Dear Frederick, The recent meeting in Panaji regarding Goans in Karachi brought up a little bit of the history and contribution of the Goan community of Karachi. The name of my Uncle Dr Orphino also came up but slightly and this brought a lot of pride and satisfaction that finally after so many years – the contribution of the de Sa family to the early development of Karachi is now being recognised.
The de Sa family originally hailed from Sangolda in Goa. Like many of its ilk – the Scion of the family Caetano Damasceno de Sa was said to have been taken by another family member to Karachi in the 1840s. He married Ana Quiteria de Souza – originally from Aldona but settled in Marna, Siolim. Their son Mathias Rosario de Sá (my grandfather) was born in Sangolda. The family is said to have initially traded in pearls in Karachi. Mathias then started trading in timber and was said to be the largest supplier of timber in the region covered by the Bombay Presidency – which stretched from Sindh (in present day Pakistan) right down to Maharashtra. He was reputed to have been extremely wealthy and this also explains his name being among one of the largest benefactors for the Karachi Goan Association Institute. The de Sa family’s contribution to the Church in Karachi is not documented as their names do not appear on principal buildings but that does not mean that they were silent. Possibly they chose to act that way. Mathias de Sa was firstly married to Emilia Sophia Pinto – a close relative of Pio da Gama Pinto (noted Kenyan Lawyer and politician) and was blessed with a son Caetaninho. Sadly his wife passed away soon after. The widowed Mathias then married for a second time to Ezilda Malvina da Fonseca –from a prominent family from Badem, Salvador do Mundo. Ezilda’s paternal and maternal lineage - include a lot of individuals involved in notable Goan events from the 18th and 19th century but this would require a separate chapter. Ezilda and Mathias were blessed with twelve children of whom only 7 survived till adulthood. Mathias continued his successful business but chose to educate his children. The first born Caetaninho followed his father’s footsteps into business and was said to have owned a liquor store in Karachi. Orphino (the eldest son from the second marriage was born in 1897). He graduated from Grant Medical College, Bombay in medicine. The next two sons Luis António de Sá and Bruno Germano de Sá were sent to the UK after the First World War to study law. They were both enrolled at University College of London with Luís Antonio graduating from the London School of Economics in 1923. Sometime in late 1920s, came the great depression and the crash brought down the entire wealth of the de Sa family, who lost everything. All businesses were sold and auctioned. It was at this stage that greater responsibility fell on Caetaninho, Orphino, Luís António and Bruno Germano to look after the younger siblings Sylvia, Charlie, Alice and Orlando (my father). Mathias died in 1934 in Karachi. Caetaninho, who had long felt unappreciated, appears to have called time in Karachi and so moved to East Africa – forging a successful life for himself. He married Irene de Souza (the sister of Frs Ubaldo and Hilario de Souza from Ucassaim). He was blessed with 6 children - three daughters and three sons and all of whom settled in Canada. Orphino – forged a successful career with Karachi municipality as the Chief Health Officer whilst supporting his widowed mother and younger siblings. He married Ida Ribeiro de Sant’Ana (daughter of Dr Arminio Ribeiro de Sant’Ana from Fontainhas) and had six children – four daughters and two sons. As a Chief Health Officer – he ensured that the streets of Karachi were washed daily. He was known to travel at least once a week to Dumloti in Sindh to test that the water was pure and safe for human consumption. His contribution possibly led to Karachi being named as the cleanest city in South Asia at the time of Partition. Orphino on retirement moved to private practice and worked until the age of 95 before moving to the UK – a widower at the ripe ‘young age’ of 99. He died aged 104 in 2002 having spent his last five years gardening – which was his life passion. But not before receiving the letter from the Queen Mother – who ironically died a couple of weeks later. Luís Antonio remained a Bachelor but was the most debonair of the brothers. His education at UCL and LSE held him in good stead. He was an active barrister at law and was also active in Local politics. I was aware that he had for a time been the Deputy Mayor for Karachi but it has recently