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Bengaluru, Jan 5: Philanthropist and NRI entrepreneur Ronald Colaco has been conferred professional doctorate in global leadership and management by the prestigious, world-renowned European International University, Paris, France in recognition of his humanitarian and charitable works for the betterment of society.

The professional doctorate was conferred on Ronald Colaco virtually on 7th of January directly from Paris, due to Covid-19 movement restrictions and the Doctoral Certificate was awarded in a splendid ceremony held at Clarks Exotica in Bengaluru on January 30. Union minister D V Sadananda Gowda handed over the doctorate certificate to Colaco, in the presence of former deputy chief minister Dr Parameshwar, MLC Bhoje Gowda, well-known educationist, writer and former principal of Sheshadripuram College Prof Radhakrishna, Director (global academic promotions), European International University in Paris, France, Dr Ajay Desai and others.

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European International University (E.I.U.), Paris, France has been ranked 75th in the CEO World Magazine Rating of Best Business Schools in the World for 2020 with 82.84 score, having MIT Sloan School of Management—U.S.A. at Rank 1 with 99.81 score, Harvard Business School — U.S.A. at Rank 2 with 98.38 score, London Business School at Rank 5 with 95.3 score, I.I.M. Calcutta at Rank 25 with 90.7 score, I.I.M. Indore at Rank 95 with 76.29 score, I.I.M. Udaipur at Rank 144 with 53.59 score & Lakehead University in Canada at Rank 187 with 48.94 score, among 187 selected best Business Schools in the World.

This E.I.U. is affiliated to the World reputed A.S.I.C., U.K., A.C.B.S.P., U.S.A., Business Graduates Association - London, U.K., A.T.H.E.A., Austria., E.C.B.E., Brussels, Belgium and Cambridge International Academics — U.K.

Prof Radhakrishna, former principal of Sheshadripuram College and former English Lecturer of Ronald Colaco, being the host of this entire program, presided over and introduced the dignitaries. He recalled fond memories of Colaco as his student at Sheshadripuram College and said that as teacher, he learnt a lot from the fees paid by his student like Colaco. "He earned the wealth of hearts. Ronald and Jean Colaco's first oath on marriage was that they give a percentage of their wealth to charity. All of us should applaud this wonderful family. May God bless them," he said, listing out the charitable works initiated by the family as well as the worldwide honours, titles and accolades earned by Ronald Colaco.

Addressing the gathering, the Union Minister, D V Sadananda Gowda said that Colaco has brought laurels to the country and that he is the pride of the nation. "At the very outset, I would like to congratulate Dr Colaco on behalf of the my country and people of my country, because I am representing them. I am not just congratulating him as Sadananda Gowda, he has brought name and fame to our country, so it is my responsibility to congratulate him from the bottom of my heart. This is a very great occasion for people like us who are representing the society and the government, to learn so many things from you (Colaco) and thereby be able to implement them during our tenure as representatives of people," he said.

"Colaco hails from Moodabidri from my district Dakshina Kannada. That is one of the greatest things that I have got. He is presently residing in my constituency of Bengaluru North, so I can say he is my man, and whatever credit goes to him, a part of it comes to me also. Colaco is my man, from my home district, from my constituency, and today as a central minister I got an opportunity to honour and congratulate him, thereby he is solely my man, so, no one can claim any credit, only I can," he said.

Colaco has found happiness and spreads smiles through his social service and humanitarian works. He has never wasted time, and everything he has done, he has done it to bring a positive transformation in the society, he said.

"Four words have a great influence on anyone in society - capacity, ability, sincerity, honesty. Where there is sincerity and honesty, capacity and ability automatically follow. Colaco himself is an example of this. His sincerity and honesty allowed his capacity to grow. I believe it is honesty and sincerity that made it possible for a person like Colaco, hailing from an ordinary family, to rise to this stature and be on this stage today. That is why we need to congratulate him, and learn from him. It is today's society, it is all in reverse. Many leaders promise from the stage get applause and they do nothing, but Colaco does so many things and does not announce" he said.

"I have seen Colaco from close quarters. Every matter in every place in Dakshina Kannada bears the name of Colaco. I do not know why. It may be the work he renders, it may be sentiments, it may be the social transformations that he has enabled. People want him to be with them, they demand his presence, he said. He turned towards Colaco and said, Sir, we want you to be with us for eternity. We pray to God that he blesses you always with prosperity and wealth. When God blesses you, he blesses us too. Whenever God gives to Colaco, he gives a small portion of it to us as well," he added.

