B. Robert Alva : The Visionary Entrepreneur of Belle who tried many things

By Dr. Eugene DSouza, Moodubelle
Bellevision Media Network

Moodubelle, 05 December 2010: This is the story of a man who availed every opportunity that came his way to experiment and do business and indirectly help the people in one way or the other. Late Robert Alva can be considered a true visionary entrepreneur of Belle who tried many things and was fairly successful in all his ventures. He was a prominent personality and no one could miss his presence in the Belle pethe. He was a devout and amiable person with persuasive disposition especially luring prospective clients to take Life Insurance of India (LIC) Policy by explaining to them its benefits. By his innovative ideas and accepting daring business challenges, Robert Alva has left a lasting mark on the history of Belle which is worth recalling during the centenary year of the foundation of St. Lawrence Parish of Belle.

 

 

Robert Alva was the fourth child among five children-three boys and two girls of Marcel Alva and Bridget Quadros, born on 12 January 1924. Marcel Alva was originally from Padubelle residing just behind the Government Higher Primary School in which he worked as a teacher till his retirement. All children of Marcel Alva were born in Padubelle.  Later, after retirement, Marcel Alva purchased around half an acre of land and built a small house where he shifted with his family, the same place where presently, Robert Alva’s son, Alphonse resides along with his mother and family at Shanti Kutir. The reason for shifting to Moodubelle was that Marcel Alva wanted to be closer to the church so that he along with his family could attend the church services without walking for a long distance including having to cross the Belle River which used to be a difficult task during the rainy season.

 

Marcel Alva & Bridgit Alva

 

After securing education up to eighth standard at Padubelle, Robert Alva proceeded to Mumbai for better prospects as many young boys at that time used to do. After doing private service for about seven to eight years, Robert Alva decided to come back to Belle as two of his brothers, Fr. Faustine and Fr. Charles had chosen priestly vocation in Allahabad Diocese in Uttar Pradesh. By that time, Marcel Alva had passed away.  Hence, to take care of the family, Robert Alva had to return home from Mumbai.

 

 

Being a visionary and deciding to make good in the native place, Robert Alva ventured to experiment with different occupations and enterprises. First of all he decided to try his hand in agriculture and got about five acres of land at Nittool on chalgenni basis where he built a house and shifted with his family while the original place purchased by his father was also maintained. For about seven years he cultivated the land producing besides rice, various types of pulses. Meanwhile, Robert Alva  also started piggery in order to increase his income.

 

Fr. Faustine Alva & Fr. Charles Alva

 

After seven years of cultivation, Robert Alva decided to do something else and shifted to the original home in 1960s. While continuing with the business of piggery, Robert Alva also started poultry farm, both first in Belle. Later, Robert Alva became the member of the Dakshina Kannada Poultry Farmers’ Association. By that time realizing the need to diversify his activities and have a steady income, Robert Alva started the LIC Agency in Belle in 1958 and became  the first ever person to be a LIC agent in Belle. He was encouraged to take up the LIC agency by Mr. Anna Hegde, who was Development Officer in LIC at Udupi Branch.

 

According to Alphonse, son of Robert Alva, the first client of Robert Alva for LIC policy was Mr. Francis D’Souza (Sila Soz) of Kodangala, grandfather of Elias D’Souza-former President of Bellevision UAE. In order to have a centrally located place for the agency which would facilitate meeting people and promote LIC policies, Robert Alva acquired a small piece of land from the church under the ground rent scheme and constructed a three roomed shop where besides the LIC Contact office he also started textile business. A little later he started providing coffins for funerals, a service which he maintained till around 2003. The reason behind starting this service was that the people of Belle had to bring coffins from either Shirva or Udupi which was quite difficult at that time.

 

The fact that Robert Alva was an enterprising person par excellence could be understood by the fact that he had assembled a brass band as he felt that here was demand for such bands and it was the need of the time. The band of Robert Alva used to play for various weddings, funerals and  feasts in the church. The brass band continued for about ten years till Robert Alva set his sight on some other venture.

 

That was the time when cycles had just made their appearance in Belle. Realizing the need of the time and in order to provide an opportunity to the young boys to learn cycling, Robert Alva opened a shop for renting cycles. The rent for one hour was one anna, that is, one sixteenth of a rupee. He used to rent cycles for those who wanted to learn as well as for those who wanted to go to distant places for some work. At that time the renting of the cycling was looked after by Augustine Fernandes (Gustinab).

 

Meanwhile, Robert Alva who had many ideas to earn extra money and was an expert cycle rider began to take his cycle all the way to Malpe and get fresh fish and sell it near the Santé Katte. Later, he employed persons to do this job. Robert Alva continued this venture for about three years before starting a new one.

