to the archdiocese. These were never restored to their original owners. The Goa province of the Jesuits as it is known now was re- established only in 1993 and is today the third smallest province in India with Delhi and Pune after it.

The peculiarity, Fr Naik says, is that although they are small in number, they have generously given some of their best men for work the world over.

Fateful decree 
The fate of Jesuits in Goa changed on September 25, 1759 when a ship arrived with a copy of the royal decree ordering the arrest of all Jesuits in Portugal and its colonies and seizure of all properties belonging to them on the fabricated charge of their complicity in a plot to murder the king The events unfolded rather quickly within the next two days. All the Jesuits were rounded up and kept as prisoners in St Paul’s College ( the new one). In Salcete, the Jesuits were first locked up at Rachol for two months and then sent to join their colleagues. Some prisoners were distributed among houses belonging to other religious orders and were not treated well there.

“ After a year all the prisoners were returned to St Paul’s as the transport ship Nossa Senhora de Conçeicão was to arrive. When it did, the 137 prisoners were loaded on it, a ship meant for maximum 100, an on December 19, 1760 it departed on a journey that lasted five torturous months. The conditions on the ship were so unhealthy and subhuman that by the time it reached Lisbon 24 Jesuits had died and were buried a sea,” Fr Naik writes in his compilation The Goa Jesuits - A concise account of the origins of the Goa Province.

The Jesuits who arrived in Lisbon faced no trial, but were told they could save themselves by leaving their society. The Portuguese- born were exiled to papal states in Italy. The others were sent to S Juliao da Barra jail where they suffered.

In Portugal, the orders for the expulsion of the Jesuits came from the Portuguese Prime Minister Sebastião Jose de Carvalho e Mello who was later made the Marquis of Pombal. Jealous of Jesuit influence, he also wanted the church to be subordinate to the state.

On September 3, 1758 there was an attempt on the life of King Joseph I on the outskirts of Lisbon when he was returning after an evening with his mistress who married into the influential Tavora family. The Duke of Aveiro and the Marquises of Tavora were arrested, tortured, executed and their bodies burnt and thrown into a river.

On January 19, 1759 the king ordered that all Jesuit property be confiscated and three months later on April 20, 1759 all Jesuits were exiled as rebels and traitors. They were accused of rebelling against Portugal and Spain in the treaty of the Paraguay Reductions, refusing to yield to civil authority in Brazil, corruption, commercial activities forbidden to clerics, the defamation of the king abroad and making an attempt on his life.

Portugal was the first European country to expel Jesuits with others following its example. France suppressed the Jesuits in 1764 and Spain in 1767. It was only much later on July 21, 1773 that Pope Clement XIV under pressure suppressed the society worldwide through the brief Dominus ac Redemptor.

Ironically Catherine II of Russia, an Orthodox and Frederick of Prussia, a Lutheran ignored the brief of suppression of the society in their kingdoms because they wanted to keep the Jesuit institutions running. Many Jesuits continued to work in Europe during the suppression affiliated to the Russia province and with their superior based in Russia.

Pre expulsion the Jesuits were at the zenith of their influence on European society. They controlled the world of education and were confessors to kings.

In Goa too, the society was a very vibrant one. In fact the Goa province was the third oldest ( and the first outside Europe) of the Jesuits after Portugal and Spain.

St Francis Xavier was the first Jesuit to arrive in Goa in 1542. The professed house or Casa Professa ( the heart of the society) of the Jesuits who had completed their final stage is attached to the Basilica.

The Casa Professa was built approximately in 1585, before the Basilica was built. It was the only professed house in entire East Asia.

“ It was confiscated along with all the other properties of the religious and returned to the church only in 1940. A Jesuit was appointed rector of the Basilica only in 1956. There were only administrators before that,” Fr Savio Baretto, present rector of the Basilica says. The present structure is believed to be only one third of the original one.

In 1555 the Goa territory consisting Ilhas, Bardez and Salcete was distributed among the existing three orders for the purpose of the apostolate. The Franciscans were in charge of Bardez and the Jesuits were given charge of entire Salcete and 15 villages in the north western sector of Ilhas. The Dominicans were given the other villages in the Ilhas.

Contribution to Goa 
The Jesuits ministered in Salcete for over 200 years and this became their mainstay. They built 25 churches in this taluka. The Seminary of Rachol was built by the Jesuits where they ran a college with a hospital, orphanage, catechetical school, primary school in Portuguese, Konkani school for European missionaries, moral theology and the first printing press.

In Ilhas, the Jesuits acquired the Seminary of Santa Fe, consecrated the church of the college in honour of St Paul and it came to be known as the College of St Paul. The Jesuits who worked there were called Paulistas.

