Panaji: Even though thousands of Goans resisted the Portuguese colonial rule, faced imprisonment and laid down their lives so that Goa could become an integral part of India, Goa’s struggle for liberation has not received the national attention it deserves, said Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Monday.
He said this during the launch of a new edition of ‘History That India Ignored’, a book authored by veteran journalist and Asian News International (ANI) chairman Prem Prakash.
“As Chief Minister of Goa, a chapter of the book that holds special significance for me is that on the Liberation of Goa from Portuguese rule. Goa’s freedom struggle came much later than that of rest of India and involved extraordinary courage, sacrifice and popular participation,” Sawant said.
Stating that the book is reaffirmation of the national responsibility to remember, recognise and restore our collective memories of those chapters of history that were either neglected or deliberately misrepresented, Sawant congratulated the author, publisher and everyone associated for bringing out the new edition.
“Releasing such a book is not merely an event, it is an act of national service. Books like these ensure that the truth about the freedom struggle reaches the people, especially the younger generation,” the Chief Minister said.
“In an era where selective narratives often dominated public discourse, the book stands for its commitment to evidence documentation and intellectual honesty. The book powerfully records the sacrifice of hundreds of unsung freedom fighters,” he said.
The Chief Minister said that the second edition of the book ‘History That India Ignored’ has narrated in detail Veer Vinayak Damodar Savarkar’s life and sacrifice, which has been “grossly misrepresented by vested interest for decades”.
“Prem Prakash ji has carefully explained how Savarkar was wrongfully arrested…I strongly recommend this chapter to every student and reader of history. The book has also brought attention to the battle of Imphal by the Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose’s Indian National Army,” Sawant said.
‘History That India Ignored’ chronicles the sacrifices, resilience and determination that shaped India’s struggle for Independence, shedding light on lesser-known events and unsung heroes who played a pivotal role in the nation’s freedom movement.
In the book, author Prem Prakash sets the record straight, restoring the revolutionaries to their rightful place in India’s fight for freedom and uncovering the untold stories that shaped the nation’s destiny.
With a career spanning over 75 years, Prem Prakash has travelled the world, covering major global events. He was at the forefront of war reporting during the 1962 India-China war, as well as the 1965 and 1971 India-Pakistan wars.
Over the decades, he has interacted with almost every Indian prime minister – from Jawaharlal Nehru to Manmohan Singh. Now, he dedicates his time to writing books.
