Photo Credits: Goenkar - Tulshidas Malkarnekar
Felicitated on the foundation day of Sahakar Bharati on January 11 for his immense contribution in the co-operative sector of Goa, this 86-year-old ‘Sahakar Shree’ has more than 40 awards to his credit. The man in white has been instrumental in initiating the co-operative movement in the State soon after liberation and can be rightly called the father of all co-operative banks, co-operative credit societies along with Goa Marketing Federation and Sanjeevani Sugar Factory – all of which were established under his initiative.
Tulshidas Malkarnekar has not only been active in politics but has played an important role in knitting together the socio-cultural fabric of Goan society for the past five decades. Recalling his first encounter with politics, Malkarnekar describes how as a kid he got associated with Congress Sevadal at Girgaon in Mumbai in the 1940s and was arrested too, along with the late Aruna Asaf Ali at Govalia Tank in 1942 when he and some other kids in the area were called by her to hoist the Indian flag. After his arrest he was rusticated from Imperial High School and had to join Jai Hind Vidyalaya at Angrewadi from where he did his SSC. He started a library in the school to earn his fees. His struggles continued throughout and soon after SSC, he started his first business, that of selling tea powder. He also started a hotel selling rice plate for 12 annas. His entrepreneurship made him the secretary of the Hotel Owners Associaton at Girgaon in Mumbai, while he also tried his luck in running a laundry with a partner. One of his friends gave him the finance to start his own laundry and he even bought two shops at Mumbai Central.
But destiny had planned his return to his homeland, Goa. Winding up his businesses in Mumbai, Malkarnekar came to Goa soon after liberation in 1961. His reasons? "Late Vishwasrao Chowgule had come to Mumbai in search of an editor and he hired B D Satoskar to be editor of Gomantak. I came to Goa with Satoskar and made it my permanent dwelling place.”The struggles continued even in Goa but life was settled. The first business he pioneered was that of displaying hoardings. “In those days advertising on hoarding was a new concept in Goa and the first such ad that I put up was that of Kanan Devan tea brand,” recalls Malkarnekar who started Goa Publicity, an ad company. The enthusiastic businessman that he was, Malkarnekar tried his hands in various trades, some of them innovative. He ventured into making wooden furniture and even ran a saw mill. His firm Success Packers made cardboard boxes for sweets in 1965. At 86, he still devotes morning hours to his stationary shop Success Book Stores at Margao and keeps himself fit by walking few kilometres daily.
But is he known for his businesses? More than earning his livelihood, Malkarnekar’s inclination towards politics was what Goa would remember prominently. Becoming vice president of Girgaon District Congress Committee was his baptism in politics in Mumbai and after settling in Goa, won the first election on Congress ticket from Quepem constituency in 1962. Later when the Congress split, he disassociated with the party though continued to be in politics as a neutral observer.
“I met Jawaharlal Nehru in 1964 when he visited Goa and later met his daughter Indira Gandhi too when she became the prime minister,” recalls Malkarnekar who have met many prime ministers including P V Narasinharao, Chandrashekhar, V P Sinh, Devegauda etc. After liberation, he campaigned for opening Marathi primary schools in the villages in Goa, based on the request of the first chief minister of Goa, Bhausaheb Bandodkar. It is noteworthy that he was instrumental in starting the first and only Kannada school at Khareband for the children of labourers.
Since rice was scarce in those days, he initiated various societies through the co-operative movement. All co-operative banks in Goa, credit societies along with Goa Marketing Federation that runs Sahakar Bhandars in the State, the Sanjeevani Sugar Factory at Usgaon – are his gift to Goans. “Madhav Bir, Jaikrishna Shirodkar, Shivaji Desai, K P Desai, Jaisingrao Rane strived with me in this initiative,” recalls Malkarnekar who was the director of Goa Marketing Federation for many years. He was also on the executive committee of Madgaon Urban Co-operative Bank.
Passionately fighting for the rights of people he rose against injustice and raised his voice against ills in the society. As a founder member and president of Railway Pravasi Sangh he put his demand for the Konkan Railway to P V Narsinharao. He was the founder member and vice president of Dakshin Goa Marathi Patrakar Sangh, Yog Kendra at Gomant Vidya Niketan and DRUCC and Telephone Advisory Board too.
His stint with journalism and his book, ‘Pankh Hote Tya Divasanna’ speaks volumes of his memoirs. “My life is an open book,” states this man in white who has lived a transparent life, striving for the downtrodden and lending his voice to the voiceless in the society. Expressing his last wish to donate his eyes and body, he proves that his life was always dedicated for a cause, as long as he lives or even after he perishes. Wearing many caps – as an entrepreneur, a social activist, a politician, a journalist and a writer – Tulshidas Malkarnekar, at 86, remains a friend to all and an inspiration for everyone.
