M’lore: Portrait of the First Couple in Parliament to be Put Up
PTI
Daijiworld Media Network – (NR)
Photo Courtesy: Louie Pinto
Mangalore Dec 4: They were the first couple to be elected to Indian Parliament.
And on December 5, in recognition of their contribution to Indian polity, a portrait of Joachim and Violet Alva would be unveiled in Parliament.
It was in 1952 that Violet was elected to the Rajya Sabha and Joachim to the Lok Sabha, both from the then Bombay state, making them the first couple to be elected to Parliament.
The unveiling of the portrait coincides with the centenary year of Joachim Alva. Next year would be the centenary of Violet.
It was during his stormy university career that he met Violet, a shy, demure Gujarati girl. While he was Konkani from Mangalore and was of the Catholic faith, she was a Protestant from Gujarat.
Given the orthodoxy of that era, these were hardly the ingredients of a socially acceptable and successful marriage. However, they defied tradition and triumphed, forming a successful partnership in personal as well as public life.
By the time Violet Hari became Violet Alva on November 20, 1937, she was a transformed person, venturing on to public platforms and developing into a confident speaker in several languages.
Violet and Joachim Alva set up legal practice together in Mumbai, later deciding that they could make a more meaningful contribution to society in journalism.
On August 9, 1943, the first anniversary of Quit India Day, the couple founded 'Forum', a weekly political news-magazine.