Alma mater blessed by Fernandes brothers of Bijai, Rs 21Lakh donated

Alma mater blessed by Fernandes brothers of Bijai, Rs 21Lakh donated

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, Aug 20 2016: It is reported that ’Lawrence Fernandes Foundation, Bengaluru’  has donated Rs 21 lakh to St Francis Xavier Education Trust, Bejai, Mangaluru, towards the benefit of students and non-aided staff at St Francis Xavier Higher Primary School and Lourdes High School, Bejai.


Foundation Chairman, former MLA and MLC Michael B Fernandes handed over the deed of endowment and the cheque bearing an amount of Rs 21 lakh to Bejai Church Parish Priest, St Francis Xavier Education Trust chairman and the school Convener Rev Wilson Vitus D’Souza, at a programme organised at St Francis Xavier Higher Primary School, Bejai.

Speaking on the occasion, Michael Fernandes said he and four among his five brothers ---George Fernandes (former Union defence minister), Lawrence Fernandes, Paul Fernandes and Aloysius Fernandes --- studied at St Francis Xavier Higher Primary School, Bejai, between 1939 and 1946. The Lawrence Fernandes Foundation, established in 2006, was named after his elder brother, who passed away in 2005.

On the occasion of the centenary celebrations of St Francis Xavier Higher Primary School last year, the rest of the brothers had decided to donate the amount to their alma mater. Rs 8 lakh will be instituted as the corpus fund towards Jacob Fernandes Scholarships in the name of his paternal grandfather; Rs 4 lakh will be towards Margaret Pinto Scholarships in the name of Micheal’s maternal grandmother and Rs 9 lakh will be towards Lawrence V Fernandes Medical Grants to provide medical aid to the unaided teachers and support staff of both the schools, he added. Michael Fernandes was felicitated n the occasion.

School headmistress Llona E C Rodrigues,  St Francis Xavier Church Parish Council vice president Stany Vaz, secretary Cony Saldanha, School Development and Monitoring Committee member Augustine Rodrigues and corporator Prakash B Salian were among those present at the function.