Goa

Pratapsingh Rane is the first chief minister (CM) of the Goa state and its longest-serving CM. As a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA), he holds a formidable record of winning 11 consecutive elections and never losing a single election in 50 years as an MLA, a record matched only by very few in post-Independence India. Maker of Modern Goa: The Untold Story of Pratapsingh Rane is a dynamic and engaging biography that reveals how he brought in stability and sane, reasoned governance to Goa’s volatile and unstable politics every time he became CM. In this lucid analysis of Rane’s life, Vijayadevi Rane draws a new portrait of Goa’s most successful CM. She highlights his contributions during his decade in power from 1980 to 1990—often called Goa’s Golden Age. He built all-weather roads, dams, bridges, schools, colleges and hospitals on a war footing. He established the Goa University, started Goa’s first public bus transport service, built the iconic Kala Academy and began the process of planned development in the state. Today’s Goa owes an enormous debt to Rane’s tireless efforts. Returning as the CM in the 1990s and early 2000s, he kept up with his development drive.