The Central government named 21 uninhabited islands in the union territory of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands after the recipients of Param Vir Chakra, the highest award for valor in wartime. Of the 21 islands, 16 are located in North and Middle Andaman District, while five islands are located in South Andaman.

In a conversation with the news agencies, Andaman and Nicobar Islands MP Kuldeep Rai Sharma welcomed the centre’s move to name the 21 islands after decorated soldiers in support of defense and local administration.

“I am pleased that the Centre has chosen 21 islands from Andaman to honor our brave soldiers. I would also like to request the administration to publish a small handbook for schoolchildren so that they can learn more about their supreme sacrifice for our motherland.

“The island of Andaman and Nicobar is a ‘tirtha sthan’ (pilgrimage site) because of the sacrifices made by the freedom fighters and now such an honor for the recipients of Param Vir Chakra is a matter of pride for us,” Sharma said.

The first uninhabited island with the number ‘INAN370’ in North and Central Andaman is named after Major Somnath Sharma. Now ‘INAN370’ will be known as ‘Somnath Dweep’. He was the first recipient of the Param Vir Chakra. Sharma was killed on duty on 3 November 1947 while handling Pakistani infiltrators near Srinagar Airport. He was posthumously awarded the highest military decoration for his bravery and sacrifice during the Battle of Badgam.

Subedar and Honorary Captain Karam Singh who fought in the Indo-Pakistani War of 1947 and received the Param Vir Chakra for saving an outpost at Richmar Gali, south of Tithwal (a small border village in Jammu and Kashmir) was also honored after the government of Andaman and the Ministry of Defense named another desert island with the number ‘INAN308’ after him as ‘Karam Singh Dweep’.

Likewise Major Rama Raghoba Rane, Naik Jadunath Singh, Company Havildar Major Piru Singh Shekhawat, Captain Gurbachan Singh Salaria, Lieutenant Colonel Dhan Singh Thapa Magar, Subedar Joginder Singh Sahnan, Major Shaitan Singh Bhati, Company Quartermaster Havildar Abdul Hamid, Lieutenant Colonel Ardeshir Burzorji Tarapore, Lance Naik Albert Ekka, Colonel Hoshiar Singh Dahiya, Second Lieutenant Arun Khetarpal, Flying Officer Nirmal Jit Singh Sekhon, Major Ramaswamy Parameswaran, Captain Bana Singh, Captain Vikram Batra, Captain Manoj Kumar Pandey and Subedar Major Sanjay Kumar – all recipients of the Param Vir Chakra- were honored after the islands were named after them.

“Christening of the 21 uninhabited islands of Andaman and Nicobar archipelago with names of Param Vir Chakra heroes is a real tribute to the soldiers “who had given their today for our tomorrow,” the MP said.

Some of the 21 islands are under reserved forest, while some have great potential for water sports, creek tourism, and fishing.

Image source: The Hindu