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119-674: The Velhas Conquistas or "Old Conquests" are a grouping of the areas in Goa which were incorporated into Portuguese India in the early half of the sixteenth century AD. Goa, Daman and Diu comprised the last remaining Portuguese possessions in India. Macao and Timor Leste were administratively separated. Over the course of nearly five centuries of European rule since the Portuguese conquest of Goa , these areas underwent urbanisation and they were elevated to concelhos (municipalities), with
238-506: A privateer . They set up a permanent settlement in Velha Goa (Old Goa). This was the beginning of Portuguese colonial rule in Goa that would last for four and a half centuries, until its annexation by India in 1961 . The Goa Inquisition , a formal tribunal, was established in 1560, and was finally abolished in 1812. From the latter decades of the eighteenth century, the territory of Goa
357-539: A 2021 report, over 50% of the permanent resident population is of non-Goan origin, outnumbering the native ethnic Goan population. Languages in Goa (2011) Annexation of Goa The Annexation of Goa was the process in which the Republic of India annexed the Portuguese State of India , the then Portuguese Indian territories of Goa, Daman and Diu , starting with the armed action carried out by
476-779: A boom in mining—principally iron ore and some manganese . During this period, Portugal was governed by the Estado Novo regime. This government was a dictatorship and a strong proponent of colonialism . The Estado Novo viewed Portugal's overseas territories as extensions of Portugal itself. Under the Estado Novo , Portugal tried to perpetuate a vast, centuries-old empire with a total area of 2,168,071 square kilometres (837,097 sq mi), while other former colonial powers had, by this time, largely acceded to global calls for self-determination and independence of their overseas colonies. Resistance to Portuguese rule in Goa in
595-755: A clear majority, forming the new government with Manohar Parrikar as the Chief Minister. Other parties include the United Goans Democratic Party , the Nationalist Congress Party . In the 2017 assembly elections , the Indian National Congress gained the most seats, with the BJP coming in second. However, no party was able to gain a majority in the 40 member house. The BJP was invited to form
714-510: A consignment of half a dozen bags of sausages as food supplies instead of the intended grenades. In addition it transported a contingent of female paratroopers to assist in the evacuation of Portuguese civilians. The Portuguese air presence in Goa at the time of hostilities was thus limited to the presence of two civilian transport aircraft, the Lockheed Constellation belonging to TAP and a Douglas DC-4 Skymaster belonging to
833-513: A conventional attack from the overwhelmingly stronger Indian Armed Forces. The Portuguese government hoped however to politically deter the Indian government from attempting a military aggression through the showing of a strong will to fight and to sacrifice to defend Goa. In 1960, during an inspection visit to Portuguese India and referring to a predictable start of guerrilla activities in Angola ,
952-591: A decline in the importance of this sector and also a fall in the catch, due perhaps, to traditional fishing giving way to large-scale mechanised trawling. Medium-scale industries include the manufacturing of pesticides, fertilizers, tires, tubes, footwear, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, wheat products, steel rolling, fruits and fish canning, cashew nuts, textiles, brewery products. Currently, there are 16 planned SEZs in Goa. The Goa government has recently decided to not allow any more Special Economic Zones (SEZs) in Goa after strong opposition to them by political parties and
1071-650: A general uprising of the population. A Portuguese army officer stationed with the army in Goa, Captain Carlos Azaredo, stated in 2001 in the Portuguese newspaper Expresso : "To the contrary to what is being said, the most evolved guerrilla warfare which our Armed Forces encountered was in Goa. I know what I'm talking about, because I also fought in Angola and in Guinea ( Portuguese Guinea ). In 1961 alone, until December, around 80 policemen died. The major part of
1190-545: A ground anti-aircraft gun. The aircraft took evasive action by drastically dropping altitude and escaping out to sea. The anti-aircraft gun was later recovered near the ATC building with a round jammed in its breech. The Indian light aircraft carrier INS Vikrant was deployed 75 miles (121 km) from the coast of Goa to head off a possible amphibious operation on Goa and deter any foreign military intervention. On 11 December 1961, 17th Infantry Division and attached troops of
1309-475: A majority of its inhabitants, is Konkani . Goa is visited by large numbers of international and domestic tourists each year because of its white-sand beaches, active nightlife, places of worship, and World Heritage-listed architecture . It also has rich flora and fauna because it lies very close to the North Western Ghats rainforests , one of the rare biodiversity hotspots of the world. After
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#17327753942441428-436: A military landing party intent on storming the island. The incidents lent themselves to fostering widespread public support in India for military action in Goa. Eventually, on 10 December, nine days prior to the armed action, code named Operation Vijay, Nehru stated to the press: "Continuance of Goa under Portuguese rule is an impossibility". The American response was to warn India that if and when India's armed action in Goa
1547-410: A retreat, making their way through the Indian forces, with their armoured cars firing ahead to cover the withdrawal of the personnel carrier vehicles. This unit relocated by ferry further south to the capital city of Panaji. At 13:30, just after the retreat of the 2nd EREC, the Portuguese destroyed the bridge at Banastarim, cutting off all road links to Panaji. By 17:45, the forces of the 1st EREC and
1666-470: A single centrally administered union territory of India. On 16 January 1967 a referendum was held in Goa, to decide the future of the Union Territory of Goa, Daman and Diu . It was the only referendum to have been held in independent India. The referendum offered the people of Goa a choice between continuing as a union territory or merging with the state of Maharashtra and the majority chose
