About 5 years ago I wrote an article on a chat group about Ron Noronha that was an excerpt from a jotting of Edward Brand a Catholic Charity CARE State Administrator, that praised him and awed at his experience with him.
Therefore I was quite surprised when an Anjali Noronha wrote to me asking about the origin of my writing. She happens to be Ron Noronha’s youngest daughter and wanted to correct a few facts in my article. Of course other than quoting my source I had no other information for her because of the lapsed time. That didn’t stop me from finding out a little more about her father. What I did, took me aback. Here was a giant killer who: Reluctantly sat for the ICS exams but topped all the Indian candidates. Stood up to Nehru then Prime Minister and threatened to arrest him. Challenged the CM of a state who was his ultimate boss. Devoted his life to the Tribals he was sent to serve. Made drastic proposals to improve India’s Civil Services Was awarded the Padma Bhushan Was appointed a large state Chief Secretary twice and Goa’s Chief Civil Administrator after 1961. Was an admired rogue-man-eater animal hunter. Quote Noronha, the ICS in the field: Noronha, a flamboyant ICS officer became “a legend in his lifetime”. Pandit Nehru chose him as the Chief Civil Administrator of Goa after its liberation in 1961. Some of the most interesting segments in the book, which Noronha narrates are those of communalism and corruption he encountered in Madhya Pradesh, even in the 1960s. One minister whose proposals he opposed once told him, he says: “You don’t seem anxious to continue as Chief Secretary, Noronha, or else you would not go on in this way.”Noronha said, with as much as respect as I could muster, ‘Sir, my real desire is to become a [lowly] tehsildar, but unfortunately, you’ll have to give me the salary of the post in which I’m confirmed, a Commissioner’s pay.” Unquote https://chitramishra.wordpress.com/2020/05/07/remembering-noronha-1916-1982-the-legendary-officer/ Roland. Toronto.
