Port Blair, Dec 30: The 70th anniversary to mark the historic occasion of hoisting of National flag for the first time on the Indian soil at Port Blair by Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose was observed by organizing befitting programme across the Islands today. At a function held at the Memorial of 30th December, Netaji Stadium, the Lt Governor, Lt Gen (Retd) A K Singh, hoisted the National Flag in commemoration of the day.
On this day in 1943, Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose hoisted the National Flag for the first time at Gymkhana Ground (present Netaji Stadium), Port Blair declaring the A&N Islands, the first Indian Territory to be liberated from the British rule. To commemorate this day, a memorial stands today opposite Andaman Club, Netaji Stadium as a mute testimony of the visit of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose to the Islands and hoisting of the National flag.
In his brief address on the occasion, the Lt Governor said “today I feel honoured and privileged to hoist the National flag to commemorate the historic moment of hoisting of the national flag in our Islands”. Lauding the nationalistic fervor of the people of the Islands, he said that the A&N Islands are the true representation of the Constitution of the country, which needs to be emulated by others. He further added that all of us need to not only consider the duties of the State Govt. towards its citizens, but also be alive to their own obligations and duties towards the county and the society.
Chief Secretary, Shri Anand Prakash, Chairperson (PBMC), Adhyaksha Zilla Parishad (SA), Chairperson (SSWB), public representatives, representatives of Forum for Integrated National Security (FINS), New Delhi, senior officers of the A&N Administration and the general public also paid homage to Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose and all those freedom fighters, who had made supreme sacrifice for the cause of the motherland.
