Former Indian Ambassador Placido Piedade D'Souza, born in Dar, 90
The family of former Indian ambassador to many countries,
Placido P. D'Szoua, announced his death at the age of 90.
Maria D'Souza, his daughter wrote: "It is with profound
sadness that I share the news of the passing of my father,
Placido Piedade D’Souza, who left us on June 20, 2024, at the
age of 90. We are sending this email to you because you were
a special person in his life."
The former ambassador was a long-time Goanetter -- probably
for almost two decades -- and closely connected with Goan
issues.
Some members of the Goanet network got to know this
low-profile member in the mid or late 1990s, when
he joined this early and then influential online
social network which some of us were associated
with. His daughters have also been early members
of Goanet. Though he was born in East Africa (like
quite a few in the Goan Daizpora world) and spent
time in Poona and so many other parts of the world,
his heart lived in Goa.
He would always encourage and comment on some new (even
small) initiative going on here, and connect those he thought
we'd be interested in.
For instance, in Jan 2019, he wrote: "I have been spending a
few days in Cayman Islands, and was pleasantly surprised to
find a number of Goans more or less settled here. I met two
of them working in a local hotel and was pleasantly surprised
to see that they spoke fluent Konkani and showed the usual
nostalgia for Goa and things Goan. They had even invited
some teatrists from Goa and provided entertain at
get-togethers after the celebrations of St. Francis Xavier
etc. I thought I should let you know as you have always been
interested in Goans abroad."
Placido was born in 1933 in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania to
Benedict (aka Leopoldo Goncalo) and Nascimenta D'Souza. When
Placido was 8 years old, the family returned to India and
settled in Pune where Placido attended St. Vincent's School
and later Nowrosjee Wadia College where he received his
bachelor's and master's degrees.
In 1957 after graduating from university, he joined the
Indian Foreign Service where he served as a career diplomat
for 34 years before retiring in 1991. He relished the
opportunity work alongside Jawaharlal Nehru and other
architects of India's independence. "I was proud to be part
of an establishment that was steering an independent course,"
he said. "To be able to work for someone like Nehru was to
have one of my wildest dreams come true."
In 1962, he married Sushila Lalvani and they had four
children -- Jacinta, Lucia, Francisco, and Maria.
During his career, he was accredited as India's envoy and
presented credentials in 16 countries, five territories, and
two UN organizations. Early his career, he held posts at the
Embassies of India in Berne, Jakarta, Nairobi, and Addis
Ababa.
In 1973, he achieved the rank of Ambassador and
established the Indian Embassy in Panama, Costa
Rica, and Nicaragua. He went on to serve as
Ambassador of India to Zaire (now the DRC), Congo
(Brazzaville), Gabon, Central African Republic, and
Equatorial Guinea. Shortly thereafter he was
appointed Indian Consul General in New York and
later served as High Commissioner of India to
Trinidad and Tobago (where his jurisdiction
included ten other Caribbean nations and
territories), Commissioner of India to Hong Kong
and Consul General to Macau. He returned to Kenya
in 1989 serving as High Commissioner of India for
three years until his retirement.
During his career, he returned periodically to New Delhi to
serve in various positions in the Ministry of External
Affairs. He also served as a member of the Indian delegation
to two of the seven sessions of the UN Security Council that
have been held outside New York == in Panama and Addis Ababa.
In addition to Placido's distinguished service as a diplomat,
he was a prolific journalist and artist. He wrote hundreds
of articles, for at least five dailies in countries where he
served, and innumerable articles for other newspapers and
magazines. He created and edited three journals while in
service, all of which were widely praised: Revista India,
Darshan, and New India Digest, the last of which ran for 15
years under his stewardship as he continued to publish it
after his retirement.
Placido's first love was art. He expressed that love by
drawing portraits of the world leaders and other prolific
individuals that he met during his career. Each portrait is
unique in that the individual subject of the sketch has
signed it. Many of these sketches were compiled and
published into a book, Portraits of Power.
He was invited to exhibit these portraits at the United
Nations headquarters in 2009 where he also presented the then
UN Secretary General, Ban Ki Moon, with a portrait.
Placido's portraits have been exhibited in Belgium,
California, and other places around the world. In addition
to Portraits of Power, Placido authored four other books:
Beacons for Mankind, The Indian Foreign Office: It's
Properties and Art Objects, National Leather Development
Program: a learning experience, and a coffee table book,
entitled A History of the Indian Leather Industry.
Placido is survived by his children, Jacinta, Lucia,
Francisco, and Maria, grandchildren, Thierry and Michelle
Sequeira, Nicholas and Gabriela D'Souza, great-grandchildren
Mila and Bjorn Sequeira, and his sister Thomasinha Gomes. He
was predeceased by his wife Sushila D'Souza, his brother
Joseph D'Souza, and his parents Nascimenta and Benedict
D'Souza.
A private funeral service will take place on June 26, 2024
for close friends and family.
To plant Memorial Trees in memory of Placido Piedade D'Souza,
please click here to visit our Sympathy Store.
http://alturl.com/5vjg5
A blessing to have had out paths crossed, met and learnt so
much from an inspiring personality. We'll remember your 'New
India Digest' too!
You can leave a tribute to Mr D'Souza here:
https://www.forevermissed.com/placido/about
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FN * +91-9822122436 * 784 Saligao 403511 Bardez Goa
