Meet Mangalorean Top Cop - FTR Colaso, IPS

March 13, 2007

by Walter Nandalike
Editor-in-chief
Daijiworld.com

The Mangalorean community has produced a few IPS officers who risen up the rungs of the Indian  competitive-level services. Unfortunately, many of these who made it to the top level have still remained unnoticed or have shied away from media attention.

One such personality, who reached the top position of All India services, is F T R Colaso (Francis Thomas Raphael Colaso), who attained a post any IPS officer can dream of reaching. He retired as Director General of Police of Karnataka sosme years ago..

Although he is very well known in the Indian police force, many of his fellow natives are not aware of his achievements.

Walter Nandalike, editor-in-chief of daijiworld.com, got an unexpected opportunity at  the premises of Mosaco Shipping Company Dubai, where Frank Fernandes Managing Director of the Mosaco, introduced this great personality, and thought his achievement deserved to be highlighted to daijiworld readers.

Seventy-year-old F T R Colaso hails from Bendur parish of Mangalore. His father C L Colaco  was the sub judge of Madras court, who retired in the year 1945.

FTR's mother was Elizabeth Lobo. His grandfather George Peter Lobo was a quite popular community figure those days and was the donor of the land where the current Capuchin friary on Jail Road, Mangalore is situated.

Colaso did his initial studies in St Aloysius Mangalore. After completing the intermediate at St Aloysius, he completed his BA Honours at Loyola College, Madras in 1958.

L to R: Walter Nandalike, Frank Fernandes and FTR Colaso

He took up a job as lecturer in Economics for two years at St Joseph College, Bangalore.

Journey to All India Services:

• In 1961 he was selected for IPS
• The first job as IPS was as Assistant Superintendent of Police in Nanjanagud, Mysore, Karnatak
• Later he was transferred to Malleshwaram as Assistant Commissioner of Police
• In 1965 he became Superident of Police at Chitradurga for 2 years
• He served at Hassan as ACP for 1 year
• In 1969 he became ADC to Governor of Karnataka; Colaso has the credit of becoming  first ever Superident of Police to ADC (aide de camp). ADC is top security head for governor of state. Until then only Indian Army personnel were serving as  ADC. He server six months as ADC to Governor
• In 1968-69 he was nominated as chief for CID Food Cell in Karnataka 
• In 1970 he was sent for higher training for senior officer course at Abu Mount for six  months
• He became Assistant Inspector General Police in 1971 for Karnataka
• Later in 1971 he was deputed to Government of India Bureau of Police Research and  Development for about three and half years
• In 1974 he was posted as Deputy Secretary in the Cabinet Secretariat in Delhi for four Years
• Later in 1978 he was sent to higher training to UK to undergo Senior Command Course
• In 1979 he was appointed as DIG and posted DIG for Civil Rights Enforcement Cell
• 1982 Posted as DIG of North Eastern Range Gulbarga till 1984
• 1984 he became Transport Commissioner of Bangalore

Colaco as DGP of Jammu & Kashmir - A Triple promotion:

It came as a surprise to FTR Colaso, as from the position of DIG he became Deputy Director General of Police of Jammu and Kashmir, one of the highest honours for any IPS man. He served as DGP of J & K in 1986 for one year

In 1987-89 he became IGP (Inspector General of Police) in BSF and was posted in northeastern India
 
From 1990 to 1994 he was posted  to many senior positions and served as additional DGP for  Law and Order, DGP for Civil Rights Enforcement Directorate, and DGP for CID & Training among others..

Finally, just six months before retirement, Colaso became DGP of Karnataka state, the supreme post of Karnataka police force, and one of the topmost posts an IPS can get in any state.

He retired as DGP of Karnataka in 1995.

Retired life - active in social Service:

Even 11 years after retirement, FTR Colaso looks so fit, agile and commanding. His down-to-earth nature and vast knowledge of administrative fields are proof to the greatness of his personality. 

He is a true inspiration to the current youth to take up IPS as a career and serve the nation.

"One may not make good money to live a luxurious life if he becomes IPS and serve the  nation. But we need many more youth to come forward and train to become IPS. To get an  access to the top level of any administrative service in India, you need someone of our  own there. Sadly we do not have many Mangaloreans who are in this position," says Colaso while requesting the youth in India to take up IPS and aspire for higher job at the government departments.

"We need to create widespread awareness for the youth about IPS exams; we have KROSS (Karnataka  Regional Organization for Social Service), which is trying to bring about awareness among the youth to take up IPS as achallenge," he says.

Colaso is spending his retired life in Bangalore. His wife Carmel is a retired teacher and the couple has three children Sunil, Nisha and Anjali.

Currently in Dubai on a short visit on his way to the USA to attend an international conference for an organization he heads "L'arche International Origination", which serves for the mentally challenged people around the world. In India the organization has four homes, one each at Bangalore, Calcutta, Chennai and Calicut.

"I did not take up any other job after my retirement; I want to involve more in social Service. I want to serve the people, I want to spend the time with people who need assistance."

"I feel very proud to be a Mangalorean, but, most importantly, an Indian. The Almighty provided me with the opportunity to serve the nation at different levels," says Colaso, who is known as an honest and dynamic IPS all over India.

Colaso has received several awards and recognitions in his career, but he liked to mention two of them in particular and they are the greatest honours for any IPS officer:

• President's Police medal for Meritorious Service in 1985
• President's Police Award for distinguished service in 1991