SHIMLA: Four Bravest soldiers from Himachal Pradesh- India’s first Paramvir Chakra winner Maj Somnath Sharma, Maj Dhan Singh Thapa, Kargil hero Capt Vikram Batra of ‘Ye Dil Maange More’ fame, Subedar Rifleman Sanjay Kumar- will be ‘immortalized’ among India’s First 21 Param Vir Chakra winners on the Andaman Nicobar island on Parakram Divas.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will name 21 largest unnamed Islands of Andaman Nicobar after them on Parakram Divas on January 23.
To give befitting tributes to the Param Vir Chakra winners of the country, the highest military honour in India, Prime Minister will go on a renaming spree in the Great Andaman and Nicobar islands in a virtual mode, celebrating the Parakram Divas tomorrow.
Prime Minister will name these islands through a video conferencing tomorrow, celebrating Parakram Divas in the country, thereby evoking a countrywide response from the serving and ex-servicemen.
This is an earnest endeavour on the part of the Prime Minister to give the everlasting tributes to the first 21 Paramvir Chakra awardees of India.
They are real life heroes of the country, who fought with rare bravery to protect the sovereignty and integrity of the Nation with valour by sacrificing their life.
The first winner of the Paramveer Chakra is none other than Major Somnath Sharma, son of Maj General Amarnath Sharma, who hails from Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh.
Commissioned in Kumaon regiment, Maj Sharma fought bravely the intruding Pakistani troops and laid down his life for the nation on November 3, 1947 in Bedgam in Kashmir.
Then comes Subedar honorary captain Karam Singh, Second Lt Rama Raghoba Rane, Nayak Jadunath Singh, Company HavildarMajor Piru Singh, Captain GS Salaria, Lt Col Dhan Singh Thapa, born in Shimla, Subedar Joginder Singh, Major Shaitan Singh, Abdul Hamid (CQMH), Lt Colonel Ardeshir Buzorji Tarapore,
Then comes Lance Naik Albert Ekka, Major Hoshiyar Singh, 2nd Lt Arun Khetarpal, the Flying Officer, Nirmaljit Singh Sekhon, Major Ramaswamy Parameswaran, Naib Subedar Bana Singh.
Then in the list figure the name of Kargil hero, captain Vikram Batra who hailed from Palampur.
Lt Manoj Kumar Pandey, Subedar Major Sanjay Kumar, who hails from Bilaspur and Subedar Major (retd), Hony Capt Grenadier Yogendra Singh Yadav are other brave soldiers who will be immortalised on Andaman Nicobar Island for their Parakram.
It is a rare honour for people of this Virbhoom that the four Paramvir Chakra winners are brave sons of Himachal Pradesh, which have kept the tradition of bravery and soldiery alive.
Apart from this, Prime Minister will also unveil the model National Memorial dedicated to Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose.
This memorial will come up on the Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Dweep.
Prime Minister had renamed the then Ross islands after Netaji during his visit to the island in 2018.
He also had renamed Neil island and Havelock island as Shaheed Dweep and Swaraj Dweep respectively to give the islands an Indian connection.