Portuguese India

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: overseas 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.

Flag of Portuguese India in Flags of the World.

Stamp catalogue

UPU 75th anniversary

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/Yvert 420)

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 -/Yvert 564)

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last revised: 6 October 2008