Pics: Dayanand Kukkaje/Stany D'Souza Niddodi
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru
Mangaluru, Dec 28: “We are passing through a difficult phase in our lives wherein our youth, across all religions, have become victims of ‘Alcoholic drinks and drugs menace’. It is time we realise the danger to the lives of our vulnerable youth, whom we hail as the future of this world,” said Fr Mathew Vas, parish priest of Kinnigoli Church and vicar of Mulky-Kinnigoli deanery. He was speaking after blessing ‘Ian Cares’ Foundation and its rehabilitation wing, ‘Sarva Dharma Sangama’ in memory of Ian Austin Mascarenhas, who succumbed to his injuries following a car accident in Mangaluru on December 23, 2017.
The programme was organised by the family of Ian Austin and ‘Ian Cares’ foundation on his second death anniversary at their ancestral place in Quila (Moorukaveri) near Kinnigoli on Friday, December 27.
Fr Mathew Vas thanked the trustees for choosing Kinnigoli region to start such a noble humanitarian effort. He said the people in the future world should follow the message, ‘Sarva Dharma Sangama’ for peaceful co-existence and religious harmony.
Elizabeth Crasto, grandmother of Ian Austin, symbolically inaugurated the foundation accompanied by the members of the family. The family members and trustee jointly offered flower petals to the inaugural plaque cum memorial of Ian Austin.
Bhuvanabhirama Udupa, editor-in-chief of ‘Yugapurusha’ Kannada magazine and a well-known social activist in the region, launched the site layout of ‘Sarva Dharma Sangama’ and said, “When we are born in this world we do not know which religion we are born into. It can be a Hindu, Christian or a Muslim family. Even when natural calamities hit us we all become victims of such calamity irrespective of which religion we belong to. So also when we are admitted into a hospital, not our religion but our blood group is recognised before starting treatment. Hence we better stop fighting in the name of religion and do something which badly needed in our community.”
Bhuvanabhirama Udupa congratulated Hemacharya, the Managing Trustee and said, “Only a person like him, who identifies himself in all religions and respected by all in Kinnigoli, can think of initiating such a novel mission. He said all the people across the religions in the region are going to benefit from this facility as it is a common scene nowadays to find youth in large numbers becoming victims of alcoholic drinks and drugs addiction.”
Former regional advisor for leprosy at United Nations, WHO, East Asia Region, Dr Derek Lobo unveiled the logo of the foundation and said, “Today it is a common scene to witness youth among us committing suicide like never before and the most common root cause is their unwary life style and love for alcoholic drinks and drugs which leads them towards depression and culminates in suicide. The formation of rehabilitation is the need of the day and such centres should be opened in all regions and not just in the cities.” He wished success to the effort and expressed his appreciation for choosing a small town like Kinnigoli for this service, which is in serenity of the nature.
Edward Crasto, an entrepreneur from Mumbai and a trustee, planted a sapling in memory of Ian Austin, who was his godson.
Head of Daijiworld Media, Walter Nandalike, launched a unique personal ID card which contains name of person, contact number, blood group and the number of person to be contacted during an emergency.
Stressing on the importance of such a unique card Walter Nandalike said, “When our reporters rush to the accident sites they are surprised to find the victim not carrying any card to identify him or her. Even when they are carried to the hospital, it takes hours to find their blood group before treatment, during which period many of the victims lose their life.”
Displaying the card Walter said, “The information needed for a person is not available in any of the cards launched by the government such as Aadhar card, ration card etc.” He also spoke about Ian Austin, whom he knew since childhood and said, “What others did not accomplished in a long life, Ian has done within his 26 years of age. Hence his life is worth celebrating, which is done through the card. He urged each and every one to carry such a unique card on them.”
The brochure of the foundation was released by Chryston Machado, Ian’s close friend who represents his friends worldwide.
In his introductory speech, Hemacharya shared the objectives of the foundation and said, “Our aim is to bring back to active life, those boys and girls, who are suffering from ill-effects of alcoholic drinks, drugs and depression.
“I have personally experienced the agony, distress and the mental turmoil as a parent, as my own son was a drug addict. “We were away working in the Gulf and not aware what is going on with our son’s life.
“When we returned to India and came to know about his situation, we offered to rehabilitate him and he readily agreed as he himself was tired and fed up with his life and he wanted to bounce back.”
Hemacharya then explained how Dr Denzil Pinto, the then head of department of Psychiatry at Fr Muller College Hospital, helped them to get their son back to life through detoxification and a rigorous 15-day treatment in total seclusion.
“It was on the first death anniversary, when Ian’s friends, who came to visit his ailing mother, prevailed upon them to start a facility so that few youth in need could be rescued from danger to life.
“I am not only grateful to Dr Denzil Pinto, who saved my son from disaster, who has since joined the foundation as a trustee, but also to my best friends, Walter D’Souza Nandalike, entrepreneur Rohan Monteiro, well-known chartered accountant Nitin J Shetty and lawyer Dinesh K B who have agreed to be part of the foundation.”
The programme started with a prayer hymn from the popular Hindi film ‘Ankur’ led by Daphne, Melvina and Joshua. Dr Prof Clarence Miranda, former principal at Pompei College, conducted the programme
with astute brilliance and rendered vote of thanks.
Hemacharya presented saplings of flower plants to the guests and in particular to brothers Richard and Jerry Rodrigues, who have offered to provide water connection through bore well and sprinkler facility.
In the morning hours, the priest from Kateel Shree Durga Parameshwari Temple Subramanya Hebbar performed Puja and led the prayers in the presence of distinguished people, friends, neighbours and family members of Ian Austin and trustees.
Among others entrepreneur Rocky Pinto, former GM of MCC Bank, Clement Andrade, branch manager of Karnataka Bank, K G Mallya former deputy GM of Syndicate, editor in chief of Karavali Ale, B V Seetharam among others were present.
Those who seek further information may contact Hemacharya, the managing trustee (Mobile +91 9740296297) or by writing at the following address:
‘Ian Cares’ Foundation, Quila,
Kinnigoly PO - 574150
Dakshina Kannada, Karnataka, India
Those who wish to support this humanitarian effort may send their contribution to the following bank account with information to iancaresfoundation@gmail.com(A receipt with a letter of thanks will follow upon receipt of contribution.)
Account Name: Ian Cares Foundation
Name of Bank: Karnataka Bank, Aikala Branch
P O Kinnigoly - 574150
Current Account No - 0122000100013901
IFSC code - KARB0000012
Swift code - KARBINBBMNG
Email: aikala@ktkbank.com
Contact number: 0824 - 2295118