1785-448: A total of 3,995 men, including 810 native (Indo-Portuguese) soldiers, many of whom had little military training and were utilised primarily for security and anti-extremist operations. These forces were divided amongst the three Portuguese enclaves in India. The Portuguese Army units in Goa included four motorised reconnaissance squadrons, eight rifle companies ( caçadores ), two artillery batteries and an engineer detachment. In addition to
1904-536: A uniform code based on the Napoleonic code was retained in Goa as well as the union territory of Damaon, Diu & Silvassa . Goa has a unicameral legislature , the Goa Legislative Assembly , of 40 members, headed by a speaker. The chief minister heads the executive, which is made up of the party or coalition elected with a majority in the legislature. The governor, the head of the state,
2023-430: Is Goa's primary industry: it gets 12% of foreign tourist arrivals in India. Goa has two main tourist seasons: winter and summer. In winter, tourists from abroad (mainly Europe) come, and summer (which, in Goa, is the rainy season) sees tourists from across India. Goa's net state domestic product (NSDP) was around US$ 7.24 billion in 2015–16. The land away from the coast is rich in minerals and ores, and mining forms
2142-459: Is a substantial area under private forests and a large tract under cashew, mango, coconut, etc. plantations, the total forest and tree cover constitutes 56.6% of the geographic area. Goa's state domestic product for 2017 is estimated at $ 11 billion at current prices. Goa is India's richest state with the highest GDP per capita—two and a half times that of the country—with one of its fastest growth rates: 8.23% (yearly average 1990–2000). Tourism
2261-462: Is also one of the few states in India to achieve 100 per cent rural electrification. A native of Goa is called a Goan . Goa has a population of 1.459 million residents as of 2011, making it the fourth least populated state of India after Sikkim , Mizoram , and Arunachal Pradesh . Population density of Goa is 394 per km which is higher than national average 382 per km . Goa is the state with highest proportion of urban population with 62.17% of
2380-517: Is appointed by the president of India . After having stable governance for nearly thirty years up to 1990, Goa is now notorious for its political instability having seen fourteen governments in the span of the fifteen years between 1990 and 2005. In March 2005, the assembly was dissolved by the Governor and President's Rule was declared, which suspended the legislature. A by-election in June 2005 saw
2499-567: Is bound by the Indian states of Maharashtra to the north, and Karnataka to the east and south, with the Arabian Sea in the west. It is India's smallest state by area and fourth-smallest by population . Goa has the highest GDP per capita among all Indian states, two and a half times as high as the GDP per capita of the country as a whole. The Eleventh Finance Commission of India named Goa
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#17327753942442618-599: Is received during the monsoon season. The state is divided into two civil districts — North Goa and South Goa . Each district is administered by a District Collector , appointed by the Government of India . Panaji (Panjim) is the headquarters of North Goa district and is also the capital of Goa. North Goa is further divided into three subdivisions—Panaji, Mapusa , and Bicholim ; and five talukas (subdistricts)— Tiswadi (Panaji), Bardez ( Mapusa ), Pernem , Bicholim , and Sattari ( Valpoi ). Margao (Madgaon)
2737-590: Is taken to mean the westernmost and central portions of Goa. The Old Conquests are also the most socio-economically developed areas of Goa. Goa Goa ( / ˈ ɡ oʊ ə / ; Konkani: [ɡõːj] ; Portuguese: [ˈɡoɐ] ) is a state on the southwestern coast of India within the Konkan region, geographically separated from the Deccan highlands by the Western Ghats . It
2856-539: Is the headquarters of the South Goa district. It is also the cultural and commercial capital of Goa. South Goa is further divided into five subdivisions— Ponda , Mormugao - Vasco , Margao, Quepem , and Dharbandora ; and seven talukas — Ponda , Mormugao , Salcete ( Margao ), Quepem , and Canacona ( Chaudi ), Sanguem , and Dharbandora . Goa's major cities are— Panaji , Margao , Vasco - Mormugao , Mapusa , Ponda , Bicholim , and Valpoi . Panaji (Panjim) has
2975-631: The Bahmani - Bijapuri city of Goa was captured by Afonso de Albuquerque in 1510, and made the capital of the Estado da Índia , the city gave its name to the contiguous territories. The origin of the city name "Goa" is unclear. In ancient literature , Goa was known by many names, such as Gomanchala , Gopakapattana , Gopakapattam , Gopakapuri , Govapuri , Govem , and Gomantak . Other historical names for Goa are Sindapur , Sandabur , and Mahassapatam . Rock art engravings found in Goa are one of
3094-501: The Bondla Wildlife Sanctuary , Molem Wildlife Sanctuary , Cotigao Wildlife Sanctuary , Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary , Netravali Wildlife Sanctuary , and Mahaveer Wildlife Sanctuary . Goa has more than 33% of its geographic area under government forests (1,224.38 km or 472.74 sq mi) of which about 62% has been brought under Protected Areas (PA) of Wildlife Sanctuaries and National Park. Since there
3213-606: The Cidade da Nova Goa (City of New Goa), today known as Panaji (Panjim), from Velha Goa ( Old Goa ). By the mid-18th century, Portuguese expansions lost other possessions in India until their borders stabilised and formed the Goa, Daman and Diu , which included Silvassa prior to the Annexation, it was known as Estado da Índia in Portuguese , that is the "State of Portuguese India". Some wealthy Goan zamindars such as Baron Dempo and Viscount Deshprabhu were included in
3332-408: The Indian 7th Cavalry . At 09:00, these Portuguese troops reported that Indian troops had already covered half the distance to the town of Ponda. By 10:00, Portuguese forces of the 1st EREC, faced with the advancing 2nd Sikh Light Infantry, began a south-bound withdrawal to the town of Mapuca where, by 12:00, they came under the risk of being surrounded by Indian forces. At 12:30, the 1st EREC began
3451-635: The Indian Armed Forces in December 1961. In India, this action is referred to as the " Liberation of Goa ". In Portugal , it is referred to as the " Invasion of Goa ". Jawaharlal Nehru had hoped that the popular movement in Goa and the pressure of world public opinion would force the Portuguese Goan authorities to grant it independence, but without success; consequently, Krishna Menon suggested taking Goa by force. The operation
