Media Release
Bengaluru, Jan 16: The Bengaluru-based Federation of Konkani Catholic Associations (FKCA), a premier umbrella organization representing Konkani Catholics of Karnataka and worldwide, has announced the names of its prestigious FKCA Award winners for the Year 2014-15.
The FKCA has instituted three awards to honour Konkani Catholics for their achievement and services not only to the community but the country in different fields.
The FKCA Lifetime Achievement Award will be conferred on eminent writer Edwin J F D'Souza, the FKCA Professional Excellence Award will be presented to ASSOCHAM Karnataka state council chairman Jacob Crasta and the FKCA Entrepreneur of the Year will go to founding member of the prestigious Ferns Group, Austin Roach.
The awards will be presented at FKCA's 16th year celebrations - 'Federation Day-2015, to be held at St Joseph's Indian High School Grounds, opposite Kanteerava Stadium, Bengaluru, on Sunday, February 1 at 5 pm, by chief minister of Karnataka Siddaramaiah, who has consented to become the chief guest of the programme. Dr Bernard Moras will preside over the function.
Revenue minister V Srinivas Prasad, home minister K J George, Mangaluru South MLA J R Lobo, Mangaluru MLC Ivan D'Souza, IFKCA chairman and NRI entrepreneur Ronald Colaco, and president of Karnataka Konkani Sahitya Academy Roy Castelino will be the guests of honour, said FKCA chairman Victor Edward D'Souza.
About the Awardees
Edwin J F D'Souza (Vasu Valencia) - Lifetime Achievement Award
The current executive director of Institute of Konkani, St Aloysius College (Autonomous) Mangaluru and editor of ‘Amar Konkani’ a bi-annual research journal in Konkani (both Nagari/Kannada scripts), Edwin Joseph Francis D'Souza fondly called as Vasu Valencia, was born in June 1948. He’s a product of St Aloysius College (Autonomous) Mangaluru and holds a degree in commerce and a post-graduate diploma in Konkani.
His first short story in Konkani was published in 1964. Since then he has come a long way with 33 published novels, over one hundred short stories, columns, satires etc. His famous works include ‘A Cup of Hot Tea’, ‘Chocolates’, ‘Kallem Bhaangaar’, ‘Poinn’ and many more. His contributions have been highly lauded when it comes to the Translations of English books, biographies, novels, short stories etc into Konkani and vice-versa. He’s been a proud recipient of some of the renowned awards such as ‘Best Books of the Year 2013’ award (for his novel - 'Kallem Bhaangaar') from both Konkani Sahitya Academy and Vimala V Pai Vishwa Konkani Academy.
Jacob Crasta - Professional Excellence Award
An exceedingly renowned professional who has set a benchmark for prominent industrialists, Jacob Crasta is in the limelight for his skills such as business strategy, market research, business and strategic planning, entrepreneurship, business and product development and so on.
He was born to Baptist and Sabina Crasta in 1951 near Kinnigoli in Mangaluru. His affiliation for environment and ethical life values have molded him into a multi-talented and delightful personality of what he is today. His journey into the entrepreneurs’ world started with his own glorious venture namely CM Equipment & Instruments India Pvt Ltd, a pioneering company in the manufacturing of environmental simulation testing systems in India
He has over 30 years of experience in the manufacturing, industrial space and social forums, and is associated with various organizations in India and abroad, in various capacities. Some of which are:
Chairman, Karnataka State Council: The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM)
Executive member: International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) India
Past president and member of International Trade Committee: Federation of Karnataka Chamber of Commerce & Industry (FKCCI)
State-level Export Promotion Council member: Government of Karnataka (GoK)
Member and past president: Peenya Industries Association (PIA)
Member and past president: Karnataka Small Scale Industries Association (KASSIA)
Austin Roach - Entrepreneur of the Year Award
A founding member of the prestigious Ferns Group, Austin Roach has over 18 years of experience in Bengaluru's development and real estate sector. Austin Roach and his colleagues at the Ferns Group have a reputation as transformers of Bengaluru's skyline, men with the vision to initiate Bengaluru's vertical development, to keep up with its rising status as India's Silicon City.
Austin Roach was born as the 5th child of the late P A Roach and the late Caroline Roach. He obtained his graduate degree from St Joseph’s Arts and Science College, Bengaluru and ever since has made his name in the fields of politics, social service and real estate. He was once the secretary of Youth Congress of Mudigere taluk and later embarked on his career journey with a three-year stint in the Gulf and later got into the real estate innovation. His firm RBD Shelters carries the pride of having created over 10 gated communities and is the promoter of the prestigious 5-star Park Plaza Hotel at Bengaluru.
Federation of Konkani Catholic Associations takes pride in honoring Austin Roach, who was a founding ,ember of this prestigious organization and also has served a term of two years in the capacity of its chairman and was responsible for bringing many Konkani Christian Associations under FKCA’s banner.
About FKCA
The FKCA, established in 1998 for espousing the cause of Konkani Catholics of Bengaluru and also to work in the larger interests of the community in the entire state of Karnataka and other parts of India and even abroad, comprises as many as 30 Konkani Catholic associations in different parts of Bengaluru and Mysore, besides nine associations in different countries, including four in Dubai, Abu Dhabi in UAE, one each in Kuwait, Qatar, USA, UK and Canada.
The FKCA today has made a strong presence by putting forth and taking up grievance of Konkani Catholic community with several governments as a united forum and fighting for their rights.
FKCA has taken up various programmes like annual sports, free placement service cell, matrimonial cell, entrepreneurs’ forum and free medical camps. It has also launched a worldwide directory of Konkani Catholics on its website, www.fkca.net. Major achievements of the Federation include taking the initiative in helping several members of different affiliated associations in getting well-developed housing sites on the Bengaluru-Tumkur highway near Nelamangala, putting in concerted efforts by meeting successive chief ministers and leaders of different political parties to demand suitable representation to minorities, especially Christians, launching free placement service cell to help the unemployed get jobs, organizing free medical camps, distributing free school bags and free medicines and so on.
In view of the injustice done in the Minority Development Corporation and Karnataka state minorities Commission, Federation office bearers met the leaders of other minority communities like Jains, Parsis and Sikhs to discuss future course of action.
FKCA also met the chairman of National Minority Commission standing committee Justice Ranganath Mishra and submitted a memorandum highlighting community grievances with regard to the state minority board and minorities commission wherein only one community is favored by the government ignoring Christians’ among the rest of the minority groups.