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KCA Mathikere to celebrate diamond jubilee of service and Konkani heritage on Jun 7

  •   Tue, Jun 02 2026 10:11:01 AM

Media Release

Bengaluru, Jun 2: Konkan Catholic Association (R) (KCA), one of Bengaluru's most respected and enduring community organisations, is proudly celebrating 60 years of dedicated service, cultural preservation, community development and social outreach.

Established in 1966, KCA has played a pioneering role in uniting Konkani-speaking Catholics in Bengaluru while preserving and promoting the rich heritage, language and traditions of the Konkani community. Founded by the visionary late A V Rego along with a group of socially committed leaders including late H A Patrao and late A C L Peris, the association was built on the noble ideals of fostering unity, promoting Konkani culture and extending educational and medical assistance to the underprivileged.

Over the past six decades, KCA has evolved from humble beginnings into a vibrant, dynamic and multifaceted organisation that continues to make a meaningful difference in the lives of thousands.

Today, as it celebrates its diamond jubilee, KCA has over 700 life members, primarily heads of families. Including their extended family members, the wider KCA community is estimated to comprise nearly 3,000 people. While a majority of its members are based in Bengaluru, the association's extended family spans Karnataka, various parts of India and countries including the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Australia, Canada, Switzerland and the Gulf region.

One of the Association's most significant milestones has been the establishment of its own community centre, Konkan Bhavan. This landmark achievement was spearheaded by late A V Rego along with late H A Patrao, late A C L Peris and subsequently carried forward by late O J Colaco and late H M Fernandes. Construction commenced in 1979, with the ground floor being completed within a year and formally inaugurated in 1981. The fully completed two-storey structure was inaugurated in 1989.

Today, Konkan Bhavan stands as a symbol of the association's vision, perseverance and community spirit. The building houses a spacious first-floor hall with seating capacity for 150 persons, serving as a venue for meetings, cultural programmes and social gatherings. The second floor provides hostel accommodation for young men pursuing higher education and employment opportunities in Bengaluru. The ground floor includes kitchen and dining facilities, making the premises a vibrant centre for community interaction and social service activities.

True to its founding mission, KCA continues to undertake a wide range of welfare initiatives. The association provides scholarships and educational assistance to deserving students and extends financial support for medical treatment to the sick and needy.

A particularly noteworthy contribution has been the hostel facility at Konkan Bhavan, which has provided accommodation to more than 1,500 underprivileged boys who migrated to Bengaluru in search of education and employment opportunities. Many of these beneficiaries have gone on to establish successful careers and families, a lasting testament to the association's commitment to transforming lives through service and support.

Built upon the enduring pillars of unity, faith, service and cultural pride, Konkan Catholic Association continues to play a pivotal role in strengthening the Konkani Catholic community while contributing meaningfully to the social fabric of Bengaluru and beyond.

To commemorate this historic milestone, KCA will celebrate its diamond jubilee on Saturday, June 7, at the prestigious Chowdiah Memorial Hall, Bengaluru.

The celebrations will be presided over by Dr Bernard Moras, archbishop emeritus of Bengaluru.

Justice John Michael Cunha, former judge of the high court of Karnataka, will grace the occasion as chief guest.

The guests of honour are Walter Nandalike, Founder and managing director of Daijiworld Media Pvt Ltd, and Anthony Gonsalves, chairman of the Federation of Konkani Catholic Associations (FKCA).

The celebrations will conclude with a live musical concert by renowned singer Ashwin D'Costa and team. Also, there is a special performance by Richard Louis, stand-up comedian.

The present office bearers of the association are Edwin Lobo – president, Anthony Gonsalves – vice president, Elias Fernandes – secretary, Sangeeth Rego – treasurer, Shally Fernandes – joint secretary, and Evita Lobo – cultural secretary.

Preparations for the diamond jubilee celebrations are in full swing, and the organising committee is looking forward to welcoming a full house of members, well-wishers, dignitaries and friends of the Konkani Catholic community.

 

 

 

 
  

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Comment on this article

  • Roshan pinto, Mangalore / london / bangalore

    Tue, Jun 02 2026

    A Tribute of Gratitude to KCA Mathikere, Bangalore In 1991, after completing my Computer Engineering from NMAM Institute of Technology, there were very few opportunities in Mangalore's software industry. Like many young dreamers of that era, I boarded a bus to Bangalore alone, carrying little more than hope, determination, and faith. Bangalore was a giant city. I was just a young boy searching for a future. At that crucial moment in my life, Konkan Catholic Association opened its doors and its heart to me. KCA gave me shelter, love, guidance, friendship, and most importantly, the wings to fly. From those humble hostel rooms began a journey that would eventually take me across India and around the world in the software industry. The foundation of that journey was laid at KCA. My heartfelt gratitude goes to A. V. Rego, Aunt Irene Rego, Anil Rego, and the entire KCA family. Through your vision, compassion, and generosity, you have transformed the lives of more than 1,800 students and young job seekers over the decades. Many of us arrived with uncertainty in our hearts. We left with confidence, careers, and a future. KCA was not merely a hostel. It was a lighthouse that guided us through the storms of life. May God richly bless the Rego family and everyone associated with KCA for the noble work they continue to do. The gratitude of thousands of beneficiaries, including myself and my family, will always be with you. With love, respect, and everlasting gratitude, Roshan Ernest Pinto Computer Engineer (1991 Batch) A Proud KCA Hostel Beneficiary "I was a rose that could have been trampled on the ground, but KCA lovingly picked me up, nurtured me, and helped me bloom." 🌹

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  • roshan ernest pinto, Mangalore/ Bangalore

    Tue, Jun 02 2026

    “Yeh putha hanga youn raaw…” (“Come son, stay with us…”) Those gentle words of late Sir A.V. Rego still echo in my heart even today. Good evening ladies, gentlemen, children, and my dear KCA family. Your smiling faces make this gathering truly beautiful. I am Roshan Pinto from Rosario Parish, Mangalore — born into a simple middle-class family with loving parents, siblings, and strong faith in God. After completing my Computer Science Engineering in Mangalore, I stepped into a world where opportunities in Kodial were very limited during those days. With just ₹1500 lovingly given by my mother, I boarded a bus to Bangalore carrying only dreams, hope, and prayers. No relatives. No friends. No place to stay. Bangalore was a giant city for a young boy from Mangalore. Hotel accommodation was expensive, and though I got a job, my salary itself was only around ₹1500. Then came a miracle in my life. I happened to connect with Anil Rego, who introduced me to his father, the late great Sir A.V. Rego. With warmth, affection, and fatherly kindness, he told me: “Yeh putha hanga youn raaw…” “Come son, stay with us.” Those words were not merely an invitation. They were God’s own hands reaching out to lift a struggling young man. KCA Mathikere became my shelter, my family, my stepping stone, and the runway from where my dreams took flight. KCA gave me accommodation, love, encouragement, dignity, and most importantly — wings to fly. Today when I look back at the year 1991, I realize it was not coincidence. It was divine grace that connected me to KCA. That hostel was not just a building — it was a lighthouse for countless youth like me searching for direction and hope. From those humble beginnings, life took me from Bangalore to different parts of the world, building a career in software and technology. But the roots of that journey will always remain here — in the affection and humanity. With folded hands, gratitude in my heart, and love from my entire family… Thank you, KCA Mathikere. Thank you, late Sir A.V. Rego. You did not just give us a room to stay. You gave us a future. Mog asundi. With love and gratitude, Roshan Pinto 🌹

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Title: KCA Mathikere to celebrate diamond jubilee of service and Konkani heritage on Jun 7



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