Blasius D'Souza

Blasius D'Souza was the son of AR D'Souza, a prominent businessman in Mangalore. He studied at St. Aloysius College, Mangalore, from where he graduated with a B.Com. degree in 1959. At St. Aloysius, he was president of the College Students' Union and also a member of the hockey team. He earned his L.L.B. from Siddhartha Law College, Mumbai, in 1961. He had two sons and three daughters: Anoop, Rohit, Sonia, Reema, and Rovena. He hailed from the Mangalorean Catholic community. ==Political career==

Blasius D'Souza entered politics as a Mangalore City Council member in 1962 from Congress Party, where he served for 17 years. From 1972-79, he was the Council President. He served as a District Chairman of Congress Committee in Dakshina Kannada district. He was a Member of Legislative Council in Karnataka Legislature from 1980 to 1985 and represented Mangalore City as a Member of Legislative Assembly for nine years. In July 1991, he was appointed Law Minister of Karnataka in the Veerappa Moily government. He cleared an average of 25,00 files a month and created a record during his tenure as a minister. In November 1992, he was appointed Minister for Labour in a Cabinet Reshuffle, a position in which he served until 1994. ==Death==

D'Souza died at the KMC hospital in Mangalore on 26 January 2008, aged 69. ==Positions held==

• Member of Legislative Council • Member of Legislative Assembly • Minister for Law • Minister for Labour • Member, Indian National Congress. • President Students Union St. Aloysius College, Mangalore. • Chairman, City Central Library, Mangalore. • Senate Member, Mangalore University. • Member, Karnataka Telecommunication Advisory Board. • Vice-Chairman, Hind Kuhst Nivarana Sangha Mangalore. • Chairman Board of Visitors Govt. Venlock Hospital, Mangalore. • Member, Board of Visitors Lady Goschan Hospital, Mangalore. • Member, Mangalore Port Trust, New Mangalore • Member, Karnataka Administrative Reforms Commission. • Member, Karnataka State Town and Country Planning Board, Bangalore. • Member, Planning Authority, Mangalore. • Founder, Patron Mangalore Wildlife Trust. • Founder-Chairman Millions of Tree Club, Mangalore. • Member, World Forestry Day Committee, New Delhi. • Member, Karnataka State Board for prevention and Control of Water Pollution, Bangalore. • Vice-Chairman, D.K. District Tuberculosis Assn. Mangalore. • Member Governing Council, Fr. Muller's Charitable Institution, Mangalore. • Founder President Mangalore Auto Rickshaw and Car Operators Co-operative Society, Mangalore. • Executive Committee Member KPCC (I) from 1979 to 1982. • President Dakshina Kannada DCC(I) from 1979 to 1992, 2001 • Member Organisation Election Committee for Orissa State 1999. • Chairman, Membership Books Committee for Membership drive of the party in Karnataka 1999. • Observer Goa Legislative Assembly Election 1999. • Vice-President, Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (I) since 1998. • Chairman, Pradesh Election Authority for Goa. • Councillor Mangalore City Municipal Council 1962 to 1979 • President Mangalore City Municipal Council 1972 to 1979. • President, Dakshina Kannada Hockey Association. • Member Governing Board Fr. Muller's Hospital, Mangalore. • Member, Governing Board St. Joseph's Engineering College, Mangalore. • Chairman, Cheshire homes India, Mangalore Unit. • Member, KPCC (I) and AICC (I). • Member, Library Committee • Member, Public Undertaking Committee • Member, House Committee • Member, SC/ST Committee • Member, Public Accounts Committee • Member, Managing Committee, SDM Law College, MG Road, Mangalore • Deputy Leader of the Indian Delegation to the 81st Session of the International Labour Organisation held at Geneva during June 1994. ==References==