ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

       First I thank God, Almighty who has always been my source of energy and knowledge.

       I sincerely thank Dr. A. Francis, Principal, Reader and Head of the Department of History, V.O.C. College, for having consented to be my supervisor. The discussions I had with him and his valuable guidance in the midst of his pressing schedule gave me the right perspective from which I could view the topic of my study.

       I thank Dr. B. Maria John, Reader and Professor, Department of History, M.S. University and my co guide for all his kind help and suggestions to carry out my work successfully. He went through my thesis patiently and suggested crucial modifications, which shaped my thesis.

       I am immensely grateful to Dr. (Fr.) K.S. Mathew, without whose guidance, the thesis on this particular concept (maritime history) could have been unimaginable. The lengthy discussions I had with him on the topic will be always remembered with many thanks.

       I thank Dr. K. Sadasivan, the Head and Professor of the Department of History, M.S. University and the other professors of the faculty for their help during my FDP programme. A special thanks to Dr. K.A. Manikumar, who showed a keen interest to help me.

       I express my sincere thanks to Thiru. A. Sivasubramaniyan, formerly of the Department of Tamil, V.O.C. College, for giving a focus to the thesis and for revealing the intricate facets of the Portuguese influence of the Paravas.

       Prof. J. Ragu Antony, Department of English, V.O.C. College, Thoothukudi, merits my immense thanks for his meticulous correction of my thesis.

       I express my warm thanks to Fr. X.D. Selvaraj (National Secretary, CCBI, Bangalore.) for having taken a special interest in proof reading the draft. His suggestions and criticism shaped the thesis and his encouragement made the completion of the thesis possible.

       I am particularly thankful to Fr. Aubrey A. Mascarenhas, SJ., the Director of Heras Historical Institute, St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai for allowing me access to the materials available there. I also acknowledge the support rendered by the staff of the Heras Institute.

       I whole heartedly express my thanks to Fr. Délio Mendonça, SJ., the Director of Xavier Centre of Historical Research, Porvorim, Goa, whose academic excellence, creativity and interesting discussions on the thesis were very helpful during my association with the same centre in Goa. I remember with gratitude the assistance of the staff at this centre, particularly Mrs. D ’Souza the librarian and Miss. Aarthi, the assistant librarian who helped me to locate all the relevant books.

       My thanks to my professor, Fr. Lisbert D’Souza, SJ., (General Councillor, Curia, Rome.) who was responsible for obtaining all the help from the above Jesuits’ institutes and whose unceasing encouragement and motivation have contributed much to the completion of my research work.

       I am grateful to the director and the staff of the Government Archives of Goa at Panaji who were generous in providing all relevant records in time. In a special way I thank Mr. R.C. Sambrekar, the librarian whose assistance in obtaining photocopies of the needed books was crucial.

       I owe my direct access to certain important primary documents in Portuguese to Mr. Alvaro Fernandes and Professora Filomena Ferro who taught me Portuguese.

       My deep sense of gratitude to Mr. Jess Fernandes, a writer and poet who translated several documents written in medieval Portuguese. I also remember with warmth the hospitality of his wife Mrs. Carmina Fernandes.

       I owe a deep debt of gratitude to Mr. Srikant Y. Ramani, B.E., whose commitment and historical sense are highly commendable. He translated several Portuguese manuscripts and other documents for me. I sincerely thank his wife Mrs. Prabha Ramani whose affection and concern for me are fondly remembered.

       Several friends and well wishers in their own significant ways contributed to the successful completion of my dissertation. My strenuous stays at Goa were eased at the comfortable accommodations provided by the Sisters of Nirmala Institute of Education, Altinho, Panaji, the Community at Lar de Estudentes, Altinho, Panaji and the Bethany Sisters of Sāo Jose de Arial, Salcete. I thank them for making my stays at Goa memorable and useful also.

       In a special way I thank my local guardians in Goa, Dr. Mrs. Nirmala Desai and her husband Dr. Anand Desai for their love and care. Their love and support was reassuring and sustained me in moments of anxiety.

       I will always remember the support extended by my Congregation, particularly the community at St. Mary’s College. The assistance and the support of the management, the teaching and the non-teaching staff of St. Mary’s College made my FDP programme possible. I thank each one of them.

       Miss. P. Aruna Devi and Miss L. Gomathy Suba at VES Computers, Thoothukudi typed out the various drafts of my study and gave it the final shape. Their painstaking efforts have also contributed to the completion of my thesis in time.

* - * - *