John Sebastian Mascarenhas, better known as ‘Seby’, has been selling Shawarma in the capital city of Panaji since 1999 and proudly boasts that even the late former chief minister, Manohar Parrikar, enjoyed his preparations.
A victim of polio at the age of one, Seby is a person with locomotor disability. The 53-year-old is the third among five siblings. He started running a Shawarma outlet at St Inez after his popular ‘gaddo’ at Miramar was shut down in December 2019. He also continues to run a restaurant from his home in Santa Cruz. Seby earns a decent income and leads a modest life, taking care of his family independently.
Sharing this with pride, Seby announces, “I am financially independent. Though I don’t earn a lot of profit and have no savings, I am happy that I don’t have any loans or overheads to bother me.”
Seby has always believed in self-reliance and feels that it is better to earn a livelihood through hard work than to seek sympathy. Today, he not only provides employment for 13 young individuals at his Shawarma outlet but also offers them food, accommodation, and a salary. Seby also looks after his family – his mother Arcentina Fernandes, his wife Mavilda, and his sons Jasiel and Jayden. Despite being disabled since childhood, Seby is content and has no complaints in life.
Reflecting on his past, Seby recalls the challenges he faced as a child, “I had difficulty walking and had to wear special shoes to support my weak legs. My schooling began late, at the age of eight, at the Government Primary School in St Cruz. Our family struggled to make ends meet, so my parents decided to try their luck in Kuwait to provide us with a better life. My father worked in a hospital in Kuwait, cooking meals for patients, while my mother took on various jobs for a meagre salary. We were enrolled in a boarding school in Verna. After completing my SSC, I pursued printing technology at ITI while continuing my higher secondary education at Don Bosco’s night school. However, I developed an allergy to ink, which led to frequent illness and forced me to resign from my job at the ITI.”
Subsequently, Seby worked at a five-star hotel for two years before deciding to open a small restaurant at home. Although the business initially struggled, it gradually gained momentum. However, trouble arose when Seby added a bar to his home restaurant, resulting in fights among customers. “Not wanting to continue in the bar business, I decided to shut down the bar and open a roadside stall at Miramar,” he explains.
By this time, both of Seby’s parents had returned to Goa after the Gulf war. “Always wanting to support my family, I opened a small kiosk at Miramar. My mother suggested that I should serve Shawarma,” recalls Seby, who started the business with his friend Xavier Barreto. The idea proved successful.
“In the first year, we did not make any profit, but slowly the business picked up, and my journey as a food entrepreneur began. People began to appreciate our food, and I sold 300-400 plates a day,” says Seby.
Unfortunately, a food poisoning incident at a neighbouring kiosk forced Seby to shut down his shop. However, the late chief minister, Manohar Parrikar, came to his aid. “Parrikarbhai was very supportive. He helped me obtain a valid license, which I did not have before. Although the kiosk at Miramar was shut down in December 2019, I had already opened another small outlet at St Inez in August 2018,” shares Seby.
Business at St Inez was not as lucrative as it was in Miramar, but Seby remains content. “I prepare the food at home in Santa Cruz. I have a license to cook and sell there, and I pay GST and all other taxes. My business is legitimate. Hard work is my guiding principle, and I adhere to it sincerely. As a person with a disability, I have not availed any concessions from the government.”
Seby’s father passed away in 2020, but his mother, now 78, continues to assist with recipes. They have introduced many varieties, including veg Shawarma made with paneer instead of chicken.
“Shawarma is a Middle Eastern delicacy, but it has become very popular in Goa. It was my mother who suggested that I make and sell it back in the 1990s. It was a wise decision that has helped me earn my living with my head held high. I have loyal customers who regularly visit the outlet. I have named my outlet ‘Lafansa Shawarma Cafe’, including the initials of all our family members, as it is the result of the blessings of all of them. Without the loving support of my parents, siblings, and better-half, I wouldn’t be who I am today,” concludes Seby, who has proven that living with a disability does not equate to incapacity; it does not diminish one’s capability to rise and stand tall.