The central minister also urged the audience to emulate Colaco and contribute to society. "You must have seen a government school nearby. It is better than any private school. That is his greatness. I got the opportunity to inaugurate it as a Central Minister. His personality defers from others. That is very important. A message has to be sent to the society from this platform as to why he has been honoured by such a big university. Preaching is easy, but implementing is not. Just education does not make us educated. It is our commitment and will power that makes things happen. That is what we see in Ronald Colaco. Our elders say if we get in touch with those doing good for society, we will also get some moral boost. Certainly sir, being in your company I too got moral boost and I have been able to do at least something good as people’s representative. May God bless you, and may you always be in my constituency. You have brought laurels to our country, you have brought name and fame to our country. Thank you once again (Colaco)," he said.

"Harmony between all regions is very important to our country. Among the 130 crore people of our country, there are hundreds of languages, celebrations, cultures, it is not so easy to have unity in diversity in such a country. Colaco is a person who has brought together humans of different religions and humanity. Be it Dakshina Kannada, Chikkamagaluru or Bengaluru, mosques, churches or temples, he has helped build them all and thereby been at the forefront of promoting communal harmony in our country. I would be doing a disservice if I did not mention his service to society in promoting harmony. May Jesus, Allah and (lord) Parameshwar grant you strength," he said.

Dr Parameshwar, Former Deputy Chief Minister, said, "Congratulations to Dr Colaco. It took me four-and-half years in Australia to get my doctorate. But you have been awarded this doctorate not by counting the years, this is, I would say, a life's achievement. You started your journey of life from a middle class family. Philanthropy is not just about donating some materialistic things. You have done this with love, affection and a purpose. You have built temples, churches, mosques, offices, and so on, but you had a purpose in all that, and you did it with love and affection. I must thank your parents, the late Fabian Colaco and Alice Colaco for giving Ronald Colaco to this world. You have set an example for the world. It is not easy to donate something, you need to have a heart to do it. There are milions of people who are much richer than Colaco. If they all could donate a small portion of that wealth, I don't think we would have any poverty in this country or anywhere in the world. Today is Martyr's Day. Gandhi never kept anything to himself, never dreamt of becoming anything, never wanted power. But look at the sacrifice he made. Colaco is exactly like that. I am not trying to compare Colaco to Gandhi. But the philosophy behind it and the principle and it is worth for all of us to emulate."

Further Dr Parameshwar said, What Colaco has received this Doctorate from this European International University in Paris is a World recognition of his deeds and services and is a World Honour.

Dr Parameshwar also said that Ronald Colaco greatly deserves Padma Award from the government of India, and added that Prof Radhakrishna has already made this suggestion. He also entreated union minister Sadananda Gowda to pursue in this regard.
MLC Bhoje Gowda also spoke on the occasion. He said that what he was supposed to speak about Colaco, prof. Radhakrishna & the Hon’ble Dignitaries have already spoken. It is really great to see so many of you, his well-wishers gathered here to congratulate him after witnessing the handover of the Doctoral Certificate. It is not easy to get global recognition from among 194 nations with such Doctorate and therefore, we need to assess the difficult path undertaken by Colaco for a long period of time. This prestigious recognition conferred on Colaco has to be certainly assigned to our country, state & this region as well.

Dr. Ajay Desai, Director, Global Academic Promotions, European International University (E.I.U.), Paris, France., Spoke during the occasion and said that, Ronald Colaco has already been conferred with Professional Doctorate in Global Leadership and Management through Virtual Convocation directly from Paris, due to Covid-19 situation.
The E.I.U. has selected Ronald Colaco, for this honour considering his years of hard work, Personal sacrifice, commitments, and his years of overall contributions to the economic & corporate sector, his social and philanthropic works recognised throughout the world.

This Professional Doctorate is given to Ronald Colaco, by the globally recognised European International University in Paris, after scrutinizing his accolades and philanthropic works obtained from Google, Internet, media reports and other old magazines as found by the research team.

