Francisco De Almeida

• Appointment: He was the first governor and viceroy of the Portuguese State in India, appointed by King Manuel I of Portugal.
• Tenure: 12 September 1505 – November 1509
• Title: Was granted the title of Viceroy.
• Contributions:
• • He established Portuguese hegemony in the Indian Ocean with his victory at the naval Battle of Diu in 1509.
  • He built Fort Anjediva (Anjediva Island) and St. Angelo Fort (Cannanore).
  • He strengthened the empire with his ‘Blue Water Policy’ i.e. to be powerful at sea instead of building fortresses on land.
  • Arrested Afonso de Albuquerque (Later the Second Governor). 

Afonso de Albuquerque

• Appointment:  He succeeded Almeida as the Second Portuguese governor in India 
• Tenure: 4 November 1509 – September 1515
• Contributions: 
  • He secured for Portugal the strategic control of the Indian Ocean by establishing bases overlooking all the entrances to the sea.
  •  Conquered Goa, Malacca, Muscat and Hormuz.
• He occupied Goa from the Sultan of Bijapur in 1510.

• •  He started the First Portuguese Mint in the east, issuing gold, silver, and bronze coins based on local designs but engraved with the badge of the Portuguese kings.
  • He is considered the real founder of the Portuguese power in the East.

Vasco da Gama

• Appointment: Appointed by John II 
• Tenure: September 1524- December 1524
• Title: Second governor to have the title of Viceroy.
• Major Events:
  • This  became his third voyage to India
  • His tenure was short lived and he died of Malaria

Nuno da Cunha

• Appointment: He assumed office as the Ninth governor in November 1529
• Tenure: November 1529 – 1538 
• Major Event: He Shifted the headquarters of the Portuguese government in India from Cochin to Goa in 1530.
• Territorial Expansion: 

• • During his tenure, he captured Diu and Bassein from Bahadur Shah of Gujarat.
  • He also established settlements at Salsette, Daman and Bombay on the west coast and at San Thome near Madras and Hugli in Bengal on the east coast.

Manuel António Vassalo e Silva

• Appointment: Was appointed as the 128th Governor-General of Portuguese India by Dictator-for-Life Salazar.
• Tenure: 1958-1961
• He was the Last Portuguese Governor of India
• Important Event: His tenure marked the end of about 450 years of Portuguese rule in India
• End of Portuguese Rule: On December 19, 1961, the Indian government launched Operation Vijay, resulting in the annexation of Goa and other Portuguese-held territories. 
• This marked the end of Portuguese rule in India