PM Modi to name 21 largest unnamed islands of Andaman & Nicobar after Param Vir Chakra awardees

New Delhi [India], January 21 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi will preside over a virtual ceremony to name the 21 largest unnamed islands of Andaman & Nicobar after 21 Param Vir Chakra awardees at 11 am on January 23, the birth anniversary of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) informed through an official statement on Saturday.
January 23 is also marked as 'Parakram Diwas' to commemorate the birth anniversary of Netaji.
Further, according to the statement, PM Modi will also unveil the model of the National Memorial dedicated to Netaji. The memorial is to come up on Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Dweep.
Keeping in mind the historical significance of the Andaman & Nicobar Islands and honour the memory of Netaji, Ross Islands were renamed as Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Dweep by Prime Minister Modi during his visit to the islands in 2018.
Neil Island and Havelock Island were also renamed Shaheed Dweep and Swaraj Dweep.
The statement from the PMO said giving the country's real-life heroes their due has always been accorded the highest priority by Prime Minister Modi.
It is in that spirit that it has now been decided to name the 21 largest unnamed islands of the island group after 21 Param Vir Chakra awardees, the released stated, adding that the largest unnamed island will be named after the first Param Vir Chakra awardee, the second will be named after the second Param Vir Chakra awardee, and the remaining in the same order.
"This step will be an everlasting tribute to our heroes, several of whom had made the ultimate sacrifice to protect the sovereignty and integrity of the nation," the statement added.
It was decided that these islands will be named after the 21 Param Vir Chakra awardees -- 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. (ANI)