Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday paid tribute to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, recalling the historic moment when he hoisted the Indian Tricolour in Port Blair on December 30, 1943, describing the act as a powerful symbol of courage, valour and organised resolve.
In a post on X, the Prime Minister said the event remains a lasting reminder that freedom is achieved not merely through aspiration, but through strength, hard work, justice and collective determination.
“On this very day, December 30, 1943, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose hoisted the tricolour with courage and valour in Port Blair. That moment reminds us that freedom is not shaped merely by aspiration, but by capability, hard work, justice and organised resolve,” PM Modi said.
To underscore the message, the Prime Minister shared a Sanskrit Subhashitam (maxim) highlighting the foundational values of strength, justice and unity. The verse emphasised that freedom is rooted in strength, prosperity in labour, justice in good governance, and collective power in unity.
Netaji, the Commander of the Azad Hind Fauj (Indian National Army), had visited the Andaman and Nicobar Islands in 1943. On December 30 that year, he unfurled the Indian National Flag in Port Blair, marking the first time the Tricolour was raised on Indian soil liberated from British rule.
The event followed Netaji’s dramatic escape from British surveillance in January 1941 and fulfilled his pledge that the INA would reach Indian territory by the end of 1943. The flag hoisting symbolised the declaration of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands as the “first liberated territory of India.”
To commemorate this historic moment and honour the sacrifices of freedom fighters, the Sankalp Smarak was later inaugurated in Port Blair. According to the Ministry of Defence, the memorial was dedicated to the nation on December 29, 2021, marking 78 years since Netaji’s arrival in the islands.
The Prime Minister’s tribute highlighted Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose’s enduring legacy and his role in inspiring generations through courage, unity and an unwavering commitment to India’s freedom struggle.
(With ANI inputs)
