Media Release
Udupi, Mar 9: Responding to the suffering of people in distress is a true act of humanity, and such compassionate service is also pleasing to God, said Fr Denis D’Sa, parish priest of St Anne's Church, Thottam.
He was speaking on Sunday evening at the church premises during a programme where an underwater communication device used for life-saving rescue operations was handed over to renowned diver Eshwar Malpe. The device, costing around Rs 7 lakc was donated by the Michael D’Souza Charitable Trust of Mangaluru.
Fr Denis D’Sa said that Eshwar Malpe has been serving society by rescuing victims who have drowned in water bodies across various parts of the state, wiping the tears of families in distress. Due to the lack of modern equipment, his life had often been at risk during rescue operations. Recognising his selfless service, philanthropist Michael D’Souza provided an underwater communication device that allows divers to stay in contact with people on the surface during rescue missions.
He expressed hope that the new equipment would help Eshwar Malpe and his team save many more lives. Fr Denis also noted that Eshwar currently lives in an old house and added that Michael D’Souza has assured support for constructing a new house for him in the future.
Speaking on the occasion, Eshwar Malpe explained that when retrieving bodies from water, divers often have to descend to depths of 30 to 40 feet. Until now, communication with the team above was maintained only through rope signals, which has led to several life-threatening situations. He said that his team attempts to save people without considering caste or religion and that the prayers and blessings of the public have helped them return safely after dangerous operations.
He expressed gratitude to Michael D’Souza for the generous gesture that enabled the team to receive a device allowing communication with people on the surface while underwater.
Oswald Rodrigues, a member of the Michael D’Souza Charitable Trust, said that responding to the request of a person like Eshwar Malpe, who risks his life to help those in distress, is a noble and blessed act. He hoped the device would assist in helping many more people in need.
Others present on the occasion included Uzwad fortnightly editor Fr Alwyn Sequeira, local convent superior Sr Sushma, charitable trust members Steevan Pinto, parish pastoral council secretary Laveena Fernandes, coordinator of the 20 Commissions Shanthi Fernandes, Women’s Association president Priya Rodrigues, and members of Eshwar Malpe’s rescue team.
Philanthropist Michael D’Souza came to know about Eshwar Malpe’s humanitarian service through videos on the social media platform YouTube. After learning about his work, he sent trust members Oswald Rodrigues and Steven Pinto along with Fr Denis to visit Eshwar’s house and assess his situation.
During the visit, they realised that an underwater communication device was an urgent requirement for his rescue work and immediately arranged for the support. Michael D’Souza has also assured assistance for the construction of a new house for Eshwar Malpe in the coming days.