OBIT: Sushrut Martins, homeopath, campaigner, photography-enthusiast, President's Scout and more...
By Miguel Braganza, Mapusa [email protected] Dr. Sushrut Martins, son of freedom fighter and medical practitioner Dr. Jose F.Martins [associated with training Boy Scouts and Girl Guides in First Aid and St. John's Ambulance practices], brother of Dr. Meenacshi Martins-Shukla and husband of Beena and beloved father of two young daughters, passed away suddenly on April 30, 2010 around midnight. Efforts to revive him were futile as he was "dead on arrival' according to the doctor. Dr. Sushrut Martins did his initial studies in DM's Dnyana Prasarak High School, Mapusa, and then enrolled in St. Britto High School for the last three years. He passed his SSC in April 1977 along with the wellknown social activist of GOACAN Roland Martins, Dr. Olavo Ribeiro Junior and NRI Dr. Selwyn Albuquerque, besides James Paes [Journalist, Gulf News, Dubai], Subodh Haldankar [ex-Bank of India, who died of a tragic road accident near KTC bus stand two years ago] and President's Scouts Americo "Ricky" Noronha [Online Solutions] and Mahesh Kamat [ZIL]. My earliest memory of Sushrut is from 1974-75, when both of us were young Boy Scouts at Salmona fountain, Saligao. His elder sister, Meenacshi, was in my batch of Scouts and Guides preparing to obtain the coveted President's Badge for the first time since "Liberation" of Goa. Sushrut was a year junior, a "Tenderfoot" Scout then, while we were making the effort to move from "Second Class" to "First Class" a prerequisite for the President's Badge. Their father, Dr. Jose Martins, used to conduct the training and testing sessions in First Aid at Lourdes Convent, Saligao, under the overall coordination of Mr. Edwin Saldanha and Frederico de Ataide. In recent years, I have known Dr. Sushrut Martins as the convener of "Vision India" and "Lions Club of India", two institutions that he tried hard to nurture with a band of loyal supporters. Sushrut was a regular at our unique and impromptu debate and discussion club... and the unofficial Press Club of Goa ... in Cafe Prakash. He was there till late on April 29, when he had a vehicle accident and we missed him last evening. That he passed away of a massive heart attack comes as a rude shock to us who enjoyed his friendly banter and his amiable nature. From politics to language issues; casino to medicine, and photography to electronic gadgets, Sushrut always had something positive to contribute. May his soul rest in peace and may the Lord give courage to his family to bear this untimely loss. It is sad to see someone lose his wicket when batting on his first fifty runs ... on a pitch that is queered by our polluticians in Goa. We will miss Sushrut, the second person to leave us young after Navhind Times Senior Journalist, Umesh Mahambrey, another childhood friend of mine. [Reproduced on Goanet with permission] [FOOTNOTE: Funeral date is yet to be announced, but could be on Sunday evening, May 2, 2010.]
