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{{Short description|Indian journalist (1925–1999)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2025}}
{{Use Indian English|date=November 2025}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Laxmidas Krishna Borkar
| image = Laxmidas Borkar, 2025 stamp of India.jpg
| caption = Borkar in a 2025 stamp
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1925|8|17|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[Margao]], [[Portuguese Goa]]
| death_date = {{Death date and age|1999|12|4|1925|8|17|df=y}}
| death_place = [[Mumbai]], [[Maharashtra]], [[India]]
| occupation = Journalist, editor
| movement = [[Goa liberation movement]]
| known_for = Editor of ''Navaprabha''
| party = [[Praja Socialist Party]]
}}

'''Laxmidas Krishna Borkar''' (17 August 1925 – 4 December 1999)<ref name="Vishwakosh1999">{{cite wikisource |editor-first1=Tanaji |editor-last1=Halarnkar |editor-link1=Tanaji Halarnkar |others= |title=Konkani Vishwakosh |trans-title=Konkani Encyclopaedia |wslink=Page:Konkani Viswakosh Vol3.pdf/262 |pages=262–263 |type= |edition= |series= |volume=3 |year=1999 |publisher=[[Goa University]] |location=Goa |language=gom |wslanguage=gom }}</ref> was an Indian [[Goan independence movement|freedom fighter]], journalist, and editor from [[Goa]].<ref name="Jnanamrit25">{{Cite web |title=Laxmidas Borkar: A Super Hero of Goan Freedom and Identity |url=https://www.jnanamrit.com/2025/05/14/laxmidas-borkar-a-super-hero-of-goan-freedom-and-identity/ |website=Jnanamrit |date=14 May 2025}}</ref> He was an active participant in the [[Goa liberation movement]].<ref name="PIB25">{{Cite web |title=Padma Awards 2025 - Citations |url=https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PRID=2157895 |website=Press Information Bureau, Government of India |date=2025}}</ref> Borkar was the editor of the [[Marathi language|Marathi]] daily ''[[Navaprabha]]'' for 25 years.<ref name="Gomantak77">{{Cite web |title=लक्ष्मीदास बोरकर १६ सप्टेंबर १९७७ रोजी 'नवप्रभा'च्या संपादकपदी रुजू झाले |url=https://dainikgomantak.esakal.com/goa/laxmidas-borkar-joined-the-office-as-editor-of-navaprabha-on-16-september-1977-rrs99 |website=Dainik Gomantak |date=14 May 2024 |language=mr}}</ref><ref name="Jnanamrit25" />

In 2025, the Department of Posts released a postage stamp and First Day Cover to commemorate Borkar's contributions.<ref name="PIB25" /> The Laxmidas Borkar Memorial Award for Journalism is awarded to Goan journalists every year in his honour.

==Early life==
Laxmidas Krishna Borkar was born on 17 August 1925 in [[Margao]] to Krishna Dattaram Borkar. He attended the [[Liceu Nacional Afonso de Albuquerque|lyceum]] for seven years.<ref name="Vishwakosh1999"/>

==Goa liberation movement==
Borkar was an active freedom fighter. He is credited as the person who was responsibile for escorting [[Ram Manohar Lohia]] from his hotel on 18 June 1946, as part of the events that are today celebrated as [[Goa Revolution Day]].<ref name="Gomantak77" /><ref name="FaleiroGoa1961">{{Cite book |last=Faleiro |first=Valmiki |author-link=Valmiki Faleiro |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GYLyEAAAQBAJ |title=Goa, 1961: The Complete Story of Nationalism and Integration |date=2023-07-24 |publisher=Penguin Random House India Private Limited |isbn=978-93-5708-175-7 |pages=21 |access-date=21 August 2024 |archive-url= |archive-date= |url-status=}}</ref> Borkar was also jailed five times by the Portuguese police.<ref name="Gomantak77" />

Borkar's involvement in the movement continued with several key acts of protest. On 7 November 1946, he and Roque Sequeira offered ''[[satyagraha]]'' at Shiroda to protest the curbs on civil liberties. A speech he gave at the event led to a large procession towards Borim, which was met by Portuguese police gunfire, cited as the first instance of police firing on protestors in Goa. Borkar was arrested following the event.<ref name="Jnanamrit25" />

In 1954, Borkar travelled to the [[International Court of Justice]] in [[The Hague]] to sign a representation advocating for Goa's liberation. The following year, on 18 May 1955, he joined [[Nath Pai]] in a ''satyagraha'' at [[Castle Rock, Karnataka|Castle Rock]]. This act of [[civil disobedience]] was intended to disrupt railway traffic to Goa and pressure the Portuguese regime. Through these actions, Borkar became a key figure in the National Congress of Goa and the [[Praja Socialist Party]].<ref name="Jnanamrit25" />

==Journalism and literary career==
Borkar began his journalism career at the daily newspaper ''Gomantak''.<ref name="Gomantak77" /> In 1963, following Goa's liberation, he joined the [[The Indian Express|Express Group of Newspapers]] as a staff correspondent in [[Panaji]]. In this role, he reported on the socio-political changes in post-liberation Goa for publications including ''[[Loksatta]]'', ''[[The Indian Express]]'', ''[[The Financial Express (India)|The Financial Express]]'', and ''[[Screen (magazine)|Screen]]''.<ref name="Jnanamrit25" />

In 1965, he moved to [[Mumbai]] to serve as the Chief Sub-Editor for ''[[Loksatta]]''.<ref name="Jnanamrit25" /> On 16 September 1977, he was appointed as the editor of the Goan daily ''Navaprabha''.<ref name="Gomantak77" />

He served as the editor of ''Navaprabha'' for 25 years.<ref name="PIB25" /><ref name="Gomantak77" /> His editorials were known for being "fearless and impartial" and focused on promoting Goan identity, self-respect, culture, and social reform.<ref name="Gomantak77" /><ref name="Jnanamrit25" />

In addition to his editorial work, Borkar was a founder-member of both the Goa Union of Journalists and the Goa Marathi Patrakar Sangh, organisations established to support press freedom. He was also associated with the Mumbai Marathi Patrakar Sangh.<ref name="Jnanamrit25" />

==Death==
Borkar died on 4 December 1999 in [[Mumbai]].<ref name="Vishwakosh1999" />

==Legacy==
In 2025, the Department of Posts, [[Government of India]] released a [[postage stamp]] and a first day cover to commemorate Borkar's contributions.<ref name="PIB25" />

A road in Journalist Colony, Alto Betim, was named after him on 15 August 2024.<ref name="Jnanamrit25" />

The Laxmidas Borkar Memorial Award for Journalism is awarded to Goan journalists every year in Borkar's honour.<ref>{{Cite web |date=25 February 2014|title=Panaji: Alfred D'Cruz honoured with Laxmidas Borkar Memorial Award |url=https://www.daijiworld.com/news/newsDisplay.aspx?newsID=219790 |access-date=2025-11-20 |website=Daijiworld |language=en}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Borkar, Laxmidas}}
[[Category:1925 births]]
[[Category:1999 deaths]]
[[Category:Journalists from Goa]]
[[Category:Goa liberation activists]]
[[Category:People from Margao]]
[[Category:People from Portuguese India]]

Laxmidas Borkar - Revision history

Mohammed Sajib: new details.