Libia Lobo Sardesai, a remarkable freedom fighter, has been honored with the Padma Shri at the age of 100 for her instrumental role in Goa's liberation. From 1955 to 1961, she and her future husband, Vaman Sardesai, operated an underground radio station in the Western Ghats to counter Portuguese propaganda during a time of severe censorship.

The radio station, “Goenche Sodvonecho Awaz” (Voice of Freedom of Goa), broadcast messages of hope and updates on the nationalist movement, galvanizing resistance against colonial rule. Working tirelessly in forested hideouts, the team faced not only Portuguese threats but also the harsh challenges of jungle life.

Libia's most iconic moment came on December 19, 1961, when she announced Goa's liberation. Flying over Panaji in an Indian Air Force plane equipped with a loudspeaker, she declared the Portuguese surrender in both Konkani and Portuguese. Leaflets were dropped, and Libia's words echoed across the newly liberated state.

Her courage was unwavering, even in the face of danger. “If the plane was shot down, we would die in a free Goa,” she famously said. Her relentless dedication to Goa's freedom, despite the personal risks and hardships, is a testament to her bravery and resilience.

Today, Libia Lobo Sardesai is celebrated as one of the most iconic figures of Goa’s liberation movement, her story inspiring generations to cherish and protect their hard-earned freedom.