As our University is selecting from 8 to 15 top personalities in the world from the United Nations from members from 194 countries, therefore, it is the rarest degree conferred on Ronald Colaco.

Acknowledging the honour, Dr Colaco said, "I want to thank Sundareshan as well as Deepika Bedi for your excellence in compering this programme. I also thank Prof Radhakrishna, my guru, my teacher, he is my everything. When a student, who keeps the relationship with this teacher, his professor, achieves something in his life, he wants to do something for his teacher, his guru. But here it is the other way round. Prof Radhakrishnan has moulded me to become what I am today. He was the first batch faculty member for English Subject, and I was the first batch graduate student of Sheshadripuram College. He not only admires and appreciates his student’s achievements and accolades whatsoever, he also takes pride in that. I am really blessed to have such a noble professor, my teacher, my guru, my admirer. I am really blessed.

"My friend (D V Sadananda Gowda) here said, you have to remain in my constituency only. I have to say the other way round. I have already built a house here and there is no way I am going anywhere. Sir, you will have to remain in this constituency and maintain as your constituency forever. We want you to be with us always. All the dignitaries here have showered a flood of praises on me. I am speechless. Bhoje Gowda has shown his affection by travelling all the way from Chikkamagaluru so early in the morning. Dr Ajay Desai was in Dubai and was not able to come, but when the date was fixed according to the convenience of the union minister, he made it a point to come," he said.

Thanking Sadananda Gowda, he said, "The union minister is so busy as he is not only the MP of this constituency but a union minister for the entire country, and the Parliament is also in session, so he needs to be there. Still, he made sure that he comes. He is such a simple, down-to-earth and humble person, when I called him over the phone to inform that I have been conferred with a professional doctorate from the E.I.U., and invited him to be part of this programme, he immediately told me in Kannada that it would be his good fortune if he gets to present this doctorate certificate to me. Who in such a position of high ranking would speak in such a humble manner? It is really amazing. I think we need many personalities like Sadananda Gowda, Dr Parameshwar, and Bhoje Gowda in politics as well as in public life so that others can emulate and be a good example for the rest of the country & the world at large," he said.

He revealed that it was an oath he and his wife took on his wedding day that has prompted him to serve the society. "Whatever the social, charitable and humanitarian work I have been doing has been prompted by an oath my wife and I had taken when we walked to the altar. Before taking our wedding vows and before saying 'I do'. Because of this oath, I have not been stingy nor I have been prevented from giving away a little from what I have. Once you have taken a oath, it is not your money. Therefore, I am not doing anything new, it is a compulsion for me. It is very simple, all of us believe in God, you stand before God, close your eyes, fold your hands, pray to him and say that from now I will pledge a small percentage from my savings for the cause of the poor and social cause. Then there is a compulsion. That is why I have been able to do this. I have been doing charitable and humanitarian work, not for any award or reward, not for any recognition or doctorate, but purely out of the true sense of my bounden duty to the society that I have come from, the society I was born in, the society that I have lived and grown up with, to the least of our unfortunate brethren.

"God has given us only one opportunity to pass by this world. There is no second chance for anyone of us to come back into this world. So, whatever little we can do for the least of our brethren, we can do it now or never," he added.

"I always follow the doctrine, instead of adding years to our lives and celebrating our birthdays, I would rather add a meaningful, purposeful life to each year that I live. I would like to live a life of substance. I do not want to count my richness by the number of properties or bungalows or cars or bank balance I have, but I would rather live my richness by counting how many lives I have been able to touch each year and during my lifetime, how many hearts I have been able to touch each year and during my lifetime” he said.

Apart from thanking all the dignitaries and the host Prof. Radhakrishna, Colaco also thanked Denis D'Silva and journalists Narasimha Murthy, Sachidananda, Ayub Khan and others where Narasimha Murthy & Denis D'Silva have visited several areas & villages in several districts, states, where Colaco has done social and humanitarian works, and after obtaining photographs and acknowledgement letters from the beneficiary institutions, they have compiled his charitable works classified in 25 fields and have come up in the form of a book on his philanthropical works. The book was released during the ceremony. "I am not interested in any kind of publicity or name or fame. What do I do with that? But when a reward or award or doctorate comes my way, I have no choice but to accept it with all humility. Thank you for this doctorate," Colaco added.

Sundareshan and Deepika Bedi compered the event.