3570-410: The Konkan division under Maharashtra's supremacy; also with Belgaum and North Canara districts of Carnataca . The three concelhos of the territory are Bardes , Ilhas de Goa ( Tiswadi ) and Salcette (present-day Salcette and Mormugao talukas ). When writing postal addresses, Velhas Conquistas is abbreviated to "VC". In layman's terms and contemporary contexts Velhas Conquistas
3689-862: The Mandovi river . The seat of the Goa Legislative Assembly is in Porvorim , across the Mandovi from Panaji. The state's highest judiciary is the Goa Bench of the Bombay High Court , a branch of the Bombay High Court permanently seated at Panjim. Unlike other states, which follow the model of personal laws framed for individual religions introduced in the days of British Raj , the Portuguese Civil Code of Goa and Damaon ,
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3808-534: The Pinto Revolt led by a Goan noble family who revolted against the Portuguese due to racial discrimination in administration and clergy. They were betrayed by a member of the revolt. The Portuguese government executed some of the family members, while others, such as Abbe Faria , went on to join the French Revolution . This remains legend in Goa today. In 1843, the Portuguese moved the capital to
3927-516: The Portuguese nobility . After India gained independence from British rule in 1947, India requested that Portuguese territories on the Indian subcontinent be ceded to India. Portugal refused to negotiate on the sovereignty of its Indian enclaves. On 19 December 1961, the Indian Army invaded with Operation Vijay resulting in the annexation of Goa , and of Daman and Diu islands into the Indian union. Goa, Daman and Diu , were organised as
4046-685: The Rajput Regiment and the 5th battalion of the Madras Regiment . Meanwhile, the Commander-in-Chief of India's Western Air Command , Air Vice Marshal Erlic Pinto , was appointed as the commander of all air resources assigned to the operations in Goa. Air resources for the assault on Goa were concentrated in the bases at Pune and Sambra ( Belgaum ). The mandate handed to Pinto by the Indian Air Command
4165-576: The State of India . Goa, Daman and Diu covered an area of around 1,540 square miles (4,000 km ) and held a population of 637,591. The Goan diaspora was estimated at 175,000 (about 100,000 within the Indian Union, mainly in Bombay). Religious distribution was 61% Hindu, 37% Christian (mostly Catholic) and 2% Muslim. The economy was primarily based on agriculture, although the 1940s and 1950s saw
4284-575: The 20th century was pioneered by Tristão de Bragança Cunha , a French-educated Goan engineer who founded the Goa Congress Committee in Portuguese India in 1928. Cunha released a booklet called 'Four hundred years of Foreign Rule', and a pamphlet, 'Denationalisation of Goa', intended to sensitise Goans to the oppression of Portuguese rule. Messages of solidarity were received by the Goa Congress Committee from leading figures in
4403-771: The 2nd century AD), Western Kshatrapas (around 150 AD), the Abhiras of Western Maharashtra, Bhojas of Goa , and the Konkan Mauryas as feudatories of the Kalachuris . The rule later passed to the Chalukyas of Badami , who controlled it between 578 and 753, and later the Rashtrakutas of Malkhed from 753 to 963. From 765 to 1015, the Southern Silharas of Konkan ruled Goa as the feudatories of
4522-543: The 50th Para Brigade was charged with merely assisting the main thrust conducted by the 17th Infantry, its units moved rapidly across minefields, roadblocks and four riverine obstacles to be the first to reach Panaji. Hostilities at Goa began at 09:45 on 17 December 1961, when a unit of Indian troops attacked and occupied the town of Maulinguém in the north east, killing two Portuguese soldiers. The Portuguese 2nd EREC ( esquadrão de reconhecimento — reconnaissance squadron), stationed near Maulinguém, asked for permission to engage
4641-628: The 9th Caçadores Company of the Portuguese Battlegroup North had completed their ferry crossing of the Mandovi River to Panaji, just minutes ahead of the arrival of the Indian armoured forces. The Indian tanks had reached Betim, just across the Mandovi River from Panaji, without encountering any opposition. The 2nd Sikh Light Infantry joined it by 21:00, crossing over mines and demolished bridges en route. In
4760-747: The Azad Gomantak Dal (Free Goa Party) and the United Front of Goans (UFG) conducted violent attacks aimed at weakening Portuguese rule in Goa. The Indian government supported the establishment of armed groups like the Azad Gomantak Dal, giving them full financial, logistic and armament support. The armed groups acted from bases situated in Indian territory and under cover of Indian police forces. The Indian government—through these armed groups—attempted to destroy economic targets, telegraph and telephone lines, road, water and rail transport, in order to impede economic activity and create conditions for
4879-736: The Chalukyas and the Rashtrakutas. Over the next few centuries, Goa was successively ruled by the Kadambas as the feudatories of the Chalukyas of Kalyani . They patronised Jainism in Goa . In 1312, Goa came under the governance of the Delhi Sultanate . The kingdom's grip on the region was weak, and by 1370 it was forced to surrender it to Harihara I of the Vijayanagara Empire . The Vijayanagara monarchs held on to
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4998-535: The Cumbarjua canal, forming a major estuarine complex. These rivers are fed by the Southwest monsoon rain and their basin covers 69% of the state's geographical area. These rivers are some of the busiest in India. Goa has more than 40 estuarine, eight marine, and about 90 riverine islands. The total navigable length of Goa's rivers is 253 km (157 mi). Goa has more than 300 ancient water tanks built during
5117-501: The Goa Catholic Church. Goa is also notable for its low-priced beer, wine, and spirits prices due to its very low excise duty on alcohol. Another main source of cash inflow to the state is remittance, from many of its citizens who work abroad, to their families. It is said to have some of the largest bank savings in the country. In 1976 Goa became the first state in India to legalise some types of gambling. This enabled
5236-518: The Goan airline Portuguese India Airlines . The Indians claimed that the Portuguese had a squadron of F-86 Sabres stationed at Dabolim Airport —which later turned out to be false intelligence. Air defence was limited to a few obsolete anti-aircraft guns manned by two artillery units who had been smuggled into Goa disguised as football teams. The military buildup created panic amongst Europeans in Goa, who were desperate to evacuate their families before
