Instituto Vasco da Gama
The Instituto Vasco da Gama (Institute Vasco da Gama) Goa, today known as the Institute Menezes Braganza, was founded in 1871 on the initiative of Tomás António Ribeiro Ferreira, better known by Tomás Ribeiro, with the aim of promoting and supporting science and Lusophone literature in Goa. The Instituto Vasco da Gama promoted the golden age of Indo-Portuguese literature, and journalistic interventions besides texts in historiography and poetry.[1]
The institution received a building from the Portuguese authorities for the setting-up of its headquarters.[2] After a period of erasure, the Institute was restructured in 1924. In 1963, after the merger of Goa into India, it has changed its name to Institute Menezes Bragança, named after Luís de Menezes Bragança. From March 1925, the Instituto Vasco da Gama was attached to the Biblioteca Pública de Goa. In, 15 April 1952, it was made a Commander of the Order of Saint James of the Sword
History
[edit]The Instituto Vasco da Gama was established on 24 November 1871 by Luís Tomás António Ribeiro (Tomás Ribeiro) under Portuguese colonial patronage to promote science and Lusophone literature in Goa.[3] After publishing its monthly Boletim do Instituto Vasco da Gama and fostering the Indo‑Portuguese literary renaissance, the institute lapsed into inactivity by 1875 and was reconstituted by legislative decree in March 1925. In 1963, after the merger of Goa into India, it has changed its name to Institute Menezes Bragança, named after Luís de Menezes Braganza, journalist and one of the Goan pioneers of anti-colonialism.[4] Later, in March 1925 it was attached to the Biblioteca Pública de Goa (public library of Goa).[5][6] In 1952 it was honoured as a Commander of the Order of Saint James of the Sword (Comendador da Ordem Militar de Sant'Iago da Espada) for its scientific and cultural contributions.[7]
Architecture
[edit]The Instituto Vasco da Gama was a mid‑19th‑century Portuguese colonial building in Panaji’s historic quarter, the institute combines neoclassical façades with a central portico and flanking arcades. The entrance foyer is famed for its five monumental azulejo panels, that are painted by Jorge Colaço in Lisbon (1935–36) and shipped to Goa. They depicted the scenes from Os Lusiadas in blue‑and‑white tin‑glazed ceramic, the only work of Colaço installed in India. The main hall features high coffered ceilings and tall shuttered windows designed for tropical ventilation, framing a central marble bust of Luís de Menezes Bragança on an Italian granite plinth.[8]
References
[edit]- ^ "Boletim do Instituto Vasco da Gama", in Memórias de África e do Oriente Archived 2012-01-21 at the Wayback Machine.
- ^ Alcipe (12 May 2009). "Tim Tim no Tibet: Azulejos em Goa: Instituto Menezes Bragança". Tim Tim no Tibet. Retrieved 5 July 2025.
- ^ Instituto Vasco da Gama Bureau. "Instituto Vasco da Gama: Founding Charter". Memórias de África e do Oriente. Retrieved 5 July 2025.
- ^ Deshpande, Abhijeet. "Institute Menezes Braganza". The Times of India. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 5 July 2025.
- ^ Goa State Central Library. "Brief History". Krishnadas Shama Goa State Central Library. Retrieved 5 July 2025.
- ^ "Cidadãos Nacionais Agraciados com Ordens Portuguesas". Presidência da República Portuguesa. Retrieved 5 July 2025.
- ^ "Cidadãos Nacionais Agraciados com Ordens Portuguesas". Presidência da República Portuguesa. Retrieved 6 February 2015. Resultado da busca de "Instituto Vasco da Gama".
- ^ Gadre, Vivek. "Institute Menezes Braganza". Atlas Obscura. Retrieved 5 July 2025.