Gerson da Cunha (16 June 1929 – 7 January 2022) was an Indian advertising professional who was also a stage and film actor, social worker, and author. He headed the Indian market communications agency Lintas and also worked for J. Walter Thompson, and Hindustan Lever in a career spanning 25 years. He worked with UNICEF in Brazil and was awarded the Order of Rio Branco by the government of Brazil in 2018 for his services to that country.
Gerson da Cunha was born on 16 June 1929 into a Bombay Goan family of Portuguese descent and grew up in the Mazagaon neighborhood of Bombay (now Mumbai).[1] He graduated in science from the University of Bombay studying at St. Xavier's College. He would later describe his college as a 'fussy and priggish Jesuit College'.[2] His uncle was José Gerson da Cunha, physician and historian, who had written one of the first historical works documenting the origins of Bombay, somewhat aptly titled, The Origins of Bombay. Da Cunha Sr. was also the family physician of the Aga Khan.[3][4]
CareerEdit
Da Cunha started his career as a journalist with Press Trust of India and later worked with Reuters. He also worked during this time with All India Radio. After five years in the news industry, he moved to advertising working with the Indian marketing communications agencies J. Walter Thompson, Lintas and later to Hindustan Lever, working for over 25 years in the advertising industry between 1955 and 1980. The last ten of those years were spent heading Lintas.[5]
Nowhere is ever home but this may be the town of least effort for me.
He was a writer for The Earth Times, a newspaper for the 1992 Earth Summit which remained in publication through 2003. His column in the newspaper was titled View from the South and highlighted the need for legislation in driving environmental actions.[7] He also worked with the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) in Latin America and later at its headquarters in New York City. He worked on social marketing programs focused on nutrition, health, and wellness in the region, including vaccinations in Brazil's favelas and healthy motherhood initiatives in the Central American regions.[7] Da Cunha was awarded the Order of Rio Branco by the government of Brazil in 2018 for his services to that country.[8]
Da Cunha was the founder and CEO of the Mumbai-based NGO and citizens initiative Mumbai First and was also part of its organizing board. He was also active in various other NGOs and citizen groups in Mumbai.[9] He was a trustee of NAGAR and convenor of AGNI (Action for Good Governance and Networking for India).[8] He also worked as an advisor to various Indian union ministries and the National Technology Missions under the Cabinet Secretariat.[2][5]
Da Cunha had also acted in English-language plays and movies including Electric Moon (1992), Cotton Mary (1999), Asoka (2001) and Water (2005), among others.[5] Some of his notable theater performances included Othello directed by Zul Velani in 1956 and Begum Sumroo directed by Alyque Padamsee.[7][10][11] His poetry anthology, So far, was published by HarperCollins in 2000.[12]
Personal lifeEdit
Da Cunha was married to Uma, a theater and film critic.[1] His younger brother Sylvester da Cunha was also involved in advertising and English theatre.[13] Gerson da Cunha died from a cardiac arrest in Mumbai on 7 January 2022, at the age of 92.[8][7]
^ ab"Gerson da Cunha, adman who wore many hats, dead". The Times of India. from the original on 8 January 2022. Retrieved 8 January 2022.
^ ab"Renaissance man of Mumbai no more". The Times of India. from the original on 7 January 2022. Retrieved 7 January 2022.
^"Goodbye, Gerson, the Bombay boy bows out". Free Press Journal. from the original on 8 January 2022. Retrieved 8 January 2022.
^Vaz, J. Clement (1997). Profiles of Eminent Goans, Past and Present. Concept Publishing Company. pp. 118–119. ISBN978-81-7022-619-2. from the original on 9 January 2022. Retrieved 8 January 2022.
^ abcd"Veteran theatre personality and former ad man Gerson da Cunha passes away". The Hindu Business Line. from the original on 7 January 2022. Retrieved 7 January 2022.
^"528 Gerson Da Cunha, Decline of a great city". www.india-seminar.com. from the original on 12 May 2021. Retrieved 8 January 2022.