5355-661: The Government by Governor Mridula Sinha . The Congress claimed the use of money power on the part of the BJP and took the case to the Supreme Court. However, the Manohar Parikkar led Government was able to prove its majority in the Supreme Court mandated "floor test". == Flora and fauna == Equatorial forest cover in Goa stands at 1,500 km (579 sq mi), most of which is owned by
5474-546: The INS Beas , undertook linear patrolling of the Goa coast at a distance of 8 miles (13 km). By 8 December, the Indian Air Force had commenced baiting missions and fly-bys to lure out Portuguese air defences and fighters. On 17 December, a tactical reconnaissance flight conducted by Squadron Leader I. S. Loughran in a Vampire NF54 Night Fighter over Dabolim Airport in Goa was met with five rounds fired from
5593-489: The Indian Army were ordered to advance into Goa to capture Panaji and Mormugão. The main thrust on Panaji was to be made by the 50th Para Brigade Group , led by Brigadier Sagat Singh from the north. Another thrust was to be carried out by 63rd Indian Infantry Brigade from the east. A deceptive thrust , in company strength, was to be made from the south along the Majali-Canacona-Margao axis. Although
5712-646: The Indian National Congress and Cunha was selected as its first President. In June 1946, Ram Manohar Lohia, an Indian Socialist leader, entered Goa on a visit to his friend, Juliao Menezes , a nationalist leader, who had founded the Gomantak Praja Mandal in Bombay and edited the weekly newspaper Gomantak . Cunha and other leaders were also with him. Ram Manohar Lohia advocated the use of non-violent Gandhian techniques to oppose
5831-696: The Indian National Congress coming back to power after winning three of the five seats that went to polls. The Congress Party and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) are the two largest parties in the state. In the assembly poll of 2007, the INC-led coalition won and formed the government. In the 2012 Vidhan Sabha Elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party along with the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party won
5950-463: The Indian government its influence in Latin America to bring pressure on the Portuguese to relieve tensions. Meanwhile, Krishna Menon , India's defence minister and head of India's UN delegation, stated in no uncertain terms that India had not "abjured the use of force" in Goa. The US ambassador to India, John Kenneth Galbraith , requested the Indian government on several occasions to resolve
6069-599: The Indian government, Lieutenant-General Chaudhari of the Indian Army 's Southern Command fielded the 17th Infantry Division commanded by Major General K. P. Candeth and the 50th Parachute Brigade commanded by Brigadier Sagat Singh . The assault on the enclave of Daman was assigned to the 1st battalion of the Maratha Light Infantry while the operations in Diu were assigned to the 20th battalion of
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#17327753942446188-403: The Indian independence movement including Rajendra Prasad , Jawaharlal Nehru and Subhas Chandra Bose . On 12 October 1938, Cunha with other members of the Goa Congress Committee met Subhas Chandra Bose, the President of the Indian National Congress , and on his advice, opened a Branch Office of the Goa Congress Committee at 21, Dalal Street, Bombay . The Goa Congress was also made affiliate to
6307-526: The Indian police forces on 11 August 1954. Portugal appealed to the International Court of Justice , which, in a decision dated 12 April 1960, stated that Portugal had sovereign rights over the territories of Dadra and Nagar Haveli but India had the right to deny passage to armed personnel of Portugal over Indian territories. Therefore, the Portuguese authorities could not legally pass through Indian territory. On receiving Krishna Menon's order to initiate military action and capture of all occupied territories for
6426-424: The Indians, but permission was refused at about 13:45. During the afternoon of the 17th, the Portuguese command issued instructions that all orders to defending troops would be issued directly by headquarters, bypassing the local command outposts. This led to confusion in the chain of command. At 02:00 on 18 December, the 2nd EREC was sent to the town of Doromagogo to support the withdrawal of police forces present in
6545-399: The People), the lower house of the national Parliament of India . It is also has one member of parliament in the Rajya Sabha (Council of the States), the upper house of the Indian parliament. Goa's administrative capital is based in Panaji , often referred as Panjim in English, Pangim in Portuguese and Ponjê in Konkani , the official language of the state. It lies on the left bank of
6664-409: The Portuguese authorities markedly strengthened the garrison of Portuguese India, with units and personnel sent from the Metropole and from the Portuguese African provinces of Angola and Mozambique . The Portuguese forces were organised as the Armed Forces of the State of India (FAEI, Forças Armadas do Estado da Índia ), under a unified command headed by General Paulo Bénard Guedes , who combined
6783-432: The Portuguese forces in India suffering a sharp reduction to about 3,300 soldiers. Faced with this reduced force strength, the strategy employed to defend Goa against an Indian invasion was based on the Plano Sentinela (Sentinel Plan), which divided the territory into four defence sectors (North, Center, South and Mormugão), and the Plano de Barragens (Barrage Plan), which envisaged the demolition of all bridges to delay
6902-477: The Portuguese government gave provisional military status to the PEI and the Fiscal Guard, placing them under the command of the FAEI. The security forces were also divided amongst the three districts and were mostly made up of Indo-Portuguese policemen and guards. Different sources indicate between 900 and 1400 men as the total effective strength of these forces at the time of the invasion. The Portuguese Air Force did not have any presence in Portuguese India, with
7021-434: The Portuguese military presence there from almost nothing to 12,000 men. Other sources state that, at the end of 1955, Portuguese forces in India represented a total of around 8,000 men (Europeans, Africans and Indians), including 7,000 in the land forces, 250 in the naval forces, 600 in the police and 250 in the Fiscal Guard, split between the districts of Goa, Daman and Diu. Following the annexation of Dadra and Nagar Haveli,
