Union Government Prime Minister Modi named 21 islands in the Andaman and Nicobar archipelago after all 21 Indian heroes who have been awarded the highest gallantry award of the country, Param Vir Chakra.
The Param Vir Chakra (PVC) is India’s highest military decoration, awarded for displaying distinguished acts of valour during wartime.[5][6] Param Vir Chakra translates as the “Wheel of the Ultimate Brave”, and the award is granted for “most conspicuous bravery in the presence of the enemy”.
As of January 2018, the medal has been awarded 21 times, of which 14 were posthumous and 16 arose from actions in Indo-Pakistani conflicts.[7][8] Of the 21 awardees, 20 have been from the Indian Army, and one has been from the Indian Air Force. Major Somnath Sharma, was the first recipient.
Across India number of state governments of India as well as ministries of the Union government provide allowances and rewards to recipients of the PVC (or their family members in case of the recipient’s death).
The naming of the islands after war heroes was done on the occasion of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose’s 126th birth anniversary. Modi virtually announced the names of the islands dedicated to the Param Vir Chakra awardees.
The name of 21 PVCs is given below :
Dhan Singh Island after Lieutenant Colonel (then Major) Dhan Singh Thapa
Tarapore Island after Lt Col Ardeshir Burzorji Tarapore
Karam Singh Island after Lance Naik (Hony. Captain) Karam Singh
Bana Island after Naib Subedar Bana Singh
Ekka Island after Lance Naik Albert Ekka
Khetrapal Island after 2nd Lt Arun Khetrapal
Pandey Island after Lt Manoj Kumar Pandey
Hoshiar Island after Major Hoshiar Singh
Shaitan Island after Major Shaitan Singh
Jadunath Island after Nayak Jadunath Singh
Yogender Island after Subedar Major (Hony. Captain) Yogendra Singh Yadav
Hamid Island after Company Quartermaster Havildar (CQMH) Abdul Hamid
Rane Island after 2nd Lt Rama Raghoba Rane
Ramaswamy Island after Major Ramaswamy Parameswaran
Batra Island after Captain Vikram Batra
Joginder Island after Subedar Joginder Singh
Salaria Island after Captain G S Salaria (then Major)
Piru Island after Company Havildar Major Piru Singh
Somnath Island after Major Somnath Sharma
Sekhon Island after Flying Officer Nirmaljit Singh Sekhon
Sanjay Island after Subedar Major (then RifleMan) Sanjay Kumar
So “`India First` was the only resolution for all 21 Paramveers; today in the naming of these islands, their resolution has become immortal forever.
The potential of Andamans is huge. In the past eight years, the country has made continuous efforts in this direction,” PM Modi said virtually shortly after naming the islands.
