August 2, 2025

Kanara's Mangalore based renowned genealogist and historian, Dr Michael Lobo, recently brought to notice, a very rare medical achievement of the late Dr Titus W Sequeira in old Bombay, in 1957. Daijiworld.com readers all over the world will be keen on knowing about Dr Titus, another great Kanara origin medic. For centuries folks of Kanara have excelled to super levels in practically every field in the past and present. Daijiworld's mission to connect folks and publish amazing regular accounts is amazing. Let's get in and look into this story:

The first person report on the achievement was from Dr Titus' son Manuel Sequeira from Canada: “Picture 1 here is a picture of my father, Dr Titus William Sequeira, on October 17,1957 made medical history having delivered Siamese twins by simple natural childbirth at his 'Dr T W Sequeira’s Maternity Hospital' Mazagon Bombay. It was a sensational news in the annals of Bombay medical history, he had delivered these twins without any special instruments/equipment, or by surgery. Just natural childbirth with the mother alive, and both twins alive as well, rarely noted.

Any delay would have caused complications and almost definitely have ended in one or two as well as the mother being exposed to the danger of death! Thanks to the deft hands of my father, all three survived the ordeal. That’s what makes this case so very unique. All three miraculously survived. Unheard of in the medical world.

The conjoined twins remained under the care of my father and his hospital staff until they were released about six or seven days later to the hands of the Bombay Government Hospital staff. I remember that later surgery was conducted on the Siamese twins, and my understanding is that one died on the operating table and the other a few hours later. I was a teenager at the time and I recall very clearly all the excitement and buzz, not to mention the anxiety as well, surrounding this event around our small maternity hospital in Mazgaon, Bombay. Named after my father: Dr T W Sequeira’s Maternity Hospital and later run by my brother Dr Anthony Sequiera in whose time its stature grew.

In the 1950s, medical ethics and regulations were stringent and did not permit the advertisement of a doctor or a doctor’s profession for gain or exposure. My father, being scrupulous about such protocol, when approached by the Press, declined to allow his name or that of his hospital to be published in the media. Medical ethics has changed much since. But a brief piece of news did appear in two of the three morning after papers. I do recall reading them: The Free Press Journal, or The Indian Express and/or The Times of India. I recall we did keep copies of these editions from those publications, but over time, unfortunately, with the family scattered all over the world, these copies have ended up being misplaced! My elder brother, Dr Anthony tells me that there was a medical paper in one of the publications of the Bombay Medical Journal (he thinks it may be in December, 1957). I also recall my father being invited to attend symposiums arranged by the local medical organizations in Bombay, to share his experience with the medical fraternity."

Fortunately, our current readers here, due to journalistic and Daijiworld's generosity and technology available, are fortunate to glimpse this rare story. Positively much interest and association could result from the details gathered. Readers must see Daijiworld.com website regularly and keep abreast with local news, history and culture.

Genealogy/history/information from Dr Michael Lobo:

The first documented members of this Sequeira family are from a 'Kamath' family of Kadri, 'Joao Sequeira and his wife Esperanca Souza' from the first decade of the 1800s, and may have been in the Captivity too. Our protagonist Dr Titus Sequeira's parents were Joseph Salvador Sequeira (Shaba) and Mary Albuquerque. They were married in Rosario Cathedral on Jan 12, 1892 (Before the present edifice of the Cathedral came up in 1915). Joseph Sequeira did his studies from St Aloysius College and later from Presidency College Madras. He served at the district court Mangalore. Was a member of the municipal set up and a director of the Mangalore Provident Fund, a forerunner of MCC Bank. Mary was the daughter of the well-known Alexis Albuquerque Pai, in 1868 the founder of the Mangalore Tile Factory of Bolar, and still operating. Joseph and Mary had 13 children between 1893 and 1918 (Evline, Paul, Alice, Arthur, TITUS, Adele, Martin, William, Magdalen, Rose, Thomas, James and Stanislaus). We see Titus was the 5th of these. Mary died on Sept 21, 1945 and Joseph on July 26, 1958 both buried in Bendur. It is noteworthy that a younger brother of Dr Titus is Fr William Sequeira SJ, well known as the Head of St Aloysius high school from 1942 to 52 and director of the Jeppu Workshop for 12 years and contributed special efforts, he later lived in Bangalore for long till 1991.

Dr Titus, about whom we here recall, married Ethel Pinto on April 23, 1929 at Mazagon Bombay. He graduated from Grant Medical College, Bombay and practiced in Bombay, operating his ‘Dr T W Sequeira’s Maternity Hospital’, and was well known to the Mangalore community for his services to the church and poor. It grew in fame in the hands of Dr Titus' son Dr Anthony Sequeira, a highly popular person in many spheres with the Catholic Community of Mumbai. Picture 2 here Dr Titus & Ethel had 8 children - Magdalen, Marie, Rita, Anthony, Augustine, Monika, Alfonso, and Manuel. Rita, the 3rd child of Dr Titus and Ethel, in May 1954 joined the Religious Sisters of the Good Shepherd (RGS). She took her final vows in 1957 and the religious name of Sr Annunciata. In picture 2 she is seen between her parents just before she joined the convent. In picture 3 here, Sr Annunciata is prominently seen on the occasion of her Golden Jubilee in 2007 with family in Bangalore.

From CASK-'Mangalore' Magazine December 1959: Obituary: Dr Titus Sequeira died at Bombay on December 24, 1959 aged 60. Educated at St Aloysius College Mangalore and Grant Medical College Bombay, he practised in Bombay and gave his honorary services to clergy and the poor. He leaves behind his wife and 8 children, one of whom is a nun. His funeral was largely attended. Fr William Sequeira SJ of Bangalore, (his Brother) officiated. At the graveside G J Saldanha, Prez Magistrate, paid tribute to his great qualities as a doctor and a Christian.

We need to recognise the renown of this Mangalorean rooted family now spread in India and overseas. It is for us to know and understand the great efforts and talents that are put in to excel in the past and in this 21st century too. May it bring inspiration and motivation to our younger generations. May God the author of all goodness and blessings always be instrumental in all lives.