The sad news of the passing away of Teotonio Francisco Paulo Pereira chocked my heart as this meant an end of an era of one of Mother Goa’s illustrious sons, who I would meet and interact a lot, learnt and I respected from the core, for all he meant for Goa – his beloved motherland.
I would meet the respected, Teotonio Pereira, annually inside the shamiana, erected outside the Basilica of Bom Jesus, Old Goa, for the feast mass of Goencho Saib, Sao Francisco Xavier.
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Teotonio was ecstatic at every feast of Goencho Saib – grateful and proud of his parents for giving him a name of Goa’s patron saint. He loved the ‘Francisco’ in his long name and liked it. In it, he felt a strong connect to Goa’s Patron Saint — the land and the people the saint strongly stood for.
In our brief hushed conversations before the feast mass and at the tea party post it, Teotonio, religiously enlightened me that if not for the important intercession of Goemcho Saib, Goa, would have lost its identity long ago. His faith and belief was firm.
From his struggles for Goa — Opinion Poll, Statehood and also recognising of Goa’s official language, Konkani — Teotonio wouldn’t relent till his heartfelt objectives for Goa were achieved. His heart beat for Goa and Goemkars.
Dedicated to the leadership of the ‘Godfather of the Opinion Poll’, Dr Jack Sequeira, Teotonio, never hesitated to mention and praise his mentor, Dotor Jack Sequeira and his selfless service to Goa and Goans and to retain Goa’s identity.
Son-of-the-soil of Goa Velha, San Andre Constituency, Tiswadi, Teotonio worked for his constituency and was blessed by the voters consistently for being their elected representative – first from United Goans and later a single stint with the Indian National Congress.
Teotonio was a Goemkar who belonged to a different Goa, a Goa of yore.
He often asked me — what is this corruption? How can a Goemkar even be corrupt?
How can elected representatives of Goa even indulge in corruption the way it is noticed today? How can our own Goemkars born out of Mother Goa become its own traitors? These were heartbreaking questions that cropped up during our hushed conversations, and I too shared same belief with the Goan veteran.
“Rampant corruption has destroyed Goa and will destroy the next generations as Goa is losing its identity and land, due to corruption”, Teotonio lamented.
Teotonio was aghast with the way some political parties and elected legislators conducted themselves today. The passing away of Teotonio leaves behind a huge void for Goa, as the firm soldier of Mother Goa, sleeps in silence proceeding in his journey into the realms of heaven and the Divine cabinet of the Almighty.
Today, let every Goemkar maintain a moments’ silence while Teotonio’s mortal remains are laid to rest, out of respect salute the dead hero of Goa and ensure his best legacy is taught to children of another generation of Goa who will read, learn, live and carry forward the renowned legacy of Goa’s great.
I will miss you forever. Goa salutes you today.
