New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday named 21 largest islands in the Andamans after fallen Param Vir Chakra awardees – India’s highest military decoration.
The largest unnamed island was named after the first Param Vir Chakra awardee, Major Somnath Sharma, who died on 3 November, 1947 while fighting Pakistani infiltrators near the Srinagar airport.
Modi said these islands would be “a site of inspiration for generations to come”.
On Parakram Diwas Monday – also Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose’s birth anniversary – Modi unveiled a model of the National Memorial dedicated to Netaji to be built on Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Dweep, earlier known as Ross Islands.
“Netaji’s memorial in Andaman and Nicobar Islands will infuse feelings of patriotism in the hearts of people,” Modi said, adding that Netaji had “liberated Andamans first”.
The Prime Minister’s Office on Monday released a list of the 21 Param Vir Chakra awardees in a statement — “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.”
At the ceremony to name the islands, the Prime Minister said via videoconferencing, “India First — was the only resolution for these 21 Paramveers. In naming these islands today, their resolution has become immortal.”
Union Home Minister Amit Shah said this decision “acknowledges and appreciates the connection of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands with the Independence Movement of India”. Shah also said this move would increase the enthusiasm of the Army.
In 2021, the central government had declared 23 January as Parakram Diwas to commemorate the birth anniversary of Bose, who was born in 1897.
On this day in 1978, a portrait of Bose was unveiled by then President N. Sanjiva Reddy in the Central Hall of Parliament.
In 2022, on the occasion of Bose’s 125th birth anniversary, Modi unveiled a hologram statue of the freedom fighter in Delhi’s India Gate.
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