^ abcd"Ad man, writer and activist Gerson da Cunha passes away". The Indian Express. 8 January 2022. from the original on 8 January 2022. Retrieved 8 January 2022.
^ abc"Advertising industry veteran Gerson da Cunha dead at 92". Press Trust of India. from the original on 7 January 2022. Retrieved 7 January 2022.
^"Advertising 'Pitamaha' Gerson da Cunha passes away". Economic Times Brand Equity. from the original on 7 January 2022. Retrieved 7 January 2022.
^"Gerson Da Cunha told me theatre is a great education. I understand it now: Tara Deshpande". ThePrint. 8 January 2022. from the original on 8 January 2022. Retrieved 8 January 2022.
^Chowdhury, Nandita (4 August 1997). "Begum Sumroo promises to be a play for all seasons". India Today. from the original on 15 November 2021. Retrieved 8 January 2022.
^Cunha, Gerson da (2000). So far. New Delhi: Harper Collins Publishers India. ISBN81-7223-395-7. OCLC 45086916. from the original on 8 January 2022. Retrieved 8 January 2022.
^Chatterjee, Sudeshna (31 August 2003). "Family Matters". The Times of India. from the original on 4 July 2011. Retrieved 6 August 2010.
^"Gerson Da Cunha movies and filmography - Cinestaan.com". Cinestaan. from the original on 8 January 2022. Retrieved 8 January 2022.
gerson, cunha, june, 1929, january, 2022, indian, advertising, professional, also, stage, film, actor, social, worker, author, headed, indian, market, communications, agency, lintas, also, worked, walter, thompson, hindustan, lever, career, spanning, years, wo. Gerson da Cunha 16 June 1929 7 January 2022 was an Indian advertising professional who was also a stage and film actor social worker and author He headed the Indian market communications agency Lintas and also worked for J Walter Thompson and Hindustan Lever in a career spanning 25 years He worked with UNICEF in Brazil and was awarded the Order of Rio Branco by the government of Brazil in 2018 for his services to that country Gerson da CunhaBorn16 June 1929Bombay British RajDied7 January 2022 aged 92 Mumbai IndiaOccupation s Advertising professional actor author and social workerSpouseUma da CunhaRelativesSylvester da Cunha brother HonoursOrder of Rio Branco Brazil 2018 Da Cunha acted in English language plays and movies such as Electric Moon 1992 Cotton Mary 1999 Asoka 2001 and Water 2005 among others Contents 1 Early life 2 Career 3 Personal life 4 Works 4 1 Books 4 2 Films 5 See also 6 References 7 External linksEarly life EditGerson da Cunha was born on 16 June 1929 into a Bombay Goan family of Portuguese descent and grew up in the Mazagaon neighborhood of Bombay now Mumbai 1 He graduated in science from the University of Bombay studying at St Xavier s College He would later describe his college as a fussy and priggish Jesuit College 2 His uncle was Jose Gerson da Cunha physician and historian who had written one of the first historical works documenting the origins of Bombay somewhat aptly titled The Origins of Bombay Da Cunha Sr was also the family physician of the Aga Khan 3 4 Career EditDa Cunha started his career as a journalist with Press Trust of India and later worked with Reuters He also worked during this time with All India Radio After five years in the news industry he moved to advertising working with the Indian marketing communications agencies J Walter Thompson Lintas and later to Hindustan Lever working for over 25 years in the advertising industry between 1955 and 1980 The last ten of those years were spent heading Lintas 5 Nowhere is ever home but this may be the town of least effort for me Here the idiom is known Gerson da Cunha Bombay Wallahs 2000 6 He was a writer for The Earth Times a newspaper for the 1992 Earth Summit which remained in publication through 2003 His column in the newspaper was titled View from the South and highlighted the need for legislation in driving environmental actions 7 He also worked with the United Nations Children s Fund UNICEF in Latin America and later at its headquarters in New