Jose Conceição Almeida (6 March 1930 – 28 November 2017), better known as J. C. Almeida, was an Indian Administrative Service ( IAS) officer and the Chief Secretary of

Goa, Daman, and Diu Goa, Daman and Diu (, ) was a union territory of the Republic of India established in 1961 following the liberation of Portuguese India, with Maj Gen K P Candeth as its first governor. The Goa portion of the territory was granted full statehoo ...

during the period when

Goa Goa (; ; ) is a state on the southwestern coast of India within the Konkan region, geographically separated from the Deccan highlands by the Western Ghats. It is bound by the Indian states of Maharashtra to the north, and Karnataka to the ...

was a

Union territory Among the states and union territories of India, a Union Territory (UT) is a region that is directly governed by the Government of India, central government of India, as opposed to the states, which have their own State governments of India, s ...

. After Goa achieved statehood in 1987, Almeida became the first Chairman of the Goa Public Service Commission, significantly contributing to Goa's socio-economic and administrative development.

Early life

Jose Conceição Almeida was born on 6 March 1930 in

Portuguese India The State of India, also known as the Portuguese State of India or Portuguese India, was a state of the Portuguese Empire founded seven years after the discovery of the sea route to the Indian subcontinent by Vasco da Gama, a subject of the ...

. He spent his formative years in Goa, where he received his Portuguese primary education at the Instituto Abade Faria in

Margão Margao (, ) is the commercial capital of the Indian States and union territories of India, state of Goa. It stands on the banks of the river Sal River (India), Sal. It is the district headquarters of South Goa district, South Goa, and administr ...

. He completed his secondary education at Liceu Nacional Afonso de Albuquerque in

Pangim Panaji (; , , )also known as Panjim, is the capital of the Indian state of Goa and the headquarters of North Goa district. Previously, it was the territorial capital of the former Portuguese India. It lies on the banks of the Mandovi river est ...

, Goa. In 1951, Almeida traveled to Lisbon, Portugal, to further his studies at the ''Instituto Superior de Ciências Económicas e Financeiras'' of the

Technical University of Lisbon The Technical University of Lisbon (UTL; , ) was a Portuguese public university. It was created in 1930 in Lisbon, as a confederation of preexisting schools, and comprised the faculties and institutes of veterinary medicine; agricultural scienc ...

, where he pursued a degree in Economics. He graduated in 1957, opening doors to careers in fields such as economics, finance, customs, diplomacy, and chartered accountancy.

Career

Work in Portugal and return to Portuguese Goa

After completing his studies, Almeida worked as a professor at a

technical school A vocational school (alternatively known as a trade school, or technical school), is a type of educational institution, which, depending on the country, may refer to either secondary or post-secondary education designed to provide vocationa ...

Tomar Tomar (), also known in English as Thomar (the ancient name of Tomar), is a Portugal, Portuguese city and a municipality in the historical Ribatejo Portuguese Provinces of Portugal, province, and in Santarém District, Santarém district. The to ...

, Portugal, and later as a Section Officer in the

Ministry of Finance A ministry of finance is a ministry or other government agency in charge of government finance, fiscal policy, and financial regulation. It is headed by a finance minister, an executive or cabinet position . A ministry of finance's portfoli ...

, Lisbon. In 1958, he was selected for the post of ''Chefe de Repartição de Estatístical (Head of Department of Statistics) in Goa and returned to the region to take up the role. He established the General Statistical Department in Estado da India Portuguesa (Portuguese India). During this period, Almeida also served as ''Administrador Gerente'' (Managing Director) of ''Caixa Económica de Goa'' and advisor to ''Emissora de Goa'' (Goa Radio Station). His work was widely recognized, with the Portuguese Governor General of Goa praising his contributions in the Boletim Official (now the Government Gazette).

Transition to Indian Administration

After the liberation of Goa on 19 December 1961, Almeida faced challenges transitioning to the Indian administration due to language barriers and differing administrative practices. Despite these challenges, he eventually adapted to the new system and played a key role in shaping Goa's governance.

As Chief Secretary and Public Service

He served as Secretary and Development Commissioner to the Government of Goa, Daman, and Diu, and later as Chief Secretary of

. He later became Managing Director of the Economic Development Corporation (EDC) and, after Goa attained statehood in 1987, the first Chairman of the Goa Public Service Commission (GPSC). His work in this role was instrumental in establishing a framework for recruitment and governance in the newly formed state. Almeida retired from public service on 6 March 1992, leaving a legacy of integrity, discipline, and dedication to public administration.

Literary work

Almeida was also an accomplished economist, having earned a PhD in economics from the University of Lisbon. He authored the book ''Goa: Administration and Economy Before and After 1962'', which is considered a reference work at Goa University and other academic institutions.

Death and Legacy

Almeida died on 28 November 2017 at

Miramar, Goa Miramar is the beach area of the Goan capital of Panjim, also known as Panaji and is one of the most visited beaches of Goa. It is one of the two only beaches in Panjim, other being Caranzalem beach. Many people, mostly tourists, come to this ...

, India. His life and career left a lasting impact on Goa's administration and its socio-economic development. His leadership during critical periods of Goa’s history and his academic contributions continue to be remembered.

Publications

* Almeida, Jose Conceição. ''Goa: Administration and Economy Before and After 1962''. Panaji, Goa: Civitas and Broadway Publishing House. ISBN 978-93-80837-58-1.