7140-430: The Under Secretary of State of the Army, Francisco da Costa Gomes , stated the necessity to reinforce the Portuguese military presence in that African territory, partly at the expense of the military presence in Goa, where the then existing 7,500 men were too many just to deal with anti-Portuguese actions, and too few to face an Indian invasion, which, if it were to occur, would have to be handled by other means. This led to
7259-430: The United Front of Goans, the National Movement Liberation Organisation, the Communist Party of India , the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and the Azad Gomantak Dal, with the support of Indian Police forces, began to launch assaults against Dadra and Nagar Haveli. On the night of 22 July, UFG forces stormed the small Dadra police station, killing Police Sergeant Aniceto do Rosário and Constable António Fernandes, who resisted
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#17327753942447378-426: The Western Ghats range of mountains, which separate it from the Deccan Plateau . The highest point is the Sonsogor Peak, with an altitude of 1,026 m (3,366 ft). Goa has a coastline of 160 km (99 mi). Goa's seven major rivers are the Mandovi , Zuari , Terekhol , Chapora , Galgibag, Cumbarjua canal, Talpona, and the Sal . The Zuari and the Mandovi are the most important rivers, interspaced by
7497-439: The aboriginal locals, forming the base of early Goan culture. In the 3rd century BC, Goa was part of the Maurya Empire , ruled by the Buddhist emperor, Ashoka of Magadha . Buddhist monks laid the foundation of Buddhism in Goa. Between the 2nd century BC and the 6th century AD, Goa was ruled by the Bhojas of Goa . Chutus of Karwar also ruled some parts as feudatories of the Satavahanas of Kolhapur (2nd century BC to
7616-436: The absence of orders, the unit stayed at Betim for the night. At 20:00, a Goan by the name of Gregório Magno Antão crossed the Mandovi River from Panaji and delivered a ceasefire offer letter from Major Acácio Tenreiro of the Portuguese Army to Major Shivdev Singh Sidhu, the commanding officer of the Indian 7th Cavalry camped there. The letter read: "The Military Commander of the City of Goa states that he wishes to parley with
7735-472: The action was seen as a liberation of historically Indian territory, while Portugal viewed it as an aggression against its national soil and citizens. Justifying the successful military action, Nehru remarked that the "Portuguese ultimately left no choice open to us." Following the end of Portuguese rule in 1961, Goa was placed under military administration headed by Major General Kunhiraman Palat Candeth as lieutenant governor . On 8 June 1962, military rule
7854-461: The administrative centre at Velha Goa . Having been acquired by 1510 AD or within the next few decades, they formed the oldest parts and the core of Portuguese Goa and remain the central theme in the history, geography, and culture of present-day Goa. The Novas Conquistas or New Conquests are the outer periphery of Goa, surrounding Velha Conquistas and bordering the erstwhile British India . Novas Conquistas of present-day Goa shares borders with
7973-426: The area, and were attacked by Indian Army units on their return journey. At 04:00, the Indian assault commenced with artillery bombardment on Portuguese positions south of Maulinguém, launched on the basis of the false intelligence that the Portuguese had stationed heavy battle tanks in the area. By 04:30, Bicholim was under fire. At 04:40, the Portuguese forces destroyed the bridge at Bicholim and followed this with
8092-424: The attack. On 28 July, RSS forces took Naroli police station. Meanwhile, the Portuguese authorities asked the Indian Government for permission to cross the Indian territory with reinforcements to Dadra and Nagar Haveli, but no permission was given. Surrounded and prevented from receiving reinforcements by the Indian authorities, the Portuguese Administrator and police forces in Nagar Haveli eventually surrendered to
8211-419: The best-placed state because of its infrastructure, and India's National Commission on Population rated it as having the best quality of life in India (based on the commission's "12 Indicators"). It is the second-highest ranking among Indian states in the human development index . Panaji is the state's capital, while Vasco da Gama is its largest city. The historic city of Margão in Goa still exhibits
8330-410: The civil role of Governor-General with the military role of Commander-in-Chief. Guedes ended his commission in 1958, with General Vassalo e Silva being appointed to replace him in both the civil and military roles. The Portuguese government and military commands were, however, well aware that even with this effort to strengthen the garrison of Goa, the Portuguese forces would never be sufficient to face
8449-435: The commander of the army of the Indian Union with respect to the surrender. Under these conditions, the Portuguese troops must immediately cease fire and the Indian troops do likewise in order to prevent the slaughter of the population and the destruction of the city." The same night Major Shivdev Singh Sidhu with a force of the 7th Cavalry decided to take Fort Aguada and obtain its surrender, after receiving information that
8568-464: The commencement of hostilities. On 9 December, the vessel India arrived at Goa's Mormugão port en route to Lisbon from Timor . Despite orders from the Portuguese government in Lisbon not to allow anyone to embark on this vessel, Governor General Manuel Vassalo e Silva allowed 700 Portuguese civilians of European origin to board the ship and flee Goa. The ship had capacity for only 380 passengers, and
8687-477: The cultural influence of the Portuguese , who first voyaged to the subcontinent in the early 16th century as merchants, and conquered it soon thereafter, whereupon Goa became an overseas territory of the Portuguese Empire , part of what was then known as Portuguese India , and remained as such for about 456 years until it was annexed by India in 1961. Goa's official language, which is spoken by
8806-406: The day after the Indian invasion. Portuguese military preparations began in 1954, following the Indian economic blockade, the beginning of the anti-Portuguese attacks in Goa and the annexation of Dadra and Nagar Haveli. Three light infantry battalions (one each sent from Portugal, Angola and Mozambique) and support units were transported to Goa, reinforcing a locally raised battalion and increasing
