Hailing from Assolna, Dr Juliao Menezes returned to Goa in the 1920s from Germany, where he studied medicine and Indology and was influenced by rationalist thinking. In June 1946, Menezes invited Dr Ram Manohar Lohia, whom he knew from Berlin, to recuperate in Goa. This decision turned out to be the turning point for the freedom movement in Goa. He drew Dr Lohia’s attention to the oppression faced by Goans, leading to the iconic satyagraha offered by Dr Lohia on June 18, 1946.
Just a week prior, his residence was a hub for like-minded Goan nationalists who came to consult with Lohia, setting the tone for the June 18 event. Both were briefly detained by Panaji police on the day of the satyagraha but released. Menezes’ legacy endures at the ‘Aguad Interactive Museum: Goa - The Land, The Struggle, The People’ in Sinquerim, marking a pivotal moment in Goan history.
