Remembering J L Saldanha on his birth centenary 

Joachim Lawrence (J.L) Saldanha was born a hundred years ago today, in Mangalore.  While he lived till just sixty three, it was a life lived fully, that made a difference in those of many others. His greatest impact was on the thousands of students he inspired, at pivotal points in their lives, at St Aloysius College High School, in the 60’s and 70’s.    And, of course, on his family.
 

He grew up with a fondness and facility for Mathematics that ran through his life. He recounted to me the story of a kind teacher who evened the playing field for him, as a child who had a weakened leg as a result of polio - by requiring the contestants in a race to also solve a math problem before they started. He placed second.
 

Upon graduating from St Aloysius College, he worked for over two decades as a Math teacher at the British Institutes of Engineering & Technology, a correspondence college (remote learning before the web or even video tape) in Bombay. He moved back to Mangalore and taught at St Aloysius College High School for another thirteen years till he retired. He was passionate about his work as a teacher, always seeking ways to meet students where they stood and help them grasp concepts in ways they could understand. Mildly put, he would let you know in no uncertain terms if you were not making an effort but would melt the next moment and gently pick you up off the floor if you needed support. I still remember his face beam with pride as he related how this student or that had distinguished themselves, or transformed their lives in some way, long after they’d left the halls of the school. He himself was a lifelong learner, going back to school
in his forties for a degree in Education and in Modern Mathematics,
with fellow students half his age. 
 

Students who walked into his classroom learned much more than math. He instilled in them a passion for excellence in whatever they chose to do. The kids he most impacted tended to fall into two groups. Those who already showed promise and needed some guidance to vault to the next level, and those whom others had given up on, but he saw something worth redeeming.  He was equally committed to both.  There are many who have scaled the heights of success in varied fields, thanks to his inspiration and encouragement at pivotal points in their lives. A renowned entrepreneur and educator recently cited J.L Saldanha as the mentor who exhorted him to “hitch your wagon to a star” and stretch to get into a premier Engineering institution after high school, while also helping him to get there.  J. L Saldanha's successes at the other end, were the students who found their way back from the edge of dropping out. With his help and encouragement, they graduated and moved onto productive lives. Some of them became, and remain, close family friends. 
 

He had an avid curiosity about the world around him and was widely read, especially in literature and art. His other great passion was Classical music. I remember him wielding a rapturous  baton as he  conducted the church choir during ceremonial Latin masses, lost in the music while his unsteady feet fought to keep him rooted to the ground. He was no mean Tenor himself. His interests took him in many directions, even into the kitchen. His annual Christmas, cake bursting with dried fruit and nuts, was much looked forward to by friends and family. He even tried his hand at poultry farming. He engaged in all of these activities with a spirit of exploration and pursued them with zest.
 

He was genuinely interested in people around him, no matter their age or station in life and was an engaging conversationalist who drew you in. He was often called upon to write or speak not just for his wicked sense of humor but for his authenticity. Not an overly religious person, but certainly a spiritual one, asked once to speak at a forum seeking to increase vocations to the priesthood, he opened with “ I have a son. If he shows any promise, I will encourage him to become a doctor or a lawyer or an engineer. If not, I hope he at least becomes a priest”. The Bishop who was in the room, joined the rest of the audience in laughter.
 

Despite his physical challenge and ill health in later years, he remained selflessly dedicated to his students and his family and went about this always in good cheer. He was compassionate and  generous to a fault, giving of his time and what resources he had. For years there was someone who descended the flight of steps to our house every Friday hoping for a few coins. He was never disappointed. As time wore on, my father would send us kids up to meet him so he wouldn’t have to negotiate the steps. Not long ago, my sister who still lives in that house received a letter from one of his old students. He wrote to say how sorry he was that there was an unpaid fee for some tutoring he had received from my father decades ago and would we kindly accept the cheque enclosed.  He had, no doubt, factored in compounding with a generous interest rate. My father who promptly forgot and forgave anything owed him, would have been pleased with the math that went into this and even more with the other lessons this student had learned. We donated it to a worthy cause in my father’s name. 
 

 J.L Saldanha married Doris Millicent Aranha in 1957 and the two of them raised the seven of us. All graduated from college, a few with advanced degrees, and as my father might have added, no incarcerations yet. What we took away from that happy childhood they afforded us, was the kindness and caring they modeled, resilience in overcoming adversity and generosity of spirit. 

We  remember him with admiration, love and gratitude. 

Kevin Saldanha
ksaldanha@msn.com 

Lynette Pinto, Diana D’Souza, Beryl Gita Kishore, Sandra Saldanha,
Yvette Saldanha and Ivan Saldanha