Citizens, Freedom Fighters’ Families Pay Homage to Lohia, Cunha on Goa Revolution Day at Aguad

Citizens, Freedom Fighters’ Families Pay Homage to Lohia, Cunha on Goa Revolution Day at Aguad

~ Keep Goa’s liberation story alive by making it an integral part of education: Rohidas Naik Dessai, president of the Goa Freedom Fighters’ Association.

Panaji, June 18 2026 – Exactly eighty years after the clarion call of revolution was sounded at the iconic grounds of Lohia Maidan (since renamed), members of the Goa Freedom Fighters’ Association (GFFA) gathered at the Aguad Port and Jail Complex, Sinquerim, on the occasion of Goa Revolution Day, observed every year on June 18.

In a formal ceremony, GFFA president Rohidas Naik Dessai garlanded the statue of Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia and paid homage to Dr. T. B. Cunha, in honour of those fellow freedom fighters who endured imprisonment and hardship under Portuguese colonial rule. The commemoration brought together veteran freedom fighters, their families, school children and members of the public, throughout the whole day in a collective act of remembrance  and to pay their respects at the heritage complex that once stood witness to Goa’s liberation movement.

Bonafide Goan residents were waived off entry fees, enabling them to savour the historic grounds  on the occasion of one of the most important days in Goan history.

The Goan Revolution of 1946 was not merely a moment in history; it was the turning point that lit the torch of liberation for an entire generation. The sacrifices made by our freedom fighters, many of whom were imprisoned within these very walls, must not remain confined to books or ceremonies. We urge the government and educational institutions to ensure that the story of the Goan Revolution and the struggles of our freedom fighters are formally taught in schools, so that every child in Goa grows up knowing the price of the freedom they enjoy today,” said Rohidas Naik Dessai.

The 80th anniversary of Goa Revolution Day holds particular significance, as it marks eight decades since Dr Lohia’s impassioned address on June 18, 1946, at Margao inspired Goans to resist Portuguese colonial rule and demand liberation. June 18 is annually observed as Goa Revolution Day, or ‘Kranti Din’, in recognition of that watershed moment in the state’s history.

A total of 112 students accompanied by six teachers from Dr K B Hedgewar School, Bambolim, as well as 115 students and nine teachers from Shri Shanta Vidyalaya, Sodiem, as well as members of the public visited the Aguad Port and Jail Complex throughout the whole day .

The Aguad Port and Jail Complex, a part of the historical site dating back to the 17th century, served as a port and prison complex during the Portuguese era and is now a restored heritage and cultural destination. It is home to the Aguad Interactive Museum: Goa – The Land, The Struggle, The People, which preserves and presents the history of Goa’s freedom movement through immersive installations, archival displays and the historic jail cells that once held the state’s freedom fighters.

Photo caption: Ajit Narvekar, Director, Goa Freedom Fighters Association (first from the left); Rohidas Naik Dessai, President, Goa Freedom Fighters Association (third from the left) and Mehboob Tule, Organiser, All Indian Freedom Fighters Association, Pune. (fourth from left), along with the other members of the Association paying tribute to Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia at the Aguad Port and Jail Complex, Sinquerim.

Photo caption: Rohidas Naik Dessai, President of the Goa Freedom Fighters Association, paying tribute to Dr. T.B. Cunha at the Aguad Port and Jail Complex, Sinquerim.