New Delhi: Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh today flagged-in a remarkable Open Water Swimming Expedition that covered 21 islands in the Andaman & Nicobar archipelago, named after Param Vir Chakra (PVC) awardees. The event, held in New Delhi, celebrated a first-of-its-kind expedition that commemorated the gallantry of India’s greatest war heroes. This initiative comes nearly a year after Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi named these islands after the PVC awardees on Parakram Diwas, January 23, 2023, in honor of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose’s birth anniversary.
The expedition, titled ‘Expedition Param Vir,’ was launched by the Tri-service Andaman & Nicobar Command to mark the anniversary of the renaming. It involved an 11-member team of Indian Army, Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard personnel, led by the renowned open water swimmer and Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Awardee, Wing Commander Paramvir Singh. Over a span of five months, the team undertook the grueling task of swimming across more than 300 kilometers to all 21 islands, paying tribute to the valor and sacrifice of the PVC awardees by unfurling the National Flag at each location.
In his address, Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh commended the courage and perseverance of the team, emphasizing how they overcame the formidable challenges posed by the open sea to complete the expedition. He noted that the endeavor aligns with the Government’s commitment to ensuring the stories of India’s brave soldiers reach the public, especially the youth. “The expedition not only honors the legacy of our Param Vir Chakra awardees but also inspires future generations to look up to these heroes,” he said.
During the flag-in ceremony, the team presented the Expedition Flag to Rajnath Singh. The flag, which had accompanied the swimmers throughout their journey, symbolized the unity, resilience, and patriotism of the participants. Also present at the ceremony were Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan, Chief of Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi, Commander-in-Chief of the Andaman & Nicobar Command (CINCAN) Air Marshal Saju Balakrishnan, and other senior officials.
The expedition had been formally flagged off by CINCAN on World Water Day, March 22, 2024, from Vijayapuram, with the team’s inaugural swim to Netaji Subhas Chandra Dweep. The expedition culminated on August 15, 2024, coinciding with India’s 78th Independence Day, as 78 personnel from the Armed Forces and Coast Guard completed the final swim from Netaji Subhas Chandra Dweep back to Vijayapuram.
The swimmers undertook the expedition under the stringent guidelines of the ‘Unassisted Open Water Swim’ category, which permits participants to wear only swim trunks, goggles, and caps. Throughout the expedition, the team encountered various challenges, including extreme fatigue, dehydration, sunburns, turbulent sea conditions, and dangerous marine life. Despite these obstacles, the expedition was completed without a single mishap, an extraordinary accomplishment considering that many of the participants were undertaking an open water sea swim for the first time.