Silvester D’ Souza

Daijiworld Media Network – Kundapur (EP)

Kundapur, Apr 28: Former MLA, MLC and veteran Congress leader Winnifred Fernandes passed away at her church road residence here in the afternoon on Tuesday, April 28. She was 90.

She was born in Mangaluru and was settled in Kundapur after getting married to entrepreneur Louis M Fernandes. She began her political career through Praja Socialist party (PSP) and served as member when Kundapur town panchayat existed. She served as member of town panchayat and municipal council for about 33 years and was president of municipal council for 17 years.

She became member of Kundapur Vidhan Sabha constituency from PSP from 1967 to 1972 and Congress party from 1972 to 1977. She also served as Vidhan Parishad member of Congress party from 2001 to 2007. She was the director of state telephone corporation during the term of UPA government at the centre.

She was the senior leader of Christian community of undivided Dakshina Kannada district and the office bearer of Kundapur Holy Rosary Church pastoral council for several years. She had taken initiative for starting a women’s police station in Kundapur and had strongly objected when it was shifted to district centre.

She was charismatic in state and country level and had a close rapport with Devaraj Urs, Gundurao, S M Krishna, T A Pai, Ranganath Shenoy, Oscar Fernandes, B Janardhan Poojary, M Veerappa Moily, K Pratapchandra Shetty and several other leaders.

She was sincere and a down to earth personality and has the reputation of starting first women’s police station in Kundapur. She is survived by three daughters and three sons.  

Her family sources have informed that her last rites will be held in Holy Rosary Church, Kundapur at 10 am on Thursday, April 30.

State Vidhan Parishad speaker K Pratap Chandra Shetty, former president of 3rd finance commission A G Kodgi, former MLA K Gopala Poojary, former president of Cashew Development Board Mani Gopala, block Congress committee president Hariprasad Shetty Kanmakki, Urban Development Authority former president Jacob D’ Souza, Vikas Hegde K and others have expressed their condolences on her demise.