He was born as Joao Hugo Eduardo Sequeira alias Jack De Sequeira ,JAK SIKER in Burma on 20.4.1915 to Erasmo (Doctor) & Mrs Ana Julia de Sa married at the age of 23 .After Lyceum he joined Goa Medical College and qualified as Doctor at 21years winning gold medal in Microbiology.Death of his father when he was 21 made him to abandoned his passion for continuation of Medicine.He had to take over the reigns of prosperous business "Agencia E Sequeira"dealing in Bharat Petroleum pumps,Wimco and other fast moving products. He was first elected from Panjim and 3 times from Santa Cruz. Since he lost at the 4th attempt, he gracefully quit politics in 1979 in humility. Instrumental in forming UGP ,merging Goencho Paksh,Partido Indiano ,Democratic Party ,United Front,& Goan National Union .Elected as the President of UGP was the first leader of opposition.He was a gifted ,charismatic leader,orator delivering studied discourses. Labelled as principled, honest ,generous,⁰ , intellectual ,distinguished politician hungering for transparent ,non corrupt administration .The lingua franca at home undoubtedly was Konkanni .In 1963 UGP won 12 seats and MGP with 14 seats formed the Govt with support..He thwarted the hurried move of MGP for merger by vote in the Assembly.Delegations were led to P. M.Nheru wanting a cooling period of 10/ 15 yeras, then Lal Bahadur Shastri and finally to Mrs Ghandi , who sanctioned mother of all referendum, first time in Independent India ,instrument of direct democracy by people of Goa, assuring outcome to be accepted compulsorily by Govt of India .Date fixed on 16Jan 1967 by secret ballot after dissolving the Assembly. He was assisted by various leaders, Advocates ,Poets, Indudtrialists, Tiatrists, social workers,journalists followers of all religions working tirelessly to maintain unique identity of Goa..Salcette sealed the fate of two laves by a convincing margin of 54.2% of votes confirming thereby that Goa is not backyard of Maharashtra..He thus earned the sobriquet. "Father of opinion poll"The author who conferred that title is unknown but appears that media bestowed this title ,wholeheartedly accepted by the people.There cannot be two fathers as in the case of Mahatma Ghandi likewise being called Father of Nation.He was not an astitute politician .Had he supported K.B.Naik, breakaway group of 7 from MGP demanding CM post it would have been requiem for ,MGP .
Nelson Lopes Chinchinim