A Icon & Leading Exporter Walter D’Souza Conferred with Mangalore Management Association- K V Kamath (MMA-KVK) ‘Outstanding Manager Award-2019’, at a glamorous ceremony held at Hotel Ocean Pearl, Mangaluru on Sunday, 10 November 2109
Mangaluru: The Mangalore Management Association (MMA) – K V Kamath (KVK) “Outstanding Manager Award 2019’ was Conferred on leading exporter and former Chairman of Cashew Export Promotion Council of India and Federation of Indian Export Organizations (FIEO) Walter D’Souza at Hotel Ocean Pearl here on November 10.
The programme began with an invocation. The president of Mangalore Management Association Marcel Monteiro welcomed the gathering. Co-opted Member of MMA Dr Devaraj briefed on Mangalore Management Association to the gathering.
The citation was read out by the Vice president of MMA Jairaj. The Outstanding Manager Award 2019 was conferred on Walter D’Souza by the Members of MMA with a Shawl, Peta, citation, garland and fruits.
Addressing the gathering Walter D’Souza said, “It gives me immense pleasure in accepting this outstanding manager award from MMA affiliated to All India Management Association Delhi. I would like to thank the organizers and panel of juries for selecting me for this coveted award, now I have joined the list of former 22 awardees. I first got my recognition letter when I was in Udupi that was the outstanding young person award. I did not know what it was all about and refused to accept it. The committee members contacted me and I did not know that late TMA Pai was the honorary chairman of that committee. He then asked me to meet him, when I met him, he said “Do you think the people who selected you for nothing? I had no answer, what he told me then made a lasting impact on me. He said, “Honouring an individual is not for the sake of the recipient for a particular award or honour but it is to make sure that hundreds of people can draw inspiration from your leadership and emulate it and come up in society. I immediately bowed down and said “Yes”. After that, I had the opportunity of getting many awards.”
Walter D’Souza further said, “I am overwhelmed that MMA had judged my capabilities following the required 10 criteria, and I am thankful to them. My contribution in this exporting field to society is not on my own, but with the support and encouragement from others also. I owe my success to the Icon late Srinivas Mallya who was my inspiration, and following his footsteps has reached me where I am now. Cashew export is doing great business at the moment compared to years ago. At the annual World Cashew Convention last year, which was attended by over 450 stakeholders from over 45 countries from all the continents of the world, I projected the global raw cashew nut production to be of the order of 5 million metric tonnes by 2025 and cross 10 million metric tonnes by 2030 from the current figure of 3 million metric tonnes. The exponential growth in production will throw open new opportunities at every level of the supply and value chains, he said. I opined that the growing crop will also come with challenges in terms of ensuring growth in consumption on par with the growing production which can be achieved only by promotions of the health benefits and usage as a regular food ingredient. Once again I appreciate the kind gesture shown towards me in conferring this Award, which means a lot to me” added Walter D’Souza.
Addressing the gathering Managing Director of Karnataka Bank Ltd Mahabaleshwar M S said, “Karnataka Bank was not only associated with Walter D’Souza, but motivated him to become our customer, which he did, and I feel proud to say that he is one of the noble customers we have among few others. D’Souza is indeed an icon of this city, and he deserves to get this award, just like the other 22 awardees of MMA Outstanding Manager Award in the past- and looking at all the past awardees names, they too are icons of this city, and one among is Chairman of Karnataka Bank, Jayaram Bhat. We should commend D’Souza who has contributed immensely to the growth of exports from India and spearheaded the move to transform Karnataka state as the fastest-growing state for cashew processing in India. With such great capacities and qualities, Walter D’Souza deserves this prestigious Award today, and we should all be proud of it”.
The Outstanding Manager Award is instituted in the name of Late K Vishwanath Kamath, who toiled for MMA and actively organized several programmes in Management when he was the President of MMA from 1982-1984. While selecting the OMA, 10 criteria are considered Individual Development; Innovations in the Field; Managerial Excellence; Inspirational Leadership quality; Contribution to the Society (Undivided D K); Social Image; Ethical Values Practiced; Communication to the Younger Generation; General Acceptability; and Seniority. And today’s recipient for the Outstanding Manager Award Walter D’Souza possessed all these 10 criteria to be selected as the 23 rd awardee.
Mangalore Management Association has been actively involved in various endeavors contributing to the excellence of the Management Profession in the undivided Dakshina Kannada district. Identifying and conferring ‘Outstanding Manager Award’ every year to a leader in Industry or services for contribution to the social and economic well being of the society, is a flagship program of the MMA. This year, the MMA award committee had picked the right person, Walter D’Souza who had been the chairman of the Federation of South India Export Organization and the Cashew Export Council of India. A veteran in the cashew industry, he has also served in various top positions of Governmental and non-Governmental organizations in Export trade and won various awards and recognition for his yeomen service to the cashew industry”
Following the felicitations to the various sponsors, the vote of thanks was delivered by Dr Gayathri Babu.
Congratulations Mr.Walter D’souza.