Roque Santana Fernandes

Fernandes was awarded the "Tambra Patra" national award by then Prime Minister of India, Indira Gandhi. On January 2021, he was posthumously felicitated for his contributions towards Goa's freedom struggle along with 9 other freedom fighters at Ravindra Bhavan, Margao by water resources minister, Filipe Nery Rodrigues.

In July 2011, the panchayat unanimously accepted the proposal of the family members to construct the memorial park but without the bust. The construction costs were paid by the family and the land and maintenance were provided by the panchayat. The construction was planned to begin in September and completed by December.

In December 2010, a memorial children's park, which included a bust of Fernandes, was initially planned by the family to be set up in the Ambelim village which was later denied permission by the Ambelim gram sabha due to "conflicting views" among the members during the meeting.

A memorial foundation was founded in his name, and the first recipient of the prestigious crystal "Roque Santana-Father of Goan Democracy award" was presented posthumously to the former Leader of Opposition of Goa and prominent freedom fighter, Jack de Sequeira in 2009, for his contributions in Goa Opinion Poll.

On 12 January 2007, Fernandes suffered a sudden cardiac arrest at his estate in New York City, after an ice skating trip with his grandson in Manhattan. He was rushed immediately to Brookdale Hospital in Brooklyn, where he was later announced dead by the doctors.

On 15 Jan 2007, all 40 legislature of the Goa Legislative Assembly met at a session to observe a state mourning through a motion that was introduced on the floor of the house by then Cabinet Minister, Filipe Nery Rodrigues.

In December 2007, a rival group of the Haliyal hereditary workers visited Velliapura and cracked open the marble tabernacle and urns and took away everything. The group was identified as pilgrim groups which originally were affiliated to the four groups of Uttarkhand that were Gonds, Halakis, Havyak and Siddis and had no fear of law enforcement. This was brought to the notice of Emerita, who furiously ordered the group to leave the urns alone and take away the rest.

The liberation from the Portuguese was a "personal victory" to the father-son duo, Avelino and Fernandes. The latter was also welcomed home by his well wishers and family with waving palm leaves. In an interview with the Portuguese national TV in 1987, Fernandes also stated that he had forgiven the Portuguese colonial rulers and proclaimed his reconciliation with the people of Portugal. Post-liberation, Fernandes also worked against Goa's poor equality status, caste system, and corruption.

Fernandes next unsuccessfully contested in the 1977 Goa, Daman and Diu Legislative Assembly election from the Cuncolim Assembly constituency on the Indian National Congress (INC) ticket and lost to Janata Party candidate, Ferdino Rebello by a margin of 40 votes. He next contested in the 1989 Goa Legislative Assembly election from the Velim Assembly constituency as an Independent candidate and lost to INC candidate, Farrel Furtado by a margin of 8,859 votes.

Fernandes first contested in the 1967 Goa, Daman and Diu Legislative Assembly election from the Cuncolim Assembly constituency on the United Goans (Sequiera Group) (UGS) ticket and emerged victorious by defeating Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) candidate, K. M. Jaiwant by a margin of 2,054 votes. He then contested in the 1972 Goa, Daman and Diu Legislative Assembly election from the same constituency on the UGS ticket and emerged victorious by defeating MGP candidate, A. J. Guilman Fernandes by a margin of 2,204 votes.

Fernandes was an eminent satyagrahi. He was successful in introducing democracy for Goans by objecting then Lt. governor, Kunhiraman Palat Candeth's nomination of 29 members consultative council for the administration of Goa, Daman, and Diu territory, during his three days satyagraha by indefinite hunger strike in Margao. Fernandes coerced Prime Minister of India, Jawaharlal Nehru, to hold the first Goa, Daman and Diu Legislative Assembly elections, which came into existence on 9 December 1963 followed by the convening of the first Goa Legislative Assembly on 9 January 1964.

On 17 June 1962, Fernandes made a public announcement at Veliapura (present-day Velim) compound in presence of Gopala Handoo, representative of India Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and his father, Avelino, that he aims to provide democracy to his people.

After his recovery from the injury, Fernandes was sentenced to 18 years in solitary confinement at Aguada Central Jail. He was later released along with other freedom fighters on 19 December 1961, the day Goa liberated from Portuguese reign which was later called as Goa Liberation Day.

Around the 1950s, after serving his sentence, Fernandes and other freedom fighters of the Azad Gomantak Dal were headed in a vehicle to one of the Portuguese police outposts with loaded ammunition to initiate an attack for an attempt to free Salsette Island. The plan was however unsuccessful as the information was leaked to the police personnel by Pro-Portuguese Goans.

In 1950, Fernandes was arrested for underground pro-liberation activities while having lunch with his associates at Hotel Salcette in Margao. He was then taken to Portuguese military court and was incarcerated for 20 months in Aguada Central Jail.

The year 1949, marked Fernandes's first contribution to Goa's freedom struggle. It was during the Christmas holidays wherein Fernandes was held responsible for the conspiracy to sabotage the reception which was organized for the Portuguese Governor General, Fernando de Quintanilha e Mendonça Dias, at the Indo-Portuguese institute in Dhobitalao, Bombay.

Roque Santana Joao Fernandes (15 March 1927 – 12 January 2007) was an Indian politician and freedom fighter from Goa. He was a member of the Goa, Daman and Diu Legislative Assembly from 1967 to 1977, representing the Cuncolim Assembly constituency. He is popularly known as the "Father of Goan Democracy" and was responsible for the introduction of democracy by objecting to the Lt. Governor’s nomination through his satyagraha. He was one of the prominent people that contributed to Goa's freedom struggle.