Acacio Gabriel Viegas

Acacio Gabriel Viegas
Statue of Viegas near Metro Adlabs
Born	(1856-04-01)April 1, 1856 Arpora, Goa, Portuguese India
Died	1933 Bombay, British India
Nationality	Indian
Education	Medicine
Alma mater	University of Bombay
Occupation	Physician, Councillor
Employer	Bombay Municipal Corporation
Known for	Discovery of bubonic plague in Mumbai
Title	President of the Bombay Municipal Corporation
Term	1888–1908

Acacio Gabriel Viegas (born 1856—died 1933) was a medical practitioner who was credited with the discovery of the outbreak of bubonic plague in Bombay, India in 1896. His timely discovery helped saved many lives in the city and was credited with the inoculation of 18,000 residents. He was also the president of the Bombay Municipal Corporation.

Acacio Viegas was born on 1 April 1856 in Arpora, Goa. After the completion of his primary education, he joined St Xavier's High School, Bombay, where he completed his matriculation in 1874 with a distinction. He then enrolled in the Grant Medical College, securing a First Class at the L.M. & S. degree examination held in 1880. Viegas then set up practice at Mandvi in the south Bombay area.

Not satisfied with serving the public only through medicine, he successfully contested the civic election from 1888 till 1907. In 1906 he became the President of the Municipal Corporation, enjoying the distinction of being the first native Christian to do so.

He was an active member of the Standing Committee and the Improvement Trust. He then focused his attention to improving the living conditions of the city's poor and down-trodden. He also tried to minimise the increases of public utility costs. As president, Viegas promoted medical relief and introduced compulsory free education.

Viegas was also a member of the Bombay University Syndicate, and was the pioneer of the Faculty of Scientific Technology. He also introduced Portuguese into the syllabus and supported the creation of special colleges for women. He was also an examiner in Medicine at the degree level and Foundation-Fellow of the College of Physicians and Surgeons.

In 1896, a mysterious disease hit the city in the Nowroji Hill slums. The disease spread rapidly affecting many city residents and became an epidemic. Those in the medical field were puzzled by this disease which saw a mass exodus from the city. The city's commerce was badly hit, and the flourishing textile industry was grounded.