Goa CM Manohar Parrikar passes away

Manohar Parrikar was born on December 13, 1955 to Utpal Parrikar and Radhabai Parrikar. Manohar Parrikar was born on December 13, 1955 to Utpal Parrikar and Radhabai Parrikar in Mapusa, North Goa. Known for his blunt-speaking style, this was his third time as Goa CM.

He was also hand-picked by PM Modi for the important Defence Ministry where he is credited for a string of high-profile acquisitions of weaponry including the Rafales and for a fundamental shift in military relationship between India and US.

He was educated at IIT Bombay and had two sons with his wife Medha, who passed away from cancer in 2001.

An RSS member from a young age, he became a chief instructor for the organisation.  He resumed RSS work in Goa and managed a private business after graduating from IIT Bombay. He then became a local director of the RSS at the age of 26.

Political career

Manohar Parrikar was elected to Legislative Assembly of Goa in 1994.  In October 2000, he became the Chief Minister of Goa for the first time but could not complete his 5 year tenure and was abrupted in February 2002.

He was again elected to power in Goa in June 2002 and again the tenure shut down as four of the BJP MLAs resigned from the house.

Parrikar was again sworn in as Goa Chief Minister in March 2012 but again had to resign from the post and had to move to Delhi in November 2014 as Prime Minister Narendra Modi named Parrikar the Defence Minister of India.

In March 2017, Parrikar resigned as the Union Defence Minister and was sworn in as the 13th Chief Minister of Goa after the governor of the state called him to form government after some tricky results in the 2017 assembly elections.

POSITIONS HELD

1988: He joined BJP after entering politics

1994: Elected to the Second Legislative Assembly of the State of Goa for the first time.

1994 -2001: General Secretary & Spokesman, Bharatiya Janata Party on the Goa State.

24th October 2000 to 27th February 2002: Chief Minister and held portfolios of Home, Personal Finance, General Administration and Education.

June 2002: Re-elected to the Fourth Legislative Assembly of the State of Goa.

5 June 2002: Became the Chief Minister again.

June 2007: Re-elected to the Fifth Legislative Assembly of the State of Goa. Leader of the Opposition.

In the year 2001, he received his Distinguished Alumnus Award from his renowned institute (IIT Bombay)

In 2012, Parrikar won the CNN IBN Indian of the year award in the category of politics for his immense and selfless contribution to the state of Goa.

He was conferred as The Best Chief Minister in 2004 by a reputed weekly India Today and also the Best Governed State in India for three years in a row in independent surveys of the Planning Commission of India and India Today.

2012: CNN-IBN Indian of the Year in politics category

Parrikar steered the Defence Ministry through a string of high-profile acquisitions of weaponry, many of which had been in limbo for years. Among these was the long-delayed MMRCA project which was resolved with the purchase agreement for 36 Dassault Rafale fighter jets.

Parrikar has also overseen a fundamental shift in the military relationship between India and the US, with the signing of a pact that gives both countries access to each others' military facilities for logistical purposes.

Stoking a controversy, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar questioned India’s No First Use (NFU) policy on nuclear weapons but then said that “this is my thinking” and the nuclear doctrine “has not changed” under any government. Speaking in New Delhi at the launch of Brigadier (retd) Gurmeet Kanwal’s book ‘The New Arthashastra’, Parrikar said: “Why a lot of people say that India has No First Use policy. Why should I bind myself to a… I should say I am a responsible nuclear power and I will not use it irresponsibly…”

When Parrikar served as the CM of Goa, his preferred mode of transport for reaching the Goa Vidhan Sabha was his bicycle. The minister was also regularly seen traveling by public transport in the state.

Parrikar moves around without police security. Since he took charge, government officials have been on a tight leash and are seen in their offices on weekends too. The workaholic is having a ripple effect.

Plain bush-shirts, trousers and sandals are Parrikar’s favourite attire and he refused to change it even after criticism on social media by a few ex-servicemen.

He even maintained his trademark half-sleeved shirt and creased trousers on his son’s wedding while guests were dressed in lavish wedding garments.