Goa, 1961

Book excerpt: The subject of the liberation of Goa in 1961 and its integration into the Indian Union in 1962 is sparsely understood at best and misunderstood at worst. What were the events that led to the thirtysixhour military operationpossibly the first since Independence that occurred entirely at India's initiative? What was the political climate within Goa? What role did Goans themselves play? In this gripping account, former journalist Valmiki Faleiro covers a wide canvas in detail, including the entire story of Operation Vijay, the events that preceded it and those that followed. The diplomatic efforts, the arguments, the runup, the buildup, the actual ops and their aftermath in Goa, within India and internationallyall of it is vividly related in this nuanced telling. Faleiro lucidly outlines the prevailing political atmosphere and its changing character, the part played by indigenous independence movements and freedom fighters leading to the liberation of Goa, and the impact of its consequent assimilation into India. Extensively researched and extremely wellwritten, Goa, 1961 is a seminal book on an important subject and a mustread for anyone interested in Indian history.