Team Herald
PANJIM: Shashikala Kakodkar is no more. The former Chief Minister passed away after a brief illness on Friday afternoon. Tai, as she was fondly known, led the government of the then Union Territory of Goa, Daman and Diu from August 1973 to 1979.
The 81-year-old daughter of Goa’s first Chief Minister Dayanand Bandodkar took charge of the government on the death of her father and remained in power until a split within the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) led to her being dethroned in 1979.
She is survived by three sons – Yatin, Samir and Abhay. The final rites will be performed on Saturday evening at the St Inez crematorium, her son Samir said.
He told Herald that Shashikala had not been well for the last six months and had been bedridden for the last month.
Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar announced a holiday on Friday and State mourning for two days.
As the news of the death spread across Goa, politicians, including Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar, MGP President Pandurang (Dipak) Dhavalikar and other MLAs have visited the Kakodkar residence in Altinho.
Dhavalikar, speaking to Herald, said that Tai was a guide to the party and her support was crucial for its growth. “She played a major role in the development we are seeing now. Goa should carry forward her ideas for development, especially in the education sector,” Dhavalikar said. He added that it is a great loss for the party and that Goa has lost an iron lady.
Though retired from politics, Kakodkar was active in the social and cultural fields and headed the Bhartiya Bhasha Suraksha Manch (BBSM), a front that has been demanding that the mother tongue be made the medium of instruction in elementary education.
Parsekar, who went to the Kakodar’s residence on Friday afternoon expressed shock over the demise and stated that Shashikala was known for her zeal and passion towards working to uplift the weaker sections of society.
“She was a guiding force for us and had become an ideal for us to follow. I pray that God may grant her eternal peace and strength to her family in this moment of grief,” Parsekar said.
BBSM Convenor Subhash Velinkar said, “We are orphaned with the death of Kakodkar. She has been a crusader of regional languages.” Velingkar rushed to Tai’s house within minutes of learning of her demise.
He said that during her tenure as chief minister she worked to protect the regional languages, notwithstanding threats to her government, and to improve the education system in Goa.
