Basil Coutinho is patron of Doha Goans Sports Club
Basil was instrumental in starting the Goan Community May Queen Ball in 1991
Basil Coutinho has been appointed as patron of Doha Gaons Sports Club, which was revived last year, here we are carrying his profile which was earlier written by Armstrong Vaz one year back , and which has been edited and carried with slight modifications.
Doha: The skyline of Doha and Dubai has changed dramatically over the last few decades. However, nothing compares it to the old days when young Basil Coutinho, armed with a college degree and backed by the then customary typing and shorthand diplomas, touched the shore of Doha, some four decades back. But, there has also been another alarming change which is troubling the former Goan community leader in Qatar.
The upcoming MayBall Queen dance at the Ramada (May 5) is a
journey down the memory lane not just for the past May Ball Queens but also
for Basil Coutinho for a different reason. He was the person who first
introduced the MayBall Queen concept in Doha Qatar among the Goan community
way back in 1991, as President of Doha Goans Sports Club.
Devotion, dedication, discipline, honesty and sincerity are some of the
virtues one associates with young Basil Coutinho and to cap it all, he is an
eloquent speaker, who could keep his audience spell bound.
But success and fortune did not come easily for this gifted personality, who
has donned different hats in his life, that of a social worker, community
leader, teacher and a banker.
Early childhood loss of his father at the age of five years meant he was
sent to the Roman Catholic priests of the Don Bosco Brothers who operated
boarding school in Matunga, Mumbai.
The education at Matunga left a deep impact on Basil. He was so impressed by
the way the priests work for humanity and for the uplift of society in India
and elsewhere that he too felt a strong urge to do something for society.
The lessons learnt at Don Bosco Matunga stood him in good stead throughout
his life.
Basil started as a high school teacher at Don Bosco High School in Panjim
teaching for 3 years, besides teaching at Don Bosco Matunga Bombay for a
period of 1 year. Among his student is well known internationally reputed
musician Remo Fernandes, while he was based at Don Bosco Panjim. After 4
years as a teacher, the Gulf bug hit Basil and he touched the Dubai shore in
1970.
In 1971, he was transferred to Doha where he worked with Bank of Oman as
Credit Manager for a period of 3 years.
And when the bank changed its corporate name to Bank of Al Mashreq, he
continued with them for another 20 years as manager.
A brief experiment with business – a partnership one cost him dearly and
thereafter he joined CommercialBank, where he served in different managerial
positions, till his retirement, three years back.
But his desk job at the Bank did not keep this social conscious individual
tied up to his routine job commitments. He ventured into the social domain
and for social causes which he holds dear to his heart till this date.
He made a plunge to help the scattered Goan community together under one
platform and offering them various social and cultural activities.
A charismatic leader that he was, he took the reins of the community Club
and guided its destiny for many years.
“Goans were the first to establish clubs in Qatar and following our
successful models, other Indian communities followed suit,” recalls Basil.
Looking back at the history of the Goan clubs in Qatar, Errol D’Cruz, a
resident of Mumbai, who spend 12 years in Qatar, says: “Basil Coutinho was
the main architect to keep the Goan Community in a happy, animated mood, and
united with different activities. Even now in his retired age, he is very
much occupied, and involved in promoting social activities. Basil is the man
of masses, his charity work is always remembered by many to whom he reached
out during their difficult days.”
“In 1988, Basil Coutinho was elected unopposed President of Doha Goans
Sports Club, and when he took over the presidentship, within a short period
the shape and the image of the club changed completely, membership increased
from 30 to 415, and subsequently continued to increase.
Those early days are still remembered as Doha Goans Sports Club excelled in
conducting various fun filled activities which brought laurels to the club
and which were of interest to the Goans and Indian coummity in general,
under the dynamic leadership of Mr. Basil,” said Ambrosio Dias, former
General Secretary of Doha Goans Sports Club and now the president of the revived DGSC
Basil was instrumental in starting the Goan Community May Queen Ball in 1991
and the Goans had cricket, volleyball and football teams competing in
different competitions.
“Different activities were introduced such as cultural, sports, and social.
First time in the history of the club and in the Goan Community May Queen
Ball was organized in hotel Sheraton on 9th May 1991, with great enthusiasm,
with live band, which attracted over one thousand people. That was a great
event,” recalls Basil.
Goans also were happy to witness several competitions and fun events during
Basil’s tenure.
A unique introduction of One-Act Play, and singing competition in Konkani
was golden opportunity for Goans to come out and prove their talents, and it
was a great success. Annual sports, Carol singing during Christmas
festivity, football tournaments, like Zonal, 9-a-side, 7-a-side,
penalty-shoot out, inter-village tournament etc were the other events. Also,
Doha Goans organized for the first time, an All Gulf 9-a-side Tournament,
teams from different Gulf Countries participated.
Ladies throw ball was another additional activity conducted in early days.
During the tenure of Basil Coutinho DGSC won many trophies in Qatar and
other parts of the Gulf. Doha Goans Sports Club was champions of the league
and supper league, defeating Egypt Air.
“We celebrated most of the Goan traditional feasts including 15th Aug.
Independence of India, Republic Day 26th January, 19thDec. Goa Liberation Day, was celebrated with cultural activities, and so also Qatar Independence Day. All proceeds of the functions held were used for needy Goans. St. Francis Xavier
being the Patron of the Club, feast celebrated annually, with free dinner to
the members followed by a musical night. St. Francis Xavier was the Patron
of the Club and every year Patrons feast celebrated with great pomp in the
five star hotels which was free to all the members.”
“In the year 1991, all permanent members of Doha Goan Sports Club were given
a gold medal with DGSC logo embossed as a token of love and appreciation,
which many still cherish as a worthy memento till date.”
Old timers going down memory lane recall the old days enjoyed by Goans
earlier are missing among the community in the present age. If one has to
look at the history of the Goan social and cultural activities, one has to
look at the way the Doha Goans Sports Club came into existence.
“In October 1984, two Goan football teams formed under the sponsorship of
Air India, Indian National carrier, and participated in the expat league,
where teams from countries like England, Brazil, Scotland,
Pakistan, Bangladesh, Egypt, etc. participated including two Goan teams, as
Air India Wanderers team A, and team B, where we won third and fourth place
respectively,” recalls Basil.
“After the end of the league Air India Wanderers (Goa) participated in the
tournament organized by AKC, and won this prestigious cup in the year 1985.
During the victory celebration it was unanimously decided to form a Goan
Club. Olavo D’Lima Fernandes was appointed as co coordinator, and Doha Goans
Sports Club was formed initially with 30 members including Mr. Lawrence
Menezes as chairman 1985-86. In1986-1987 Anthony Dias was the President, and
late on from 1987-1988. Sunktankar was the President.
The dissolution of the four clubs—Qatar Goans, Goan Sports Club, Las Laffan
Goans and Doha Goans Sports Club by Rev Father Lester Mendonca parish priest
based in Qatar, in November saw the formation of one united Goan Welfare Association on
3rd December in 2003.
Basil was gracious enough to relish the chair after serving the community as
president with the dissolution of Doha Goans Sports Club, but continuing to
help the existing Goan clubs to get sponsorship for events organized by
Goans in Qatar, till date.
“ I stepped down as some friends advised me to do so as they said I was
getting too famous and when you get famous many people try to pull you down”
he recalls
But, one dream of Basil of having an own club house for use for the Goan
community did not materialize, which disappoints him.
