Viriato Fernandes

Captain Viriato Hipolito de Mendonça e Fernandes (born 4 February 1969) is an Indian politician, social activist, engineer, and former Indian Navy officer who serves as a Member of Parliament, representing South Goa  in the Lok Sabha. A member of the Indian National Congress (INC), during his early years as a navy officer he was part of the Operation Talwar during the Kargil War. Having served 26 years in the Indian Navy, post-retirement he switched to activism in the state of Goa before joining politics in 2021.

Early life and military career (1969–2017)
Viriato Hipolito de Mendonça e Fernandes was born on 4 February 1969 in Mapusa, Goa to Prudente Fernandes and Viviana de Mendonça Fernandes. He received his early education at St. Clara High School and Don Bosco High School Panjim. He then went on to earn a Bachelor of Engineering degree from Goa University in 1992. Later in his career, Fernandes pursued postgraduate studies, obtaining a postgraduate diploma in Business Administration in Operations in 2015 and another in Supply Chain Management in 2017 from an unspecified institution. He also holds a Certificate in Contract Management from the University of Southampton. After completing his undergraduate engineering degree, he joined the Indian Navy on 12 August 1991. He commenced his naval career at INS Mandovi in Verem, Goa. Subsequently, he was stationed at INS Shivaji in Lonavala, Maharashtra, where he specialized in marine engineering for a span of two years. Following this assignment, he was transferred to INS Ranjit, a Russian destroyer, and later assumed the role of senior engineer aboard INS Anjadip.

Fernandes developed a fascination with aviation over the course of his career. In the early 1990s, he pursued advanced aeronautical training in Cochin, India, with a focus on mastering the piloting of diverse aircraft types, including Chetak helicopters, Sea Harrier jets, and Dornier turboprop planes. After completing this specialized program, Fernandes was appointed as an air engineering officer at INS Hansa, a major Indian naval air station located in Goa. He served with the Indian Navy's INAS 310 squadron, which was colloquially known as "The Cobras". Tensions between India and Pakistan escalated in the late 1990s, leading to Fernandes being deployed to the Indo-Pakistani border region to conduct aerial reconnaissance missions during Pokhran-II. In this capacity, he and his fellow aviators monitored the movements and activities of Pakistani aircraft and military forces. Around this time, a Dornier aircraft unit was established at Cochin, designated the "Flying Fish". While stationed there, Fernandes welcomed the birth of his daughter, though the prevailing state of tensions meant he had to leave his young family behind to report for duty during a critical period in early June. The Kargil War that erupted between India and Pakistan involved coordinated operations by all three branches of the Indian armed forces. The Indian Army and Indian Air Force were directly engaged in combat against the infiltrating Pakistani forces, under the codenames Operation Vijay and Operation Safed Sagar, while the Indian Navy conducted supporting naval operations under the name Operation Talwar.

During the Kargil War of 1999 between India and Pakistan, the Indian Navy played a crucial role in establishing a maritime blockade along Pakistan's Arabian Sea coastline. The primary objective of this naval operation was to disrupt the logistical supply of crude oil and other resources from Arab countries to Pakistan, which was supporting Pakistani forces engaged in the conflict. The Indian Navy's air squadron, INAS 550, known as the "Flying Fish", coordinated its efforts with the Indian Air Force during the war. This naval unit's activities, combined with the broader maritime blockade, effectively choked off supplies to Pakistani troops, significantly contributing to their defeat in the Kargil War. For his service during this conflict, Fernandes, who was a member of INAS 550, received commendations from the Commander-in-Chief of the Western Naval Command in 2001 and 2008, as well as from the Commander-in-Chief of the Southern Naval Command in 2002. In acknowledgment of his contributions during the Kargil War, he was honored with the Operation Vijay Star and Operation Vijay Medal. In addition to his wartime service, Fernandes also experienced the catastrophic tsunami incident in December 2004 while stationed in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. He continued his naval aviation career until his early retirement in 2017.

Political career (2021–present)
Fernandes was initially involved with the non-governmental organization (NGO) known as Goencho Avaaz (GA). He was a founding member of the group, which was established in April 2018. He went on to serve as the state convener of the same organization. At some point in the fall of 2021, in November, Fernandes appears to have ended his involvement with Goencho Avaaz. Prior to his departure, he had intended to contest the 2022 Goa Legislative Assembly election as a candidate for the Goencho Avaaz Party. However, six days after he formally left the group, Goencho Avaaz was registered as a political party under the new name Goencho Swabhiman Party on 16 December of that year. On 10 December 2021, Fernandes joined the Indian National Congress (INC) political party. This occurred in the presence of Priyanka Gandhi, who was the general secretary of the All India Congress Committee at the time. Before becoming a member of the Indian National Congress (INC), he was reportedly engaged in organizing a visit by Gandhi to Goa.

In the lead-up to the 2022 Goa Legislative Assembly election, there was discussion surrounding Fernandes' political affiliations and candidacy. In November 2021, the president of the Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC), Girish Chodankar, raised questions about Fernandes potentially joining the Indian National Congress (INC) party. Prior to this, Fernandes had been involved with the Goencho Avaaz people's movement. His decision to then join the INC after departing from Goencho Avaaz prompted further scrutiny and reflection from other Goan politicians, including Dr. Jorson Fernandes of Cuncolim. These politicians expressed concerns that the transition of a people's movement leader to a major political party could be problematic, given that the party had incorporated elements that the movement had previously opposed. Ultimately, Fernandes contested the 2022 Goa Legislative Assembly election as an INC candidate in the Dabolim Assembly constituency. He was defeated by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate Mauvin Godinho, finishing as the runner-up with a margin of 1,570 votes.

Personal life
Fernandes is a resident of Chicalim, a census town located in the state of Goa. In the 2010s, he secured sponsorship from the Indian Navy to acquire a Black Belt certification in Six Sigma management. He gained prominence as a national-level badminton player, demonstrating active participation in cricket and football as well. However, his passion appeared to be for the natural environment of Goa, which he has described as a "beautiful paradise". In 2018, Fernandes and his family were planning to relocate to the United Arab Emirates. But after returning from a public event, he had a change of heart and decided to remain in Goa in order to serve and protect the land. Later that year, he became a founding member of the environmental advocacy group Goencho Avaaz. He enlisted the backing of all 38 non-governmental groups in Goa focused on protecting the state's environmental interests to establish the organization successfully.

Marriage and children
Fernandes and his partner, Anita Rosaline Rodrigues were wed on 8 December 1996 in Assonora, a village located in the state of Goa. At the time of their marriage, he was 27 years old, while Rodrigues was 26. The couple had completed their civil marriage registration six days prior in Bardez. Anita, who was originally from Basti in the state of Uttar Pradesh, was employed as a teacher and resided in Assonora. The wedding ceremony took place at St Clara's Church, also situated in Assonora. Anita was born and raised in a Catholic family, having been baptized at St. Joseph's Cathedral in Gorakhpur. Approximately two years after their marriage, in 1998, the couple had a daughter while living in Cochin, Kerala, around the time of India's Pokhran-II nuclear tests.