New Delhi, Sep 20 (PTI): Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday lauded a tri-Services team for the courage it displayed while successfully completing a swimming expedition as a tribute to Param Vir Chakra awardees by overcoming numerous challenges at sea.
At an event held here, he flagged-in the first-of-its-kind open water swimming expedition to 21 islands of the Andaman & Nicobar Islands, which were named after PVC awardees, the ministry said.
In his address, Singh commended the courage and ability of the team, which successfully completed the expedition by overcoming numerous challenges at sea, and brought the stories of valour and sacrifice of the bravehearts to the people.
“The expedition was in line with the government’s efforts towards ensuring that the gallant deeds of our soldiers, who sacrificed themselves in the service of the nation, are known to the people, especially the youth, and that these bravehearts become their heroes,” Singh was quoted as saying in a statement by the ministry.
He expressed hope that the armed forces personnel will continue to bring glory to the nation and be a source of inspiration for the youth.
During the event, the ‘Expedition Flag’ was handed over to the defence minister by the team.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had named 21 largest unnamed islands of the Andaman & Nicobar Islands after the PVC awardees on January 23 last year on Parakram Diwas that commemorates the birth anniversary of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose.
To mark the first anniversary of the renaming, the Tri-Service Andaman & Nicobar Command launched ‘Expedition Param Vir’, wherein a team of personnel from the army, navy, the Indian Air Force and Indian Coast Guard undertook swimming to all the 21 islands as a tribute to the valour and sacrifice made by the 21 gallantry awardees and unfurled the national flag at each of the islands, the ministry said.
During the expedition, the swimmers faced a number of challenges, which included severe exhaustion, extreme dehydration, sunburns and turbulent sea conditions, it said.
“There were also multiple encounters with deadly marine life in the area. The entire expedition was undertaken without a single mishap, a stupendous achievement considering the fact that a majority of the participating personnel were undertaking an open water sea swim for the first time,” the statement said.
The 11-member expedition team was led by the acclaimed open water swimmer and Tenzing Norway National Adventure Awardee Wing Commander Paramvir Singh, it said.
The expedition flag was witness to the entire expedition, its challenges, camaraderie and finally the successful completion. It represents the cause and stirs emotions of patriotism and pride, the statement said.
Chief of Defence Staff Gen Anil Chauhan, Army Chief Gen Upendra Dwivedi, Commander-in-Chief of the Andaman & Nicobar Command (CINCAN) Air Marshal Saju Balakrishnan and other senior officials were present during the flag-in ceremony.
The expedition was formally flagged-off by CINCAN on the occasion of World Water Day on March 22 from Sri Vijaya Puram (earlier called Port Blair), with an inaugural swim to the Netaji Subhas Chandra Dweep, the statement said.
The team swam to all 21 islands, more than 300 kms, over a period of five months. The expedition culminated on the occasion of the 78th Independence Day on August 15, it added.
The final swim was undertaken by 78 personnel from the armed forces and the Coast Guard, swimming from the Netaji Subhas Chandra Dweep to Sri Vijaya Puram, the statement said.
All the swimmers undertook the expedition as per the international standards and regulations for the category of ‘Unassisted Open Water Swim’, which mandate that swimmers can be attired only in swim trunks, goggles and caps, it added.
