What happened? On 20 th May 1498, two years after he set sail from Lisbon, Portugal, Vasco da Gama arrived on the Western sea coast of India at Kozhikode (Calicut), Kerala. This was the first time that a European had arrived in India via the sea. Thus, da Gama is credited with the discovery of the sea route to India. Vasco da Gama ’s Arrival – Background Many sailors and merchants from the west had tried to discover a sea route to India, a land that was famous for spices and other riches ... Vasco da Gama , a Portuguese explore r and the first European to reach India by water, was the first European to do so. The landing of three ships under Vasco Da Gama to Calicut in May 1498, headed by a Gujarati pilot called Abdul Majid, had a significant impact on Indian history. The arrival of Vasco da Gama at Calicut in 1498 is often recognized as the start of a new era in world history, particularly in Asia-Europe ties. This article will explain to you about the Vasco Da Gama which will ... Learn about the life and achievements of Vasco da Gama , the Portuguese navigator who sailed around Africa and reached India in 1497-9. Find out how he changed the trade and exploration of the Indian Ocean and became a Viceroy of Portuguese India. The search for trade routes Vasco da Gama 's pioneering sea voyage to India is one of the defining moments in the history of exploration. Apart from being one the greatest pieces of European ...