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Combo photo of the boards at the newly named islands of Andaman and Nicobar Islands after Param Vir Chakra (PVC) recipients. 21 islands of the archipelago have been named during a ceremony on Monday.
| Photo Credit: PTI
On the occasion of Parakram Diwas, Prime Minister Narendra Modi named 21 largest unnamed islands of Andaman & Nicobar Islands after 21 Param Vir Chakra awardees. During the programme, the Prime Minister via video conferencing also unveiled the model of the National Memorial dedicated to Netaji to be built on Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Dweep.
The Ross Islands, part of the Andaman islands, was renamed as Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Dweep by Mr. Modi in 2018, while the Neil Island and Havelock Island were also renamed as Shaheed Dweep and Swaraj Dweep respectively.
The proposed memorial will have a museum, a cable car ropeway, a laser-and-sound show, a guided heritage trail through historical buildings and a theme-based children’s amusement park, besides a restro lounge, an official told PTI.
“These 21 islands will now be known by the names of Param Vir Chakra awardees and the Netaji memorial will be a site for inspiration for the future generations,” the Prime Minister said at the naming ceremony. “This land of Andaman is the land where the tricolour was hoisted for the first time, where the government of independent India was formed for the first time,” he added.
Stating that the identity of Andaman was associated with the symbols of slavery instead of the memories of the freedom struggle Mr. Modi said, “Even the names of our islands had the imprint of slavery.”
Also speaking on the newly inaugurated statue of Netaji in New Delhi, he said, that the statue of Netaji on the Kartavya Path reminds us of our duties. “From Bengal to Delhi to Andaman, every part of the country salutes and cherishes the legacy of Netaji”, Mr. Modi said.
Photo: Screenshot via YouTube/Narendra Modi
“I believe these initiatives should have been taken before in the interest of the nation,” the Prime Minister said, noting that the countries which connected their imminent personalities and freedom fighters with the public in due time and, created and shared capable ideals, are the ones that went far ahead in the race of development and nation-building.
Mr. Modi said that many messages are contained in naming of the 21 islands. “The message is the message of Ek Bharat, Shrestha Bharat; this message is the message of the bravery of our Armed Forces.” Just like an ocean connects different islands, similarly, the feeling of ‘Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat’ ignites the spirit of Bharat Mata and India First, he said.
“From Major Somnath Sharma, Piru Singh, Major Shaitan Singh to Captain Manoj Pandey, Subedar Joginder Singh and Lance Naik Albert Ekka, from Veer Abdul Hameed and Major Ramaswamy Parameswaran to all 21 Paramveers, everyone had only one resolve—Nation First! India First! This resolution has now become immortal forever in the name of these islands. A hill in Andaman is also being dedicated in the name of Captain Vikram Batra from the Kargil war”, he said.
Meanwhile, Union Home Minister Amit Shah arrived in Port Blair on Sunday night for a two-day visit to the archipelago, where he is scheduled to address a public meeting on the occasion of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose’s 126th birth anniversary, besides taking stock of development activities.
“PM Narendra Modi’s initiative to name islands after Param Vir Chakra awardees will ensure they are remembered forever,” Mr. Shah said at the ceremony.
Mr. Shah is likely to hoist the national flag during the day and deliver a public speech at Netaji Stadium—the same place where the freedom fighter had unfurled the Tricolour on December 30, 1943.
The largest unnamed island has been named after the first Param Vir Chakra awardee, while the second largest unnamed island has been named after the second Param Vir Chakra awardee, and so on.
These islands have been named after the 21 Param Vir Chakra awardees, viz. Major Somnath Sharma; Subedar and Hony Captain (then Lance Naik) Karam Singh, MM; 2nd Lt. Rama Raghoba Rane; Nayak Jadunath Singh; Company Havildar Major Piru Singh; Capt GS Salaria; Lieutenant Colonel (then Major) Dhan Singh Thapa; Subedar Joginder Singh; Major Shaitan Singh; CQMH. Abdul Hamid; Lt Col Ardeshir Burzorji Tarapore; Lance Naik Albert Ekka; Major Hoshiar Singh; 2nd Lt. Arun Khetrapal; Flying Officer Nirmaljit Singh Sekhon; Major Ramaswamy Parameswaran; Naib Subedar Bana Singh; Captain Vikram Batra; Lt Manoj Kumar Pandey; Subedar Major (then RifleMan) Sanjay Kumar; and Subedar Major Retd (Hony Captain) Grenadier Yogendra Singh Yadav.
(With inputs from PTI)
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