York City He worked on social marketing programs focused on nutrition health and wellness in the region including vaccinations in Brazil s favelas and healthy motherhood initiatives in the Central American regions 7 Da Cunha was awarded the Order of Rio Branco by the government of Brazil in 2018 for his services to that country 8 Da Cunha was the founder and CEO of the Mumbai based NGO and citizens initiative Mumbai First and was also part of its organizing board He was also active in various other NGOs and citizen groups in Mumbai 9 He was a trustee of NAGAR and convenor of AGNI Action for Good Governance and Networking for India 8 He also worked as an advisor to various Indian union ministries and the National Technology Missions under the Cabinet Secretariat 2 5 Da Cunha had also acted in English language plays and movies including Electric Moon 1992 Cotton Mary 1999 Asoka 2001 and Water 2005 among others 5 Some of his notable theater performances included Othello directed by Zul Velani in 1956 and Begum Sumroo directed by Alyque Padamsee 7 10 11 His poetry anthology So far was published by HarperCollins in 2000 12 Personal life EditDa Cunha was married to Uma a theater and film critic 1 His younger brother Sylvester da Cunha was also involved in advertising and English theatre 13 Gerson da Cunha died from a cardiac arrest in Mumbai on 7 January 2022 at the age of 92 8 7 Works EditBooks Edit So far HarperCollins India 2000 ISBN 81 7223 395 7 Films Edit Source s 5 14 Electric Moon 1992 Cotton Mary 1999 Asoka 2001 Water 2005 Rangoon 2017 Gandhi of the Month 2018 See also EditJose Gerson da CunhaReferences Edit a b Gerson da Cunha adman who wore many hats dead The Times of India Archived from the original on 8 January 2022 Retrieved 8 January 2022 a b Renaissance man of Mumbai no more The Times of India Archived from the original on 7 January 2022 Retrieved 7 January 2022 Goodbye Gerson the Bombay boy bows out Free Press Journal Archived from the original on 8 January 2022 Retrieved 8 January 2022 Vaz J Clement 1997 Profiles of Eminent Goans Past and Present Concept Publishing Company pp 118 119 ISBN 978 81 7022 619 2 Archived from the original on 9 January 2022 Retrieved 8 January 2022 a b c d Veteran theatre personality and former ad man Gerson da Cunha passes away The Hindu Business Line Archived from the original on 7 January 2022 Retrieved 7 January 2022 528 Gerson Da Cunha Decline of a great city www india seminar com Archived from the original on 12 May 2021 Retrieved 8 January 2022 a b c d Ad man writer and activist Gerson da Cunha passes away The Indian Express 8 January 2022 Archived from the original on 8 January 2022 Retrieved 8 January 2022 a b c Advertising industry veteran Gerson da Cunha dead at 92 Press Trust of India Archived from the original on 7 January 2022 Retrieved 7 January 2022 Advertising Pitamaha Gerson da Cunha passes away Economic Times Brand Equity Archived from the original on 7 January 2022 Retrieved 7 January 2022 Gerson Da Cunha told me theatre is a great education I understand it now Tara Deshpande ThePrint 8 January 2022 Archived from the original on 8 January 2022 Retrieved 8 January 2022 Chowdhury Nandita 4 August 1997 Begum Sumroo promises to be a play for all seasons India Today Archived from the original on 15 November 2021 Retrieved 8 January 2022 Cunha Gerson da 2000 So far New Delhi Harper Collins Publishers India ISBN 81 7223 395 7 OCLC 45086916 Archived from the original on 8 January 2022 Retrieved 8 January 2022 Chatterjee Sudeshna 31 August 2003 Family Matters The Times of India Archived from the original on 4 July 2011 Retrieved 6 August 2010 Gerson Da Cunha movies and filmography Cinestaan com Cinestaan Archived from the original on 8 January 2022 Retrieved 8 January 2022 External links EditGerson da Cunha at IMDb Decline of a Great City Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Gerson da Cunha amp oldid 1161663368, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
