Navelim born and Bahrain based Mr. G.R. Crasto (Gabriel Crasto), a prominent Goan in the Middle-East will be celebrating his Silver Anniversary of his Marriage to wife Catherine on 18th April 2013 at the Sacred Heart Church, Bahrain.
Mr. Gabriel has been one of the prominent members of Young Goans Club in Bahrain for the last many years and has been elected for different posts at the club.
Mr. Gabriel writes fluently both in English and in Roman script Konkani. He has been writing right from his school days. Apart from writing exclusively for Gulab and Goan Review Magazines, Gabriel has written a series of articles for different publications. His works have appeared in Uzvadd - Weekly Magazine, Goencho Mog, Novem Goem and the English Daily West Coast Times.
He has regularly written poems, short stories, one-act plays and dramas. His one-act play 'Kalina' won the Konkani Bhasha Mandal Award, while his drama 'Harijan' was well-recognized for it's subject.
Mr. Gabriel Crasto also received the Man of the Year 2006 Award from the Goan Review Art Foundation, and is also a recipient of Goan NRI Leadership Award from the Government of Goa.
In Bahrain, Mr. Gabriel won many prizes for his plays at one-act play competitions organized by Young Goans Club, Riffa Goans, etc.
Mr. Gabriel has been living in Bahrain since the last 30 years and is currently working for Bahrain’s famous Jalal Travel Agency as a Manager. He is an active member of both Young Goans Club and Konkan Singers and served in different capacities in their managing committees.
Some years back, Mr. Gabriel headed a football team called United Goans which ran for over 5 years in Bahrain. Along with his friend Mr. Francis Correia, Mr. Gabriel formed the Goan Dramatic Troupe. Under this group they organized many dramas and Musical shows.
Mr. Gabriel is currently Bahrain Goans Football League Chairman.
In recent years he contributes most of his thoughts through ‘Bahrain-Goans Xit-Koddi’, a web-portal published every month.
Coming back to the Silver Jubilee, Bab Crasto you are residing in Bahrain and I am in Kuwait and still you remembered me to send your invitation card to attend your great occasion. I regret my inability to attend because of the geographical barrier but I pray to God to bless you both husband and wife.
You and me we both are two separate identities but having the same ideology towards Goa and Goans. I am proud of the activities you have been doing for the cause of Goa and Goans. Please continue in doing what you are doing. I am sure your beloved wife must have been assisting you in the same. I hope she too will continue in assisting you towards your activities for the greater cause of Goa and Goans. I am also sure your both the children are imbibing you and gradually they will take over from you when everyone will say "Like Father - Like Children".
To live together as husband and wife for Twenty Five long years so successfully is not a joke especially now when the temptations are so many. Many couples separate from each other just within 25 hours of their marriage but you have lived together for 25 long years, it is very much admirable. You both husband and wife are blessed couple to live like this and I hope and pray to God to keep you together as you are now to celebrate not only Golden Jubilee but Platinum Jubilee also.
As a Silverian myself, I know how difficult it is to remain embedded to each other but with real love and faithfulness to each other one can easily overcome all the obstacles that comes on one’s path.
Though you both completed 25 long years together yet looking from the recent photo above, both together in a jovial mood, it looks to me that you are just a newly married couple wedded just 25 days before and not 25 years before. Your youthfulness is an added freshness to your success. Keep maintaining the same youthfulness even though age may try to meddle in between. For genuine love age should not be a hindrance.
Finally I wish you Gabriel and your wife Catherine all the best.
A happy 25th Wedding Anniversary. May God Bless You Both.
A. Veronica Fernandes.
Kuwait.