Frank D'Souza
Encyclopedia
Frank D'Souza was the first Indian to be appointed member of the Indian Railway Board
). He was educated at St Patrick's High School, Karachi. After finishing school with a Matriculation, Frank D'Souza started to work as a Railway Guard. He was a self-made man and educated himself over the years. In 1929 he became one of the most famous and important Karachi Goans in all of India when he was the first Indian to be appointed by the British as a Member of the Railway Board of India. In those days, a small group of men controlled the mighty railways of India. The board comprised the Chief Commissioner, a Financial Commissioner and three Members, one responsible for Way and Works, Projects and Stores one for General Administration and Staff and one for Traffic, Transportation & Commercial matters. It was the railways that kept the Indian Empire working efficiently and effectively, and it was important therefore, that membership of the Board was the preserve of the brightest and best. All the Britishers on the Board were members of the Indian Civil Service, which was an exclusive institute. Frank D'Souza was not an ICS person or a College Graduate at the time, but was brilliant.
system. Frank agreed, but on the condition that his home ‘Maryville’ be returned to him. Jinnah and the Government of Pakistan agreed.
On completion of his job in Pakistan, Frank returned to India and gave his beautiful house in Karachi to an order of nuns, the Sisters of Mercy, to be used as a home for the aged. Subsequently one of Frank D'Souza's son's, Ronald - a Catholic Priest who worked in Lahore - lived the last few years of his life at the home.
Railway Board (India)
The Indian Railway Board is the apex body of the Indian Railways. It reports to the Parliament of India through the Minister of Railways .-Current members:It currently has the following members:*Chairman Railway Board: Vinay Mittal...
Early life
D'Souza was born in Karachi, British India (now PakistanPakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
). He was educated at St Patrick's High School, Karachi. After finishing school with a Matriculation, Frank D'Souza started to work as a Railway Guard. He was a self-made man and educated himself over the years. In 1929 he became one of the most famous and important Karachi Goans in all of India when he was the first Indian to be appointed by the British as a Member of the Railway Board of India. In those days, a small group of men controlled the mighty railways of India. The board comprised the Chief Commissioner, a Financial Commissioner and three Members, one responsible for Way and Works, Projects and Stores one for General Administration and Staff and one for Traffic, Transportation & Commercial matters. It was the railways that kept the Indian Empire working efficiently and effectively, and it was important therefore, that membership of the Board was the preserve of the brightest and best. All the Britishers on the Board were members of the Indian Civil Service, which was an exclusive institute. Frank D'Souza was not an ICS person or a College Graduate at the time, but was brilliant.
Pakistan
At the time of Partition, Frank D'Souza opted for India and because of the Evacuee Property Law, which was established by both India and Pakistan, he lost his large property ‘Maryville’ in Karachi, Pakistan. However, Pakistan urgently needed the services of someone to set up the Railway system there and decided the only man who could help in this direction was Frank D'Souza, so in 1947 Mr. Mohammad Ali Jinnah, Founder and the First Governor-General of Pakistan specifically requested Frank D'Souza to help in setting up the Pakistan railwayPakistan Railways
This article is about the rail company in Pakistan. For technical details and operations see: Transport in Pakistan.Pakistan Railways is a national state-owned rail transport service of Pakistan, head-quartered in Lahore. It is administered by the federal government under the Ministry of Railways....
system. Frank agreed, but on the condition that his home ‘Maryville’ be returned to him. Jinnah and the Government of Pakistan agreed.
On completion of his job in Pakistan, Frank returned to India and gave his beautiful house in Karachi to an order of nuns, the Sisters of Mercy, to be used as a home for the aged. Subsequently one of Frank D'Souza's son's, Ronald - a Catholic Priest who worked in Lahore - lived the last few years of his life at the home.