Goa's only surgeon-cum-CM Dr Wilfred de Souza passes away

PANAJI: Former Goa chief minister Dr Wilfred de Souza passed away, after a brief illness, at a Dona Paula-based hospital on Friday morning. He was 88.
His demise brought to an end a chequered career, spanning several decades, as a reputed surgeon, master political strategist and efficient administrator.
Family physician Dr Sidney Pinto do Rosario told TOI that Wilfred’s daughter Joanne called him at 11am on Thursday saying her father had had a fall.“He had not suffered any fracture, and his BP was normal. But when I auscultated him I found he was wheezing. He told me he had been undergoing treatment for the last one week for a respiratory problem. So I advised him to inform the doctor treating him.”
The doctor, noticing that Wilfred’s breathing problem had increased, suggested his admission to a private clinic, from where it was decided to then shift him to the ICU of Manipal Hospital, Dona Paula.
A hospital source said de Souza was critically ill, as he was suffering from septic shock causing derangement of multiple organ’s function, as also acute myocardial infarction. He was put on organ support systems (ventilator and inotrope support) after admission.
His condition remained unchanged overnight.
“But he suffered cardiac arrest in the morning and did not respond to resuscitation attempts for 45 minutes. He was declared dead at 9.15am,” the source said.
De Souza was born to Alina Ana Maria de Souza and Dr Tito Fermino de Souza in Kampala, Uganda, on April 23, 1927. His father’s plan to shift to the UK received a setback, as it was the peak of World War II. The de Souzas returned to Goa and later Wilfred went abroad and acquired a double FRCS (Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons from Edinburgh and London).
Returning to his home state, then a Union territory, with his British wife, Grace, he started his practice in a clinic—a place where he would later also meet the press—next to Azad Maidan, a historic landmark in Panaji, and soon earned fame as a surgeon.
The craving to join politics soon overwhelmed him, and Dr Willy or Willy—as the press nicknamed him—first joined the poll bandwagon crossing swords as the UGP candidate with MGP’s Chandrakant Chodankar in Siolim constituency. He lost by 849 votes to Chodankar.
His second poll contest against MGP’s Luta Ferrao in 1974 was fated to become historic. Both polled an equal number of votes in the byelection, but to Willy’s horror, the draw of lots sent Ferrao to the assembly.
Willy challenged the decision successfully in court, but Ferrao in turn appealed before the high court. But Willy had the last laugh, as he was allowed in the House, without powers to speak and vote.
He did not contest the 1977 election after a UGP faction fused into Janata Party.
But he was a key figure in the 1980 polls, leading Congress (Urs) to power in the state sweeping 20 out of 30 seats and ending MGP’s 17-year rule. But almost overnight, the Urs faction switched loyalties to Congress (Indira) faction.
The crafty politician from Saligao had to be content with his induction as deputy chief minister only a year later, as Pratapsingh Rane was chosen as CM due to the rivalry between Willy and Anant Narcinva ‘Babu’ Naik.
Willy also broke away from Congress and formed the Goa Congress in 1984 to contest the polls, but only a lone candidate, Luizinho Faleiro, was successful. Willy lost to MGP’s Shrikant Malik by a slender 230-vote margin.
The long-drawn Konkani agitation provided a platform to Willy to re-launch his political career and he was one of the key figures in the stir to lobby for official status to Konkani. Willy then dropped anchor in Saligao constituency, winning four in a row, 1990, 1994, 1999 and 2002, most often by slender margins, deftly using his political masterclass to outwit his rivals in a majority-dominated poll segment.
Many would suggest that he adhere to his oath as a doctor. The brilliant surgeon was conferred with several awards including Dr B C Roy Award as ‘Eminent Medical Man & Statesman’ from the Medical Council of India. But he justified his dual role as a surgeon and politician, stating that both were not clashing at all.
Journalists would often jocularly refer to his skills as a surgeon, using his scalpel to cut his opponents in the political field. The crafty politician often came out trumps in the tumultuous period of over two decades, from 1980s to 2000, when governments fell like nine pins, and also suffered as a victim.
He had his days, albeit short-lived, in the sun though. He was sworn in as CM in 1993, but was soon dislodged by a rebel group headed by Ravi Naik. He regained his CM’s chair after six days and continued till November 1994.
He led the Congress to victory in 1998, but Rane was again made CM. Willy had his revenge when he toppled Rane and became CM in 1998. But the government supported by BJP lasted a short term from July 30, 1998, till November 26, 1998.
During his political career, spanning nearly four decades, he represented UGP, Congress (U) and (I), Goa Rajiv Congress, NCP and Trinamool Congress. At the 2007 hustings, he fell to his BJP rival, Dilip Parulekar.
Willy is known to have been a guiding light to a host of present-day politicians, including Luizinho Faleiro, Churchill Alemao, Vijai Sardesai and others.
As a former professor at the Goa Medical College (GMC), the general surgeon has also left behind several grateful doctors. Pinto do Rosario, a former student of Wilfred’s, says in conclusion, “With a double FRCS, he could have settled anywhere in the world. He chose to come back home to Goa. And as a doctor he always served the people with compassion; even conducting emergency operations while being CM.”