As Veer Savarkar Airport begins international operations, PM Modi urges for a visit to Cellular Jail

New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): Veer Savarkar Airport, previously known as Port Blair Airport, in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, has opened its runway for international flights, hence opening the region to tourists and visitors from across the globe.

The Archipelago, whose tourism potential has largely remained unexplored till date because of limited air connectivity, got a boost when the Veer Savarkar airport received its first international flight, last month. Experts see the island turning into a major tourist hotspot soon, with visitors arriving from across the continents. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has made an appeal to tourists to pay a visit to the Cellular Jail, besides enjoying the serene and tranquil islands.

“Do visit the Cellular Jail as well and get inspired by the courage of the great Veer Savarkar,” PM Modi said in a post on X. Notably, it was this infamous Cellular Jail, where Vinayak Damodar Savarkar was jailed for 11 years during India’s freedom movement. Dubbed as ‘Kala Paani’, this was one of the harshest prison sentence, meted out by the Britishers. PM Modi also noted the importance of preserving and celebrating the legacy of brave heroes who sacrificed their lives in the service of the nation.

His homage to the brave heroes came in response to an X user (a noted journalist) who described the ‘naming of 21 Andaman islands after Param Vir Chakras’ as his favourite part of Andaman tourism. Last year, PM Modi had named 21 largest unnamed islands of Andaman and Nicobar Islands after Param Vir Chakra awardees. The christening of unnamed islands was done on the occasion of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose’s 126th birth anniversary, officially observed as Parakram Diwas.

In his post on X, PM Modi underscored the importance of remembering the brave heroes of the nation, who made supreme sacrifices for the nation. “Naming the islands in Andaman and Nicobar after our heroes is a way to ensure their service to the nation is remembered for generations to come. This is also part of our larger endeavour to preserve and celebrate the memory of our freedom fighters and eminent personalities who have left an indelible mark on our nation,” he said. The Prime Minister further said, “It’s the nations that remain connected with their roots that move ahead in development and nation-building.”