New Delhi [India], January 23 (ANI): Underlining the importance of Andaman and Nicobar islands, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said that Andaman is the land where the tricolour was hoisted for the first time and where the government of independent India was formed for the first time.

Prime Minister Modi was addressing a virtual programme to name 21 islands of Andaman and Nicobar Islands after Param Vir Chakra awardees.

"This land of Andaman is the land where the tricolour was hoisted for the first time. Where the government of independent India was formed for the first time. Today is the birth anniversary of Netaji Subhash Bose. The country celebrates this day as Parakram Diwas," said PM Modi.

PM Modi also highlighted that Veer Savarkar and many other heroes who fought for the country were incarcerated in this land of the Andamans.

"Veer Savarkar and many other heroes who fought for the country were incarcerated in this land of the Andamans. When I visited Port Blair 4-5 years ago, I dedicated Indian names to the 3 main islands there," he said.

Addressing the virtual program, PM Modi said that Netaji's memorial in the Andaman and Nicobar islands will now infuse yet more patriotism in the hearts of the people.

"I pay my tributes to Neta Ji Subhas and Param Vir Chakra Awardees. The land, where Neta Ji first unfurled the flag of India is all praises today for the Parakram of Azad Hind Fauz," said PM Modi.

"The place where Netaji first hoisted the tricolor in Andaman, there today the skyscraper tricolor is praising the might of the Azadi Hind Army. Seeing the tricolor waving on the seashore, the thrill of patriotism increases among the people coming here," PM Modi added.

Born on January 23, 1897, Netaji played a crucial role in India's freedom movement.

Subhash Chandra Bose established the Azad Hind Fauj. While there is a controversy over Bose's death in a plane crash in Taipei on August 18, 1945, the Central government had in an RTI (Right to Information) in 2017 confirmed that he had died in the incident.

Last year, on the occasion of Netaji's 125th birth anniversary, the Prime Minister unveiled the hologram statue of the freedom fighter at India Gate in Delhi. (ANI)