Freedom Fighter That He Was
by Jaime Afonso
From the 2006 Souvenir of St. Estevam Sports Club
From the 2006 Souvenir of St. Estevam Sports Club
Late Prof. Luis Manuel Afonso wrote an article in the second last edition of this souvenir wherein he had given us glimpses of the earliest developments of our village to the present facade of our church and mentuioning about priestly ordination of his brother Late Fr. Antonio. He is no more among us as this edition unfolds today. He left for his heavenly abode on 4th April 2006. May his soul rest in peace.
L. M. Afonso as he was popularly known among the teaching fraternity, obtained his educational degrees from the University of Bombay and served in Mumbai for some time before coming to Goa soon after liberation for which he had made his personal contribution and was later recognised as freedom fighter by the State and Central Governments. An honour to the village indeed!
In Goa, he was first appointed as professor of English language in the prestigious Portuguese medium Liçeu Nacional de Afonso de Albuquerque, a leagacy of the Portuguese era, an institute of higher learning which was to remain in existence for the next three years before being converted into an English medium Government institution. He earned admiration of
students who were eager to learn the language that he taught because in it lay their future and were from all over Goa including some frm our own village.
Later he took up the position of Headmaster/Principal in Government-aided schools mainly in South Goa and in such capacity he worked with dedication in Perpetual soccour High School, Nagoa, Verna for 14 years doing yeoman service to the people of the area and for this he was felicitated by various social organisations including the Lions Club. At the state level he was
a pioneering contributor to the well-laid system of aided schools in Goa.
He was much involved in social, cultural and political activities in our village and contributed for it in various capacities. He expressed his views on matters of local and national interest by his strong worded writings in newspapers and fearless speaking at various forums. He always stood for all that was traditional and native including the land, the people and the language. At the time of his daeth he was the President of the revived committee of our Comunidade, an institution he admired and desired to keep vibrant for posterity.
With loving companionship of his wife and as a good teacher would do, he brought up his four children by imbibing them with the right values of life.
L. M. Afonso as he was popularly known among the teaching fraternity, obtained his educational degrees from the University of Bombay and served in Mumbai for some time before coming to Goa soon after liberation for which he had made his personal contribution and was later recognised as freedom fighter by the State and Central Governments. An honour to the village indeed!
In Goa, he was first appointed as professor of English language in the prestigious Portuguese medium Liçeu Nacional de Afonso de Albuquerque, a leagacy of the Portuguese era, an institute of higher learning which was to remain in existence for the next three years before being converted into an English medium Government institution. He earned admiration of
students who were eager to learn the language that he taught because in it lay their future and were from all over Goa including some frm our own village.
Later he took up the position of Headmaster/Principal in Government-aided schools mainly in South Goa and in such capacity he worked with dedication in Perpetual soccour High School, Nagoa, Verna for 14 years doing yeoman service to the people of the area and for this he was felicitated by various social organisations including the Lions Club. At the state level he was
a pioneering contributor to the well-laid system of aided schools in Goa.
He was much involved in social, cultural and political activities in our village and contributed for it in various capacities. He expressed his views on matters of local and national interest by his strong worded writings in newspapers and fearless speaking at various forums. He always stood for all that was traditional and native including the land, the people and the language. At the time of his daeth he was the President of the revived committee of our Comunidade, an institution he admired and desired to keep vibrant for posterity.
With loving companionship of his wife and as a good teacher would do, he brought up his four children by imbibing them with the right values of life.
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