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{{Short description|Indian freedom fighter and diplomat (1923–1994)}}
{{Use Indian English|date=July 2024}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2024}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Vaman Sardesai
| image = Vaman Sardesai.jpg
| alt =
| caption = Portrait of Sardesai
| birth_name = Vaman Balkrishna Naique Prataprao Sardesai<ref name="MenezesSaluteHerald23">{{Cite news |date=6 May 2023 |first=Vivek |last=Menezes |title=Salute to Vaman Sardesai |url=https://www.heraldgoa.in/Cafe/Salute-to-Vaman-Sardesai/204660 |access-date=10 July 2024 |website=oHeraldo}}</ref>
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1923|5|5|df=y}}
| death_date = {{Death date and age|1994|5|6|1923|5|5|df=y}}<ref name="NayakGomantak23">{{Cite web |last=Nayak |first=Raju |date=2023-05-07 |title=मर्मवेध : त्याग! |url=https://dainikgomantak.esakal.com/blog/padmashri-vaman-sardesai-writer-poet-freedom-fighter-administrative-officer-ias-ambassador-of-india-to-angola-rrs99 |access-date=2024-07-11 |website=Goa News on Dainik Gomantak |language=mr}}</ref>
| birth_place = Vadi, [[Goa]], [[Portuguese India]],
| death_place =
| other_names =
| spouse = {{marriage|[[Libia Lobo Sardesai]]|1964}}
| occupation =
| years_active =
| known_for =
| notable_works =
| awards = [[Padma Shri]] (1992)
}}

'''Vaman Balkrishna Naique Prataprao Sardesai''' (5 May 1923 – 6 May 1994) was an Indian poet, freedom fighter and diplomat. Along with [[Libia Lobo Sardesai]], whom he later married, he ran an [[underground radio]] station, [[Voice of Freedom (radio station)|Voice of Freedom]], that transmitted across [[Portuguese Goa]] from 1955 to 1961, advocating the cause of the [[Goan liberation movement]]. Following the [[Annexation of Goa]], he became the second editor of ''[[Goa Today]]'' magazine, and went on to become an IAS officer, serving as the Indian Ambassador to Angola. In 1992, he was awarded the [[Padma Shri]]. He has also been the co-convenor of [[INTACH]].

==Life and career==
===Early life: Education, writing and radio (1923–1954)===
Vaman Balkrishna Naique Prataprau Sardesai was born to Bhalchandra Desai on 5 May 1923 in the village of Vadi, [[Ponda taluka]], Goa.<ref>{{Cite web |date=4 July 2022 |title=Vaman Balkrishna Naique Prataprau Sardesai |url=https://amritmahotsav.nic.in/district-reopsitory-detail.htm?3498 |access-date=10 July 2024 |website=Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav - Digital District Repository Detail}}</ref> Sardesai was a student of medicine at [[Escola Médica Cirúrgica de Goa]] when he was arrested in 1947 for distributing "anti-colonial literature".<ref name="MenezesHeraldLiberdade24">{{Cite web |first=Vivek |last=Menezes |date=28 April 2024 |title=LIBBY DE LIBERDADE |url=https://www.heraldgoa.in/Edit/By-invitation/LIBBY-DE-LIBERDADE-/220727 |access-date=10 July 2024 |website=oHeraldo}}</ref> He was sentenced to nine months' imprisonment by the Portuguese Military Tribunal.<ref name="ChadhaIEMural24">{{Cite web |first=Pavneet |last=Singh Chadha|date=18 May 2024 |title=As a mural comes up in Panaji, the muse, a 99-year-old Goan freedom fighter, looks on from her balcony |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/long-reads/panaji-mural-muse-99-year-old-goan-freedom-fighter-9337556/ |access-date=5 July 2024 |website=The Indian Express |language=en}}</ref>

Following his release, he moved to [[Wardha]] and spent four years at [[Gandhi]]'s [[Sevagram]] [[ashram]]. There, he worked with [[Ravindra Kelekar]] to publish [[Konkani language]] poems in their fortnightly publication ''Meerg'', writing under the [[pseudonym]] of "Abhijeet".<ref name="KamatPoetry08">{{Cite journal |last=Kamat |first=Nandkumar |author-link=Nandkumar Kamat |date=January 2005 |title=Post Independence Konkani poetry: a mini-review |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/283475705 |journal=Golden Jubilee Issue of National Sahitya Akademy |via=ResearchGate}}</ref> Sardesai travelled around Nagpur to help in the magazine's success and ensured that copies would be distributed across the country. His writings displayed his strong linguistic skills. He was skilled in Konkani, [[Marathi language|Marathi]], and [[Portuguese language|Portuguese]] languages. Even though he left his education incomplete, he taught language subjects in important educational institutions in Panaji.<ref name="NayakGomantak23" />

