by Richie Lasrado, Resident Editor, Daijiworld.com
Mangalore, Aug 12: The mansion 'Kohinoor' on Kadri Temple First Cross Road in the city bears the name of the owner Dr H M D'Souza. The Urdu word 'Kohinoor' is the name of a jewel. And what a rare jewel he was ! As Kohinoor literally means, he too was a mountain of light, having given light to thousands of his ailing patients over the past five decades.
Ironically, although his family has been in Mangalore for long, Dr Harry Martin D'Souza was known to very few in the city and around. For, he had made Farangipet, a small town on the way from Mangalore to Bantwal, his adoptive abode. Over the past two generations, he was a household name in this tiny town. He may have laid down his stethoscope for good and bade goodbye to this world on Friday, August 11, 2006, but he sure will have dwelled in thousands of hearts in and around Farangipet, irrespective of caste, creed or class.
Small wonder then, when the residents of Farangipet came to know of his passing away, cutting across the communal and political lines, they pleaded to be allowed to take his mortal remains from Mangalore to Farangipet on Saturday, August 12 at noon for an hour to enable the public to pay their final respects to him. In a rare show of communal harmony and unity, the lead was taken by Mahabala Shetty of the Hindu Vedike, two prominent Muslim leaders Bavakka and Basheer and Omzoor-Mermajal parish priest Fr Cyril Pinto to organize a public condolence meeting. The presence of huge crowds and resultant traffic congestion necessitated pressing into service a large posse of policemen. Such was the love and awe the people had for him.
Having completed his medical education from Madras Medical College, he joined Fr Muller Charitable Institutions as RMO and served there for two years. He had the privilege of having been assistant to the legendary Dr Venkat Rao. Those were the days when qualified doctors were very few in number. Since there was not a single medical practitioner available between Padil and B C Road, he received a request from the Capuchin friars at Farangipet to open a clinic there. They succeeded in persuading him, and his clinic was opened in Farangipet on December 3, 1952.
Dr D'Souza was available to his patients round the clock, all through the year. Opening his clinic at 6-30 am seven days a week, he treated his patients like members of his family. His own family members had to travel to Farangipet at weekends to spend time with him there. So hectic was his schedule. This is exactly why he was not at all known to many in his own locality in Kadri, leave alone in the city.
He remained active until last Sunday, August 6 when he could not sit or stand. While taking care of the health of his patients, he too had looked after his health. "His pace was faster than that of any of us," recalls his son Santosh, treasurer of the Kanara Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
His intellect was sharp and reflexes clear until his last moment, say his family members. He had patients who visited him every day, to be inspired by him, more so to get kind of a moral boost. Some would be healed with a single dose of medicine from him. His family members say that he would attend to patients even when the family functions were on.
"He was a man of few words. His devotion to work and family, his optimism, his encouragement to others, his defiance of conventions and prejudices, his warmth and smile, his loyalty and love, all these have had a tremendous influence on everyone with him and around him," said Santosh, speaking about his departed father.
Not only the people of Farangipet but the whole community has lost a wonderful healer and genial human being.
May his soul rest in peace.