Mangaluru: Prominent social worker, teacher and activist Celine Aranha passed away on Friday morning at around 7.30 am.
Ms.Celine Aranha was born on July 22, 1932 in Kalyanpur to Santan Aranha and Louisa Aranha of Chitrapu Mulki. Her father was a superintendent in British estates and mother was a homemaker.
She completed her primary education in Chitrapu government higher primary school, high school in Capitanio Mangaluru, intermediate and degree from St.Agnes College in city. After her graduation, she did her B.Ed at St.Ann’s College Of Education Mangalore in 1956. She moved to Baroda for her Master’s in Education from Maharaja Sayyaji Rao University in 1957. Then she started her career as a teacher for some years. Prior to becoming a social worker, she completed her Master’s Degree in Social work in 1964. At this stage, she decided to return to Mangaluru to involve herself full time in the social work profession. She found her career in School of Social Work, Roshni Nilaya as a teacher and worked there for seven years. After that, she served as a social activist in organizing women in Madras and as a Headmistress in a school inGoregaon, Mumbai for nearly four years.
Her determination to start something unique for the cause of women development reminded her to return to her homeland. Until 1979 she involved herself in research studies on women beedi workers and health survey of South Kanara. Finally, her dream came true by registering Shubhada Society in 1978, which was committed for the cause of women and social development. In 1980 she started a short stay home for women which was the first of its kind in the undivided Dakshina Kannada district providing shelter for adult girls and women in distress. After this, she never looked back.
In 1984, she started Rural Development Project for improving the livelihood options for the women and the vulnerable sections in the 24 villages of Mangaluru Taluk. Through this project she made efforts to green the wastelands through afforestation programme with support from National Wastelands Development Board and Harekala Landless Poor and Marginal Farmers Development Society. She conducted Social Animators Training and Resource Persons Training, District Level Water Workshop with support from CAPART and Ministry of Human Resources Development New Delhi and collaborated with Total Literacy Campaign in Dakshina Kannada District.
Having sensitized on the need for networking development organizations she was one of the founder’s team of FEVORD- Karnataka which successfully demonstrated campaign and advocacy on people’s livelihood issues with the government at different occasions. She served as president of FEVORD and in various capacities to build NGO capacities, train women workers in development and networking issues of common concern later on. For the last two decades of her life, she has striven persistently to educate women about their rights and duties, given them a sense of dignity and self worth to lead a life in the society.
She became an active collaborator in fostering environmental awareness and natural resources protection programme in Dakshina Kannada ever since ‘Save Western Ghats March’ passed through the district 1n 1987. She played a major role in organizing Water Workshop in Mangaluru during ‘Kanyakumari Save Water March’, the formation of District Forum of Voluntary Organizations for Environment and Rural Development, District level Workshop on ‘Status of our Environment in Dakshina Kannada’ and liaison with district administration and Zilla Panchayath on development issues. Her commitment to sharing of resources and mutual support was well demonstrated through the City Contact Center of Shubhada which functioned as a meeting point of intellectuals and members concerned with the protection of the environment through discussions, study sessions, information dissemination and networking. She is one among the key persons campaigning against the onslaught of mega industries on people’s rights over natural resources, human rights and fragile ecosystems in Dakshina Kannada.
Her contribution in building human capacities is well remembered and appreciated by her active involvement in ‘Save Dakshina Kannada Campaign’, D.K.Parisarasaktha Ohkkoota, Mangalore Nagara Parisarasaktha Okkoota, NGO Task Force educating the citizens on the implications of ADB Funding, Urban Research Center and Koraga development programme. She is considered as a friend, philosopher and guide for the people who worked, associated and sought guidance from her. She at all times worked and campaigned for gender equity, women empowerment, Adivasi rights and people’s rights over natural resources.
Dakshina Kannada district Parisarasaktha Okkoota secretary Mohammed Guthigar condoling the demise of Celine Aranha informed that Celine’s sudden demise is a great loss to the green movement in DK district. The Okkoota has immensely benefited from her association over the two decades. She was a very special person who never went after publicity or promoting herself. She was the icon for knowledge, dedication in our society through her life and deeds, he informed.
