Tribute to Mangalorean Octogenarian Author - Sidney Pinto

Tribute to Mangalorean Octogenarian Author - Sidney Pinto

Mangalore Today News Network

By I J Saldanha-Shet
                                                                                      
Mangalore, Oct 31, 2011: Just a month or so ago Mangaloreans’  were agog with the news that a well known Kodialgar banking wizard Sidney Pinto,  aged 85 years and ailing from a terminal illness had had his Mangalore set English Novel released by the well known columnist Shoba De in Mumbai. On October 26, 2011 morning it was a near shock for many to learn that this great generous and philanthropic soul had passed away. The funeral is to be at  The Catherdral of the Holy Name, Nathalal Parekh Marg (Woodhouse Road), Colaba, Mumbai – 400 001, followed by burial in Haines Road cemetery on November 1,2011. It is fitting that a few facets of his good life are remembered as a brief tribute. It is significant of the diaspora who have experienced sufficiently the ethos of Canara and Mangalore or the like it is indicative have a special place and yearn to identify with it -but will this continue in the future?   “May dear Sidney’s soul rest in peace!” another Canara author says, “Authors like Sidney Pinto can’t just drop off the edge of the world.” They are bound to live on in the printed word. And in the minds of his readers. It’s the mind that matters!

 

 

MAIDEN NOVEL:
He had always in him a flair to excel and a literary streak was a natural inheritance in his family tree and he did not fail to give vent to this gift and earn the tag of a ’Novelist’. His maiden Novel he was always keen to see launched, before his soul winged heaven ward and that was precisely brought to pass!

The Novel ’LOUIS PUCHHEKANNA - The Servant Boy from Mangalore’ (’Puchhekanna’ in Tulu means ’Cat’s eyes’)   (Published by Forty two Book Galaxy, Santacruz (E), Mumbai 400055;  P. 173). Till very recent times, ’servant boys and girls’ were a part of the better placed Mangalorean families in cities in India and overseas, today it is very difficult to come across such luxuries. The stories and realities are full of drama and intrigue without demarcations drawn. It is evident that the contents of this novel are very close to the reality that prevailed around his family home in Karangalpady, where a street bears the name "Pinto Lane". Several of his folks vouch that they can identify and see through many of the characters in the book. To indicate a few characters:  Pascal and Lethy Cardozu, Walter,Veronica,Jane and Rebecca
Christo, Louis, Pauline, Old Sherpinami, Kuttapan from Kerala, Monnappa, Felix Balthazar, Lucy Sanctis.........and so on even if the names a camouflaged. As for some of the many familiar places: Leprosy asylum Fr.Muller’s Kankanady, St. Antony’s asylum Jeppu, ’bus upto Kadur and train there after’, Forest Lodge Bunglow at Bijey,    

An insight from another contemporary Author Savitri Babulkar, based in Mumbai  whose book Childhood Daze" is seen making waves with discerning readers.  "I was but halfway through Chapter Three when I read the Obituary. His use of Konkani words like paan ( betel leaf), zamkaan ( rug) chembu ( copper pot), kolso ( copper pot for drawing water from the well) brings to life the familiar world of our own childhood in South Kanara. His vivid, detailed descriptions are proof that age had not dulled his power of recall. We can almost ‘see’ how the Mangalorean wore his dhoti “wrapped round each leg right down to the ankles with the last flap at the top…” or how a man reached the coconuts at the top of the palm tree – “with a jute or coconut fibre cord made into a ring through which the feet grip the tree…and another cord…to hold on to the trunk and propel the climber upwards!”

Pinto’s deep insight into human nature is seen even as the story unfolds.. He mentions Pascal’s hope to get Puchhe “into the military”. With delightful honesty, he reveals that Pascal’s true motive is “ to get rid of him” rather than to see him advance in life! The fate of Lethi, his unfortunate wife, is a clear indication of Pascal’s callous attitude to his family.

Pascal’s sly attempts at bargaining with the Lady of the House for a higher salary for Puchhe shows the easy banter which was permissible in those days between employer and employee. The same trait is evident in Walter Christo’s retort when Pascal swears he doesn’t “touch” liquor: “You don’t touch it; you only pour it down your throat.” There was an easy familiarity even while the employer retained his dignity..

The need to maintain a distance between the new servant boy and the “girls” was a universal tradition in India. More so as Puchhe was not only tall and athletic, but also handsome; for his fair skin was identified with “ good looks”.

