Team Goemkarponn
PONDA: Goa’s Agriculture Minister and former Chief Minister Ravi Sitaram Naik passed away in the early hours of Wednesday following a cardiac arrest. He was 79.
According to family sources, Naik suffered a cardiac arrest at his residence near Ponda, late Tuesday night. He was rushed to a private hospital in Ponda, where doctors declared him dead around 1 a.m.
Naik is survived by his wife, two sons, a daughter-in-law, and three grandchildren. His mortal remains were brought to his residence at Khadpabandh, Ponda, where thousands of people gathered to pay their last respects.
Condoling the veteran leader’s demise, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant described Naik as “a stalwart of Goan politics” whose decades of service had left a lasting imprint on the state’s governance.
“His leadership, humility, and contribution to public welfare will always be remembered. My heartfelt condolences to his family, friends, and supporters in this moment of grief. Om Shanti,” Sawant said in a post on X.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also paid tribute, recalling Naik as “an experienced administrator and dedicated public servant who enriched Goa’s development trajectory.”
In his condolence message, the Prime Minister noted Naik’s commitment to empowering the marginalised and expressed sympathy for his family and supporters.
A seven-time MLA, Naik represented both Ponda and Marcaim constituencies during his long political career, contesting under the banners of the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP), the Congress, and later the BJP.
He was first elected to the Assembly in 1984 on an MGP ticket from Ponda and again in 1989 from Marcaim. Subsequently, he won from Ponda in 1999, 2002, 2007, and 2017 as a Congress candidate, and in 2022 as a BJP nominee.
Naik twice held the post of Chief Minister — first from January 1991 to May 1993, leading a coalition government of the Progressive Democratic Front, and briefly in April 1994 for six days, marking the shortest tenure in Goa’s history.
In addition to his state roles, Naik also served as Member of Parliament from North Goa in 1998 as a Congress representative.
Widely respected for his approachable nature and administrative acumen, Ravi Naik’s passing marks the end of an era in Goan politics.
