After passing his vernacular IV standard, Govindbab was put in the Portuguese Primary School. Here the education was free. But books were not free and had to be purchased. His mother could not afford even to meet this meager expenses on books. He had therefore to leave the School at the age of twelve. His mother died of sickness in May 1921. She could not be given ordi¬nary medical help and nursing due to poverty. Whatever small fortune she had in the form of ornaments, she had disposed it off to marry her two daughters.
After the death of his mother Govindbab and his younger sister were taken by his maternal uncle Kane to Assol¬na. He was admitted there to English school.
Govindbab was not, however, .happy as he felt that he had been a burden to his uncle. He therefore returned back to Margao after an year. Childhood is the happiest part of life in the case of others, but destiny denied this to Govindbab.
Govindbab’s father had a good collection of books. Govindbab’s mother donated all these books to Gomant Vidya Niketan and in return Govindbab was made the member of that Institution and he still continues to be its member. He became a regular visitor of Gomant Vidya Niketan Library and began reading the available books. Printed pages in books contain the knowledge gained through hundreds of years of experience by mankind. Govindbab who was denied School and College education gratified his desire for knowledge by reading books in a wholesome and profitable manner. Books contain the treasured knowledge of the human race. They are the record of all labours, achievements, speculations, successes and failures, in science, philo¬sophy, religion and morals. Acquiring knowledge thus became a habit with Govindbab from his early life. He also used to attend all the lectures and speeches delivered and arranged periodi¬cally in Gomant Vidya Niketan.
Financial difficulties were still continuing But he was somehow carrying on with the monthly income of Rs. seven and a half derived from letting a room of his house. He could have secured a job but he was disinclined to do so because of his temperament. He used to visit businessmen acquainted with him and minutely observe how they used to carry on their business.
In 1924, the annual session of the Indian National Congress was held in Belgaum. The “Swadeshi” movement of Mahatma Gandhi was in full swing. In 1924, a few young men including Govindbab had formed a “Yuvaksangha.’ The ‘Sangh’ decided to open a store in Margaoto sell “Khaddar”(hand-woven cloth) Govindbab was entrusted with this work. He had to go to Hubli to purchase Khaddar . In order to save coolie charges Govindbab himself carried the packages on his head to Hubli station. In those days foreign cloth was very cheap. So there was no demand for ‘ Khaddar ‘ and the Khadibhandar had to be closed within six months. Govindbab financially gained nothing, but gained experience valuable for his life. He learnt the dignity of labour and no work for him was below his dignity.
The year 1927 proved a milestone in his life. In that year Govindbab undertook to sell Japanese toys in the Navelim Feast. And in three days he earned a net profit of Rs 200/-. Two hundred Rupees was a big sum in those days This was an invigorating experience for Govindbab. In this his Endeavour he was en raged by Mrs. Costa (mother of Dr. Peregrine Costa) and Bombi Nayak. His aunt (to whom he used to call subhadra-aunt) was very happy and blessed him from her heart.
On the 28th February, 1928 Govind¬bab married to Vimal, from pal Raiturker family. Subhadra-aunt blessed the couple and the marriage proved a success in all directions. Luther said “The utmost blessing that God can confer on a man is the possession of a good and pious wife, with whom he may live in peace and tranquility — to whom he may confide his whole possessions, even his life and welfare.” Govindbab is blessed with such a good and pious wife.
Till 1932 Govindbab did various kinds of business including Life insurance agency. In 1930 he went to Bombay and met one Shri Buki Murkundi who advised him to start a medical shop in Margao. Buki also gave him Rs.500/- worth Indian Medicines on credit for sale. In those days foreign medicine e was in demand in goa. And Indian medicine had no market Govindbab, however, began to vault the doctors and strived hard to push the sale. While doing this he felt that he should have a medical shop of his own in Goa
Then medical shops were owned by Christians only. No Hindu was in this business.
Casually one day he spoke about his desires to open a shop to his wife Vimala and remarked that he had no capital to do this. Vimala offered to sell some of her ornaments to raise the necessary capital. Baba was reluctant to accept this offer but ultimately he had to yield. She was at time only about eighteen or nineteen years old Vimala proved to be a true and highminded helpmate of baba.
