PANAJI
The number 440 may lie merely as a statistical figure in official records of the State as dead people from the novel coronavirus pandemic but among them are two engineer brothers from Panaji whose passing away just three days apart has left a wide circle of relatives and friends shocked and grieving.
On Thursday morning, Orlando Mascarenhas (59) lost his bravely fought battle against the dreaded virus hardly three days after his older brother Oscar (61) suffered the same fate, gone long before their time.
The duo were well known faces in the capital city, where they grew up and lived through the decades since the 1960s and until recently moving out to residences in Porvorim.
Both engineers and alumni of first Don Bosco's Panaji and Goa Engineering College Farmagudi, they had distinguished professional careers. They were also prolific sportsmen, rising to represent Goa in basketball.
Orlando was at the fag end of his tenure serving as general manager at the Economic Development Corporation (EDC) and was due to retire on superannuation in February next year.
Oscar served in the private sector and was with the Dempo group of companies for several years before he quit a few years ago to free-lance as a consultant.
The two are maternal uncles of Goa's tennis prodigy-star Natasha Palha.
Meanwhile, the Goa Basketball Association has condoled the passing away of the Mascarenhas brothers.
In a statement, GBA said: "Goa Basketball Association, is shocked to note the sudden demise of Orlando Mascarenhas who has been the Treasurer of GBA, and served the basketball fraternity in Goa, as a National Player, Coach, Official and office bearer of the State Association.
He played for Bombay University and was one among only three Goan players to make it to the prestigious University's Basketball Team in the years before the Goa University was set up and Colleges here were affiliated to the former, the GBA said.
GBA also condoled the passing away of the older Mascarenhas sibling, Oscar, who it said was also a prominent basketball player, adding their passing has shocked Goa's basketball fraternity.
