People's Democracy

Comrade Dr Luisa Pereira

Comrade Dr Luisa Pereira expired on October 10 at Vasco-de-Gama, Goa. She suffered from a heart attack on October 10 and was admitted at Sarganonkar Medical Research Centre (SMRC) where she passed away.

She was born in 1931 in Beira, East Africa, to a middle class family. She was a surgeon by profession and a leprosy specialist.

She worked actively for the freedom movement in Goan People’s Party against Portuguese colonisation. She participated in the Satyagraha in 1953 and as a young doctor treated the Satyagrahis who were fired by the Portuguese on the border. Because of this she had to forgo her scholarship as an academician and could not go back to Goa.

She was a Party member of the joint Communist party and when the party broke she became a member of CPI(M) in 1967 along with her husband (Late) com Gerald Pereira. In 1970 CITU spilt from AITUC and she took part in CITU foundation conference in Goa along with other comrades.

After the death of her husband in 1976 she became a whole-timer of Party and worked dedicatedly to keep the red flag fluttering. She was state committee member of CPI(M) Goa, vice president of CITU Goa, vice president of Marmagao water front workers’ union, vice president All Goa general employees’ union and president of Goa engineering workers’ union.

Taking her work into account and her contribution in CITU, the Goa government nominated her as a member of minimum wage board, building and construction workers’ welfare board and iron ore workers welfare board. She was a member of regional board (west) of ESIS. 

Comrade Prakash Karat’s condolence 

She was devoted to the Party and working class movement. Along with her husband. (late) com Gerald Pereira, she worked dedicatedly. She was warm and affectionate towards all comrades and friends, which endeared her to all. We shall always cherish her memories. Her death is a big loss for the Party in Goa and for her family.