Sri Vijaya Puram, Mar 11: Andaman Day was celebrated with great enthusiasm on 11th March, at the Auditorium of Mahatma Gandhi Government College (MGG College), Mayabunder. The programme was organised by the Department of History under the guidance of Dr. M. Selvam, Head of the Department of History, and the close supervision of Dr. P. K. Mandal, Senior Faculty of History.
Mr. Krishna Chaitanya, ADM, North & Middle Andaman District, attended the programme as the Chief Guest, while Dr. R. V. R. Murthy, Principal of the College, was the Guest of Honour.
The students of the Department of History welcomed the Chief Guest and the Guest of Honour with traditional gestures including Chandan Tilak, Shankhnadh and Ulludhwani. The guests were felicitated with flower bouquets and Skandh Bastra, followed by the ceremonial lighting of the Panch Pradweep, marking the formal inauguration of the programme.
The programme began with a welcome and introductory address by Dr. P. K. Mandal, who highlighted the historical significance of Andaman Day. In his speech, he said that the day is observed to remember the brave freedom fighters who arrived in the Andaman Islands in 1858 after the First War of Indian Independence. He emphasized that the islands were once used as a penal settlement, where thousands of revolutionaries were imprisoned in the Cellular Jail (Kala Pani) and endured immense suffering. He further stated that many of those early settlers later contributed to building the foundation of present-day Andaman society through courage, sacrifice, and hard work.
Dr. R. V. R. Murthy, in his address, spoke about the history of the freedom fighters who were brought to the Andaman Islands following the Sepoy Mutiny of 1857 and highlighted their immense sacrifices for the nation.
The Chief Guest, Mr. Krishna Chaitanya, delivered an inspiring speech emphasizing the significance of the day and the sacrifices made by the freedom fighters. He encouraged students to remain committed to the nation and said that without the active participation of youth, no nation can truly progress.
Several competitions were also organised during the programme, including a Speech Competition on “History of Andaman,” Patriotic Song Competition, Traditional Folk Dance/Bharatanatyam Performance, Fashion Parade on the theme of National Integration, and a Fancy Dress Competition depicting historical personalities such as Bharat Mata, Rani Laxmibai, Swami Vivekananda, Mahatma Gandhi, and Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose.
Prizes were distributed to the winners of all five events. The first prize winners received Rs. 1000 each, second prize winners received Rs. 700 each, and third prize winners were awarded Rs. 500 each.
The programme concluded with a vote of thanks delivered by Dr. P. K. Mandal, who expressed his sincere appreciation to all colleagues for their support and cooperation. He particularly acknowledged the contributions of Mr. Pankaj Sarkar, Mr. Sishir Kumar, Dr.Bhoomra Devi, Mrs. Rita Bawali, and Ms. Sapna Das, faculty members of the Department of History, for their wholehearted efforts in making the programme a grand success. Dr. Mandal also expressed heartfelt gratitude to Dr. R. V. R. Murthy, Principal, and Dr. M. Selvam, HOD History, for their constant inspiration and motivation to the organising team.
