Urminda Mascarenhas

Urminda Mascarenhas e Lima Leitao (née Mascarenhas; 16 January 1926 – 20 February 2010) was an Indian politician, educator and businesswoman. She was a former member of the Goa, Daman and Diu Legislative Assembly, representing the Mormugao Assembly constituency from 1963 to 1967. Mascarenhas was the first woman MLA to be elected in the 1963 Goa, Daman and Diu Legislative Assembly election, also the first and only woman legislator from the Mormugao Assembly constituency. She was known for her diligent attitude and radical speeches in the state legislative assembly.

Career Teaching Mascarenhas was a principal at A.J De Almeida High School, Ponda from 1948 to 1952, before contesting in the Goa, Daman and Diu elections in 1963.

Politics (1963–1968) Mascarenhas, along with fellow politician Jack de Sequeira, was involved in a movement that led to the eventual victory of the Goa Opinion Poll.

Mascarenhas was a founding member of the United Goans Party (UGP) along with her husband, Marcelino. She contested in the 1963 Goa, Daman and Diu Legislative Assembly election from the Mormugao Assembly constituency on the UGP ticket and emerged victorious, serving for five years from 1963 to 1967. Some of her mentors in politics were C. Rajagopalachari, S. Nijalingappa, former chief minister of Mysore State and Rajmohan Gandhi. Mascarenhas later left politics to join her husband in business in 1968.

Personal life Mascarenhas completed her studies in Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Training (now Bachelor of Education) from Bombay University. She was married to Marcelino Da Lima Leitao and they had six children together. Marcelino died in August 1972.

Death On 20 February 2010, Mascarenhas died from a prolonged illness at Dr. Baban's Nursing Home at Vasco da Gama, Goa.