Rupesh Samant

Panaji, Feb 18: Former Union Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar’s son, Utpal on Tuesday termed it as 'proud moment,' over centre’s decision to rename Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (IDSA) after his late father.

“Naming of such a prestigious and important institute (IDSA) after a Goan is a proud moment for every one of us,” Utpal said, reacting to the announcement on Tuesday morning.

“Only avid followers of Indian defence will get a hint about the magnitude of accomplishment in defence field of this government headed by Prime Minister,” he said.

“I am happy that my father played a significant role in his short stint as Raksha Mantri,” Utpal added.

Earlier during the day, Goa chief minister Pramod Sawant had welcomed the centre's decision to rename the Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (IDSA), a government think tank, after late defence minister and Goa's son of soil Manohar Parrikar.

The central government has renamed the IDSA as Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses to 'honour the commitment and legacy' of the late defence minister.

"I welcome the decision of the Union Defence Ministry to rename 'The Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses' (IDSA) as 'Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses', honouring Manohar Bhai's tremendous contribution as Defence Minister of India," Sawant tweeted.

Parrikar, who was defence minister from November 9, 2014, to March 14, 2017, passed away on March 17 last year in Panaji, Goa due to pancreatic cancer.

IDSA is a non-partisan, autonomous body dedicated to objective research and policy-relevant studies on all aspects of defence and security.