CM Sawant Unveils Ravi Naik Statue at Ponda College on Death Anniversary
Synopsis
Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant unveiled a statue of former CM Ravi Sitaram Naik at P.E.S.'s Rajaram and Tarabai Bandekar College of Pharmacy in Ponda on the first death anniversary of the veteran leader, recalling his legacy in agriculture, education, and public welfare.
Key Takeaways
Statue unveiled of former Goa CM Ravi Sitaram Naik at P.E.S.'s Rajaram and Tarabai Bandekar College of Pharmacy , Ponda , on 14 October 2026 .
The ceremony marked the first death anniversary of the former Chief Minister.
CM Pramod Sawant presided over the event alongside dignitaries, public representatives, and Naik's family members.
Sawant noted the occasion held personal significance as he was a former student of P.E.S.
College during his higher secondary years.
Naik was remembered for contributions to public service, agriculture, education, and public welfare in Goa.
The event was hosted by the Ponda Education Society , which manages the college campus.
A bronze tribute rose on the campus of P.E.S.'s Rajaram and Tarabai Bandekar College of Pharmacy in Ponda, Goa, on Wednesday, 14 October 2026, as Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant unveiled a statue of former Chief Minister Late Ravi Sitaram Naik on his first death anniversary — a ceremony that carried an unexpectedly personal weight for the sitting CM.
A personal homecoming at Ponda Education Society
Sawant did not arrive at Ponda merely as Chief Minister. He arrived as a former student. The Ponda Education Society (P.E.S.) campus, where the statue now stands, is the same institution where Sawant spent his higher secondary years — a detail he acknowledged publicly, calling the occasion one of 'special significance' to him personally. Dignitaries, public representatives, and Naik's family members gathered as the cloth fell away from the statue, giving the event the texture of a community remembrance rather than a purely political ritual.
Ravi Naik's legacy: agriculture, education, welfare
Ravi Sitaram Naik served as Chief Minister of Goa and built a reputation grounded in public service — particularly in agriculture, education, and the welfare of ordinary Goans. Sawant, in his remarks, 'fondly remembered' those contributions, framing Naik's legacy as one that endures beyond his tenure. In Goa's political culture, cross-party tributes to former Chief Ministers are a well-established tradition, and today's ceremony followed that pattern — a current BJP leader paying public homage to a predecessor, foregrounding shared civic values over partisan lines.
Statue unveilings as Goa's living political memory
Across Indian states, marking a leader's death anniversary with a statue or public installation has become a durable form of institutional memory. In Goa, these events frequently double as moments for sitting governments to reaffirm commitments to education and agrarian welfare — the very pillars Naik was credited with strengthening. Whether the Sawant government uses this anniversary to announce any follow-up initiatives in those areas is now the question Naik's admirers will be watching.
For now, a statue stands where a student once studied — and the Chief Minister who unveiled it was one of them.
Point of View
Lending incumbents a grassroots authenticity that purely administrative appearances cannot. The cross-party nature of the tribute also reflects Goa's tradition of relatively personalised, community-rooted politics, where legacy transcends party lines more visibly than in larger states. The real policy question hovering over the ceremony is whether this commemoration catalyses any concrete revival of Naik-era priorities — particularly in agriculture and rural welfare — areas where Goa's current government faces ongoing scrutiny.
NationPress
14 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Ravi Sitaram Naik?
Ravi Sitaram Naik was a former Chief Minister of Goa, remembered for his contributions to public service, agriculture, education, and the welfare of Goan citizens.
Where was Ravi Naik's statue unveiled?
The statue was unveiled at the campus of P.E.S.'s Rajaram and Tarabai Bandekar College of Pharmacy in Ponda, Goa, managed by the Ponda Education Society.
Why did CM Pramod Sawant call the event personally significant?
Sawant revealed that he was a former student of P.E.S. College during his higher secondary years, making the ceremony on the campus of his alma mater especially meaningful to him.
When was the statue of Ravi Naik unveiled?
The statue was unveiled on 14 October 2026, on the first death anniversary of former Chief Minister Ravi Sitaram Naik.
What is the Ponda Education Society?
The Ponda Education Society is the managing body of P.E.S.'s Rajaram and Tarabai Bandekar College of Pharmacy in Ponda, Goa, and hosted the tribute event.
