Konkani Sahitya award-winning writer Damodar Mauzo remembers his “young friend” Datta Naik with affection…..

“LITTLE minds are interested in the extraordinary; great minds in the common place,” it is said. As if this was said with Datta bab’s eminence in mind.
Datta Damodar Naik has just completed 70 years. But he is not old. Age is a state of mind, I believe. Look at his agility and his power of thinking and you will wonder if he is 17 years? He is as energetic as ever. I look at him as my young friend. Of course, I have reason to say that; he is younger than me by over ten years.
I have a family relationship with the Datta Naik family. I came to know about it when Datta wrote about this in an article. It seems, some generations back, a girl from the Mauzo family was given in marriage to the Naik family. But my proximity to that family was mainly because of his father, who gave me timely advice and much needed guidance, when I chose to run our family shop in Majorda at a very young age.
Datta’s grandfather, Kashinath Damodar Naik, was a scholar, researcher, intellectual, thinker and writer. I have seen him from close quarters. But never met or interacted with him. But Datta’s father treated me very warmly whenever we were together. He would talk to me about Datta with some sort of concern. However, Datta seemed to avoid any interaction with him. Datta’s mother was a kind-hearted and rational minded woman who carried herself with dignity and modesty. Datta was close to her but was not on friendly terms with his father. The lukewarm relationship between the two often disturbed me. But I managed to keep equidistance from the both.

MERITORIOUS DATTA
DATTA was a bright student who appeared in the merit list of the SSC Examination Board. He won the prestigious Nana Jagannath Shankarshet Scholarship by topping in Sanskrit. When in college in Margao, Datta was Students’ Union Leader. Under his leadership the students took up various issues including non-academic issues. Datta had his ways and continues to have his ways — of carrying young people with him.
Organising Samata Andolan in Margao was Datta’s brain child. It was a grand success. The demand for equality and justice at the massive turn out, reverberated in the whole of Goa. He continued to run agitations and movements. The latest Dakshinayan Abhiyan conference in Margao, that took up cudgels against wrong policies adopted by political leaders in the dispensation, succeeded in creating awareness among the citizenry of Goa. That is my friend, Datta.
The Corporate Social Responsibility Act in India was passed in 2013. It is now mandatory for the business houses to share their social responsibility by committing to spend towards CSR activities. But believe me, long before this Act was passed, Datta had assumed the responsibility without having been told to do so. He did it as his duty. That makes Datta different.
I know Datta for the last half-a-century. I know him as a bright and intelligent student (he has always remained a student). He is a voracious and discerning reader. He reads and makes others read with the same zeal as I had seen in Ravindrabab (Kelekar). I know him as an essayist with a difference. The lucidity of his language combined with a uniquely readable style, make Datta’s books eminently readable. He is a versatile travel writer — one of the topmost in our country, I can proudly say. He is a thinker full of thoughts and ideas like nobody else…Datta is philosopher to his friends and readers.

UNIQUE CHEMISTRY
I LIKE Datta because he is so simple outwardly and inwardly too. Yet he is above the run-of-the-mill. He has an altogether unique chemistry. His appearance in attire, his audacity and humility, his gracefulness and sturdiness, all these are deceptive. He precisely knows whom to put in which place. He is well-read and circumspect in his manners. He is also a shrewd businessman. He could live his life lavishly, even regally. But that does not befit his persona. He knows, how to respect artistes. He always reaches out to the needy, even before the needy come pleading to him — simply in order to avoid the embarrassment to them. Such is the magnanimity of Datta’s generous heart.
His sense of dress is not rich or fancy. But he knows how to dress elegantly. He is meticulous about his formal wears and the casuals. He loves to appear sporty when on outings with his close friends.
DATTA has contributed richly to Konkani literature. His mastery over the language is excellent. He is equally fluent in Marathi and English. His books written in English and translated into English are in great demand. Datta’s observations, commentaries and innovative ideas are a testimony to his enormity.
Long live Datta!