First Woman Mayor of Mangaluru City Corporation Eunice Britto (79) No More
Mangaluru: Former Mayor of Mangaluru City Corporation Eunice Britto passed away here on June 29. She was 79.
Eunice was the first woman mayor of Mangaluru City Corporation. She was admitted to the hospital, where she breathed her last on June 29.
Born in Belman Mathias family in 1936, she had held many posts and positions – prominently among them being the president of Diocesan Council of Catholic Women (DCCW) and vice president of the Council Catholic Women of India (CCWI).
She was a delegate at the World Union of Catholic Women’s Organizations in Hamilton, New Zealand in 1992. In 1993, she was elected the first woman mayor of the Mangaluru City Corporation. She had also served as the joint secretary of the Action Group for the Elderly (AGE).
Eunice Britto was the Mayor of MCC for the year 1993 – 1994. Speaking to Mangalorean.com, Yathish Baikampady said, “Eunice was the most dynamic and hyperactive Mayor I have ever seen. During her tenure, she initiated the Mega City plan and planned to have flyovers at Hampankatta, Kottara, and Pumpwell. She also formed the Ward Committees, during which I was the Chairman of the Civic Awareness Committee. She was very accommodating and tried to involve citizens more. To make it easier for them to communicate with the committee members in solving problems in their wards, she had initiated the 105 toll-free number for citizens to report any problems.
About Eunice Marie Britto
Eunice Marie Britto was born on November 27, 1936, in Bejai-Mangalore, Eunice was the fourth of eight children of John Charles and Mary Nathalia Mathias. Her father being a coffee planter, Eunice spent most of her time in Chikkamagaluru and Bangalore. Having done her early education at Lady Hill Victoria High School, she completed SSLC at St Joseph’s Convent, Chikkamagaluru and college ( B.Sc ) at the Mount Carmel College, Bengaluru. Later she did her B.Ed. at St Ann’s Mangaluru in 1957. She married Christopher George Britto, who was working for the Cooperative Department, and in 1969 was promoted to Block Development Officer and later as District Development Assistant to the Deputy Commissioner, before his passing away due to cardiac arrest in 1986.
Eunice Britto did her Master’s in Social Work at Roshni Nilaya-Mangaluru and worked there as a lecturer from 1973 to 1983. After contesting from the congress ticket in Falnir Ward, and when Mangalore Municipal Council got converted to Corporation, she successively held the record of being the first lady Deputy Mayor and Mayor of Mangalore Municipal Corporation ( MMC ), and also for the a second term from 1993-1994. Other portfolios she held were – District Commissioner for Guides and Member of Banking Service Recruitment Board, both for five years; Vice President of Karnataka Mahila Congress; managed Vishwas, an organisation providing assistance to senior citizens since 1998
She was also a frontline activist for inclusion of Konkani in the 8th Schedule of the Constitution; Treasurer of Shubadha Society Centre for women in distress; she presented a paper on women and the media at a conference of World Union of Catholic Organizations in Hamilton, New Zealand; she has travelled all over Europe and Canada. As mayor, Eunice was instrumental in widening and strengthening arterial roads in the central business district. She introduced MMCs toll-free Helpline ( 105 ), for complaints and inquiries, which continues to function. She interacted with DANIDA, the Danish Aid Agency for improving the drainage and other public utility systems.