NT network
Sankhali
Ex-North Goa MP and former minister Harish Narayan Ganesh Prabhu Zantye, also known as ‘Anna’, passed away at this Panaji residence on Saturday morning following a brief illness. He was 86.
He is survived by his wife, son and daughters.
The final rites will be held in Bicholim at his farm at Pazwada on March 21, Sunday, at 11.30 am. The mortal remains of Zantye will be kept at his Bicholim residence from 9.30 am to 11.30 am for people to pay their last respects.
Zantye was an MLA between 1980 and 1990 and held positions like minister for tourism, civil supplies, education among others. He was a Lok Sabha member between 1990 and 1995.
He was a founder of the Bicholim Urban Co-operative Bank. He also founded the Narayan Zantye College of Commerce and Hirabai Zantye Memorial Hall and donated land for a school for the special children.
Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari and Chief Minister Pramod Sawant expressed their condolences on the death of Zantye.
In his message, Koshyari said, “The sad news has been received of the death of Shri Harish Zantye Ji, former Education minister of Goa state and a senior leader who has been a Member of Parliament from North Goa. Harishji was the president of Bicholim Urban Bank for a long time. In his long political and social life, he established excellent standards of social service and was always popular among the people of Goa. On his death, I pay my respects and express my deepest condolences to his family.”
In his condolence message, Sawant described Zantye as a democratic and visionary leader. “The contributions made by late Zantye for the welfare of the people of the state as an MLA and MP will be remembered forever. Goa has lost a tall leader,” he said.
Speaker of Goa legislative assembly and Bicholim MLA Rajesh Patnekar said Zantye played a major role in the development of Bicholim and Mayem.