MAPUSA
Former speaker of Goa Legislative Assembly and three-time MLA of Mapusa, Surendra Sirsat died of multi-organ failure in a private hospital in Mapusa on Sunday night. He was 75.
He is survived by his wife and two children.
The last rites will be held on Tuesday (March 30). The cremation will take place at 11.30 am at Dattawadi crematorium, Mapusa.
“His condition had worsened as he was not responding to treatment. He passed away at around 10.10 pm,” said Dr Chandrakant Shetye of Vision Hospital.
A team of doctors of Goa Medical College and Hospital, Bambolim attended to the former speaker late Sunday night and found his condition very precarious.
They advised the doctors attending to him to continue with the line of treatment adopted by the hospital.
It may be recalled Sirsat was admitted to a private hospital on Saturday noon in a critical condition and was immediately put on ventilator support.
Sirsat, who represented Mapusa constituency in the State Assembly, served as a minister for panchayats in the coalition government led by late Dr Wilfred De Souza.
He was first elected as an MLA of Mapusa in 1977 and later re-elected in 1989 and 1994 as an MGP candidate. He was elected as the Speaker of the Goa Legislative Assembly in 1990.
He had kept himself away from politics since 2007.
Sirsat started his political career as a councillor of Mapusa Municipal Council in 1975.
He served as the president of MGP for nine years. He was also the state president of Janata Dal (Mallya) for a brief period. At the fag-end of his political career, he was the state president of NCP.
Besides being a politician, Sirsat was also an able educationist.
He was the Principal of DMC Kushe Jr College (HSSC) for 20 years. He was later elected as the general secretary of Dnyananprasad mandal which ran the DMC Kushe HSS and College.
The former Mapusa MLA was also a versatile stage artist and took part in several Marathi plays in different roles.
He also worked as a journalist and wrote for daily Gomantak and also contributed articles in several vernacular newspapers. He also has some novels to his credit.
CM condoles death
of former Speaker
PANAJI: Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said he was deeply saddened by the passing away of former speaker Surendra Sirsat.
“His contribution in the field of education and public life is immense, and shall always be remembered. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family in this hour of grief,” stated Sawant in a tweet.
