Hon Consul of Spain Antony Lobo has ‘Mangaluru’ Roots!
Mangaluru: The Embassy of Spain in New Delhi recently had appointed Antony Lobo as the Honorary Consul of Spain and Head of Mission in Chennai.The appointment has been approved and endorsed by The Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India, effective June 2017. The Consulate of Spain is the official representation of the Spanish government in Chennai. Through the fields of education, politics, economy, press and public diplomacy, Consul Lobo will work to achieve closer cooperation and relations between India and Spain encouraging and fostering stronger educational, economic, cultural, touristic, humanitarian and Bi-lateral trade/ relationships between both countries.
Recently, a Spanish visa application centre was opened in Chennai facilitating quicker processing of visas to Spain. The centre operated by Ms. BLS International Services Ltd Hitherto, visa applications were processed at Mumbai and Delhi only. With commencement of the Chennai centre, visitors to Spain can now benefit from the convenience of this service. Consul Lobo currently also serves as the Managing Director of AMLO Advisory (P) Ltd, an International Advisory firm offering advisory services in International Trade on Imports and Exports to large Corporates and trade Customers.
In modern terms, a consul is categorically a diplomat. The American Heritage Dictionary defines consul as “an official appointed by a government to reside in a foreign country and represent its interests there.” In most governments, the consul is the head of the consular section of an embassy, and is responsible for all consular services such as immigrant and non-immigrant visas, passports, and citizen services for expatriates living or traveling in the host country. Add to this the charge of furthering all interests of the country represented such as human relations, trade and cultural ties apart from all special needs from time to time.
Consul Antony Lobo currently also serves as the Managing Director of AMLO Advisory (P) Ltd, an International Advisory firm offering advisory services in International Trade on Imports and Exports to large Corporates and Customers. The prominent ancient Konkani’s of ‘Saraswat’ origins of several offshoots, generally labelled ‘Mangalureans’, have made an indelible mark all over the world for decades and is a shining fact, increasingly visible. Here, take a look at a rare appointment revived to continue the long traditions of Spain, indeed another thrilling episode. The Hon Antony Lobo, hails from a well known Mangalorean family and is of the third generation living in Chennai, formerly called Madras.
The family history/photo of Antony Lobo was shared to Team Mangalorean by historian and writer I J Saldanha-Shet of Mangaluru: Antony Lobo’s maternal grandfather Chevalier Gilbert Pais, a leading Advocate, and Senior Partner of the Firm Pais, Lobo and Alvares in Chennai in the year 1948. Chev Pais was appointed Vice Consul of Spain in 1953. He was earlier knighted in 1948 by Pope Pius XII, with the Knighthood of St Gregory the Great with the title Chevalier. This was for his exemplary and honorary services to the Church. In 1969 General Francisco Franco, Spanish head of State, Regent of the kingdom conferred on Chev Pais the ‘Knighthood of Isabel La Catholica’. Later due to his ill health in the year 1970 the mantle was handed over to his son-in-law, Consul Antony’s father Chevalier George Lobo, son of Anton Lobo from a well known ‘Shenoy’ family of Central Mangaluru.
Chev Lobo, in 1974 was knighted by General Francisco Franco and conferred the ‘Knighthood of Cruz De caballero la order de Merito civil’ for his honorary and exemplary duties toward Spain and for arranging very successfully the various visits of High level Spanish Officials as well as the first official visit of Prince Juan Carlos to India and subsequent visits of Her Majesties Queen Sofia and her Mother Queen Frederica to India and more specifically to Chennai a number of times. Upon the demise of Chev Lobo, the mantle fell on Consul Antony’s mother, Mrs Inez Lobo (daughter of Chev Gilbert Pais) in 1985 with The Vice Consulate being upgraded to a Full fledged Consulate. Mrs Inez Lobo was instrumental in continuing the good work very effectively and was honoured in 1997 with the ‘Rociero De Honor’ given by the Cultural Association of Seville, Spain.
Consul of Spain Antony Lobo seen with his Wife, Vinolia and Son-Amrish
In the year 2007 Mrs. Lobo, was awarded the Knighthood of ‘Cruz De Caballero de la order de Merito Civil’ for her honorary and outstanding services as Spanish Consul in South India. During her tenure Queen Sophia and her sister Princess Irene of Greece visited a number of times and were often guests at the Lobo mansion, the cordiality is seen as legendary in diplomatic circles. In June 2017, Antony Lobo the youngest son of George and Inez Lobo was appointed the Consul of Spain and Head of Mission in Chennai. The Lobo family still continues to reside at the same location for the last 70 years and the Consulate is also situated within its premises which is in San Thome Mylapur whose historicity is rarely prime.
Consul Antony’s wife, Vinolia is a Proprietress of an interior design firm and has been in the business for over 2 decades. They deal in exclusive window blinds and furniture and their clients include large corporates and hotels like the Taj group and the Leela to name a few. They have a son Amrish who is presently with Baker Hughes, a GE Company. Amrish has been chosen as one of the stars of the 30 under the age of 30 programme on Supply Chain management in the US. Amrish is presently the Director – Global Logistics, Distribution and Customer Service for Baker Hughes, a fortune 120 Company and one of the largest Oilfield services companies in the world, based out of Houston, Texas-USA. He is also one of the youngest directors in Baker Hughes which operates in more than 80 countries worldwide.
The Spanish consulate can be contacted at 6, Nimmo Road, Santhome, Chennai 600004, Tel: +91 44 42107657, E-mail: spaincon@amloadvisory.com. Recently, a Spanish visa application centre was opened in Chennai facilitating quicker processing of visas to Spain.