https://en.bharatpedia.org/w/index.php?action=history&feed=atom&title=Shashikala_HodarkarShashikala Hodarkar - Revision history2026-10-26T12:04:12ZRevision history for this page on the wikiMediaWiki 1.43.6https://en.bharatpedia.org/w/index.php?title=Shashikala_Hodarkar&diff=534715&oldid=prevStuee.Singh: stub...2026-04-11T04:08:07Z<p>stub...</p>
<p><b>New page</b></p><div>{{Short description|Indian independence activist (1931–2024)}}<br />
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2026}}<br />
{{Use Indian English|date=April 2026}}<br />
{{Not to be confused|Shashikala Kakodkar}}<br />
{{Infobox person<br />
| name = Shashikala Hodarkar e Almeida<br />
| image = Shashikala Hodarkar.jpg<br />
| caption = <br />
| birth_name = Shashikala Mangesh Hodarkar<br />
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1931|6|23|df=yes}}<br />
| birth_place = [[Ponda taluka]], [[Portuguese Goa]]<br />
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2024|9|2|1931|6|23|df=yes}}<br />
| death_place = [[Pune]], [[Maharashtra]], India<br />
| occupation = <br />
| education = [[B. A.]]<br />
| movement = [[Goa liberation movement]]<br />
| notable_works = <br />
| awards = <br />
| spouse = [[Anastacio Almeida]]<br />
| children = <br />
| relatives = <br />
}}<br />
'''Shashikala Mangesh Hodarkar e Almeida''' ([[née]] '''Hodarkar'''; 23 June 1931 – 2 September 2024) was an Indian freedom fighter from [[Goa]]. She was a member of the National Congress (Goa) and is known for her participation in the [[Satyagraha]] movement against Portuguese colonial rule in 1955.<ref name="SakhardandeWomenStruggle24">{{cite book |first=Prajal |last=Sakhardande |author-link=Prajal Sakhardande |title=History of Women's Contribution to Goa's Struggle for Freedom (1928-1961) |year=2024 |pages=47–49}}</ref><br />
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==Early life==<br />
Shashikala Mangesh Hodarkar was born on 23 June 1931 in [[Ponda taluka]], [[Portuguese Goa]]. She completed her education up till a [[B. A.]] degree.<ref name="ShirodkarWho86">{{Cite book |last=Shirodkar |first=Pandurang Purushottam |author-link=Pandurang Purushottam Shirodkar |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ISScyAEACAAJ |title=Who's Who of Freedom Fighters, Goa, Daman, and Diu |date=1986 |publisher=Goa Gazetteer Department, Government of the Union Territory of Goa, Daman, and Diu |volume=1 |page=8}}</ref><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 Vol1.pdf/215 |type= |edition= |series= |page=215 |volume=1 |year=1999 |publisher=[[Goa University]] |location=Goa |language=gom |wslanguage=gom }}</ref><br />
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==Freedom struggle==<br />
Hodarkar's involvement in the independence movement was influenced by her older brother, Ramesh Bhai Hodarkar, who was a jailed activist, and the freedom fighter Sindhu Deshpande. Deshpande, who had arrived in Goa from [[Ahmednagar]], stayed at the Hodarkar residence and encouraged the young Shashikala to join the movement.<ref name="SakhardandeWomenStruggle24" /><br />
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Although Hodarkar intended to join a Satyagraha scheduled for 25 November 1954 at [[Azad Maidan]] in [[Panaji]], she was initially prevented from doing so by her mother. She subsequently joined the National Congress Goa to further her involvement in the struggle.<ref name="SakhardandeWomenStruggle24" /> She was in contact with [[Peter Alvares]] and was detained for possession of "subversive literature".<ref>{{Cite news |date=2021-12-19 |title=Women who fought the Portuguese and social stigma |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/women-who-fought-the-portuguese-and-social-stigma/articleshow/88366759.cms |access-date=2026-04-10 |work=The Times of India |issn=0971-8257}}</ref><br />
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On 17 February 1954, [[Pundalik Gaitonde]] was arrested for a verbal protest during a function. To commemorate this, in 17 February 1955, Hodarkar participated in a Satyagraha in [[Margao]]. Alongside Vilasini Prabhu (later Mahale), she distributed leaflets featuring the slogan "Quit Goa" written in Portuguese. During the protest, the two women raised the Indian flag and shouted the nationalist slogan "[[Jai Hind]]". Following this action, Hodarkar was arrested by the Margao police.<ref name="ShirodkarWho86" /><ref name="SakhardandeWomenStruggle24" /><br />
