June 3, 2018: It is over 9 years since George, the vibrant, dynamic socialist, trade unionist and politician made his last public appearance due to the dreaded Alzheimer’s which tragically struck him down and placed him in a world of his own. But what a life of action, excitement, daring, dash and dynamism in the eighty decades prior! As a teenager, to escape the legal profession which his father, John Fernandes, was keen upon, George chose to go to the seminary instead, making his devout father happy. Free thinking and independent from an early age, he left the seminary after discovering blemishes in the church which were hard to compromise with. For this, he was excommunicated from the Church. He joined the trade union movement in Mangalore – his hometown – where P. D’Mello became his mentor. George was sent to Bombay when he was nineteen, where he began his …
Read More GEORGE FERNANDES: The Man. The Mission. The Family.

My husband’s name was Jagdish and his wife’s name was George Fernanades. I complained many times to you ‘Saheb Jagdish has married to you not to me and not to me.’ In your mischievous voice said all those many times “that is true” and “that that is why you are my Navri”. Navri is a Marthi word denoting the impression of the word Bride – a newly married girl. You always called me “Navri”, never Aruna and that your softly spoken word resounds in my ears and will linger till my death. I never cared to ask Jagdish since when he was associated with you, but I happened to remember him telling me that he personally knew you since the time of 1974 Railway Strike. He became closer to you during Late Dr, Jai Prakash Narayan’s Harit Kranti Andolan and then whole and sole of his election campaign since 1977 …
Read More “Saheb” All People Who Know You Personally and are Close to You – for Everybody You are Still Saheb