On the 129th birth anniversary of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, observed nationwide as Parakram Diwas, former MP and Telangana Jagruthi President K Kavitha said she has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking the renaming of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands as ‘Azad Hind’.

Telangana Jagruthi is a cultural and social organisation focused on heritage preservation, cultural renaissance and sustainable development in Telangana.

Citing Azad Hind legacy

Kavitha said the proposal was aimed at honouring the historical legacy of the Provisional Government of Azad Hind, which in 1943 declared the islands the first Indian territory liberated from British colonial rule.

In her letter to the Prime Minister’s Office, she noted that while several individual islands were renamed in recent years, the archipelago as a whole continues to carry colonial-era nomenclature. Ross, Neil and Havelock islands were renamed in 2018.

She urged the Union government to initiate the necessary constitutional and administrative processes to effect the name change.

‘Not Just Symbolic’

Supporters of the move argue that ‘Azad Hind’ is more than a symbolic title, describing it as a reminder of the first assertion of Indian sovereignty under Netaji’s leadership.

Kavitha said renaming the entire Union Territory would bring India’s geography in line with Netaji’s vision of a nation free from colonial legacies.

Kavitha’s Remarks

Speaking to NDTV, Kavitha said, “Today is the 129th birth anniversary of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. He was the one who went out of the country and, with his diplomacy skills, requested Japan for support. By force, he took away the entire Andaman and Nicobar from the British.”

“He named it Azad Hind and there he flew our national flag much before 1947. It is a national memory. It should have been honored long back, but it has not been done. I am writing to the PM. The BJP has changed many names; I wouldn't agree with all of them, but Netaji is such a personality, he is such an energy. Andaman and Nicobar is a name given by the British and not us. So Azad Hind must be the name,” she added.

Tribute To Freedom Struggle

Kavitha said the move would serve as a fitting tribute to the Azad Hind Fauj and act as an “eternal beacon” for India’s youth, reminding future generations of the sacrifices made during the freedom struggle.