8925-417: The deaths of between 21 and 30 people. The news of the incident built public opinion in India against the presence of the Portuguese in Goa. On 1 September 1955, India shut its consul office in Goa. In 1956, the Portuguese ambassador to France, Marcello Mathias, along with Portuguese Prime Minister António de Oliveira Salazar , argued in favour of a referendum in Goa to determine its future. This proposal
9044-524: The destruction of the bridges at Chapora in Colvale and at Assonora at 05:00. On the morning of 18 December, the 50th Para Brigade of the Indian Army moved into Goa in three columns. At 05:30, Portuguese troops left their barracks at Ponda in central Goa and marched towards the town of Usgão, in the direction of the advancing eastern column of the Indian 2nd Para Maratha, which was under the command of Major Dalip Singh Jind and included M4 Sherman tanks of
9163-613: The earliest known traces of human life in India. Goa, situated within the Shimoga-Goa Greenstone Belt in the Western Ghats (an area composed of metavolcanics , iron formations and ferruginous quartzite), yields evidence for Acheulean occupation. Rock art engravings (petroglyphs) are present on laterite platforms and granite boulders in Usgalimal near the west flowing Kushavati river and in Kajur. In Kajur,
9282-536: The exception of a single officer with the role of air adviser in the office of the Commander-in-Chief. On 16 December, the Portuguese Air Force was placed on alert to transport ten tonnes of anti-tank grenades in two Douglas DC-6 aircraft from Montijo Air Base in Portugal to Goa to assist in its defence. When the Portuguese Air Force was unable to obtain stopover facilities at any air base along
9401-413: The exclaves and the coastal territory of Daman had to be made by crossing about 20 kilometres (12 mi) of Indian territory. Dadra and Nagar Haveli did not have any Portuguese military garrison, but only police forces. The Indian government started to develop isolation actions against Dadra and Nagar Haveli already in 1952, including the creation of impediments to the transit of persons and goods between
9520-425: The former. On 30 May 1987, the union territory was split, and Goa was made India's twenty-fifth state, with Daman and Diu remaining a union territory. Goa encompasses an area of 3,702 km (1,429 sq mi). It lies between the latitudes 14°53′54″ N and 15°40′00″ N and longitudes 73°40′33″ E and 74°20′13″ E. Goa is a part of the coastal country known as the Konkan , which is an escarpment rising up to
9639-558: The freedom fighters of Azad Gomantak Dal (AGD) were not Goans. Many had fought in the British Army , under General Montgomery , against the Germans ." On 27 February 1950, the government of India asked the Portuguese government to open negotiations about the future of Portuguese colonies in India. Portugal asserted that its territory on the Indian subcontinent was not a colony but part of metropolitan Portugal and hence its transfer
9758-554: The government as a palm (like grass), enabling farmers and real estate developers to clear land with fewer restrictions. Rice is the main food crop, and pulses (legume), Ragi (Finger Millet), and other food crops are also grown. Main cash crops are arecanut, coconut, cashew nut, sugar cane, and fruits like banana, mango, and pineapple. Goa's state animal is the Gaur , the state bird is the Flame-throated Bulbul , and
9877-528: The government. On 18 June 1946, now celebrated as Goa Revolution Day , the Portuguese government disrupted a protest against the suspension of civil liberties in Panaji (then spelt 'Panjim') organised by Lohia, Cunha and others including Purushottam Kakodkar and Laxmikant Bhembre in defiance of a ban on public gatherings, and arrested them. There were intermittent mass demonstrations from June to November. In addition to non-violent protests, armed groups such as
9996-506: The government. Government-owned forest is estimated at 1,300 km (502 sq mi) while private is given as 200 km (77 sq mi). Most of the forests in the state are located in the interior eastern regions of the state. The Western Ghats , which form most of eastern Goa, have been internationally recognised as one of the biodiversity hotspots of the world. In the February 1999 issue of National Geographic Magazine , Goa
10115-523: The invading army, as well as the mining of approach roads and beaches. Defence units were organised as four battlegroups ( agrupamentos ), with one assigned to each sector and tasked with slowing the progress of an invading force. Then-Captain Carlos Azaredo, who was stationed in Goa at the time of hostilities, described the Plano Sentinela in the Portuguese newspaper Expresso on 8 December 2001 as "a totally unrealistic and unachievable plan, which
10234-478: The issue peacefully through mediation and consensus rather than armed conflict. On 24 November 1961, Sabarmati , a passenger boat passing between the Indian port of Kochi and the Portuguese-held island of Anjidiv , was fired upon by Portuguese ground troops, resulting in the death of a passenger and injuries to the chief engineer . The action was precipitated by Portuguese fears that the boat carried
10353-448: The jungles of Goa. The avifauna (bird species) includes kingfisher, myna and parrot. Numerous types of fish are also caught off the coast of Goa and in its rivers. Crab, lobster, shrimp, jellyfish, oysters, and catfish are the basis of the marine fishery. Goa also has a high snake population. Goa has many famous "National Parks", including the renowned Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary on the island of Chorão . Other wildlife sanctuaries include
10472-466: The light aircraft carrier Vikrant ; a Mine Sweeping Group consisting of mine sweepers including Karwar , Kakinada , Cannonore and Bimlipatan , and a Support Group which consisted of Dharini . In March 1960, Portuguese Defence Minister General Júlio Botelho Moniz told Prime Minister Salazar that a sustained Portuguese campaign against decolonisation would create for the army "a suicide mission in which we could not succeed". His opinion
10591-715: The military forces, the Portuguese defences counted on the civil internal security forces of Portuguese India. These included the State of India Police (PEI, Polícia do Estado da Índia ), a general police corps modelled after the Portuguese Public Security Police ; the Fiscal Guard ( Guarda Fiscal ), responsible for Customs enforcement and border protection; and the Rural Guard ( Guarda Rural ), game wardens. In 1958, as an emergency measure,
