The passing away of former MP and minister Harish Zantye did not elicit much from GCCI or ASSOCHAM. Politicians too spoke only of his role as a politician.
Zantye started off as a food processing entrepreneur/ exporter at the Bicholim/Sanquelim belt. During that time, he did more for the people of the place wherein he got his profits.
Unlike the mining barons, whose industry was actually just trading: digging up ore and selling, he started Educational Institutions in the places of his establishment.
He started an indoor badminton and table tennis courts in Sanquelim. By contrast, the mining companies had smaller clubs only for their employees. Zantye even had a cinema theatre at Bicholim which was patronised by all.
He was instrumental in setting up ITI and Polytechnic in this belt. He was a true visionary mating education, industry and the local needs for jobs! Unlike the rest of Goa Inc whose only refrain is: outsiders work not locals.
