José Pereira (scholar)
{{short description|Scholar and artist (1931–2015)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2018}}
{{Infobox person
| name = José Pereira
| image =
| caption =
| birth_place = Bombay, Bombay Presidency, British India
| birth_date = {{birth date|1931|1|22|df=y}}
| death_place = New York City, U.S.
| death_date = {{death date and age|2015|1|26|1931|1|22|df=y}}
| occupation = {{hlist|Scholar|historian|writer|artist|linguist}}
| awards = Padma Bhushan (2012)
}}
José Pereira (22 January 1931 – 26 January 2015){{cite web|title=José Pereira|url=http://www.riverdale-on-hudson.com/obituary-notices/2015/1/28/jos-pereira|website=riverdale-on-hudson.com|access-date=10 February 2015}} was a Sanskrit scholar, historian, writer, artist, and linguist of Goan origin.{{cite web|title=Sanskrit scholar & historian Dr Jose Pereira passes away in USA|url=http://www.goanews.com/news_disp.php?newsid=5544|website=goanews.com|access-date=2 February 2015}}
Early life and education
José Pereira was born on 22 January 1931 in Bombay to a Goan family who hailed from Curtorim.{{Cite news |date=2015-02-01 |title=Farewell, the last great Goan polymath |work=The Times of India |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/farewell-the-last-great-goan-polymath/articleshow/46081674.cms?from=mdr |access-date=2023-10-16 |issn=0971-8257}} He received his PhD in Ancient History and Culture from St Xavier's College in 1949. He later graduated, with honours, from Siddharth College of Arts, Science and Commerce in 1951. In 1959, he traveled to Portugal as a guest lecturer at the Insituto Superior de Estudoes Ultramarinos in Lisbon. A year later, he departed Lisbon following his public statement that “Goa has a cultural identity of its own and can never be a showcase of the greatness of the Portuguese."
Career
Pereira was the author of 24 books and 145 journal articles. He was internationally recognised for his fresco paintings.{{cite web|title=Earth and heaven in conversation|url=http://www.tambdimati.com/article/earth-and-heaven-in-conversation/?doing_wp_cron=1422335023.8800330162048339843750|website=tambdimati.com|access-date=2 February 2015}} His first works, titled "Images of Goa", were exhibited in Bombay when he was 18 while still a student at J J School of Art and later exhibited in Union Territory of Delhi in 1969.
Personal life
Pereira was fluent in at least 13 languages. In particular, he was a strong supporter of the Konkani language.
Recognition
In 2012, the Government of India conferred the Padma Bhushan, the third-highest civilian award of India, in recognition of Pereira's work in the field of Indian history and literature. He is considered to be the only Goan to be conferred
this award while being a non-resident Indian.
Controversy
References
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{{PadmaBhushanAwardRecipients 2010–19}}
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Category:Recipients of the Padma Bhushan in literature & education
Category:Sir Jamsetjee Jeejebhoy School of Art alumni
Category:Siddharth College of Arts, Science and Commerce alumni