Background
Mascarenhas was born into a Goan Catholic family in Belgaum, and educated in Karachi.
Mascarenhas was born into a Goan Catholic family in Belgaum, and educated in Karachi.
Mascarenhas was a journalist who was the assistant editor at The Morning News (Karachi). After collecting information on the atrocities committed in Bangladesh, he realised he could not publish the story in Pakistan and contacted Harold Evans of The Sunday Times. Before the publication of his report in 1971, he moved his family to Britain.
Thereafter, he worked for 14 years with The Sunday Times.
Afterwards, he was a freelance writer His article "Genocide" in The Sunday Times on 13 June 1971 is credited with having "exposed for the first time the scale of the Pakistan army"s brutal campaign to suppress its breakaway eastern province".
The British Broadcasting Corporation writes: "There is little doubt that Mascarenhas" reportage played its part in ending the war. lieutenant helped turn world opinion against Pakistan and encouraged India to play a decisive role." Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi stating that Mascarenhas" article led her "to prepare the ground for India"s armed intervention".
The Bangladeshi government honoured Mascarenhas"s contribution to the nation during the 1971 liberation war by preparing an official list of names.