Port Blair, Aug 05: On 05 August 21, at 0630h, the Joint Services Cycle Expedition was flagged off by Air Commodore S Sridhar VM, the Air Force Component Commander. The event was attended with great fervor by large number of personnel from the Defence, Andaman Administration and local public, who were lined up on both sides of the road at Bathubasti area to pay respects to the Victory flame and to cheer the cyclists. The expedition thereafter proceeded towards Zirkatang and took a special convoy through the restricted tribal area to reach Baratang in the early afternoon hours. At Government Senior Secondary School, Baratang a commemorative event with students of the school and Armed Forces Veterans was conducted in the afternoon.
The Victory Flame was lit by Hon’ble PM Shri Narendra Modi on 16 Dec 20 from the Eternal Flame at the National War Memorial. It arrived at the Andaman and Nicobar Islands on 03 Aug 21 where, the Flame was ceremoniously received by the Hon’ble Lt Governor Admiral DK Joshi (Retd), PVSM, AVSM, YSM, NM, VSM, and handed over to the CINCAN for conduct of commemorative events on the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. As part of commemorative events the victory flame would be carried from Port Blair to Diglipur by a Joint Services Cycle Expedition Team of 17 personnel led by Squadron Leader Ghanshyam Pandey.
The Cycling expedition offers a unique opportunity to our service personnel to embark on an adventure of a lifetime and carry the solemn and pious Victory Flame to the Northern parts of Andamans in its full glory. The cycling expedition along with the Victory Flame will cover a total distance of 340 Km in five days on the Andaman Trunk Road from Port Blair to Diglipur. The route is full of challenges for the cyclists due to undulating terrain and the heavy ongoing monsoons. Enroute, celebrations are planned at multiple public places including Oralkacha GSS School Baratang, GSS School Rangat, GSS School Pahalgaon, Govt Model School Mayabunder, and GSS School Kishori Nagar and it will finally reach the Sports Stadium at Diglipur on 9th August. During these celebrations enroute, the Cycle Expedition Team will interact will Veterans of the three services, the local civil dignitaries and the local public. They will spread awareness amongst the children and the locals about India’s glorious victory of 1971 War and the Liberation of Bangladesh.
The event presents a moment of pride and opportunity for the Islanders enroute to pay homage to the sacrifices made by our brave soldiers 50 years ago.
