Goa’s first woman chief minister, Shashikala Kakodkar, died at the age of 81 at her home in Altinho on Friday, PTI reported. State authorities announced a two-day mourning period and ordered the closure of government offices for the day. The last rites will be performed on Saturday.

The former chief minister’s son, Samir Kakodkar, said she succumbed to a prolonged illness. She was the daughter of the state’s first chief minister and Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party leader, Dayanand Bandodkar.

She assumed power as chief minister in 1973 after her father died during his tenure in office, and led the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party to victory in the 1977 elections. She was ousted from her post following a coup within the party.

Kakodkar also served as leader for the Bharatiya Bhasha Suraksha Manch, a forum that has been demanding that the government make Konkani and Marathi as the medium of instruction in elementary education.

Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar said, "We have lost the woman whose contribution in the development of the state was immense." BBSM convener Subhash Velingkar said the front had been "orphaned" after her demise.

Corrections and clarifications: The image for this article has been changed to remove one of Dr Mridula Sinha's that was erroneously used.