Ponda: Goa’s veteran politician and Agriculture Minister Ravi Naik, who also served as the state’s Chief Minister, passed away in the early hours of Wednesday following a cardiac arrest at his residence near Ponda. He was 79.
Naik suffered a sudden cardiac arrest at his native village, about 30 km from Panaji, and was rushed to a private hospital in Ponda, where doctors declared him brought dead around 1 am.
His body was later taken to his Khadpabandh residence in Ponda, where hundreds of supporters, party workers, and locals gathered to pay their final respects to the stalwart leader who dedicated over five decades to public life.
Naik is survived by his wife, two sons, a daughter-in-law, and three grandchildren. His last rites will be performed at 3 pm today in Ponda, with full state honours expected to be accorded to the former Chief Minister.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed deep sorrow over Naik’s demise, remembering him as a leader devoted to Goa’s progress and the welfare of its people.
“Saddened by the passing away of Shri Ravi Naik Ji, Minister in the Goa Government. He will be remembered as an experienced administrator and dedicated public servant who enriched Goa’s development trajectory. He was particularly passionate about empowering the downtrodden and marginalised. My thoughts are with his family and supporters in this hour of grief. Om Shanti,” PM Modi posted on X. (Source: PM Narendra Modi on X)
