Edouard Goubert

Edouard Goubert Biography

Edouard Goubert was an Indian politician who served as the first chief minister of Pondicherry and he served the term between 1 July 1963 and 11 September 1964. Initially he was strongly a pro-French leader. But later he shifted towards the merging of Pondicherry with India union. He along with Lambert Saravane founded the French India Socialist Party in 1947.Chief Minister, city Mayor, freedom fighter or a leader who was a contemporary of K. Kamaraj, Edouard Goubert was a man of multiple tasks and a very influential leader from south India in the 1940s and 1950s.

Edouard Goubert was born in Pondicherry on 29 July 1894. His father was a Frenchman and his mother was Franco-Indian. He studied in French Indochina and France, and later started his career as an administrator in Pondicherry, then ruled by French. Initially he worked as a clerk at the Pondicherry Court. In 1951 he successfully conducted for the seat of French India in the French National Assembly and won by a huge margin. He represented Democratic and Socialist Union of the Resistance party.

When a referendum held in French India in 1949, all French possessions in India except Chandannagar voted to remain with France. Goubert also attempted to negotiate a special status for French India, but disapproved by both French and Indian governments. By 1954, he supported the annexation of Pondicherry by India Union. He also reached Pondicherry to offer his support for the agitation demanding the merger.

On 29 June 1954, his parliamentary immunity was abolished. Same year French also signed treaties transferring sovereignty of French possessions to India. After his ministry was dissolved he stayed in India, and became the first chief minister of Pondicherry after the declaration of the state as a union territory. He spent his last days in Asho, Bangalore and died on 14 August 1979.

Published: October 15, 2018

Updated: October 15, 2018