COMRADE DIVAKAR KAKODKAR

Comrade Divakar Kakodkar was a great Freedom Fighter, who fought with full vigour in this Indian struggle against British rule in India and Goan struggle against Portuguese rule in Goa.

His struggle can be compared with the topmost leaders who strived for freedom. He lived a simple life after the Liberation of Goa without expecting any benefits from Government.

Early Childhood 

Comrade Divakar Kakodkar was born in Kakoda village in Quepem Taluka. This  village had  political and social status in Goa.  All social, political and other activities against Portuguese rule used to start from Cacora unlike other important villages of Goa.

Late Anand Rao Kakodkar, a well known Social Reformer was his maternal uncle.  Young Divakar was very much influenced by the discussions and happenings in his uncle’s house.  This helped Divakar to inculcate the culture of becoming active freedom fighter.

Divakar started his Primary education at home and later in Marathi Primary School, Sharada Vidyalaya in Cacora.

He was highly influenced by the discussion and lectures of Social Reformers and  started thinking seriously to work for the country and for  Goa.

In order to keep away from all these activities, Divakar’s family members decided to send  him to Mumbai for education, staying with his elder brother in 1927.

Some of the Teachers in that school in Girgao, in the pre Independence, used to teach patriotic songs and emotional freedom based speeches.

He was then admitted in St. Sebastian High school Thakurdwaar, which helped him learn English.

Participation in Social Movement

Girgao, Grant Road and Lamington Road area saw busy social, Polital Reforms and activities against the British Rule.  This influenced young Divakar.

He was highly influenced by comrade Chandrakant Kakodkar who was a well known Union Leader of cotton mills in Mumbai.  He used to be with him.

Divakar joined the social Agitation against the British Rule under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi in 1930.  He was hardly twelve years old that time.  He took oath to serve  our country and Goa.

He was highly influenced by Karl Marks, Jyotiba Fule, Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar, Gopal Agarkar’s literature in the News Papers and books.  He joined students Union which was silently working for Communist Party and started working for the Party.

His name was cut from the Muster Role of High School for the association with Communist Party.

He then admitted himself in Orient High School in Girgao.  His family members were unknown about this happenings.

As soon as the summer Holidays started Divakar came to Cacora as usual where he used to meet Freedom Fighters Shivaji Kudchadkar Vishwanath Lawande, Prti Kakodkar, Dr. Kakode and try to influence them by printing pamplets.  He tried to develop anti Portuguese thoughts in them.

He formed youth wing to work against Portuguese rule under his leadership.  Members of youth wing used to gather at the Railway station at Sanvordem during night time and stick printed wall papers on the Railway Bogies containing matters against Portuguese and then quietly come and sleep at home.  All these bogies used to carry wall papers written in Marathi, English and Portuguese from Sanvordem to Margao, Majorda, Vasco, where it was read widely  by public and passengers.

After learning this the Portuguese  Governor ordered to attach the Railway Train !

Then this youth wing started going to various feasts in the temples of Goa, where they used to perform a street play followed by talks against Portuguese Rule and urged  public to send their children to school so that they become Doctor, Engineer, Lawyers etc. 

Thus street play highly influenced the farmers and Labour class. Youth wing used to cyclostyle the matter and distribute it in various villages.

Due to these activities Divakar could not complete his studies and as a result failed in S.S.C. exams.

His elder brother got him appointed in the AVERY Company as a Clerk.

He was influenced by the songs of Harendranath Chattupadhyay. Who was contributing articles in BOMBAY CHRONICAL.  One day he was simply typing the lines of above song on typewriter.  The European Manager saw this he got angry and dismissed him from job.

Second World war had started, he was appointed as a temporary clerk in an office at Bhendi Bazar.  Later he got job in Khalsa College as a Librarian.  He used to work day time and work for communist party during night time.  He used to work for Hotel Union and Engineering Workers Union during night time.

Role in Goa's Freedom Struggle 

In 1946 Dr. Ram Monohar Lohia came to Goa and addressed the Goans in Margao.  Whole India was shaken by these developments.

Divakar came to Goa to survey and collected the data to submit to communist Party on Party orders.

India got freedom on 15^th Aug. 1947 but Goa was still under Portuguese rule.  Party sent Divakar & Chandrakant Kakodkar to Goa.  Both Comrades met the mines workers and tried to solve their problems.

He started distributing pamplets with the help of Khapru Naik, Ramnath Kakodkar, S. V. Moghe.  Meanwhile the party was declared illegal.  Divakar then joined The New Educational Institute, Curchorem as a Teacher in 1947-48. 

