Innocent Sousa

Inocencio Antonio Mariano De Sousa (26 July 1879 – 31 July 1962) was an Indian poet and writer, who wrote in the English language. He is mentioned in The Golden Treasury of Indo-Anglian Poetry: 1828–1965^[1] and listed, early on among Indian writers in English, in the books-received section of the 1912-founded Poetry journal.^[2]

Innocent Sousa
De Sousa in the 20th century
Born	Inocencio Antonio Mariano De Sousa (1879-07-26)26 July 1879 Bombay, British India
Died	31 July 1962(1962-07-31) (aged 83)
Citizenship	India
Alma mater	St. Xavier's College, Bombay
Employer(s)	India Post, Bombay, later Poona
Office	Deputy Postmaster General, Belgaum
Writing career
Language	English Konkani Portuguese
Genre	Poetry creative writing

Current recognition

A hundred years later, mention of De Sousa's work can still be found in cyberspace, though the actual texts are not easily accessible. He has also not been adequately understood in his own home-state of Goa.^[3]

Both prose and poetry

De Sousa has been listed under both the prose as well as the poetry sections in a study conducted by the University Libraries University of Washington Research Guide^[4] on South Asian literature in English for the Pre-Independence period. This was undertaken initially compiled by Irene Joshi.

Legacy

De Sousa is said to have been listed among the top 500 living poets of the world in a book published by Mitre Press, London in 1932, titled Principal Poets of the World Volume I [1] 1930–31.^[5]

Bibliography

His other publications include:

• Radha: a romance, and other Indian tales. Bombay: Taraporevala, 1904. 113 p.;
• Radha, a Hindu belle. Bombay: New Book Co., 1939. 151 p.; Rev. ed. of Radha, a romance.
• The Clarks, and other post office tales. Bombay: n.p., 1923.
• Uncle Roland: or looking for a wife. Bombay: Taraporevala, 1906. 156 p.
• Beautiful Bombay and other story poems. Bombay: New Book Co., 1938. 56 p.
• The maid of the hill. London: A.H. Stockwell, 1929.
• The Fascination of the Dance, and Other Tales. Bombay: Taraporewala
• A Guide to Goa, with a brief history of Goa, and the Life of St. Francis Xavier. Bombay: Hosang T. Anklesaria.
• Twixt Night and Morn. London: Drane, London
• Included in anthologies: The Spring Anthology, 1930 (The Mitre Press).

Work mentioned

Five of De Sousa's books are mentioned on amazon.co.uk, but with the mention that the books "are not currently available".^[6]