BookWorld
A Daughter’s Story Dr Sushila Fonseca speaks about her latest book, which is a biography of her father, Antonio Sequeira and his life during the Portuguese times in Goa By Sybil Rodrigues uthor Dr Sushila Fonseca is the daughter of Antonio and Ermelinda Sequeira. She is a consultant pathologist and also writes as and when inspiration strikes. Sushila has authored several fictional and non-fictional works and is a Goa State Cultural Award winner (Literature in English 2018-2019) Dr. Sushila’s father, Antonio Sequeira, took part in the freedom movement in the late 1940s and went into self-exile in Mombasa, Kenya. His wife and children followed him and so Dr. Sushila completed her secondary school and earned her
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Senior Cambridge certificate, over there. She graduated in Medicine in Mumbai from the Topiwala National Medical College, Bombay University and completed her post-graduation in Pathology from the same institution, where she also worked as a resident pathologist. She later worked at Goa Medical College and resigned from her lecturer’s post, in 1983, to start Dr. Fonseca’s Pathology Laboratory in Fontainhas, Panjim, where she consults till date. Dr Sushila is part of different associations like Indian Association of Pathologists and Microbiologists
(IAP), Association of Pathologists (GAP) and Indian Medical Association where she has served as General Secretary, IMA-Goa State. She has a few awards to her credit, as well. She won the Manek Billimoria Prize in Pathology (1971) at the Topiwala National Medical College. She was named the ‘Best Branch Secretary Indian Medical Association - Goa State’ in 2007. She was felicitated by the Indian Medical Association Goa State in 2012. She was awarded the Goa State Cultural Award in 201819; and was honoured by the Rotary Club of Panaji in 2019. Dr. Sushila writes both fiction and non-fiction articles and books on topics of medical and social interest, as she sees it. Her intention is to share her extensive knowledge and experience with youth and society at large, through easy to understand and enjoyable articles and novels. Her non-fiction work on health includes books like What I Should Know About HIV/AIDS (2005), Good Health Practices for the Family (2006), Know Your Fever (2010). Rebecca’s Inheritance (2002), Touched by Love (2005), The Secret of The Diamond Ring (2007), Invisible Currents (2014), The Pontin Secret (2017) are some of her fictional works along with a historical fiction written in 2018 titled, Against the Tide…47 men. Her latest book, The Journey of an Unsung Hero: Antonio Sequeira – His Quest for Goa’s Freedom, is a biography of her father. Dr Sushila elaborates on what inspired her to write the book. “I had just published my historical novel Against The Tide … 47 Men… in 2018 and perhaps that book which is based on the revolt of the natives of Goa in 1787 (also known as the Pinto Revolt)
Dr. Sushila Fonseca