He was teaching during day time  & continued to work against Portuguese during night time.

Mahatma Gandhiji was assassinated on 30^th Jan. 1948.  His ashes were brought to Goa and immersed in Zuari River.  Divakar gave an effective talk infront of thousands of people gathered there. All the people appreciated his thoughts.

Some people were pro Portuguese and some anti Portuguese.  The Police prepared a confidential Report against Divakar as a result he was arrested at home by a special cell of police on 26^th Sept. 1949.

He was taken to injuries and shifted to Quepem and Margao Lock up where he was beaten  severally and got severe injuries.

The Government was angry as they collected matter of Communist Party in his home.  He was transferred to Aguad, where he met his collegues Dr. Mayekar, Pandurang Shirodkar, Evagrio George, Keshav Talavlikar, Tikle, Karapurkar etc.

This helped him to stay there little comfortably.

All these freedom fighters were produced in the Military Court where the Govt. failed to prove their charges.  However they were sent to cabu Verde  in the Atlantic Ocean (black water) by boat.  From there he was taken to Angola (Africa) and then to Lisbon (Capital of Portugal).  He was submitted to the Officer by name Pide.  He was kept in Jail at Lisbon.  Still charges against him were not proved so he was sent back to Pide. 

He was sentenced for eight years and sent to island of Cabu Verda.  The Officer incharge sent him to the Regiment of orphon Children, where he was very much frustrated and thought of committing suicide many times.

The officer incharge asked Goa Govt. through wireless message as to what to do with.  The Govt. replied, give him subsidy and keep him there only.  Now he could move freely there.  The Govt. used to give him ten pounds per month.  This helped his stay little comfortable.

He was unhappy as he was not able to get any new from rest of the world especially India.  As all the magazine and news papers were in Portuguese.  He knew Marathi, English, Konkani & Hindi languages.

A special boat used to port once in fifteen days which carried magazines in Portuguese and News Papers.  He tried to get old news paper and Magazines from the passengers and wrote to their Editors for free delivery. He got LIFE MAGAZINE, MANCHESTER GARDIAN, ECONOMIST, HINDUSTAN STANDARD, ETC. which would provide him information of rest of the world.

Few gentlemen on the island were impressed by his English, hence they started teaching him Portuguese while Divakar thought them English.

As the sentence of eight years was nearing to complete, the Governor of Cabu Verde called him in the office and told him you are free now.  You are free to go any where you wish.  He was very happy, but on the other hand a big question mark was in front of him as to how he would go back home?  The high Commissioner of India in London made arrangements.  From there he went to Lisbon and got passport in eight days and travelled to Madrid by Railway.  After a little stay at Parris he reached London.  The high Commissioner made good arrangements for fifteen days comfortable stay.

He met M.P. Lord wage wood of Labour Port, who called a Press conference in his chamber and got all the information about Goa Liberation Revolution from him.

As soon as he got the passport he left for India by Quianga boat.  He stepped in Mumbai in June 1958 at Mumbai Port, where he was accorded a warm welcome.

He was felicitated by his party colleagues and Goans in Mumbai.  This felicitation brought tears in his eyes.

India got independence but Goa was not liberated, hene National campaign committee for the the Liberation of Goa, Daman and Diu was formed and Divakar travelled in whole India. He used to deliver lectures.  He drew a picture of in human action of Salazar against Goans through his lectures.

The freedom fighters tried to enter Goa through three ways, but unfortunately most of them were killed by Portuguese Police.

Mr. Krishna Menon was the Defense Minister at the Centre Government.  He was a follower of left Party thoughts.  He persuaded the Prime Minster Jawaharlal Nehru as a result of which Indian Military rushed to Goa on 18 Dec. 1961 and liberated from Portuguese on 19th Dec. 1961.

Post Liberation

Divakar came back to Cacora.  He never expected anything from Govt. other than pension for being a freedom fighter.  He travelled to East Germany with a delegation in 1970 and formed “India Russia Friendship Association”.

He lived a very simple life after Goa Liberation and died on 09^th Feb. 1996.

Mr. Pratapsing Rane, Chief Minister of Goa was among those who attended his funeral in the large crowd at Cacora Crematorium and ultimately helped his son and daughter to get Govt. job after learning that his children are jobless as Divakar never begged for the same.

                                                                                         

Ranjan M. Naik

Teacher
Sanvordem - Goa
Mob. No. 9823154336
E mail : Ranjan.naik12@gmail.com