Percival Noronha

In Goa, Noronha established the Carnival floats parade, which became tourist attraction. He also established the Association of Friends of Astronomy. As part of this initiative, Noronha set up an astronomical observatory on the terrace of Junta House, equipped with a telescope. Amateur astronomers would gather there to observe various celestial phenomena.[1]

Noronha's efforts to address erosion included the planting of casuarina trees along a stretch extending from the Children's Park in Campal to Miramar Beach. This initiative aimed to mitigate erosion and maintain the stability of the coastline. The casuarina trees, planted during Noronha's tenure, experienced growth.[1]

Noronha's residence in Fontainhas, known as "Ajenor", hosts a repository of reference books and literary works. His knowledge led to him being colloquially referred to as the "encyclopedia" by colleagues.[1]

Noronha's publication titled "A Walk through Old Goa" is a guide to the World Heritage site of Old Goa, acknowledged by the United Nations. The book encompassed various architectural styles, with descriptions of the monuments present in the city.[1]

Following his retirement years he worked on his scholarly interests.[1]

Percival Ivo Vital e Noronha was born on 26 July 1923, in Margão, Goa, during Portuguese India, a state that is presently part of India. He was born to Antonio Jose Jonas Noronha and Maria Aurora Anastasia da Silveira Vital, who were local landlords, commonly known as bhatkars. His father, Antonio, belonged to Loutolim, while his mother, Maria, hailed from Ilhas (now Tiswadi). Both his parents were established in Margão.[2]

Noronha expressed admiration for José Pereira, a recipient of the Padma Bhushan award. Pereira's work "Baroque India," was highly regarded by Noronha for its clear and eloquent writing style, precise geometric descriptions, and use of mathematical concepts in literature.[1]

On August 19, 2019, Noronha died at a relative's residence in Verna, Goa. As per his last wishes, he designated his nephew as the beneficiary of his entire shareholdings.[3][4]

Noronha received the United Nations Peace Medal in 1972, in recognition of his contributions to fostering peace.[1] In 2014, he was awarded the Ordem do Merito Comendador, the highest civilian honor in Portugal, in acknowledgment of his achievements. Noronha was also bestowed the Clube Militar de Macau medal, which he received for his lectures that attracted a wide audience.[1][5]