Parakram Diwas is annually observed across India on January 23 to commemorate the birth anniversary of freedom fighter Subhas Chandra Bose, fondly known as “Netaji”.
- 23rd January 2023 marks the 126th birth anniversary of Subhas Chandra Bose.
Background:
i. In 2021, the Government of India declared January 23 as Parakram Diwas to honour the selfless contribution of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose to India’s freedom movements.
ii. The 1st ever Parakram Diwas was observed on 23rd January 2021 on the 124th birth anniversary of Netaji.
About Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose:
i. Subhas Chandra Bose was born on 23rd January 1897 in Cuttack, Orissa Division of Bengal Presidency (Now in Odisha).
ii. He joined India’s freedom movement in 1921 after knowing about the nationalist turmoils in India.
iii. He was elected the President of the All India Youth Congress and also the Secretary of the Bengal State Congress in 1923.
iv. In 1924, he was appointed Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Calcutta Municipal Corporation (now Kolkata Municipal Corporation).
v. In 1927, Netaji and Jawaharlal Nehru became the 2 general secretaries of the Indian National Congress(INC).
vi. Subhas Chandra Bose passed away in a plane crash on 18th August 1945.
PM Narendra Modi to Name 21 Unnamed Islands in Andaman and Nicobar:
On 23rd January 2023, Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi virtually participated in an event to name the 21 largest unnamed Islands of Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
i. The Islands were named after the 21 Param Vir Chakra Awardees through video conferencing.
ii. The Islands were named as per the Island’s size and the Awardees’ ranks. For Example,
- The largest unnamed Island will be named after the 1st Param Vir Chakra Awardee (Major Somnath Sharma).
- The 2nd largest unnamed will be named after the 2nd Param Vir Chakra Awardee (Jadunath Singh).
Memorial of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose in Andaman & Nicobar Island:
On the occasion of Parakram Diwas 2023, PM Narendra Modi unveiled a model of the National Memorial dedicated to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose to be built on the Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Dweep (formerly Ross Islands).
Military Tattoo & Tribal Dance festival:
i. To mark the 126th birth anniversary of Netaji and as part of the celebration of Republic Day 2023, a Military Tattoo and Tribal Dance Festival ‘Aadi-Shaurya – Parv Parakram ka’, a 2-day festival, will be held at Jawahar Lal Nehru Stadium, New Delhi, Delhi on 23 & 24 January 2023.
- The event is being jointly organised by the Ministry of Defence (MoD) and Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA), with the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) serving as the coordinating agency.
- 10 military tattoo performances will take place, along with 20 tribal dances.
Note: A military tattoo is a performance of music or a display of armed forces in general.
ii. The festival includes intense dance performances by tribal tribes that will highlight the beauty of India’s rich and different tribal cultures and showcase the strength of the Armed forces.
iii. The Indian Armed Forces will showcase Horse Show, Khukuri Dance, Gatka, Mallakhamb, Kalaripayattu, Thang-ta, Motorcycle Display, Air Warrior Drill, Navy Band and martial arts.
