I am deeply saddened by the death of Prof (Dr) I P Newman Fernandes, an educationist par excellence and the dynamo behind the remarkable progress achieved by Rosary College of Commerce and Arts, Navelim, since its establishment in 1990. I feel extremely privileged and honoured to write this tribute to Prof Newman who for me was a Principal, teacher, colleague, guide, counselor and friend, all roles clubbed into one making him someone special and unique.
Though Prof Newman began his teaching career in education at St Xavier’s College in Mapusa, it is at Rosary College that he really proved his mettle of being a distinguished educational leader. In its Founder Principal, Rosary College discovered a visionary under whose leadership and management it would be nurtured for the initial twelve long but hugely successful years. Within this short span of time it made giant strides introducing newer programmes, specially, BCA and BBA which would, in the years to come, substantially enhance the financial resources available to initiate numerous infrastructure developmental activities.
To me and to the other teaching and non-teaching faculty, who were almost all in their early or late twenties, he was a mentor who was willing to make tough decisions when required and follow them through. He was a hard task master yet good natured, sympathetic, approachable and deeply sensitive to our needs and so commanded the respect of all the constituents of the college. I remember almost in nostalgia, way back in the early nineties, when Prof Newman drove a white Fiat car and travelled daily all the way from Aldona to Rosary College in Navelim, and a few of us availed of his generosity and got a lift in his car to come to college. I remember with gratitude and deep respect at least five times when I happened to get up late and Prof Newman, going out of his way, would drive into the by lane leading to my house and there I would be hurriedly dressing up all the time feeling so devastated that my laziness had made my Principal waste his precious time and added more two kilometers to the already usual long distance he had to traverse.
He was passionately involved in transforming and enabling the college to become a better place for the teaching and non-teaching faculty to work and for the students to learn. I also had the opportunity to be his student and I can very vividly remember the absolute control he had in the class and the rapt attention with which students would listen to his lectures. He was the stern teacher when circumstances demanded and exercised leniency when necessary. This judicious mixture with which he dealt with his students as well as his teachers under him helped him develop and maintain an amazingly wonderful rapport with all.
After his short stint at Rosary College, Prof Newman moved on to St Xavier’s, Mapusa. He introduced newer programmes like Mass Media, BBA, Tourism Management, etc, bagged for St Xavier’s, the coveted College with Potential for Excellence Award and an A Grade under the National Assessment and Accreditation Council. Along with his official duties he immensely contributed to the enhancement of education in Goa and the rest of the nation by officiating as Chairman/President of a number of Boards and Committees involved in reforming and restructuring the system of education. He has also contributed to the enhancing of the quality of higher education by his attending and organizing several seminars, writing articles and books, Further, his expertise in the field of education led him, post his voluntary retirement from St. Xavier’s College, to take up another important responsibility, that of being the Dean of Humanities, Social Science, and Education, SHIATs, DU, Allahabad. Soon he rose to the position of Director, Directorate of Distance Education and was also appointed Pro Vice Chancellor of the university.
In brief, his was a life well lived. He was determined to make a significant contribution to the world of higher education and indeed he succeeded. In his death we have lost an educationist, most effective disciplinarian, an able administrator, well informed academic, a man of dedication given to hard work, someone incomparable.
We mourn the loss of an educator par excellence – his untimely demise has left a deep vacuum in our lives and in the field of higher education. Those of us who have been fortunate enough to have known him and work with him will miss him but we will not forget him – his legacy is visible in what many of us are and have become today because of his mentorship. We convey our heartfelt sympathies to his children Elaine, Luis and Bernardo and the other members of his family.
The writer is an associate professor at Rosary College, Navelim
