Pics : Joshwa D'Souza

Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (PMD)

Mangaluru, Dec 4 : Rachana, Catholic Chamber of Commerce and Industry conferred its prestigious awards to five eminent personalities of diverse fields, at the Milagres Jubilee Hall, on Sunday, December 4. Bishop of Mangaluru, Dr Aloysius Paul D'Souza presided over the function. Chief whip of Karnataka legislative council, Ivan D'Souza and MLA Mangaluru South constituency, JR Lobo were the guests of honour.

A jury of 25 selected five awardees for the prestigious Rachana Award. This award was intended to highlight the role models among the community, and help pass on guidance to the younger generation to pursue their line of interest with great zeal.
The awardees were - Corrine Rasquinha, founder of White Doves ( Woman of the year), Vincent D'Souza, innovative agriculturalist (Agriculturalist of the year), Vivek Aranha, CMD, Rosary Educational Group (Entrepreneur of the year), Allen CA Pereira, Former CMD , Bank of Maharashtra (Professional of the year), Martin J Aranha, MD CEO, Globe Link West Star Shipping LLC (Entrepreneur of the year).

Bishop D'Souza congratulated the awardees and said he was proud to have five significant achievers from the diocese. He also congratulated the Rachana team for organising the programme and bringing such great personalities to the fore. He urged the youth to embrace the awardees as excellent role models in a society that highlights movie stars instead, to be emulated. The bishop further encouraged parents of the youth to motivate their children, as they have the greatest impact on the youth, to think of the community and ensure leadership emerges from the community.

"Saints lived ordinary lives in an extraordinary way. So also, the awardees have strived for excellence in their field. They have earned the award, and must be emulated. The awardees are achievers , more than just performers. They make bold decisions and didn't give up during failures." he concluded, encouraging youth to strive for excellence in their field of interest.

Corrine Rasquinha, dedicated her award to the collaborators, the sponsors , donors, White Doves residents, her family and friends, and said, " What we in the White Doves do is nothing extraordinary but what is expected of each of us.” During a time of medical challenges, she was inspired by the biblical verse, 'What profits a man if he gains the whole world and loses his own soul' and began her journey even fervently, reaching out to the needy, last and lost. Each one of them, she said, was Jesus in disguise. She now works towards establishing a 200-bed psychiatric nursing and destitute homes by February 2018, the total cost of which is Rs 7.6 crore.

Vincent D'Souza, a first generation agriculturist, who worked towards developing a farm with modern farming techniques for high yielding multiple crops on 70 acres of irrigated land, is a role model to younger generation to take up agriculture as a profession. He gracefully accepted the award and expressed his gratitude to the Rachana committee for conferring it on him.

Vivek Aranha recalled his father's shift from being a coffee planter to setting up a school in Pune. The seed that his father had sown, Rosary School, Vivek nurtured and took to even greater heights. He said, Rosary Institutes represents all that is good of Mangaluru.

Allen C A Pereira showed great pleasure in being chosen the professional of the year, saying, it was a great Christmas gift from a very tech savvy Santa Claus who sent him a mail about the award. He thanked his mother and his wife for their support through his journey. He recalled the words of Dr TMA Pai about no one being too small for a bank account. There was indeed great wealth at the bottom of the social pyramid and Allen Pereira, recalled unearthing that treasure, thus helping many a people get access to banking facilities, wherever he was posted as a banker. "You want to make a career where you touch the lives of people, no other profession probably will help you like an honest banker with a heart," he said.

Martin Aranha received the award with gratitude to his mother for reminding him of the power of prayer, his family, and the support of the people he worked with. He had three gems of advice from his experience -
Nothing is impossible in life if you set your mind into it, it is important to share one's knowledge with the younger generation, education is the greatest way to achieve your ambition- it shows one’s capacity to learn. And learning, he says, is an age-less process.

MLA JR Lobo said, the awardees have become the beacon for the society. They have shown a path of hard work and ambition. Placing faith in the youth, he said, "Our youth are the strength of the society and community. They have the best of education. They do not come to the limelight. But there are also ample opportunities in our country for them to fulfil their dreams."

“Mangaluru is our birthplace. I appreciate the efforts of NRIs who have started Mangalore Internet City in Mangaluru. I give a call to entrepreneurs and investors, to select Mangaluru for their investments. Stop going to different countries for permanent settlement. We need to create jobs for our people" Lobo added.
“Stop splurging on luxurious celebrations, and rather spend the excess amount on the helping our people from Bidar, Raichur, Gulbarga and Bellary, just like in the yesteryears, the missionaries rendered their services in Mangaluru. It is our responsibility to bring them up as a community as a whole in other parts of the state.” he said.,

MLC Ivan D'Souza urged people to take the benefits that the government is making available for the welfare of the community. "2011 statistics says, our total population in Karnataka is 18 Lac. Among the benefits that members of our community can avail, are scholarships by the government for students wanting to study abroad and zero-percent interest loans of up to Rs 5 lac for business people.” He reiterated the need to take the benefits offered by the government and urged the Rachana members to show the way to the youth to stay back in India.

Gilbert D'Souza, president of Rachana, welcomed the gathering, Dr Norman Mendonca, convenor of the award committee gave a brief introduction of the awards, Eulalia D'Souza, secretary proposed the vote of thanks.

The award ceremony concluded with scrumptious dinner. Milagres Brass Band entertained the gathering with its live music. Sponsors and past-presidents were also honoured.