The passing of Alfredchacha touches me as deeply as that of a member of my own family. I am the lucky man to whom he introduced himself as my chacha on Goanet now nearly a decade ago when he found out that his close friend was my long departed favorite uncle Mohanmama. Ever since I have had many memorable private and public email conversations with him about the good times he had with his friends fighting for various causes for the good of Goa, being rescued from a police beating and a fast unto death, and dining in my grandparents' house in Margao. I had always hoped that I would meet him in person some day in Goa or in Sweden. Alas, that hope like many others has been so rudely and suddenly dashed today. As a contributor to Goan forums Alfredchacha was unique in style and substance with the wonderful wit, humor and language that would sit comfortably amidst the writings of a George Bernard Shaw or a W. Somerset Maugham. As a human being he exuded a rare sense warmth and affability that breached all firewalls of cyberspace. How I will now miss all of it!
I offer my deepest condolences to his family and friends. Sincerely, Santosh > On Sunday, August 31, 2014 7:59 PM, Roland Francis <roland.fran...@ymail.com> > wrote: > > >> >> It's a Sunday's rude awakening to read that Alfredo has left for > his happy hunting grounds. >> >> A unique personality, a rascal and a rogue in a most lovable way. He was a > rebel against every tradition, preconceived notion, and hidebound cultural > restriction. The low castes in his village were as dear to him as the > bhatcars > who frowned on the company he kept. >> >> He had a refreshing sense of humor to which FN referred, but above that he > was courageous and almost fearless in his challenges to authority both > Portuguese and Indian in the defence of his Goan rights. If Alfredo was not a > journalist, he could, if life had taken a different turn, be a > bash-on-regardless type of army general. >> >> Alfredo was not atypical of his generation in the matter of his love of > being a Goan. Achievements came naturally to him and he as smoothly seemed to > brush them off as his ability to make an impression on people no matter what > their station. >> >> A product of the mold of daring and adventurous young men and women who > were in their late teens and early twenties when Goa's political landscape > changed forever, Alfredo never lost his love for fellow Goans and the joy of > a > good escapade. He was indeed Goa's ambassador in Sweden, a natural one-man > welcoming committee who never tired of being a warm host to an Indian > visitor, > no matter how numerous or from what station in life. Your importance or > inconsequence meant little to him. It was your camaraderie he most sought. >> >> A tip of the hat and a swig from the glass to you Afredo. May your spirit > never depart from us. >> >> Roland. >> >> Sent from my iPhone >
