Media Release
Mangaluru, Jan 4: Dr Austin D’Souza Prabhu, the first Indian origin governor of Lions District 1A (Chicagoland, USA - Mother District of Lionism, where Lions movement came into existence and the headquarters of Lions International situated) visited Dharmadhikari Dr D Veerendra Heggade at his residence in Dharmasthala on January 2.
H R Alva, proprietor of Maria Advertisers and former student of Sri Dharmasthala Manjunatheshwara (SDM) Law College, Mangaluru had accompanied Dr Austin.
Austin was born (1950) and brought up in Nanthur. He migrated to the the United States in 1981 and since then is residing in Chicago. Currently, he is on a tour to his homeland.
Dr Heggade hailed the services of Austin through Lions International and presented with him ‘Abode of Dharma – Dharmasthala’ (Pictorial Information Book) and a memorial medal.
Dr Austin, a multifaceted personality was involved in numerous activities during 1970s in Mangaluru. He was the president of Catholic Youth Movement (the present ICYM) of the diocese of Mangalore for five years. He has to his credit of publishing four Konkani periodicals simultaneously. He was a theatre artist and drama writer and the founder secretary of the Konkani Bhasha Mandal, Karnataka. He was also the secretary of the erstwhile Yuva Janatha Party of Dakshina Kannada district.
Dr Austin’s wife Treeza D’Souza too had served as governor of Lions 1A District.