Father Frazer Mascarenhas had his first interaction with Father Stanislaus Lourduswamy, fondly known as Father Stan Swamy over 30 years ago as his student in Bengaluru and Swamy taught him the social analysis subject. Mascarenhas was surprised and encouraged to see Swamy taking up grassroots work while fulfilling his duty as the academic head at the institute-. “It is what he was preparing for all those who came for his courses to do -- go to the grassroots. So, he led by example, he lived at the grassroots empowering people for the rest of his life.”

Almost three decades later as fate would have it; the St Peter’s Church parish priest Mascarenhas was in touch with Swamy, when he was in jail, due to proximity. After that, Mascarenhas met Swamy every day when he was in Holy Family Hospital in Bandra because the court had appointed him custodian, and he was the only one allowed to meet him besides the doctors and nurses. It has been a year since Swamy passed away at the Mumbai hospital on July 5, 2021 at the age of 84. He was suffering from Parkinson’s disease and other age-related illnesses and his condition had only worsened while he was situated in Taloja Central Prison. Earlier, Swamy was arrested on October 8, 2020 by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) Act in connection with the 2018 Bhima Koregaon violence. He was the oldest among 16 activists and lawyers arrested in the case.