New Delhi:  Prime Minister Narendra Modi will preside over a virtual ceremony to name the 21 largest unnamed islands of Andaman & Nicobar after the country’s 21 Param Vir Chakra awardees on January 23, observed as Parakram Diwas to mark the birth anniversary of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, according to an official statement.

PM Modi will also unveil the model of the National Memorial dedicated to Netaji which is to come up on Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Dweep, the official statement issued by the Prime Minister’s office said.

Keeping in mind the historical significance of the Andaman & Nicobar Islands and to honour the memory of Netaji, Ross Island which was named during the days of the British rule, was renamed as Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Dweep by Prime Minister Modi during his visit to the Andaman & Nicobar Islands in 2018.

Neil Island and Havelock Island were also renamed Shaheed Dweep and Swaraj Dweep to shed the colonial tag and honour those who fought for the country’s freedom.

The PMO statement 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 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 will continue 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 has been 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.