Bengaluru: The Federation of Konkani Catholic Associations (FKCA) held its 19th Annual general body meeting and elections, at Konkan Bhavan, Mathikere, Bengaluru. Arun Fernandes was unanimously elected as the new Chairman of the Konkani Catholic fraternity globally coming under the umbrella of FKCA, for the period 2016-2017.

The Federation of Konkani Catholic Associations - FKCA, was established as the apex boy of all Konkani Catholic Associations to espouse the cause the Konkani Catholics and fight for safeguarding the interests of the community, their language and culture, and also to represent the Konkani community in politics and government levels, has grown to be a big organization with as many 33 associations, including those from several foreign countries affiliated to it.

Anup Saldanha and Sunil Cutinho were also elected unanimously as the general secretary and treasurer respectively for the forthcoming term.

The following members were elected as the office-bearers of the FKCA (2016-2017):

Chairman : Arun Fernandes
Vice-chairman 1 : Dolphy D'Cunha
Vice-chairman 2 : Allwyn Mendonca
General secretary: Anup Saldanha
Treasurer : Sunil Cutinho
Joint secretary 1: Silvian Noronha
Joint secretary 2: Clemence
Cultural secretary: Robert Cutinha
Legal advisor : Anand Edward D'Souza
Immediate Past Chairman: Victor Edward D’Souza

The meeting was well attended by most of the member associations of FKCA. The meeting began with prayer led by Irene D’Souza.

Prior to electing the new body, in his outgoing address Chairman Victor Edward D’Souza, first welcomed the gathering and gave a brief update of various activities conducted by FKCA under his tenure. The minutes of the previous year’s AGM and the accounts for the previous financial year 2015-16 were presented by outgoing general secretary Arun Fernandes and Treasurer Albert D’Souza respectively and the same were approved by the members present.

Presidents and reprezentatives of various member associations recounted the activities of the Federation in the past year and also mentioned about the activities their respective associations had conducted in the past year. The efforts and service of all the associations in keeping Konkani culture and language in high esteem was appreciated by outgoing chairman Edward D’Souza.

Dolfy D’Cunha and Edward Anand D’Souza were recognized and felicitated in the presence of all members, for their relentlessly and effective commitment, for securing a Court order directing the Archbishop and priests in all churches of the Archdiocese of Bangalore, to permit Konkani in liturgical celebrations, under the flagship of FKCA.

The outgoing chairman, concluded by expressing his desire that the FKCA should be able to reach out to the spiritual and social needs of every Konkani Catholic member in the society and this can be possible only if all the member associations join hands and take active part in the programs chalked out by FKCA. He thanked the general secretary, the treasurer, all council members, all member association presidents and members for their support and encouragement given to him during his tenure as the chairman. Also he thanked the past chairmen of FKCA for their guidance. The chairman dissolved the committee of 2015-16 and welcomed on stage, the Returning officer Robinson D’Souza- former Law Secretary to the Government of Karnataka, to conduct the election procedure.

Robinson D'Souza, read the election related bylaws of the association following which he read out the names of the nominees for the various posts. All the nominations were found to be in order and all the nominees were elected unopposed. The vacant positions for which nominations were not received, were filled up by members elected by the General body.

In his Welcome address, the new Chairman Arun Fernandes, thanked his parents and family for imbibing Konkani into his heart and lifestyle, though he was educated and brought up in the Silicon capital of India, and also thanked KONCAB association for proposing his name to the esteemed post. He had words of humility and praise for his mentor, philosopher and guide Ronald Colaco – a well known philanthropist, for being a driving force in his life and a cause for recognizing and learning to assist in social concerns of the community, which shall be useful to him, going forward.