Silver Jubilee Year, Founder President Leo Rodrigues to lead Abu Dhabi’s Premier Konkani Organization KCO
Abu Dhabi: Successful Mangalorean entrepreneur, philanthropist and community leader Leo Rodrigues was Elected as the President of Konkani Cultural Organization (KCO) during their Annual General Body meeting.
The AGM was held at the Cristal Hotel Abu Dhabi recently. Sandhya Vas was elected as General Secretary for the second consecutive year and Senior member Frankline D’Cunha was elected the Treasurer of the Premier Konkani Organization. All the office bearers were elected through a secret ballot. KCO Abu Dhabi was the brainchild of Leo Rodrigues and he was also the founder President of the Organization was that came into existence on 13th February 1995.
President Leo Rodrigues is well known for his philanthropic works in UAE as well as back home and is a strong Mangalorean Konkani community leader and supporter. He has been successfully running his business Al Mazroui & Clevy Auto Services LLC in Abu Dhabi for the last three and a half decades. Being a Mangalorean, he has encouraged and supported various organizations, NGO’s and other brethren, irrespective of caste, creed, language or religion. With Leo at the helm of affairs, KCO is sure to reach new heights during its silver jubilee year.
The Secretary, Sandhya Vas is a trained Physiotherapist and presently working for Corniche hospital Abu Dhabi for over 12 years. She has been in UAE for the past 17 years and hails from Angelore Parish, Mangalore and residing in Kinnigoli. She is an excellent sportsperson and has led the KCO throwball team as the Captain couple of times. She has also previously worked as the Sports Secretary for KCO, assistant General Secretary and General Secretary in the previous years.
The Treasurer Frankline D’Cunha who hails from Bajpe parish in Mangalore and residing in Abu Dhabi for the past 39 years has led KCO’s various Co-Committees and also served as the treasurer of the organization in the past. He was the Scholarship and Medical Aid Disbursement Committee Coordinator during in the preceding year and was in charge of all the disbursements undertaken by KCO Trust ® Mangalore in the year 2019-20.
Other Nominated Committee, selected by the Elected Members are as follows:
- Vice President: CA Valerian Dalmaida
- Asst General Secretary: Claudia Lydia Lobo
- Entertainment Secretary: Bennett D’Mello
- Asst Entertainment Secretary: Vivek Serrao
- Sports Secretary: Sabastian Pais
- Media Coordinator: Valerian Fernandes
- Auditor: Sunil Pinto
- Scholarship and Medical Aid Disbursement Coordinator: Amitha Costa
- Silver Jubilee Committee Convener: Dolphy Vaz
- Event Coordinator in Mangalore: Gerald D’Mello
- Asst Coordinator: Melville Pinto
- Advisory Committee members: Michael D’Silva, Leena Dsouza and Richard Castelino.
KCO has been growing in popularity year after year and has become a household name not only in Abu Dhabi but the entire UAE. For the past 24 years, KCO has been involved in various social, cultural and religious activities in Abu Dhabi.
During the AGM, the Outgoing president CA Valerian Dalmaida thankfully expressed his gratitude to all the office bearers and committee members for their tremendous support during his tenure as president. Newly elected president Leo Rodrigues also thanked everyone for reposing faith in him and electing him as a president of KCO for the Silver jubilee year. He promised that with the support of all the members, KCO will be holding many activities in the Jubilee year 2020 with two Mega Events being planned one in Abu Dhabi and one in Mangalore.
ABOUT KCO
Konkani Cultural Organization (KCO) is well known in UAE, GCC and in India for its benevolent work in helping the needy and deserving students. They initiated several scholarships through Samanvaya of Mangaluru and also been helping scores of people suffering from critical illnesses. KCO has been recognizing and supporting many NGO’s back homes who are working with distressed, downtrodden and the needy in UAE and in and around Udupi – Dakshina Kannada districts.
White Doves, Snehasadan, Jeevadhaan, Samanvaya, Saanidhya- Ganesh Seva Trust, Shanti Kiran Technical and Sneha Charitable Trust are the few names of NGO’s though with KCO has provided Socio-medical help to the needy in the past. KCO has been continuously sponsoring community marriages of underprivileged for the last few years.
With the enormous support from Sponsors and benefactors, KCO has managed to carry out its noble mission within UAE and India. It has also transformed itself as a mirror reflecting the culture, tradition and upholding the values of our great ancestors and has turned out to be a focal point for the Konkani community in Abu Dhabi.