10710-461: The oldest rocks in the Indian subcontinent are found in Goa between Molem and Anmod on Goa's border with Karnataka . The rocks are classified as Trondjemeitic Gneiss estimated to be 3,600 million years old, dated by rubidium isotope dating . A specimen of the rock is exhibited at Goa University . Goa features a tropical monsoon climate under the Köppen climate classification . Goa, being in
10829-447: The only Municipal Corporation in Goa. There are thirteen Municipal Councils —Margao, Mormugao (merged with Vasco), Pernem, Mapusa, Bicholim, Sanquelim , Valpoi, Ponda, Cuncolim , Quepem, Curchorem , Sanguem, and Canacona. Goa has a total number of 334 villages. The politics of Goa are a result of the uniqueness of this region due to 450 years of Portuguese rule, in comparison to three centuries of British rule experienced by most of
10948-414: The population living in urban areas. The sex ratio is 973 females to 1,000 males. The birth rate was 15.70 per 1,000 people in 2007. Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes make up 1.74% and 10.23% of the population respectively. As of the 2011 census, over 76% of the population was born in Goa, while just over half of migrants to the state are from the neighbouring states of Karnataka and Maharashtra. As per
11067-422: The possibility of truce or of Portuguese prisoners, as there will be no surrender rendered because I feel that our soldiers and sailors can be either victorious or dead." Salazar asked Vassalo e Silva to hold out for at least eight days, within which time he hoped to gather international support against the Indian invasion. Vassalo e Silva disobeyed Salazar to avoid the unnecessary loss of human lives and surrendered
11186-539: The rest of India. The Indian National Congress was unable to achieve electoral success in the first two decades after the State's incorporation into India. Instead, the state was dominated by the regional political parties like Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party and the United Goans Party . Goa has two members of parliament (MP) elected from each district representing the state in the Lok Sabha (House of
11305-417: The rock engravings of animals, tectiforms and other designs in granite have been associated with what is considered to be a megalithic stone circle with a round granite stone in the centre. Petroglyphs , cones, stone-axe, and choppers dating to 10,000 years ago have been found in various locations in Goa, including Kazur, Mauxim, and the Mandovi - Zuari basin. Recently these petroglyphs have been included in
11424-615: The rule of the Kadamba dynasty and over 100 medicinal springs. Mormugao harbour on the mouth of the Zuari river is considered one of the best natural harbours in South Asia. Most of Goa's soil cover is made up of laterites rich in ferric-aluminum oxides and reddish in colour. Further inland and along the riverbanks, the soil is mostly alluvial and loamy . The soil is rich in minerals and humus, thus conducive to agriculture. Some of
11543-617: The same year, India instituted sanctions on Portugal with the aim of the annexation of Goa into India; the sanction would remain until 1961. Meanwhile, the Indian Union of Dockers had, in 1954, instituted a boycott on shipping to Portuguese India. Between 22 July and 2 August 1954, armed activists attacked and forced the surrender of Portuguese forces stationed in Dadra and Nagar Haveli. On 15 August 1955, 3,000–5,000 unarmed Indian activists attempted to enter Goa at six locations and were violently repulsed by Portuguese police officers, resulting in
11662-473: The second largest industry. Iron, bauxite, manganese, clays, limestone, and silica are mined. The Mormugao port handled 31.69 a million tonnes of cargo in 2007, which was 39% of India's total iron ore exports. Sesa Goa (now owned by Vedanta Resources) and Dempo are the lead miners. Rampant mining has been depleting the forest cover as well as posing a health hazard to the local population. Corporations are also mining illegally in some areas. During 2015–16,
11781-401: The state to levy taxes on gambling, thereby strengthening the economy. There are several casinos available in Goa. In 2018-2019 tax revenue from casinos reached Rs 414 crore. Goa is the second state in India to achieve a 100 per cent automatic telephone system with a solid network of telephone exchanges. As of September 2017, Goa had a total installed power generation capacity of 547.88 MW. Goa
11900-565: The state tree is the Indian Laurel . The important forest products are bamboo canes, Maratha barks, chillar barks, and the bhirand . Coconut palm trees are common throughout Goa barring the elevated regions. A variety of deciduous trees, such as teak, Sal tree, cashew, and mango trees are present. Fruits include jackfruit, mango, pineapple, and blackberry. Goa's forests are rich in medicinal plants.{{Citation needed |date=February 2023}} Foxes, wild boar and migratory birds are found in
12019-416: The tentative list of UNESCO world heritage sites . Evidence of Paleolithic life is visible at Dabolim, Adkon, Shigao, Fatorpa, Arli, Maulinguinim, Diwar, Sanguem, Pilerne, and Aquem-Margaon. Difficulty in carbon dating the laterite rock compounds poses a problem for determining the exact time period. Early Goan society underwent radical change when Indo-Aryan and Dravidian migrants amalgamated with
12138-532: The territory until 1469 when it was appropriated by the Bahmani Sultanate . After that dynasty crumbled, the area fell into the hands of the Sultanate of Bijapur , who established as their auxiliary capital the city known under the Portuguese as Velha Goa (or Old Goa). In 1510, the Portuguese defeated the ruling Bijapur sultan Yusuf Adil Shah with the help of a local ally, Thimmayya or Timoji ,
12257-593: The time of invasion was the sloop NRP Afonso de Albuquerque . It was armed with four 120 mm guns capable of two shots per minute, and four automatic rapid-firing guns. In addition to the sloop, the Portuguese Naval Forces had three light patrol boats ( lanchas de fiscalização ), each armed with a 20 mm Oerlikon gun, one based in each of Goa, Daman and Diu. There were also five merchant marine ships in Goa. An attempt by Portugal to send naval warships to Goa to reinforce its marine defences
12376-447: The torrid zone and near the Arabian Sea , has a hot and humid climate for most of the year. The month of May is usually the hottest, seeing daytime temperatures of over 35 °C (95 °F) coupled with high humidity. The state's three seasons are southwest monsoon period (June–September), post-monsoon period (October–January), and pre-monsoon period (February–May). Over 90% of the average annual rainfall (3,048 mm or 120 in)
