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Governor-General of Portuguese India (1958–1961) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Manuel António Vassalo e Silva (8 November 1899 – 11 August 1985) was an officer of the Portuguese Army and an overseas administrator. He was the 128th and the last Governor-General of Portuguese India.
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (February 2010) |
Manuel António Vassalo e Silva | |
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| Governor-General of Portuguese India | |
| In office 1958 – 19 December 1961 | |
| President | Américo Tomás |
| Prime Minister | António de Oliveira Salazar |
| Preceded by | Paulo Bénard Guedes |
| Succeeded by | Office abolished (K. P. Candeth as Indian Military Lieutenant-Governor) (Dayanand Bandodkar as Indian Chief Minister) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 8 November 1899 Torres Novas, Portugal |
| Died | 11 August 1985 (aged 85) Lisbon, Portugal |
| Profession | Army officer |
He was the only son of Manuel Caetano da Silva (1870–1926) and his wife Maria da Encarnação Vassalo (1869–1922), and was the brother of the feminist author and anti-government campaigner Maria Lamas. He was married, with two daughters, Joana and Aurora.[citation needed]
In 1958, he was nominated to replace Paulo Bénard Guedes as the 128th Governor-General of the Portuguese State of India. At the same time, he was also appointed Commander-in-Chief of the Portuguese Armed Forces in India.[citation needed]
When the Republic of India sought to annex the territories of Goa, Daman (from which had been previously separated in 1954 and annexed by India in 1961 the enclave of Dadra and Nagar Haveli) and Diu from Portuguese control in December 1961, Manuel Vassalo e Silva, recognizing the futility of facing a superior enemy, disobeyed direct orders from the President of the Council of Ministers (Prime Minister) of Portugal and Dictator-for-life, António de Oliveira Salazar to fight to the death and surrendered the following day to the 48th Indian Infantry Brigade under Brig. Gurbux Singh, following several losses and the destruction of the sloop NRP Afonso de Albuquerque.[1][2] After that he fell into disgrace at the eyes of Salazar, who never accepted the fait accompli of the annexation.[citation needed]
Vassalo e Silva was greeted with a hostile reception when he returned to Portugal. He was subsequently court martialed for failing to follow orders, expelled from the military and was sent into exile. His rank and freedom were restored only in 1974, after the fall of the dictatorial regime, and he was given back his military status. He was later able to conduct a state visit to Goa, where he was given a warm reception.[3]
Recently[clarification needed] the Goan-Portuguese politician Narana Coissoró said that Salazar sent him a cyanide capsule for use in case of defeat.[citation needed]
He was married to Fernanda Pereira e Silva Monteiro and had a son and two daughters:
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