Wilfred de Souza

Wilfred de Souza GCIH FRCS FRCSE
De Souza in 2001
1st Deputy Chief Minister of Goa
In office 16 January 1980 -18 September 1983
In office 25 January 1991 - 18 May 1993
In office June 2005 -7 June 2007
In office 16 December 1994- 29 July 1998
5th Chief Minister of Goa
In office 18 May 1993 – 2 April 1994
Preceded by	Ravi S. Naik
Succeeded by	Ravi S. Naik
In office 8 April 1994 – 16 December 1994
Preceded by	Ravi S. Naik
Succeeded by	Pratapsingh Rane
In office 30 July 1998 – 26 November 1998
Preceded by	Pratapsingh Rane
Succeeded by	Luizinho Faleiro
Member of the Goa Legislative Assembly
In office 1989–2007
Preceded by	constituency established
Succeeded by	Dilip Parulekar
Constituency	Saligao
In office 1980–1984
Preceded by	Ilario Rual Fernandes
Succeeded by	Malik Shrikant Keshav
Constituency	Calangute
In office 1974–1977
Preceded by	Vassudev N Sarmalkar
Succeeded by	Cota Lourence
Constituency	Benaulim
Personal details
Born	Wilfred Anthony de Souza (1927-04-23)23 April 1927 Vagator, Goa, Portuguese India
Died	4 September 2015(2015-09-04) (aged 88) Panaji, Goa, India
Nationality	Portuguese (until 1961) Indian (from 1961)
Political party	Trinamool Congress (since 2012)
Other political affiliations	Independent (1972–1976) Indian National Congress (1976–1978; 1988–1997) Indian National Congress (U) (1978–1983) Goa Congress (1983–1988) Goa Rajiv Congress Party (1997–1999) Nationalist Congress Party (1999–2012)
Spouse	Grace de Souza ​ (m. 1962)​
Children	2
Occupation	Politician
Profession	Surgeon

Wilfred Anthony de Souza GCIH FRCS FRCSE (23 April 1927 – 4 September 2015) was an Indian surgeon and politician who served as the first Deputy Chief Minister of Goa from January 1980 to September 1983, and held the position a total of four times. He also served as the 5th Chief Minister of Goa from May 1993 to April 1994, and served two additional terms. He was a member of the Indian National Congress and the Goa Rajiv Congress Party, during his third tenure.

Early life and education

Wilfred Anthony de Souza was born in Vagator, Portuguese Goa on 23 April 1927, to Dr. Tito Fermino de Souza and Alina Ana Maria de Souza, parents of Goan Catholic origin immigrated from Anjuna, Goa.

De Souza completed his M.B.B.S. from Bombay University. He was a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons, England and Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons, Edinburgh. As well as a Honorary Fellow of the International College of Surgeons and also Fellow of the Association of Surgeons of India.

Political career

De Souza is credited, together with allies such as Govind Panvelcar, with the first Congress Party victory in Goa in 1980. From 1963 until 1979, Goan politics had been dominated by the regional parties, particularly the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP).

In July 1998, De Souza formed the Goa Rajiv Congress Party as a splinter group of the Indian National Congress (INC). He was sworn in as Chief Minister of Goa for the third time on 30 July 1998 and remained in the post until 26 November 1998.

In 1999, De Souza joined the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and was its Goa president from 1999 to June 2009. During this period he was Deputy Chief Minister of Goa in a coalition government with the INC from February 2005 to June 2007. He failed to retain his seat in the 2007 assembly election.

After he left the party, Gurunath Kulkarni, national general secretary of the Nationalist Congress Party accused him of impeding the party's growth in Goa.

In 2007, he was appointed the Deputy Chairperson of the State Planning Board.

For the 2012 assembly election he was a member of the All India Trinamool Congress as head of the Goa branch of the party. During the election, he criticised the INC for corruption.

Personal life

In April 1962, de Souza married British social worker Grace de Souza (née Goodwin), whom he had met during his time in England, UK. The couple had two daughters Joanne and Suzie.

Death

He died on 4 September 2015 after a brief illness and prior to that, he was admitted in Manipal Hospital.

Awards and achievements

1. Commander, Grand Cross of the Order of Dom Infante Henriques – from the Government of Portugal at the hands of the President of Portugal, H.E.Mario Soares;
2. Dr. B. C. Roy Award – as "Eminent Medical Man & Statesman" from the Medical Council of India at the hands of the President of India, H.E. Shri K.R. Narayanan;
3. The Silver Elephant Award – for services to Scouts & Guides by the President of India;
4. Sons of India – award from the society for Advanced Studies in Medical Sciences at the hands of Swami Brijendramandji, Head Ramkrishna Mission;
5. Jawaharlal Nehru Excellence Award – given by Institute of Economic Studies, New Delhi;
6. Indira Gandhi Solidarity Award – given by Indian Solidarity Council, New Delhi; Rajiv Gandhi Excellence Award, 1992;
7. International Gold Star Award – by Industrial Economic Forum, New Delhi; Super Achievers of India Award by Front for National Progress;
8. Glory of India International Award – by International Friendship Association of India;
9. Gold Award – by Shiromani Institute;

In addition, he has worked in several hospitals in the UK 1957–1963; Consultant surgeon to Goa Medical College Panjim; Asilo Hospital Mapuca; Hospicio Hospital Margao; Holy Cross Hospital, Mapuca; C.M.M. Memorial Hospital, Panjim. .

External links

• Dr. Wilfred A. De Souza & Others vs Shri Tomazinho Cardozo Hon'Ble ... on 7 September 1998