Farewell, J.B.D’Souza
He had an illustrious career, beginning in a newly independent India, working as a trainee civil servant during Partition and going on to work in important positions such as Municipal Commissioner, Bombay and Chief Secretary, Maharashtra. After retirement, in his matter-of-fact, unsanctimonious but very determined way, he spent even more time working for the things he believed in, giving a new meaning to citizenship and public service. Characteristically, his slim memoir of his civil service days, “No Trumpets or Bugles”, is written with humour and self-deprecation.
A fine mind is rare enough. J.B.D’Souza also had that rarest of qualities - integrity. For me, it is a special privilege to have met him and interacted with him, and to be able to write this tribute for such a person.
He will be missed.
My thoughts are with his wife Neela, their son and daughter-in-law - our dear friends - Dilip and V, and the rest of the family.
I’m sorry to hear that Uma. He seemed to be a great guy, from the way D and V spoke about him. And of course, irreplaceable professionally.
Neela
Comment by neela — September 3, 2007 @ 2:57 am
Yes, Uma. He will truly be missed. Hard to find public servants like him in today’s day and age. It was not surprising when one of the yesteryear BMC corporators (who also had great integrity) and was on the standing committee when JBD was the MC, (Bombay) spoke to me and was in tears and said “India has lost a great son”
Comment by Abodh — September 5, 2007 @ 4:45 am