Ex-Goa minister Suresh Amonkar loses COVID battle

NT NETWORK 

Margao

Former Goa cabinet minister Dr Suresh Amonkar passed away at the COVID hospital in Margao on Monday, succumbing to the COVID-19 infection. He was 68 and is survived by his wife and two daughters.

The former BJP president, Dr Amonkar is the eighth COVID fatality in the state. The former Pale legislator breathed his last around 8 pm.  

COVID hospital coordinator Dr Ira Almeida, speaking to this daily, confirmed the passing away of Dr Amonkar. She said COVID overpowered the former minister, as he had underlying health conditions. “We tried our best at the COVID hospital but could not succeed,” Dr Almeida said. Sources in the COVID hospital said Dr Amonkar was admitted 14 days back from a private hospital and he was suffering from a kidney ailment. He was also undergoing dialysis at the COVID hospital.

Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and leader of the opposition Digambar Kamat expressed grief over the death of the former health minister.

Dr Sawant in his message said, “Deeply saddened by the passing away of Dr Suresh Amonkar, former president of BJP Goa Pradesh and former cabinet minister of Goa government. His contribution to the state of Goa is immense and will never be forgotten. I express my heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family.”

Digambar Kamat said Dr Amonkar always lived with simplicity and served the people of his constituency and state of

Goa without any expectations and a single motto to give his best service to the people.

“I am shocked with the unfortunate demise of my close friend, former health minister Dr Suresh Amonkar. I shared a close bonding with him. He lived with sincerity and honesty in his personal, professional, political and social career,” the leader of the opposition said.

Dr Amonkar was elected to the Goa Legislative Assembly from Pale in the 1999 and 2002 elections as a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party. He was minister of Health, Social Welfare and Labour and Employment in Francisco Sardinha’s cabinet from 1999 to 2000 and then a minister of Health, Labour and Employment, and Factories and Boilers in the first Manohar Parrikar cabinet.