“ The college housed a novitiate, a Jesuit residence, a hospital, a dormitory for catechumens and a good library. Besides academics, the college was the hub of Jesuit activity in the east. It was the church of this college that had the privilege of having the first public exposition of the incorrupt body of Francisco Xavier soon after it arrived from Malacca,” Savio Rodrigues writes in Jesuit Heritage in Goa.

When the plague broke out in Old Goa in 1570 the college was abandoned and a new one built near the convent of St Augustine which came to be known as the new College of St Paul.

The medical department of the College of St Paul was credited with running the Royal Hospital and the expertise of the engineering department was used in building the Rua de Ourem and Ponte de Linhares, considered a marvel of engineering at the time.

The awaited Bull
The Jesuits celebrate 200 years of the restoration of their faith this year thanks to Pope Pius VII who after returning from captivity in France by Napoleon signed the papal Bull Sollicitudo Omnium Ecclesiarum ( The Care of all Churches) on August 7, 1814 which restored the society.

The situation in Portugal however didn’t receive immediate respite because of its antireligious rulers.

In spite of the Bull, the Portuguese government refused to permit Jesuits to settle in Goa. So although there were four flourishing Jesuit missions in Madurai, Bombay- Poona, Bengal and Mangalore, the Goa mission came into existence only on December 3, 1889 and was operating from Belgaum. Fr Naik writes, “ In fact between 1891 and 1908 the total number in the Goa mission at any one time fluctuated between five and nine Jesuits.” In 1928 the Archbishop Patriarch Dom Mateus d’ Oliveira Xavier asked for two Jesuits to be sent to Rachol Seminary. Fr Bernardo Gonçalves was installed as spiritual director in 1931 and he became the first Jesuit to permanently reside in Goa but not in a house of the society.

In Portugal in 1932 when the Estado Novo party came to power, Dr Antonio de Oliveira Salazar was appointed Prime Minister. When he promulgated a new constitution, he permitted the return of religious orders.

On March 19, 1934, 40 prominent citizens, mostly from Margao, submitted a joint petition to Patriarch Dom Teotonio Vieira de Castro stating the Jesuits had given “ incontestable proof of their competence as educators” and therefore they should set up a school or small boarding in Panjim as soon as possible. The signatories were lead by Dr Antonio Augustro do Rego of Panjim and included Sales da Veiga Coutinho, Felippe da Piedade Rebelo, Cesar Baronio Monteiro, Antonio Colaço, Francisco Correia Afonso among others. The original letter drafted in Portuguese lies in the archives of the Jesuit House in Panjim.

The Jesuit provincial of Portugal regretted that no Jesuits could be spared at the time. But the citizens persisted and when they read of Fr Estanislau Martins coming from Portugal they insisted he be assigned to Goa. The patriarch passed on the message to the superior general in Rome and his response was positive.

Post restoration 
Three Jesuits Fr Silvestre de Souza ( a Goan) superior, Fr Estanislau Martins, director of the school and Bro Vincent Augustine, administrator rented a small house at Fontainhas “ at the left end of the Rua do Povo de Lisboa facing the canal flowing into the Mandovi”. Twenty boys were admitted as boarders and 30 enrolled as day scholars in the lyceum.

The Insituto de Sao Francisco Xavier was founded on July 2, 1935 and the Jesuits in Goa got their first residence in the restored society.

The institute turned out to be a failure because the director lacked experience and aptitude to deal with the youth.

Eight years later it shut. They continued to struggle because of their small numbers.

They managed to restore the faith the people had in them when they began running St Theotonius Union High School in Margao in 1944— the present Loyola High School.

In Mapusa they rechristened the Sacred Heart High School as St Brittos High School in 1948. Today they also run the Xavier Retreat House in Baga, St Paul’s School in Belgaum and Rosary English High School in Ajra. They have the Pedro Arrupe Insitute in Raia, their own research centre the Xavier Centre of Historical Research in Porvorim and have greatly contributed to Konkani through the Thomas Stephen’s Konknni Kendr. The Jesuits also run the Jana Jagran, a social action wing where they work with shepherds and nomadic groups and also impart non formal education to them.

Jesuit presence 

There are 16987 Jesuits worldwide serving in 112 nations on six continents with the largest number in India and the USA. The South Asian Assistancy ( of which India is a major portion and comprises 4044 Jesuits.

They have 79 provinces, 5 independent regions and 9 dependent regions in the world with 18 provinces and 2 regions in India.

The Jesuits run 178 universities/ colleges around the world, of which 72 are in the South Asian Assistancy of which more than 60 are in India.

The Goa province comprises 117 Jesuits ( 81 priests, 6 brothers, 27 scholastics and 3 novices).

Review Bureau 

link: http://epaperoheraldo.in/Details.aspx?id=7945&boxid=17515162&uid=&dat=09/14/2014