Caetano Manuel Roque Álvares was born in Margão, Salcete, Goa on 25 February 1816
Caetano Manuel Roque Alvares, was the son of the nobleman António do Rozario da Gonzaga Alvares and D. Maria Esperança Josefa Alvares; His preliminary studies were in Latin Grammer, rational philosophy and English and French languages, where he achieved distinctions. He then attended the military academy after which he moved to Damao. He returned to Goa on March 5, 1838, and continued with his 3rd year of mathematical studies. He was then sent to Portugal as a student in 1841.
In Portugal he studied mathematics at the university of Coimbra in September 1841; he graduated from two faculties, Philosophy and Mathematics with the first position. He was appointed to the chair of the army school, with the rank of the captain of the infantry battalion of Macau, a position he held until his death in Lisbon on November 2, 1860