Then [[Prime Minister of India]], [[Jawaharlal Nehru]], respected Goa's freedom fighters and implemented policies that allowed many poets and writers fleeing from Goa to join government service. This led to Sardesai joining the External Services Division at [[All India Radio]], [[Bombay]].<ref name="NayakGomantak23" /> As part of this, he created poems and programmes to spread awareness about "the problem of Goa" to other countries.<ref name="MenezesHeraldLiberdade24" />

===Voice of Freedom (1955–1961)===
{{Main|Voice of Freedom (radio station)}}
In 1954–55, the Portuguese attacked and killed several [[Satyagraha|Satyagrahis]] 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. Sardesai, [[Libia Lobo]] and [[Nicolau Menezes]], a Goan freedom fighter 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 grew to be the [[Voice of Freedom (radio station)|Voice of Freedom radio station]], through which Sardesai, Lobo and Menezes would transmit news and important information to Goans.<ref name="ChadhaIEMural24" /><ref name="GTVoice24">{{Cite web |date=25 May 2024 |title=At 100, Libia Lobo's voice still inspires Goans |url=https://www.gomantaktimes.com/news/goa/at-100-libia-lobos-voice-still-inspires-goans |access-date=5 July 2024 |website=Goa News in English on Gomantak Times |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |first=Vivek |last=Menezes |date=24 December 2022 |title=Libia Lobo Sardesai's Voice of Freedom |url=https://www.heraldgoa.in/Cafe/Libia-Lobo-Sardesai%E2%80%99s-Voice-of-Freedom/198571 |access-date=5 July 2024 |website=oHeraldo |archive-date=10 July 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240710091944/https://www.heraldgoa.in/Cafe/Libia-Lobo-Sardesai%E2%80%99s-Voice-of-Freedom/198571 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

They initially lived in the jungles of [[Amboli Ghat]], {{Approx.|{{Convert|100|km|mi|abbr=on}}}} from Goa, transmitting an hour-long programme. After Menezes and his wife left, Sardesai and Lobo shifted to [[Castle Rock, Karnataka]] ({{Approx.|{{Convert|50|km|mi|abbr=on}}}} from Goa).<ref name="ChadhaIEMural24" />

In the days preceding [[Operation Vijay (1961)|Operation Vijay]], Lobo and Sardesai were contacted by the [[Indian defence forces]]. On 17 December 1961, the station transmitted a direct message from then [[Defence Minister of India]], [[V. K. Krishna Menon]], requesting the Portuguese Governor General to surrender. Following the success of Operation Vijay and the [[liberation of Goa]] on 19 December 1961, Lobo and Sardesai boarded an [[Indian Air Force]] plane with a radio and loudspeaker attached to it, flying over Goa and dropping leaflets and announcing the freedom of Goa.<ref name="ChadhaIEMural24" />

===Post Liberation (1961 onwards)===
Sardesai and Lobo got married on 19 December 1964, the third anniversary of the [[Liberation of Goa]]. They had no children.<ref name="MenezesHeraldLiberdade24" />

Sardesai was among the first three senior officers from Goa to join the [[Indian Administrative Service]] and was given significant responsibilities, serving as director of various departments such as Industries, Information, Sales Tax Commissionerate, and District Collector.<ref name="NayakGomantak23" />

Sardesai became the second editor of ''[[Goa Today]]'' magazine,<ref name="deSouzaDishonourHerald08">{{Cite news |last=de Souza |first=Teotónio Rosário |author-link=Teotónio de Souza |date=12 November 2008 |title=Dishonouring Our Freedom Fighters |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/279483615 |access-date=10 July 2024 |newspaper=The Herald |location=Goa |page=8 |volume=108 |issue=317}}</ref> after which he went on to serve as the Indian Ambassador to [[Angola]] from 1988 to 1991.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Embassy of India, Luanda, Angola |url=https://www.indembangola.gov.in/pages?id=mbk5e&subid=dL9we |access-date=10 July 2024 |website=Embassy Of India, Luanda, Angola}}</ref> He was also the co-convenor of [[INTACH]].<ref name="MenezesSaluteHerald23" />

==Awards==
While serving as the Indian Ambassador to Angola, Sardesai was awarded a medal by their Prime Minister for his meritorious service. In 1992, Sardesai was awarded the [[Padma Shri]].<ref name="MenezesSaluteHerald23" />

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sardesai, Vaman}}
[[Category:1923 births]]
[[Category:1994 deaths]]
[[Category:Ambassadors of India to Angola]]
[[Category:Indian Administrative Service officers]]
[[Category:Goa liberation activists]]
[[Category:Writers from Goa]]
[[Category:People from Portuguese India]]

Vaman Sardesai - Revision history

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