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==Imprisonment==<br />
Following her arrest in 1955, Hodarkar was sentenced to prison and remained jailed until 1958. During her trial, records of which are maintained in the Goa State Archives, she noted that she was not subjected to physical assault while in custody.<ref name="ShirodkarWho86" /><ref name="SakhardandeWomenStruggle24" /> Further, her political rights were suspended for 15 years.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Unsung Heroes {{!}} History Corner {{!}} Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, Ministry of Culture, Government of India |url=https://cmsadmin.amritkaal.nic.in/unsung-heroes-detail?3282 |access-date=2026-04-10 |website=cmsadmin.amritkaal.nic.in}}</ref><br />
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==Personal life==<br />
Hodarkar later married [[Anastacio Almeida]], who was also a freedom fighter. In her later years, she resided in Margao near the Ana Fonte spring.<ref name="SakhardandeWomenStruggle24" /><br />
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==Accolades==<br />
Hodarkar was honoured by the Government of Goa, Daman and Diu on 18 June 1986.<ref name="ShirodkarWho86" /><br />
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Her life story was documented in the [[Aguada Fort]]'s interactive Museum in the 2020s.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Celebrating Shashikala Hodarkar's freedom struggle on her birthday |url=https://www.thegoan.net/tg-life-sunday/celebrating-shashikala-hodarkars-freedom-struggle-on-her-birthday/114974.html |access-date=2026-04-09 |website=The Goan EveryDay |language=en}}</ref> A book documenting her trial by the Portuguese was also released by the Goa government in 2024.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Freedom fighter Alfred Afonso to be honoured with statue at Terekhol |url=https://www.thegoan.net/goa-news/freedom-fighter-alfred-afonso-to-be-honoured-with-statue-at-terekhol/119928.html |access-date=2026-04-08 |website=The Goan EveryDay |language=en}}</ref><br />
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Hodarkar was honoured by [[Indian National Congress]] leader [[Priyanka Gandhi]] during "Priyadarshani Women’s Conference" in Margao in 2022.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-09-03 |title=Freedom fighter Shashikala Almeida Hodarkar passes away |website=Goemkarponn - Goa News |url=https://goemkarponn.com/freedom-fighter-shashikala-almeida-hodarkar-passes-away/ |access-date=2026-04-09 |language=en-US}}</ref><br />
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==Death==<br />
Hodarkar died on 2 September 2024 in Pune. She was [[cremated]] on the same evening at the Vaikunth Smashan Bhumi.<ref>{{Cite web |title=मुक्ती संग्रामाची साक्षिदार... {{!}} Remembering freedom fighter Shashikala Hodarkar {{!}} Prudent {{!}} 030924 |url=https://www.prudentmedia.in/special-feature/%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%95%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%80-%E0%A4%B8%E0%A4%82%E0%A4%97%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%9A%E0%A5%80-%E0%A4%B8%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%95%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B7%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%A6%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B0-remembering-freedom-fighter-shashikala-hodarkar-prudent-030924/23915.html |access-date=2026-04-10 |website=www.prudentmedia.in |language=en}}</ref><br />
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==References== <br />
{{Reflist}}<br />
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Hodarkar, Shashikala}}<br />
[[Category:1931 births]]<br />
[[Category:2024 deaths]]<br />
[[Category:People from Portuguese India]]<br />
[[Category:Goa liberation activists]]<br />
[[Category:Women from Goa]]</div>Stuee.Singh