JOIN USFormer deputy mayor and social worker Judith Mascarenhas passed away here on Monday. She was 85.
She was known as a political leader, a social worker and a teacher. Judith was bedridden for sometime and was suffering from paralysis.
The nuns at Maria Nivas, Jeppu, were taking care of her. She had donated her house to St Vincent De Paul Society. Her 85th birthday was celebrated last month.
Born on December 22, 1931, to Konkani poet and journalist Aloysius I Mascarenhas and teacher Magdalene, Judith completed her studies from Madras University.
She took up teaching as a career at Cambridge School, Bengaluru, and continued at Capitanio Junior College. She worked as a teacher for 22 years before taking voluntary retirement.
Public service
A dedicated social worker, ‘Judy Bai’, as she was fondly known, founded Preethi Neethi Trust in 1991 to uplift the poor and destitutes. She held several other posts as founder member and treasurer of Link De-addiction Citizens’ Committee, member of Mangalore Railway Station Consultative Committee, treasurer of Mahila Vedike Nagara Parisarasakthara Okkoota, joint secretary of the Dakshina Kannada Association for the Blind, director of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi Zilla Mahila Co-operative Bank, director of the Canara Catholic Co-operative Educational Society, to name a few.
She served Mangaluru as deputy mayor for two terms and as a corporator for three terms.
She also served as the editor of Konkani Youth Monthly ‘Yuvak’ for five years, editor and publisher of Kannada bi-monthly ‘Deepika’ and editor and publisher of Kannada monthly ‘Nagara Deepika’ for 15 years each. As a corporator, she ran her own local newspaper.
Winner of several awards
She was the recipient of district Rajyotsava Award in 2015, Lifetime Achievement Award by St Agnes College Alumnae Association, social service honour at Dakshina Kannada Kannada Sahitya Sammelana and many more.