Freedom fighter Ilidio Costa passes away at 96, leaving behind a remarkable legacy of courage and service. The first paragraph highlights how freedom fighter Ilidio Costa passes away at 96 and how Goa remembers one of its committed veterans of the liberation movement.
Ilidio Francisco Do Carmo Costa died peacefully at a hospital in Miramar. His family carried out the cremation at St Inez Crematorium and later held a prayer service at his Caranzalem residence with members of his SGI Buddhist community.
Ilidio’s early life reflected strong patriotic values. He joined the Azad Gomantak Dal and the Goa Liberation Army when he was very young. He took part in underground operations with full commitment. Police later arrested him, and he endured harsh treatment during more than three years in Aguada jail. After his release, the government honoured him and colleague Ernesto Costa Frias with the Tamarapatra.
In 1959, Ilidio married Alda Costa, also from a family of freedom fighters. The couple lived in Bombay, Zanzibar and later Brazil, where Ilidio worked in the shipping sector. After a long stint in Tokyo, he returned to Goa in the 1980s.
The Government of Goa recognised his bravery again in 2023 with a Certificate of Honour. Until his final days, Ilidio remained an avid reader and an active spirit.
