Thiruvananthapuram | The families of freedom fighters from Kerala who participated in the Goa Liberation Movement will be honoured at a special function to be held at Lok Bhavan here on Friday evening.
The programme, scheduled for 4 pm on the occasion of Goa Liberation Day, will be attended by Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, a Lok Bhavan statement said on Wednesday.
The event aims to acknowledge the invaluable contributions of the state's freedom fighters to the national struggle, preserve and popularise the historical legacy of Goa's liberation among the public and younger generations, and reinforce the values of patriotism and national unity, it said.
According to the statement, the Goa Liberation Movement marked a decisive chapter in India's post-Independence history.
The movement culminated in 1961 with the end of Portuguese colonial rule in Goa, following years of coordinated political, cultural and armed resistance, it said.
Freedom fighters from across the country, including Kerala, played a significant role in strengthening the struggle.
A large number of Malayalis actively participated in the movement, with activists from political organisations such as the Jana Sangh, the Praja Socialist Party and the Communist Party taking the lead.
Many volunteers were subjected to severe repression and violence by Portuguese authorities, the statement said.
The Central government has recognised participants in the Goa Liberation Movement as freedom fighters, it said, adding that the families of these fighters would be honoured at the ceremony.
Among those who took part in the movement, K V Narayanan from Kasaragod is the only surviving participant.
Several leaders who participated in the struggle later rose to prominence in public life.
Shivarama Bharathi from Chittur in Palakkad district and Sathyan Kokkery, son of K Kelappan Nair, served as MLAs, while K A Sankara Menon became a member of the BJP National Council.
The state also shares a unique connection with the liberation of Goa, as the military operation that ended Portuguese rule was led by a Malayali, J P Kandath, popularly known as the "Liberator of Goa".
Lieutenant Colonel P K N Pillai, a Malayali who took part in ‘Operation Vijay', will also be specially honoured at the event, the statement added.
‘Operation Vijay' was the Indian Army's military operation that liberated Goa from Portuguese rule in 1961.