MAPUSA: Former Speaker and former Mapusa MLA late Surendra Sirsat (74) who passed away late on Monday evening while undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Mapusa was cremated with State honours at Dattawadi Crematorium, here, on Tuesday afternoon.
Along with Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, Ponda MLA Ravi Naik, Opposition Leader Digambar Kamat, former Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar, former MLA Rajendra Arlekar, Speaker Rajesh Patnekar, MLA Joshua D’Souza, Waste Management Minister Michael Lobo, former Dy CM Dayanand Narvekar, Ex MLA Vinayak Naik, BJP President Sadanand Shet Tanavade, Tivim MLA Nilkanth Halarnkar, Shambhu Bandekar, former minister Sangeeta Parab, Avinash Bhosle and former union minister and former MLA Ramakant Khalap paid homage to Sirsat by offering garlands.
Sirsat had served as MLA of Mapusa for three terms, first in 1977 and later in 1989 and 1994. Professor Sirsat was a multi-faceted personality. He was the Principal of DMC College and later served on the management of Dnyanprassarak Mandal, governing DMC College. His contribution to the field of education is legendary. He was also an erudite speaker, noted writer, a good actor and has contributed to the co-operative sector as chairman of Vaishya Urban Co-operative Credit Society, Mapusa.