04 Apr. 1945- 28 Apr. 2011
“His face was fixed towards Jerusalem”
For a man who was always careful about details, and meticulous to an extraordinary extent, about matters pertaining to his or others’ health, Anil’s apparent lack of attention to his own health during the last few days, or weeks, of his sojourn here on earth, certainly does seem incoherent. But that, seemingly, is what led to Anil’s sudden demise on the twenty-eighth of April, hardly 24 days after he had celebrated his 66th birthday, on 4th April. One fails to understand why he omitted to pay attention to the signals his heart was giving him in the last couple of months or so. Had he done so, and paid a visit to his regular doctor, he may have discovered that the stent that had been given him about twenty years earlier had collapsed. Unfortunately, he also ignored, or wrongly read, during the two days preceding his death, his body signals, considering them as stomach discomfort, etc., instead of preliminaries to a much more serious heart problem. Could it be that in some way, “His face was fixed towards Jerusalem?” (Luke 9/51).
Yes. Once Anil was diagnosed for having a weak heart condition, and had an Angioplasty administered to him, in 1990 or so, he was very particular about his diet and a strict, daily exercise regimen. Come rain or shine, every evening he would be seen walking briskly up and down in the compound or down a long corridor. Whatever the occasion, parties, banquets and big dinners could tempt him only to a very limited extent. So abstemious and self-controlled was he!
And yet, despite the diminutive body that he possessed, he was very energetic and dynamic in carrying out his daily duties. Phone call after phone call …. slowly and steadily, Anil would demolish his long list of phone calls for the day. Being a “Socius” (Assistant and Companion) to the Provincial is not an easy task; and the number of communications that had to be made daily was great. Yet, each one was made promptly and efficiently. Reminders were sent out regularly, and no one in the province could forget that there was still some job that had to be completed by a certain deadline. It is no wonder that the newsletter got to be printed and
published according to schedule every month. Yes. Anil had an excellent style for follow-up and implementation of matters that had been earlier decided at meetings, or by the Provincial.
Then there were the frequent walks he took, from point to point in the Provincialate itself. Anil walked briskly and with determination. There was always some goal to be achieved; and he was going to attain it by all means. There was no question that he was goal-oriented, doing everything for the greater glory of God and good of souls.
As a young priest, having completed his B.Ed. and M. Ed. Studies from Pune University, Anil was sent to Loyola University of Chicago, where obtained an M.A. in English within a couple of years.
As a Principal, Anil was known for his strictness, spirit of fairness and impartiality, qualities, which I am sure he inherited from his father, who was himself a school Principal, when the family was in Goa. Staff and students both, knew that he meant business. He had a strong sense of duty, was truly committed to his task, and had a no-nonsense approach, which everybody recognized. While being approachable to the parents of the school children, the latter knew full well that they would not always get what they wanted. Thus, Anil was able to influence very many people in the four schools of which he was Principal – St. Britto’s, Mapuca, Loyola High School, Pune, St. Vincent’s, Pune and St. Joseph’s Night School, Pune.
What many remember of Anil in particular, was his kind, welcoming smile, whenever a guest met him in the house. He was ever ready to be of some service to the one who was in need. He was a good religious, a thorough gentleman, ever polite and gracious, and with a true spirit of humility. He took very special care of the sick Jesuits in his community, always making it a point to visit them at every opportunity, trying to make them a little more comfortable during their time of trial.
His concern for the sick and also for the poor, was evident whenever he had a chance to help out in a parish. Taking Holy Communion to the sick in the neighbourhood was something he relished. His preference for the underprivileged was also manifest in his formulation of policies for admission of school children.
Anil got his strength to serve enthusiastically and cheerfully, from his prayer. This latter he never neglected. Not only was he constant in his personal prayer, but he also could be seen regularly pacing up and down while reciting the rosary. It is no wonder that he was often invited to hear the confessions of Sisters, and to sometimes preach retreats to them. That is why too, he was appointed the Coordinator for the Ignatian Spirituality Province Commission.
Fitting and proper it was then, that the St. Xavier’s Church was crowded at the time of the funeral Mass for Anil on 29th April. Several non-Christian ex-students also attended the service. Bishop Thomas Dabre celebrated the Mass, with assistance from former Pune Bishop, Valerian D’Souza and Fr. Bertie Rozario, Provincial. About 40 priests also concelebrated.
One of the consequences of Anil’s personal, serious commitment to duty, and constantly being on the run, was that he sometimes fell prey to tension and worry. He always wanted to make
sure he was doing the right thing and that too, in the best way possible. Problems do not always have a way of fitting into boxes or categories that easily, and so they can cause anxiety. Maybe that too played some role in Anil’s already weak heart being further affected. But problems or tensions notwithstanding, Anil was not going to let such things come in his way of serving God faithfully and wholeheartedly. He was a man of deep motivation and solid determination. And he never floundered when it was a question of fixing his face toward Jerusalem, his ultimate goal.
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