Between 1955 and 1961, Sardesai, alongside her colleague and future husband Vaman Sardesai, operated a covert radio station from the dense forests of the Western Ghats.
It was Libia who famously broadcast the announcement of Goa’s liberation from over 450 years of Portuguese rule on December 19, 1961. Her extraordinary journey is a testament to her courage and dedication
Born on May 25, 1924, in Portuguese-controlled Goa, Libia Lobo Sardesai spent her formative years in Bombay . During her college days, she became actively involved with the Goan nationalist movement.
In 1954, following brutal assaults and mass arrests of satyagrahis by Portuguese authorities, India responded by sealing Goa’s borders and imposing a strict economic blockade. All transportation links , by sea, road, and rail were cut off, and only secret communication lines remained.
In August 1955, thousands of Indian satyagrahis attempted to enter Goa, only to be met with gunfire from Portuguese forces, resulting in numerous fatalities.
With wireless sets sourced from Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Libia, Vaman Sardesai, and fellow activist Nicolau Menezes established an underground radio station, initially code-named 'Q'.
On November 25, 1955 the anniversary of the Portuguese reconquest of Goa , the station, renamed ‘Goenche Sodvonecho Awaz’ (Voice of Goa’s Freedom) for broadcasts in Konkani and ‘Voz de Liberdade’ for Portuguese transmissions, began airing daily programs twice a day. Initially, the transmitter operated from a truck hidden deep in Maharashtra’s Amboli forests. Menezes departed after a few months, prompting Libia and Vaman to shift operations to Castle Rock in Karnataka.
As Operation Vijay ,India’s military action to liberate Goa approached, Indian border police moved Libia and Vaman to a safe house in Belgaum.
On December 17, 1961, the underground station broadcast a direct message from India’s Defence Minister V K Krishna Menon to the Portuguese Governor General, urging surrender to avoid unnecessary bloodshed. A deadline was given for a response on a specific radio frequency, but no reply came, prompting India to launch the military operation.
On December 19, 1961, aboard an Indian Air Force plane fitted with a loudspeaker, Libia and Vaman flew over Panajim, broadcasting messages in Konkani and Portuguese and dropping leaflets to announce the end of colonial rule.