 

Robert Alva  & Theresa Alva

 

There was no electricity up to 1965 in Belle. Realizing the need to have electricity in Belle, Robert Alva took the lead and along with likeminded people met the then MLA of Kaup, late Bhaskar Shetty and gave an appeal for making arrangements to supply electricity to Belle and surrounding areas. This effort bore fruit and in 1965, the first electricity connection in Belle was provided to the Church. This was one of the great services rendered by Robert Alva to the village.

 

As there few bus services between Udupi and Karkala, Robert Alva decided to provide a means of transport to those who were in urgent need of it by purchasing a car and giving it on rent. As the standard of living of the people in Belle was gradually increasing and new tiled houses were being constructed, Robert Alva visualized the need to provide tiles and furniture and started tile dealership supplying Manipal Tiles and also furniture business. By that time the textile business had been closed. Even now the furniture business is being carried on by Alphonse near his house.

 

Meanwhile, as new chemical fertilizers having been introduced, Robert Alva thought in terms of using these new  fertilizers  for agricultural productivity and once again decided to try his hand in agriculture and purchased about one acre of land at Gud-dhottu. His innovative use of fertilizers and hybrid seeds led to good yield of paddy. It is said that in one tenth of the acre (Koil) Robert Alva produced on an average around six muras of paddy, which was considered to be the highest yield per Koil in Belle. He continued his second phase of agricultural activity till around 1999 and later gave the land on rent to someone else.

 

In 1970s, Robert Alva started the business of purchasing tracts of forest for timber and got the huge trees converted into timber with hiring hand-saw specialists from Kerala. This timber was used for preparing furniture while fire wood was sold to the needy people. After, few years, Robert Alva obtained excise contract with outlets at Belle, Kuntalanagar and Edmer.

 

However, it is important to note that while Robert Alva tried various businesses at different times with varied success, he continued his LIC agency till the last. Sitting in his shop, Robert Alva would have his sight fixed on the road and would identify anyone coming from Mumbai or abroad and would invite him to his shop and inquire about his health, family and work and gradually would persuade him to take LIC policy. However, it should be noted that he never used to get annoyed if someone did not respond favourably to his request and enticement. He had great patience and would wait for another opportunity to convince him later. Robert Alva had a humane and polite approach towards the policy holders. Till about 1980s, Robert Alva was the only LIC agent in Belle and he gradually rose to become the Zonal Managers’ Club Member. Presently, Alphonse continues his father’s legacy of the LIC business.

 

Besides being an entrepreneur of great ability and foresight, Robert Alva had rendered public service in many ways. He was the Gurkar of his ward for a long period. He was the Director of the Agricultural Cooperative Society, Belle for many years. He was concerned about the sick and old people and would make it a point to visit them and inquire about their well-being whenever he was free from his busy work.  He used to counsel, guide and give moral support to many people who had family problems and was successful in solving many of the family disputes. It is said that he even prevented the breakup of a marriage and the couple still lives together. He also used to counsel those persons who were undergoing depression due to any reason.

 

 

Robert Alva was married to Theresa Martis of Belman on 24 January 1944 who became one of his strong supporters in his various enterprises. God blessed them with ten children, five boys and five girls-Sr. Nirmala who is in Nainital; George-after working in Food Corporation of India is presently in Bangalore promoting housing societies;  Sobina-working in Bangalore in Express Credit Guarantee Corporation, a semi-government undertaking in Bangalore;  Margaret-married to Urban Lobo of Kappandakariya, presently working in Sharjah and staying with family there;  Celine-teaches at Kuntalnagar and married to Lawrence Alva of Udyavara;  Job-working as Radio Officer in Sharjah,  married to Marina Soares ;  Alphonse-Licensed Electrical Contractor and LIC agent staying in the ancestral house ‘Shanti Kutir’, Moodubelle, married to Shanti Andrade of Kalmady;  Felcy-working in Muscat and married to Dolphy Frank of Bijai, Mangalore; Pradeep-An Engineer who works in Canada and settled there, married to Achala D’Souza of Mangalore and Prabhat-Captain in  merchant shipping, married to Sheela Cornelio of Kukkunje.

 

 

Robert Alva had a long and contented life. He brought up his children with great care and affection providing them good education and seeing to it that they were  all well settled in their lives with their families. After fulfilling his earthly mission and showing the way that a person with great vision, foresight and enterprising spirit can do many things in life, passed away peacefully on 20 January 2007. He is survived by his wife Mrs. Theresa and all ten children and fourteen grandchildren.

 

(I take this opportunity to express my gratitude to Mr. Alphonse Alva, son of late Robert Alva for narrating the life and achievements of his father-Dr. Eugene D’Souza)