RK News Service
Srinagar, May 30: Lok Bhavan Jammu Kashmir on Saturday hosted a special programme to mark the Statehood Day of Goa, attended by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, senior officials, invited guests from Goa residing in Jammu and Kashmir, and artists.
The Lieutenant Governor said that between 1946 and 1961, many brave sons of Mother India laid down their lives in the struggle to liberate Goa, with hundreds jailed and subjected to brutal hardships, yet the unity and courage of the freedom fighters kept the movement alive.
“Today I pay homage to Bala Raya Mapari of the Azad Gomantak Dal, the first martyr of Goa’s freedom struggle. Great figures such as Luís de Menezes Bragança, Mohan Ranade, Tristao Braganza da Cunha, Purushottam Kakodkar, Prabhakar Vaidya, Nana Kajrekar, and Sudhir Phadke kept the spirit of satyagraha alive across Goa, Daman, Diu, and Dadra and Nagar Haveli. Today we salute their dreams and resolve,” the Lieutenant Governor said.
The Lieutenant Governor said that the enduring ideals of service to humanity, commitment to national prosperity, and the preservation of culture have long shaped the Goan contribution to modern India.
“I strongly believe that Goa’s ancient arts and vibrant heritage have enriched the vision of ‘Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat.’ As the Konkani proverb wisely reminds us, ‘Ekvatanttakad, rashtrantpragati’—unity is the bedrock of a nation’s progress,” he said.
The Lieutenant Governor observed that the bond between Jammu and Kashmir and Goa goes back centuries. “Seen through that ancient bond, a priceless and enduring connection unites Goa’s golden shores with the majestic mountains of Jammu and Kashmir. Today’s celebration is also a moment to weave together the timeless philosophies and values nurtured along the banks of the Tawi and Terekhol rivers with the principles that continue to guide our lives today,” he said.