Libia Lobo Sardesai | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Lobo celebrating her 100th birthday in 2024 | |
| Born | Libia Lobo (1924-05-25)25 May 1924 (age 101) |
| Other names | Libby |
| Occupations |
|
| Known for | Voice of Freedom (radio station) |
| Spouse | |
| Awards | Padma Shri (2025) |
Libia "Libby" Lobo Sardesai (born 25 May 1924) is an Indian independence activist and lawyer fromGoa. Along withVaman Sardesai, whom she later married, she ran anunderground radio station,Voice of Freedom, that transmitted acrossPortuguese Goa from 1955 to 1961, advocating the cause of theGoan independence movement.[1] Following theLiberation of Goa, she was the first Director of Tourism ofGoa, Daman and Diu.[2] In January 2025, Libia Lobo Sardesai was honored with thePadma Shri, India's fourth-highest civilian award, by theGovernment of India.[3][4][5]
Libia Lobo, known by the nickname of "Libby",[6] was born on 25 May 1924 to aCatholic family[7] inPorvorim,Bardez taluka,Portuguese Goa.[8] Her family moved toBombay some time in her childhood. She was friends with painterF. N. Souza in her childhood and they both grew up nearCrawford Market. As a student, she was part ofT. B. Cunha's Goan Youth League.[6] She was its secretary from 1948 to 1950.[9]
She began her career as a translator and a "censor", working on deciphering cryptic letters written by Italian prisoners of war duringWorld War II. She simultaneously completed a degree atSiddharth College of Arts, Science and Commerce, which was established byB. R. Ambedkar. Ambedkar himself expressed his pleasure during her admission process. It was in her college days that Lobo began contributing to theGoa liberation movement. She was greatly influenced byM. N. Roy, who had been introduced to her byNissim Ezekiel and other professors of hers.[6] Lobo was later hired as astenographer and alibrarian atAll India Radio (AIR), Bombay. She pursued a degree in Law while employed at AIR.[10][11]
In 1954–55, the Portuguese attacked and killed severalSatyagrahis who had peacefully entered the Goan borders, demanding the end of colonial rule in Goa. Following this, India closed its borders with Goa, imposing an economic blockade, thus reducing free movement and trade. Lobo,Vaman Sardesai andNicolau Menezes, a Goan independence activist who had been living in hiding in Bombay, came together to form a team. Using two wireless radio sets, which were confiscated the Portuguese, were converted into a radio transmitter. This became theVoice of Freedom radio station, through which Lobo, Sardesai and Menezes would transmit news and important information to Goans.[10][12]
They initially lived in the jungles ofAmboli Ghat,approx. 100 km (62 mi) from Goa, transmitting an hour-long programme. After Menezes and his wife left, Lobo and Sardesai shifted toCastle Rock, Karnataka (approx. 50 km (31 mi) from Goa).[10] Lobo took the alias of "Vimal Nadkarni" to hide from the Portuguese.[1]
In the days precedingOperation Vijay, Lobo and Sardesai were contacted by theIndian defence forces. On 17 December 1961, the station transmitted a direct message from thenDefence Minister of India,V. K. Krishna Menon, requesting the Portuguese Governor General to surrender. Following the success of Operation Vijay and theliberation of Goa on 19 December 1961, Lobo and Sardesai boarded anIndian Air Force plane with a radio and loudspeaker attached to it, flying over Goa and dropping leaflets and announcing the freedom of Goa.[10]
Following theLiberation of Goa, Lobo joined theMinistry of External Affairs to help in their efforts torepatriate the captured Portuguese troops.[6]
Lobo and Sardesai got married on 19 December 1964, the third anniversary of Goa's Liberation. They had no children.[6]
Lobo was the first Director of Tourism forGoa, Daman and Diu after theliberation of Goa.[2] She is regarded as the first practicing female lawyer in Goa. She went on to be the founder and promoter of the Women’s Cooperative Bank, which, as of 2024, is fully run by women. She was also the founder and president of the Goa College of Home Sciences.[6] In 1994, following her husband's death, she founded the Vedanta Institute "to help people become better versions of themselves".[1]
Lobo currently lives in the city ofPanaji,Goa.[7]
Lobo's life story is displayed at the renovated museum at theAguada fort.[1]
On the occasion of her 100th birthday in 2024, F. N. Souza's grandson,Solomon Souza, painted a mural on the wall of a building facing Lobo's house inPanaji.[10][13]
She was awarded thePadma Shri in 2025.[5]
Media related toLibia Lobo Sardesai at Wikimedia Commons