On 7th January 1932 at 6.00 a. M DROGARIA SALCETE was inaugurated. Some people predicted that predicted that he would soon close down the shop, as there was an established medical shop nearby. These predictions however, proved totally false; “DROGARIA SALCETE ” prospered, the sales went up, and he began to feel shortage of capital and manpower. In 1935 therefore two partners were taken.
In 1938, there was further expansion. n that your a sales agency of French Pharmaceutical Company was taken and n new office was opened in Sand Hurst Road, Bombay under the name “Indoco Continental trading company” The second world war was commenced in 1939 and in this war the French Company was destroyed and the supplies ceased Had any other person been in the place of Baba, he would have closed down the business. Baba did not favour this idea. Some medicines and drugs were got manufactured from -Ratna Pharmaceuticals’ from Cochin and ‘Zendu Pharmaceuticals’ From Bombay and were pushed in the market. But the results were discouraging But Baba was neither disappointed nor demoralized. He began to work with double vigour on some different ideas.
He entered into the business of manufacturing drugs by floating a public limited company. This was an extraordinary venture as Baba had neither experience of complicated company matters not he was a chemist fit to start a drugs manufacturing unit but his self-confidence and judgment ultimately proved to be correct, though the road to success was full of difficulties and struggle. In 1946 in Thana (Bombay) an old house was purchased and a pharmaceutical unit under the name Indoco Remedies was established
From 1950 to 1955, Baba alone carried on the business in Margao and Bombay. Business was expanding. He felt shortage of capital and man¬power. Baba therefore asked his eldest son Ramnath to join him. Ramnath had to leave his College education ‘and join Baba in 1955.
In 1962 Suresh baba’s second son after taking B.sc. degree took over the management of ‘Indoco Remedies’.
His youngest son Ashok also joined concern in Margao. Ramnath, Suresh and Ashok are ably and efficiently looking after the business established by Baba
In 1967 Baba was elected as the president of Gomant Vidya Niketan. It was baba who completed the monumental building of the Niketan of Margao. Diamond jubilee of the Niketan was celebrated on a grand scale during Baba’s presidentship. He arranged in the Niketan lectures of eminent men like C. D. Deshmukh, P. L. Deshpande, Acharya Dada Dharmadhikari, Lakshmanshastri Joshi, Pandit Mahadevashastri Joshi, Madhukerrao Chowdhari etc. during his presidentship. Fie retired as president in the year 1974. He feels young men should come forward and be trained to carry on the responsibilities of public institutions.
In the year 1979 baba created a trust called Govind Ramnath Kare Charitable trust. The money from this trust is utilized for promoting education and such other activities beneficial to mankind.
The Trust advanced an amount of Rs. 1.75 Lakhs to the Vidya Vikas Mandal, Margao-Goa to start a Law College. The Mandal started the Govind Ramnath Kare college of Law from June l 979.) The College was inaugurated on “23rd” June by Shri Ram Joshi, Vice-Chancellor of Bombay University Two hundred twenty students have been admitted in the College for the First LL.B. Class. There was a long felt need for such a college in South Goa and Baba has satisfied it.
The following sloka aptly applies to Baba –
A dip in the river Ganga destroys sin, the moon destroys heat; the Kalpavriksha destroys poverty; but a man of great heart, a saint destroys sin, heat and poverty, all the three.
Born in a middle class family, facing all kinds of hardship in his childhood, without sufficient education, having nobody to guide and support him in the hour of need, Govindbab with his imagination and initiative, with his courage and self confidence, with his honesty and integrity and with his sterling quality of head and heart could achieve something which has benefited the community. His life deserves to be studied and emulated by the younger generation.
Born on 8th October, 1908 at Margao Govindbab Kare lost his father when he was only three and half years old. Even bare necessities of life were not available to Gov¬indbab during his childhood. Clothing, shoes, umbrella and necessary books could not be purchased for want of money. In one rainy season Govindbab remembers that he had to go and return from school every¬day without umbrella, completely drenched.
