Leo Rodrigues : Success, Miracles and Charity - He Experiences it All

by Florine Roche

Aug 17, 2009

Looking at people outwardly we often come to conclusions that life is a happy go lucky ground for them for having attained success, name, fame, wealth etc.  But little do we realize that success always does not come on a platter. It calls for hard work, determination, sweat, toil and some trying moments on the way to success.  The enterprising and hardworking people of Dakshina Kannada have often scripted their own success stories in their own land and also in countries where they work or live.   

Leo Rodrigues of Mukka, Mangalore, is one such enterprising personality who has attained success in Abu Dhabi and is a role model for all those who think, act and dream big.   His success story in an alien land speaks volumes of his vision and determination to succeed against all odds.  But it is not success alone that makes him what he is today.  Despite success he still remains a humble man, rooted to the ground realities and shares whatever success he has achieved by helping out to the deprived sections of the society in the form of charity.  His wife Laveena who whole heartedly supports her husband’s passion of sharing their success says “I believe we have been blessed ten times more than what we have been giving.  God has been very generous to us”.  

Hard work pays off

Leo is the third child in the family of 8 children.  His father was in the air force and after early retirement worked in KREC. Leo had his early education in Valencia and also in Vidyadayini School and Govindadas College in Surathkal.  After his diploma in Automobile he worked for sometime in Mukka Welfare Association before leaving for Al-ain, the border between Muscat and Abudabi in 1980.  Initially Leo worked as a site supervisor and then worked for a vehicle dealer for 3 years before starting his own automobile workshop in 1986 in Abudabhi.  

“I started the venture with just 4 technicians.  I worked for almost 16-18 hours initially as I had started the venture from scratch. I had a big responsibility of taking care of my family including the duty of settling my 3 younger sisters and that bolstered me to work harder”, he explains recalling those initial years of struggle.  

He deals mostly with corporate clients which means he had to follow a strict regimen of discipline, quality of service and punctuality to develop a loyal base of clients. Having adhered to this strict regimen in his dealings Leo emerged a winner within a few years as a reward for the hard work he put in making his firm a leading name in the field of automobile service. There was no stopping him from then onwards.  

In 2004 Leo started Texas rent-a-car, a car rental venture, again concentrating on corporate clients, who formed a sizeable chunk of his clientele.  He started with only 5 cars and now owns a fleet of more than 250 cars.  His wife Laveena is actively involved in taking care of this venture which has reduced his burden to some extent.  Expanding in the same business Leo started Admiral Auto Spare Parts shop in 2005.  Today he has about 170 employees working for him in all the three firms in Abudabhi including the first 4 technicians with whom he had started the venture.  He has taken many employees from Mangalore to work for him in Abudabi, thus giving a new lease of life to many families. 

In 1989 Leo got married to Laveena and the couple has 3 children.  Eldest daughter Carrol is undergoing training to be a commercial pilot in Australia.  Son Collin is studying in SSLC and youngest daughter Clare is studying in 2nd standard.  Rodrigues family’s cup of happiness was complete.  

The Trauma 

If this is the brighter side of the family there is the other unknown side of the hardship and trying times the family went through starting from 1997, when Leo was just 41.   Tears well up in the eyes of Leo as he tries to recall the trauma he and his family underwent at a time when he was emerging as a success in business.  Doctors told him he had bladder cancer and the same was confirmed through biopsy.  Needless to say the family was shattered unable to accept the stark reality that faced them. “It was a traumatic period for me as I had my dreams crumbling before my eyes.  I thought no, not at this stage when I am just at the peak of my career”, says Leo and eyes become moist again.  But miracles do happen and the life story of Leo family is nothing short of miracles and the family believes in them having experienced the power of it.  

As Leo began to come to terms with the disease he was ready to go for radiation therapy.  He was lying on the radiation table with markings on the body parts meant for radiation.  As luck would have it the machine which came half way through stopped and the technician told him the machine is out of order and would take another 15 days for repair as the technician had to come from UK.  In the intervening period the family came down to Mumbai and showed the reports at Tata and Leelavati Hospitals.  The doctors suggested removal of the bladder, a possibility which Leo and his wife dread to recall.  Imagine moving around with a catheter for the rest of the life!  

An Ayurvedic Pandit in Mumbai whom the family consulted checked his pulse and assured Leo that there was no cancer and there was nothing to worry.  But with the reality facing them in the form of reports the family did not take his advice on face value.  The family decided to go in for surgery in Jaslok Hospital, Mumbai.  On the suggestion of a nun Rodrigues family decided to go for a second biopsy which they did in Jaslok hospital.  To their utter bewilderment and happiness the second biopsy came as negative.  It was a big relief for the family but doubts and fears persisted.  On going back to Abu Dhabi the family showed the second negative biopsy report to the same doctor who had earlier seen the slides from the first biopsy.  “He just threw the report aside and said I don’t believe it.  It cannot be true”, says Laveena recalling the doctors response.  Not to take a chance he asked them to go for one more biopsy from the same place where they had done the first biopsy.  And the report was negative much to the consternation of the doctor who said it was a miracle of sort and that Leo was lucky.  

The trauma Leo and his family had to undergo is the worst any one can face in life. “I was positive and kept my mind strong assuring myself that nothing would happen to me.  I thought I have done what I had to do and had no regrets.  My family will be able to survive without me if the worst was to happen”, Leo explains.  For Laveena too the period was very traumatic and physically exhausting.  With no one to fall back upon for help she had to shoulder the full responsibility in addition to giving moral support to her husband.  She too went under a bout of depression at one stage. Initially Leo was advised to come for check ups for every three months and later once a year to keep a watch.  “I believe in miracles.  On the day of the nativity feast he was told about the disease and he was cured on the same day”, says Laveena.  

Rejoicing once again 

After the traumatic period the family rejoiced again by welcoming their third child Clare who was born in 2002.  The couple went ahead expand the family after consulting the doctors.  “I always wanted to have three kids and fulfilled my desire after Clare was born.  Her birth was a rejoicing moment for the entire family after what we went through in our lives earlier”, declares Laveena.  

Leo is actively involved with Konkani cultural activities in Abu Dhabi. Currently, he has been heading Konkani Cultural Assiciation (KCO) for the second term. With the strong support from the members of KCO, the association has become instrumental in bringing Konkani-speaking people from the region under one roof. KCO is the only recognised Konkani association of the Mangaloreans functioning in Abu Dhabi.

Recognising his entrepreneurship, Rachana (Catholic Chamber of Commerce Mangalore) bestowed the ‘entrepreneur of the year’ award on Leo Rodrigues for the year 2008.

Leo is also a staunch supporter and donor for major Konkani events taking place all over UAE and in India.

Rodrigues family believes in giving back to the society whatever they have been blessed with.  The generous couple does not hesitate to render whatever little help they can and no one goes empty handed if the case is genuine.  Just recently the couple donated about 1.5 lakh to a government school in Valencia for providing uniform to students when the teachers came to them pleading for help.   

The life story of Rodrigues family is a story of courage, determination, hard work, success, belief in self and in the almighty.  Their spirit of resilience at times of adversity is an example for all of us that life has its own trying moments but one should never give up hopes.