come to light that he used to regular canvas as a Councillor for the Ward containing Cincinnatus town and would challenge his Uncle Dr Alvito Fonseca (who was also the Portuguese Consul). Incidentally, Alvito’s two sons Louis and Ernest forged successful careers as Colonels with the Indian Army. Louis’s daughter Tara was former Miss India and who is now married to Victor Menezes. Luís António sadly died aged 55 from a massive attack. Bruno Germano – also a Barrister, lived under the shadow of Lúis but was also a formidable Barrister in his own right. Bruno is said to have been interested in forging a career in Architecture but was dissuaded from doing so by his father. But he did design several of the Karachi houses of the time He was largely unassuming and never spoke of his achievements. These came to my attention much later in my own personal life when eminent Muslim Barristers and Law makers from Pakistan mentioned recounted to me his achievements as Registrar of the Sindh High Court, his input in the drafting of laws at the time of Partition and beyond. He led a simple and religious life. He married Alba Lucinda Barreto e Colaco from the scion Colaco family of Rua Abade Faria in Margao and was blessed with six children – three daughters and three sons. Bruno was the last sibling to die in 2006 at the ripe old age of 103. He still lived in Karachi in the house where he lived since marriage which incidentally was the home of Cardinal Joseph Cordeiro and Monsignor Anthony Cordeiro. Sylvia Magdalena – a Doctor and spinster was the eldest daughter. She also forged a successful medical career specialising in Gynaecology and obstetrics. She commenced her medical career in the early 1930s and in a largely Muslim country was regularly asked to attend deliveries of the birth of their children by conservative Muslims. She also treated childless couples to have kids and was known to be successful. Sylvia was also a very talented organiser in amateur dramatics and theatre and recounted tales of staging of Mikado, Pirates of Penzance, etc at the KGA. She was a well seasoned traveller having visited many European cities many times over. She died aged 91 in 1999. Charles Ernesto – was possibly the best looking and most dapper of the de Sa boys married Angela de Luna. Angela’s father Gerson de Luna was decorated by the British Government for Services in Aden. Gerson’s brother Hipolito is said to be the founder of St Diogo’s Seminary in Guirim. They were also blessed with six children – four daughters and two sons. Charles and Angela moved to the UK in the 1950s. Charles died in 1994. Alice – the youngest sister was a Bachelor of Arts and was noted to have an exceptional Soprano voice. Sadly, this talent was never appreciated in Karachi as there were several other talented sopranos who chose to ignore her in the choir. She married Oswald Tellis and moved to Colaba, Bombay and it was there that she gained recognition of her singing talent. Oswald was the nephew of Anthony Stanislaus D’Mello (the founder of the Board of Cricket Control in India and Brabourne Stadium. They had two children – a daughter and a son. And finally, Orlando Luís – my beloved father. He did not enjoy some of the privileges that his older siblings had available but also led a simple life. His working career commenced through owning a radio repair establishment. He then moved into private service for a company specialising initially in air-conditioning but eventually becoming a car showroom. He retired as the Chief Accountant. He was a talented hockey goal keeper and bridge player. He represented Karachi Goan Association in the Indian league and played with and against some stalwarts of the era which included Dhyan Chand, P P Fernandes, and Jack Britto etc. His life was devoted to the KGA where he held every single post from Vice President to Committee Member. He married when he was 50 to my mother Flora – who he had seen and admired so many years earlier. Owing to their age, I was therefore their only child. The de Sá family are no longer represented in Pakistan. The last member Bruno died in 2006 thus ending an almost 150 year association with the city. All the latter generations have been based in the US, Canada, UK, Brazil and India for some time. I am sure that the younger people from Karachi would not be aware of the contribution made by the stalwarts from Goa who moved into British India in the nineteenth and early twentieth century to make a better life for themselves and thereby leaving a legacy through their acts and deeds. Regards Fausto Sent from Outlook<http://aka.ms/weboutlook>