There is so much to learn in the book, about customs, traditions and the way the human mind worked, prompted by its needs and greeds. However, as I read on, I shall always feel sorry that the man behind the magic wand that traced these pen pictures is now beyond human communication." Savitri Babulkar adds, ’Even as I say “May his soul rest in peace!” an Inner Voice says, “Authors like Sidney Pinto can’t just drop off the edge of the world.” They are bound to live on in the printed word. And in the minds of his readers. It’s the mind that matters!’

It may be added, visible is an underlying transformation that this economist at heart wishes to project as a mission of his life; to convert the so called unjust ’servant’ class to a progress dignified self respecting people through education and economic revolution that is coming to pass today all over our country. Perhaps it is leaders in the banking arena like Sidney Pinto who have nurtured this paradigm. He has donated liberally to several causes and education and welfare was his main stay. Yes, a time to sow and a time to reap. 

SIDNEY PINTO’S FAMILY BACK GROUND:
Indeed he can be termed as an illustrious son of the Canara soil. The first recorded ascendants of his immediate family who settled in Karangalpady,Bijey,Mangalore was ’Jose Pinto’ (1803-1863) from A ’Shet’ family of Thurlapady Moodbidri, he is the father of Aliexo Pinto (1840-1933). Aliexo was one of the early people who were conferred with "Dewan Bahadur" title. He among other works is well remembered for the role played in acquiring the lands for the first rail head in Madras at Egmore. 

Aliexo Pinto’s son Albert Leo Pinto (1876-1965) a premier Govt Official of Mangalore roots is the father of our protagonist SIDNEY PINTO. Albert Pinto was well known official who attained the rank of ’Dy Collector’ in 1915 and served the Madras Presidency for a long while. In the early 1930’s he was awarded the coveted title ’Rao Bhadur’. He was an alumnus of Presidency College Madras and bagged several prominent prizes and fame in academics.
In 1930 he was the first Indian Sub-Collector of Nilgiris. After retirement he did yeomen service to Mangalore in several capacities and was a noted writer and poet too. The authors mother, Helen, daughter of Joachim Saldanha(Gadialgar)  is known to be one of the early Chairmen of the Mangalore municipality. Sidney Pinto had at least five siblings who have all preceded him, he was the fifth child and the family is a close knit one.

His wife Rosemary Albuquerque was the daughter of Justin Albuquerque and Flossy Pais. Justin was a Medical Doctor and a Col.in the defence forces who served in various parts of India. Rosemary Pinto was well qualified in English literature and taught in Mumbai it is gathered. Sidney married Rosemary in 1957, she passed away in 2002 - Sidney Pinto has dedicated the book to his wife.  They had no children of their own, and considered adopting at one point of time;  they used to  shower great affection on the many nieces and nephews in the family. Several family members are expected to be present at the funeral on 1 November,2011 

EARLY LIFE:
SIDNEY PINTO, born on September 2, 1926 in Mangalore,  He was a student  of St. Aloysius School till 1938 in Kannada medium till the age of 13, speaking little English. After passing the intermediate exam, he went to the famed Loyola College, Madras (now Chennai) and obtained an M. A. in Economics. He moved to Bombay (now Mumbai) in 1948 and did his L.L.B.

After a spell in the law profession, he moved to industry in 1956. He joined an industrial company run by British, and in 1962, subsidiary of Imperial Chemical Industries Ltd. (ICI). In 1968, he was then a first choice for merchant banking unit of Grindlays Bank, and became head of the unit in 1973. He left Grindlays in 1976  to set up a consultancy.About this time a friend, introduced him to a young businessman Uday Kotak (then 22 years),  Kotak invited him to join  him to form a new business, which eventually became Kotak Mahindra Bank in 1985 when Kotak was 25 and Pinto 59. In 2003, Pinto was obliged to resign because of a new rule of the Reserve Bank that no director of a bank should be more than 70 years old. he spent his super annuation and the last part of his life more than fruitfully as is evident.

Sidney Pinto was no doubt plotting on the Book "Puchhekanna" for a long time, it seems he had other plans other books too in the pipe line, spelling out the deep thinker he is known to be.It is not only what you say, it is also how you say it.  Delightfully simple. Having stood briefly in the spotlight, the Creator of Puchhekanna retires to the wings to rest after his labour of love……MAY HIS DEAR SOUL REST IN ETERNAL BLISS!

-Thanks to inputs from many sources and some journalistic privilege -I J Saldanha-Shet.