It was in the summer of 1973 that a few prominent Goans approached me with the idea of starting an Association of Goans in Bangalore.

A formative Committee meeting was held later in 1973 and a Managing Committee was formed which began functioning in 1974 with the following objectives:

1. To promote the cultural and social activities and the welfare of the Goan people and others;
2. To foster fellowship and solidarity among the members;
3. To uplift the needy sections of the community;
4. To render assistance, where needed, to its members in various ways such as during illness, death etc.;
5. To promote activities for the Goan Youth such as games, sports;
6. To do all such lawful acts and deeds as are essential and conducive to the attainment of the objectives of the KGA.

I remember the famous speech of Jawaharlal Nehru wherein he referred of India keeping her tryst with destiny and awakening to a life of freedom. Later he promised the people of Goa that their cultural identity would be retained and eventually in 1961, Goa became a part of the Union of India. By a constitutional amendment in 1967, Konkani was recognized as a national language and Goa became a State in 1987. The cultural identity was rightly recognized as part of the India mosaic, and Goans have lived up to that trust and gave shone as Indians in every field of human endeavour in India and abroad.

A Goan combines in himself a "trinity" of being Indian, in the State where he is domiciled whereas he spreads his Goanness among those around him.

These were the objectives and vision of the founders of the KGA, and the members were happy to associate themselves in the Eucharist i.e. Celebration on 2nd May 1999, in thanksgiving to mark the Silver Jubilee of the KGA. I recall with gratitude the yeoman services of all the Past Presidents, Secretaries and members of the Governing Body, and particularly the Youth of the KGA, who have been working untiringly for the success of the KGA, and now let us re-dedicate ourselves to the ideals of our objectives as we enter the Jubilee Year, 2000.