12495-403: The total traffic handled by Mormugao port was recorded to be 20.78 million tonnes. Agriculture, while of shrinking importance to the economy over the past four decades, offers part-time employment to a sizeable portion of the populace. Rice is the main agricultural crop, followed by areca , cashew , and coconut . Fishing employs about 40,000 people, though recent official figures indicate
12614-424: The two landlocked enclaves and Daman; the use of these economic warfare tactics by India caused a deep economic depression in Goa with subsequent hardship for the inhabitants and, in attempt to remedy the situation and with land travel precluded, Salazar established a new airline to communicate the enclaves of Portuguese India with its ports. In July 1954, pro-Indian forces, including members of organisations like
12733-539: The way because most countries, including Pakistan, denied passage of Portuguese military aircraft, the mission was passed to the Portuguese international civilian airline TAP , which offered a Lockheed Constellation (registration CS-TLA) on charter. However, when permission to transport weapons through Karachi was denied by the Pakistani government , the Constellation landed in Goa at 18:00 on 17 December with
12852-612: Was brought to the UN security council, it could expect no support from the US delegation. The hostilities between India and Portugal started seven years before the annexation of Goa, when Dadra and Nagar Haveli were invaded and occupied by pro-Indian forces with the support of the Indian authorities. Dadra and Nagar Haveli were two Portuguese landlocked exclaves of the Daman district , totally surrounded by Indian territory. The connection between
12971-580: Was code named Operation Vijay (meaning "Victory" in Sanskrit) by the Indian Armed Forces. It involved air, sea and land strikes for over 36 hours, and was a decisive victory for India, ending 451 years of rule by Portugal over its remaining exclaves in India . The engagement lasted two days, and twenty-two Indians and thirty Portuguese were killed in the fighting. The brief conflict drew a mixture of worldwide praise and condemnation. In India,
13090-518: Was compared with the Amazon and the Congo basins for its rich tropical biodiversity. Goa's wildlife sanctuaries boast of more than 1512 documented species of plants, over 275 species of birds, over 48 kinds of animals and over 60 genera of reptiles. Nanda Lake is the first and the only Ramsar wetland site in Goa. Goa is also known for its coconut cultivation. The coconut tree has been reclassified by
13209-603: Was composed of two segments: the central nucleus of the Velhas Conquistas (Old Conquests)—Bardes, Ilhas de Goa, and Salcette—which territories had been under Portuguese administration since the sixteenth century; and the Novas Conquistas (New Conquests)—Bicholim, Canacona, Pernem, Quepem, Sattari, and Sanguem—territories which had been successively added through the eighteenth century. In 1787, Goa experienced its first revolt from its Catholic elite, with
13328-473: Was filled to its limits, with evacuees occupying even the toilets. On arranging this evacuation of women and children, Vassalo e Silva remarked to the press, "If necessary, we will die here." Evacuation of European civilians continued by air even after the commencement of Indian air strikes. Indian reconnaissance operations had commenced on 1 December, when two Leopard class frigates , the INS Betwa and
13447-590: Was foiled when President Gamal Abdel Nasser of Egypt denied the ships access to the Suez Canal . Portuguese ground defences were organised as the Land Forces of the State of India (FTEI, Forças Terrestres do Estado da Índia ), under the Portuguese Army 's Independent Territorial Command of India, headed by Brigadier António José Martins Leitão. At the time of the invasion, they consisted of
13566-659: Was however rejected by the Ministers for Defence and Foreign Affairs. The demand for a referendum was repeated by presidential candidate General Humberto Delgado in 1957. Prime Minister Salazar, alarmed by India's hinted threats at armed action against Portugal's presence in Goa, first asked the United Kingdom to mediate, then protested through Brazil and eventually asked the United Nations Security Council to intervene. Mexico offered
13685-526: Was listed out as follows: The Indian Navy deployed two warships—the INS Rajput , an 'R' Class destroyer, and INS Kirpan , a Blackwood class anti-submarine frigate—off the coast of Goa. The actual attack on Goa was delegated to four task groups: a Surface Action Group comprising five ships: Mysore , Trishul , Betwa , Beas and Kaveri ; a Carrier Group of five ships: Delhi , Kuthar , Kirpan , Khukri and Rajput centred on
13804-588: Was non-negotiable, and that India had no rights to this territory because the Republic of India did not exist at the time when Goa came under Portuguese rule. When the Portuguese government refused to respond to subsequent aide-mémoires in this regard, the Indian government, on 11 June 1953, withdrew its diplomatic mission from Lisbon. By 1954, the Republic of India instituted visa restrictions on travel from Goa to India which paralysed transport between Goa and other exclaves like Daman, Diu, Dadra and Nagar Haveli. In
13923-675: Was quite incomplete. It was based on exchange of ground with time. But, for this purpose, portable communication equipment was necessary." The plans to mine roads and beaches were also unviable because of an insufficient quantity of mines. The naval component of the FAEI were the Naval Forces of the State of India (FNEI, Forças Navais do Estado da Índia ), headed by the Naval Commander of Goa, Commodore Raúl Viegas Ventura. The only significant Portuguese Navy warship present in Goa at
14042-615: Was replaced by civilian government when the Lieutenant Governor nominated an informal Consultative Council of 29 nominated members to assist him in the administration of the territory. After India's independence from the British Empire in August 1947, Portugal continued to hold a handful of exclaves on the Indian subcontinent—the districts of Goa , Daman and Diu and Dadra and Nagar Haveli —collectively known as
14161-451: Was shared by Army Minister Colonel Afonso Magalhães de Almeida Fernandes , by the Army under secretary of State Lieutenant-Colonel Francisco da Costa Gomes and by other top officers. Ignoring this advice, Salazar sent a message to Governor General Manuel António Vassalo e Silva in Goa on 14 December, in which he ordered the Portuguese forces in Goa to fight to the last man: "Do not expect
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