In a ceremony on Saturday, the road from Circuit House to Bejai Circle in Mangaluru was named after veteran socialist leader and former defence minister George Fernandes. Dakshina Kannada MP Capt Brijesh Chowta announced that efforts will also be made to name the Mangaluru Junction railway station after Fernandes, and a bust of Fernandes will be installed at Bejai Circle.
Chowta highlighted Fernandes’s crucial role in the development of the Konkan Railway and shared personal anecdotes of his interactions with Fernandes, describing him as a rare personality whose life and achievements have been a significant source of inspiration. Chowta recalled meeting Fernandes as an NCC cadet during the 50th Independence Day parade in New Delhi and expressed pride in having studied at St. Aloysius, the same institution as Fernandes.
Chowta reflected on a statement etched on Fernandes’s tombstone, emphasizing silent work and achievements speaking louder. He praised Fernandes for his dedication to the welfare of laborers, oppressed classes, and Dalits, and noted that in Nalanda, Bihar, people elected Fernandes to the Lok Sabha despite the difficulty in pronouncing his name, viewing him as a god-like figure.
Michael Fernandes, George Fernandes’s brother, shared insights into George’s early life, including his decision to join the seminary and later the socialist party and trade union movement, despite their father’s initial disapproval. He also recounted George’s involvement in the Konkan Railway project, performing bhoomi puja at several sites to ensure timely completion of the works.
The event saw the presence of several dignitaries, including MLC Ivan D’Souza, MLAs D Vedavyas Kamath, Y Bharath Shetty, Mayor Sudheer Shetty Kannur, Richard Moras, and Lourdes Central School Principal Fr Johnson Sequeira.