Mangaluru: The Mangalore Management Association (MMA) – K V Kamath (KVK) “Outstanding Manager Award 2019’ was conferred on the Cashew Export Promotion Council of India and Federation of Indian Export Organizations (FIEO) former chairman and exporter Walter D’Souza, on Nov 10.
Accepting the award, D’Souza recalled an incident when he was chosen for a particular award- ‘An Outstanding Young Person Award’ and he had turned it down. “Very little did I know that the Committee that chose me for the award was headed by none other than education and banking doyen TMA Pai. Soon after the incident of me turning down the award, TMA Pai asked me to meet him up and when I did, he said a few words that changed my perspective,” he said adding that he was told by TMA Pai that honouring an individual is to make sure that hundreds of other people draw inspiration from that person.
“I agreed with what he said and since then several awards have come my way and I accepted them with all humility,” he said hoping that his contributions to the society become a source of inspiration for others.
Dedicating his success to U Srinivas Mallya, the maker of modern Mangaluru, D’Souza said that Mallya has always been his source of inspiration and he has followed only Srinivas Mallya’s footsteps to reach where he stands today.
Karnataka Bank Managing Director Mahabaleshwar MS commended the contributions of D’Souza to the trade and to the society and called him an icon of the city. “Walter D’Souza deserves this prestigious Award today, and we should all be proud of him,” he said.
D’Souza is the 23rd person to receive the award that has been instituted in the name of Late K Vishwanath Kamath, who relentlessly worked for the MMA. He served as the President of MMA from 1982-1984.
The Oustanding Manager Award is the flagship program of the MMA. The award is given on the basis of 10 criteria that includes Individual Development; Innovations in the Field; Managerial Excellence; Inspirational Leadership quality; Contribution to the Society (Undivided D K); Social Image; Ethical Values Practiced; Communication to the Younger Generation; General Acceptability; and Seniority.
The program began with an invocation. Mangalore Management Association President Marcel Monteiro welcomed the gathering. Office-bearers of MMA were present.
