Raghunath Anant Tople[a] (born Rogunata Ananta Tople; 2 August 1928 – unknown), also known as R.A. Tople, was an Indian politician, teacher, and playwright. He was a former member of the Goa, Daman and Diu Legislative Assembly representing the Mapusa Assembly constituency from 1963 to 1967. Tople was a member of the Janata Party.

Raghunath Tople
Member of Goa, Daman and Diu Legislative Assembly
In office
1963–1967
Preceded byOffice established
Succeeded byGopal Mayekar
ConstituencyMapusa
Majority4,511 (52%)
Personal details
Born
Rogunata Ananta Tople

(1928-08-02)2 August 1928
Reis Magos, Goa, Portuguese India, Portuguese Empire (now in India)
DiedUnknown
Political partyJanata Party (1979)
Other political
affiliations
Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (1963–1967)
Occupation
  • Politician
  • teacher
  • playwright
NicknameR.A. Tople

Tople was among the many Goan playwrights who made significant contributions to the realm of drama and one-act plays. Many of his works were brought to life on stage by esteemed educational and cultural organizations.[2] Tople, alongside Shantaram Dhond, played prominent roles as key figures within the Maharashtrawadi Aghadi centre located in Mapusa, Goa.[3]

Early and personal life edit

Tople was born on 2 August 1928 to Ananta Tople and Pritabai Tople in Reis Magos, Goa, Portuguese India during the Portuguese Empire (now in India) as Rogunata Ananta Tople.[4] He belonged to the Vaishya Hindu community. Tople completed his Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Psychology. He later completed his Bachelor of Education.[5]

Career edit

Tople first contested in the 1963 Goa, Daman and Diu Legislative Assembly election on the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party ticket and emerged victorious with a majority of 4,511 votes.[6]

In the initial session of the Second Goa Assembly, Dayanand Bandodkar, who served as the Chief Minister of Goa at the time, made the decision to remove Tople, along with Ganaba Dessai, A Kadkade, and Dattatraya Deshpande, from their positions in the organizational wing of the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party. This action took place on the first day of the assembly's session and marked their expulsion from the party.[3]

Despite winning his first election, Tople didn't show interest in the subsequent three elections. His return to the elections came when he contested in the 1980 Goa, Daman and Diu Legislative Assembly election from the same constituency on the Janata Party ticket. However, he lost to the Indian National Congress (U) candidate, Jairam Nevagi, by a margin of 5,783 votes.[6]

Further reading edit

Fernandes, Aureliano (1997). Cabinet Government in Goa, 1961-1993: A Chronicled Analysis of 30 Years of Government and Politics in Goa. Panjim: Maureen & Camvet Publishers. pp. 4–40. LCCN 97906421.

Notes edit

  1. ^ also spelt as Raghunath Ananta Tople[1].

References edit

  1. ^ "Nave Parva". Māhitī a va Paryaṭana Sañcālanālaya, Governmentā, Damaṇa āṇi Dīva Sarakāra. August 17, 1980 – via Google Books.
  2. ^ Sá, Mario Cabral e (2002). Redefining Horizons: Goa, Four Decades of Freedom. Department of Information and Publicity, Government of Goa.
  3. ^ a b Fernandes, Aureliano (1997). Cabinet Government in Goa, 1961-1993: A Chronicled Analysis of 30 Years of Government and Politics in Goa. Maureen & Camvet Publishers. Archived from the original on 2023-08-18. Retrieved 2023-08-18.
  4. ^ "Registo De Nascimento". Goa Online. 30 June 2006. Archived from the original on 10 August 2023. Retrieved 10 August 2023.
  5. ^ Census of India, 1981: Goa, Daman and Diu. Controller of Publications. 1983.
  6. ^ a b "Previous Assembly Elections Statistics". ceogoa.nic.in. Archived from the original on 2023-08-01. Retrieved 2023-08-17.