Parakram Divas: Modi Names 21 Unnamed Islands in Andaman and Nicobar after 21 Param Vir Chakra Awardees
Manas Dasgupta
NEW DELHI, Jan 23: “Parakram Divas” to commemorate the birth anniversary of legendary freedom fighter Netaji Shubhash Chandra Bose was on Monday celebrated with the Prime Minister Narendra Modi naming 21 unnamed large islands in Andaman and Nicobar Islands group after 21 Param Vir Chakra awardees.
Modi on the occasion also unveiled the model of the National Memorial dedicated to Netaji to be built on Ross Islands which was renamed as Netaji Shubhash Chandra Bose Dweep in 2018. The union Home Minister Amit Shah was also present at the ceremony in Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
The largest unnamed island was named after the first Param Vir Chakra awardee, Major Somnath Sharma, who lost his life in action on November 3, 1947 while fighting Pakistani infiltrators near Srinagar Airport.
“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,” the Prime Minister’s Office said.
The Government had declared January 23 as Parakram Divas in 2021 to commemorate the birth anniversary of Netaji Shubhash Chandra Bose.
Keeping in mind the historical significance of the Andaman & Nicobar Islands and to honour the memory of Netaji, Ross Islands was renamed as Netaji Shubhash Chandra Bose Dweep by the Prime Minister during his visit to the Island in 2018. Neil Island and Havelock Island were also renamed Shaheed Dweep and Swaraj Dweep.
“Giving due respect to the real-life heroes of the country has always been accorded the highest priority by the Prime Minister. Going ahead with this spirit, it has now been decided to name the 21 largest unnamed islands of the island group after 21 Param Vir Chakra awardees,” the statement from the PMO read.
The largest unnamed island is named after the first Param Vir Chakra awardee, the second largest unnamed island will be named after the second Param Vir Chakra awardee, and so on. This step will be an everlasting tribute to our heroes, several of whom made the ultimate sacrifice to protect the sovereignty and integrity of the nation.
Meanwhile, Modi along with Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Leaders of parties in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, Members of Parliament, former Members of Parliament, and other dignitaries paid floral tributes at the portrait of Netaji in the Central Hall of Parliament House. The portrait of was unveiled by the then President of India N Sanjiva Reddy, in the Central Hall of Parliament House on January 23, 1978.
According to Lok Sabha Secretariat, it was recognised that the floral tributes could serve as an effective medium in spreading greater knowledge and awareness about the lives and contributions of these towering national icons among the youth of the country.
Born on January 23, 1897, Netaji played a crucial role in India’s freedom movement. Shubhash Chandra Bose established the Azad Hind Fauj. While there is a controversy over Bose’s death in a plane crash in Taipei on August 18, 1945, the Central government had in an RTI (Right to Information) in 2017 confirmed that he had died in the incident.
While naming the unnamed islands after the Param Vir Chakra awardees won accolades from various sections Modi was criticised by the West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee for re-naming Neil and Havelock islands as “Shahid Dweep” and “Swaraj Dweep” respectively.
Addressing a gathering to celebrate Netaji’s 126th birth anniversary on Monday, Banerjee said renaming of the islands were done to merely “gain popularity” since Netaji himself had named the islands as ‘Shahid’ and ‘Swaraj’ Dweep when he had visited the archipelago in 1943. She also accused the Centre of scrapping the Planning Commission envisaged by the legendary freedom fighter.
Notably, Neil and Havelock islands in Andamans were, in 2018, renamed as ‘Shahid’ Dweep and ‘Swaraj’ Dweep by the Centre. Ross Island was also rechristened as Netaji Shubhash Chandra Bose Dweep to honour the freedom fighter. Ms Banerjee’s reaction came hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi named 21 islands of the Union Territory after Param Vir Chakra awardees.
“Today only to gain popularity, some are claiming to have given names of Andaman islands Shahid and Swaraj Dweep, but these islands were given such names by Bose when he had gone there to inspect Cellular Jail,” Ms Banerjee said.
The Bollywood film world, many of whom had portrayed the Param Vir Chakra awardees on the cellular screen, highly appreciated Modi’s decision to commemorate the real life heroes by naming the unnamed islands after them. Hindi film stars Ajay Devgn, Suneil Shetty, Akshay Kumar and Sidharth Malhotra have expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the decision. The award is India’s highest military decoration, which is awarded for displaying distinguished acts of valour during wartime.
Suneil Shetty thanked Modi for honouring “true heroes of our nation.” “Thank you Hon. PM @narendramodi ji for renaming 21 islands of #AndamanNicobar in the names of the 21 #ParamVirChakra awardees, the true heroes of our Nation, on the 126th Birth Anniversary of the great #NetajiSubhasChandraBose. So proud! #JaiHind #ParakramDivas,” he wrote on Twitter.
Akshay Kumar tweeted, “What a remarkable way to honour Param Vir Chakra winners. Saluting their bravery and sacrifices. #IndiaHonoursParamveers.”
Ajay Devgn, who essayed the role of Lt. Manoj Kumar Pandey in 2003 movie “LOC: Kargil”, said the decision assures that the sacrifice these soldiers made will continue to inspire generations. “The decision to name an island after Capt. Manoj Kumar Pandey (Param Vir Chakra) is assuring that the example of supreme sacrifice for the motherland he left us with will continue to inspire generations to come. Thank you PM @narendramodi Ji.#IndiaHonoursParamveers,” he wrote on Twitter.
Sidharth Malhotra, the star of Captain Vikram Batra biopic “Shershaah”, said the news gave him goosebumps. “The very news that an island in Andaman & Nicobar is named after our hero Capt. Vikram Batra leaves me with goosebumps! My heart swells with pride that I was fortunate to live his role on screen. This step taken by PM @narendramodi ensures that Shershaah lives on forever,” he tweeted.
The proposed memorial of Netaji, whose model the prime minister inaugurated on Monday, will be set up on Ross Island, which was renamed as Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Dweep in 2018. It 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.
