Mid-Day

Panaji, Jul 1: Cupid struck Mohammad Fazal (81), former governor of Maharashtra, got married to a 58-year-old Goan interior designer, at a simple church ceremony.
 
The bride, Sherly, is from south Goa. She is the daughter of Augustine Godinho, who was an instrumentation engineer with the Birla Group of companies. The wedding, which took place a few months ago, was a very private affair, with only close family members in attendance. "Yes, I got married… we got married in Margao," Fazal told Mid Day.

'He was lonely'

Known for his controversial decision to legalize prostitution during his tenure as the governor, Fazal lost his wife, Tasneem, in 2004. "After her death he was very lonely and so decided to get married once more," family sources told MiD DAY. Fazal is now staying with Sherly and his grandsons at Colva in south Goa. "It wasn't easy for me to get married again and to start afresh," he said.

Sources said that Fazal and Tasneem always dreamt of building a house in Goa and Fazal accomplished their dream by constructing a sea-facing bungalow, 'Tasneem Fazal Mansion', at the picturesque Dona Paula. "They always wanted to settle down in Goa because they found the place very pretty and the air clean," sources added. In fact, it was Sherly who designed the bungalow.
 
Leaves the mansion

Fazal and Sherly knew each other since 1977, when he was the secretary in a Government of India undertaking in Goa.

After Tasneem's death, Fazal decided to leave the bungalow at Dona Paula as it was a painful reminder of Tasneem.
"Old memories still exist and I decided to vacate my Dona Paula bungalow, which was dedicated to my late wife, Tasneem," said Fazal emotionally.

It was much later, that Fazal decided to get married to Sherly, who also apparently had a soft corner for him. Said Fazal, "We knew each other for decades, but we came close to each other when I took over as the governor of Goa."

Locals say that Fazal now accompanies his newly-wed wife to church every Sunday.