Peter Alvares
Indian politician (1908–1975)
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Peter Augustus Alvares (1908–1975) was an Indian politician. He was the second and first elected Member of Parliament from North Goa Lok Sabha constituency (then Panjim), after liberation of Goa from Portuguese rule in 1962.[2][3][4][5][6] He served as president of All India Railwaymen's Federation from 1968 to 1973 and was its general secretary from 1957 to 1968.[7][8][9]
Peter Augustus Alvares | |
|---|---|
| |
| Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha | |
| In office 1963–1967 | |
| Preceded by | Pundalik Gaitonde[1] |
| Succeeded by | Janardan Jagannath Shinkre |
| Constituency | Panjim |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 31 March 1908 |
| Died | 6 May 1975 (aged 67) |
Early life
Goa liberation movement
Alvares encouraged many volunteers in Bombay to work in hiding from Goa for its freedom.[10]
From 1953 onwards, Alvares was the president of the National Congress (Goa) (NCG).[1]
Alvares was a member of the Praja Socialist Party. He helped organise the satyagraha on 15 August 1954, assembling three groups of about 15 satygrahis each who marched to three different parts on the border of Goa.[11]
In June 1957, Alvares was part of a delegation of 11 Goans chosen for consultation by then Prime Minister of India, Jawaharlal Nehru. Others included Armando Menezes and his brother Nicolau Menezes, along with Luis Gracias, J. N. Heredia, Evágrio Jorge, Vishwanath Lawande, Gerald Pereira, Rama Hegde, Pundalik Gaitonde and Purushottam Kakodkar.[11][12]
Political career
In the 1963 election for the Lok Sabha, Alvares represented the Praja Socialist Party and was supported by the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) and Bhausaheb Bandodkar, the first Chief Minister of Goa. He won with 53% of the votes. He thus became the first elected Member of Parliament to represent the North Goa Lok Sabha constituency (since his predecessor Pundalik Gaitonde was recommended without any election).[1]
In the 1967 election, Bandodkar and the MGP withdrew their support. Alvares contested on the PSP ticket but lost, pushed down to the sixth position with only 4% of the votes.[1]
Death
Alvares died on 6 May 1975.[10]
Awards and accolades
The Government of Goa, Daman and Diu honoured him after his death.[10]