Portuguese India (India Portuguesa or Estado da India) was the name of
Portugal's colonial holdings in India. The territory comprised the enclaves of
Goa, Damao, Diu on the west coast, the territory of Dadra and Nagar Aveli and
the Anjediva Islands.
When India became independent, Portugal kept its
colony. In 1954 Indian revolutionaries gained control over Dadra and Nagar
Aveli and prevented Portuguese troops from travelling to the area. This led to
a case before the International Court of Justice.
A few years later prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru
ordered soldiers to invade Goa on 17 December 1961, "Operation
Vijay". The next day the Portuguese Governor-General Vassalo da Silva
stepped down and on 19 December 1961 the conquered cities were declared part of
the republic of India.
Portugal refused to recognize the Indian sovereignty
and Portuguese India kept its representatives in the Portuguese parliament
until the revolution in 1974. Until today people from former Portuguese India
have the right to Portuguese citizenship, when they were born there before
1961.
After the fall of the territory two sets of stamps
were issued. These were not available in the territory.
Capital: Nova Goa
Government: overeas territory of Portugal
Area: 3.814
km² (excl. Dadra and Nagar Aveli)
Population: 600.000 (1955)
Currency: 1 Rupia (16 Tangas), from 1959: 1 Escudo (100
Centavos)
Links
Portuguese India in Wikipedia: Wikipedia.
Flag of Portuguese India in Flags of the World.
Stamp catalogue
date: October
1949
designer: José de Almada Negreiros
printer: Lito Nacional, Porto
perforated: 14¼
1 2 ½ Tgs. globe,
letters, text "UniÃO POSTAL UNiVERSAL / 75º aniversario"
red
(cat. Michel 453/SG
579)
The World United Against Malaria
date: April
1962
designer: -
printer: Casa
da Moeda, Lisbon
perforated: 12¼
remark: this
stamp was issued after the occupation of the colony by India
2 2$50 malaria
mosquito (Anopheles fluviatilis), campaign emblem, text "O mundo unido
contro o
paludismo" and
"Fluviatilis"
multicoloured
(cat. Michel 590/SG -)
