Twenty-one large unnamed islands of Andaman & Nicobar will be named after Param Vir Chakra awardees at a ceremony attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the occasion of Parakram Diwas on Monday, according to a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).
Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Jayanti on 23 January is observed as ‘Parakram Diwas’ every year.
“In view of the historical significance of Andaman and Nicobar Islands and to honor the memory of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, the Ross Islands were renamed as Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Dweep by the Prime Minister during this visit to the island in 2018.
Neil Island and Havelock Island have also been renamed Shaheed Dweep and Swaraj Dweep,” the Prime Minister’s Office said in a statement.
The Prime Minister, who will attend the naming ceremony at 11 am on Monday through video conferencing, will also unveil a model of a national memorial dedicated to Netaji to be built at Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Dweep.
The largest unnamed island will be named after the first Param Vir Chakra awardee, Major Somnath Sharma, who was martyred in action on November 3, 1947, while repulsing Pakistani infiltrators near Srinagar Airport. He was posthumously awarded the Param Vir Chakra for his gallantry and sacrifice during the Battle of Badgam.
The second largest unnamed island will be named after the second Param Vir Chakra awardee, Captain Subedar and Honya (then Lance Naik) Karam Singh. Param Vir gained his Chakra in the Indo-Pakistani War of 1947 when control of the Tithwal sector was fought.
The PMO said the move is part of the Prime Minister’s efforts to pay due respect to the country’s real heroes.
“This step will be an eternal tribute to our heroes, some of whom made the ultimate sacrifice to protect the sovereignty and integrity of the nation,” the Prime Minister’s Office noted.
The 21 Param Vir Chakra awardees, after whom the islands will be named, are Major Somnath Sharma; Captain Subedar and Hony (then Lance Naik) Karam Singh, MM; 2nd Lt. Rama Raghoba Rane; Nayak Jadunath Singh; Company Havildar Major Piru Singh; Captain GS Salaria; Lt. Col. (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; Lieutenant Manoj Kumar Pandey; Subedar Major (then Rifleman) Sanjay Kumar; and Subedar Major Retd (Hon Captain) Grenadier Yogendra Singh Yadav.